At this point, I think it is safe to say that the Final Fantasy IX remake is the worst-kept secret in the games industry currently. Despite there being no announcement from Square Enix, there has been a lot of excitement and anticipation recently for the remake of the classic JRPG. Many expect there to be an announcement as we get closer to the 25th anniversary of the game’s release on July 7. News of the remake first surfaced back in 2021 with the now infamous Nvidia Leak, and the vast majority of games on this leak have come to fruition, with only a few yet to see the light of day.
Why is there so much excitement for this remake? Why does the game need to be remade if it is already available on modern consoles? Let’s try to work through why Final Fantasy IX remake matters more than you might think, and maybe it’ll push you to try the game out when it inevitably is released.
A Timeless Tale
One of the most important elements of a great JRPG is its story, and Final Fantasy IX delivers on this in spades. It is usually celebrated as having one of the best stories in a franchise that bolsters some of the best storytelling in the medium. The game explores themes of mortality, war, and finding meaning in life that games still struggle with to this day.
However, even though the story is beloved, there is still room to improve it in a remake. There are story threads and characters that get pushed to the wayside with no real conclusion. For example, Puck is a Burmecian prince who appears throughout the first half of the game but then vanishes until the final moments of the game in a very short scene. Similarly, Freya, a fan-favorite party member, has a large chunk of her story rushed through upon her joining the party, and you are introduced to Sir Fratley, her long-lost love. This storyline is barely mentioned for the rest of the game, and a conclusion to it is shoehorned in at the very end.
These plot threads and characters could be expanded on and feel more complete with the help of a remake. While not necessary per se, this would make an already wonderful story even better and more complete.
Allow the Characters to Truly Shine
It is nearly impossible to talk about Final Fantasy IX without gushing over the characters, in particular Vivi Ornitier, one of the most loved characters in the Final Fantasy series. Vivi’s story of coming to terms with his mortality and finding meaning in his life has touched JRPG fans’ hearts for decades. However, Vivi isn’t the only party member worth celebrating.
Adelbert Steiner, the hard-headed Captain of the Knights of Pluto and personal guard for Princess Garnet, has a wonderful arc where he has to come to terms with the fact that the kingdom he has sworn fealty to is committing genocide and questions where his allegiance lies. He also has a great relationship with Zidane, the main character of the game. The two start off as enemies and untrusting of each other, and a friendship and comradery slowly grows over the course of the story that doesn’t feel forced or cheesy.
Speaking of Zidane, I believe that he is one of the most underrated protagonists in the series. Yes, Zidane does perform some questionable things near the beginning of the game, as he is first introduced as a bit of a womanizer. However, Zidane’s character grows as the game continues, and he has to confront where he came from and find a reason to fight for a world he was bred to destroy. A remake could address the more problematic aspects of Zidane’s character and iron out the wrinkles to give him the praise and attention he deserves.
A Phenomenal Soundtrack Will Only Get Better
Final Fantasy IX is special for many different reasons, one being the fact that this entry was the last mainline game that Nobuo Uematsu composed in its entirety. Final Fantasy X was a collaboration between Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano. If the Final Fantasy VII remake project is anything to go by, I can safely say that Square Enix will give Final Fantasy IX‘s soundtrack the treatment it deserves to shine.
Its stable of composers has been able to rearrange and iterate on Nobuo Uematsu’s genius compositions successfully, and Final Fantasy IX‘s soundtrack is filled with incredible song after song for them to play around with. Hearing a new arrangement of “Not Alone” during one of the game’s best scenes would be worth the price of admission alone.
An Updated Battle System
The main criticism for Final Fantasy IX is its battle system. The game uses the active time battle system like most of its predecessors. However, Final Fantasy IX‘s battles can feel like they take an eternity with how slow the ATB bars charge. Being able to fine-tune the battle system with a remake to allow it to have a faster flow and become more engaging would be huge. It would take away the biggest hurdle that some would face if they tried to revisit the original game or remaster.
Another factor with the battle system that is divisive is Final Fantasy IX‘s version of limit breaks, Trance. A separate bar fills for your party members as they take damage in battle, and once it is filled, the character automatically gets thrown into Trance. The fact that it auto-triggers means there is very little you can do strategically with this system. Most of the time, it will be triggered when fighting a basic mob and be wasted. A remake could change this and find a way to balance it better, where your Trance can be triggered manually. I understand that the Trance mechanic thematically relies on the characters to be in a time where the character is feeling a surge of emotions, but there has to be a middle ground where the player doesn’t feel cheated out of their most powerful abilities for boss fights or other major encounters.
I do think the remake should maintain a form of the ATB system or even go true turn-based like Final Fantasy X. Final Fantasy IX was made as a throwback to the older titles in the series, and the battle system is one of the ways that it honors the history of the franchise. Changing to a more action-combat-focused battle system could be a detriment to the legacy of the original game.
A Chance for the Spotlight
Final Fantasy IX already had to deal with being overshadowed by the release of the PlayStation 2 and only a year before Final Fantasy X. A remake would allow it to finally get the spotlight to itself and not have to worry about such a tight release window.
Regardless of how you may feel about the recent slate of Square Enix games, I think the company still has what it takes to deliver an experience that not only improves upon the original but also retains the magic that makes Final Fantasy IX so special to many. Its cast of characters, wonderful story, and expansive world is ripe with material to expand on and truly allow Final Fantasy IX to shine and reach an audience that may have never been able to experience it before.
