FFIX is the peak of Uematsu if you ask me. The man is a master of evoking moods. Compare Vivi's awkward brightness to Freya's tragic, rain-like darkness and Kuja's meticulous but dissonant piano (That motif might be my favourite in the series). It's not my no.1 favourite FF game, but it might be the most underrated. I could jump in at any stage of the game and be no more than five minutes from an incredible, stirring, memorable theme.
FF9 is an incredible FF. One of the most memorable for me. The music was so fitting to the context or character it comes with; the music instantly makes sense and that makes it so satisfying (as well as being well composed!). When I played this as a teenager it really hit me. I loved Kuja's theme so much, it may be simple and short compared to others in the series but, once again, it is extremely fitting for the character.
My first final fantasy.. and oh boy.. it left its mark on me. Even as a kid who was only learning english, and didn't quite understand all of it, i found the story and the characters so absolutely endearing, and it is to this day one of if not my favorite game of all time!
FF9 was my first FF, and the music was the first soundtrack that i loved. I remember being in Media Play and seeing the soundtrack in the CDs and begging my mom for it, and she agreed! I got to play it for hours and she was happy it wasnt rap haha. 97 out of 100 nobles approve
The first time I played the game, I didn't even understand English (I was 10 years old back then). Through the years as I played again and again, the more I managed to learn English, the more I connected with its story, it is to this day, one of the most fantastic experiences I had with games and as I started understanding I went "WHOA SO THIS IS HOW THEY FELT" and "OHH SO THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS", it made me feel part of a bigger thing. One of my favorite games all time. I'm watching the video right now and I am totally going to play it again because of this video! Thanks Marco!
Watched this whole thing, great video Marco. FF9 is so unique and yet so familiar since it was like a love letter to 1-8 all in one from Sakaguchi San. The you’re not alone sequence still gives me chills and tears to this day, it’s one of those “earned” scenes where everything comes together perfectly in character, writing, music, design, and cinematography, that make final fantasy what it is. And the Nobuo sound is a big part of that identity.
Vivis letter still tears me up to this day. God forbid if I have to explain his story in depth to anyone. I really disliked the art style when I first booted this up after 7 and 8 but this is ended up by far my favourite of the series. The art style juxtaposed the dark undertones of the story beautifully. What an emotional experience!
I love how FFIX incorporates so much storytelling in its OST. Vivi's theme holding all the bells and glocks that tick and tock, counting the clock, the time these mages have left. I love how Beatrix' character doesn't have the time to be explored in-game, but her three theme songs tell you all about her state of mind and her place in the narrative of the story. Wavering Blade, Protecting My Devotion, Rose of May (otherwise titled Loss of Me). The transition of what these songs reflect in the sequence they appear during the game are so important. You also have the only FF game that has a distinct musical theme tied to locations so intrinsically. All locations on Gaia have at least some sort of motif taken from Melodies of Life, BUT any location that is tied to Terra, no matter how minimally, has a completely different motif and melody. You mention how it feels quick when Kuja decides to take the world down with him, but we often forget that he is narratively, mentally, childlike because he was created that way by Garland. He never 'grew up' like how Zidane and Mikoto were. Kuja's castle especially plays around with candles light/shadow as a medium for moving around, but candles are representative of life. They wear themselves out and the light they cast is flickering. The themes in IX are gorgeous. Kuja is neat because you never ever beat him in-game either, counter to other villains in the FF series. Mikoto's words to Kuja, naming him their hope, showing them that they can defy fate, they can choose their path, and they can learn to be better, their own people. Culminated by the fight against Necron, the literal manifestation of death, telling you life is futile, that there is no need to fight, but the team fights for the right to live. Life is worth living, no matter the suffering and hardships encountered there. As for your question... FFIX is right up there in my top 3 FFs that all share the position of #1, and those are IX, XIII, and V. IX is extremely special, extremely well rounded, it's a complete story that doesn't need any additional content to close it off. Yes, not all of the characters were properly or fully explored, a lot of side stories and character arcs were reduced in favor of the larger story, but you still have so much to love. The stories we get from side quests, from looking a little closer, the themes we see in Memoria, the fact that "A Place I Return to Someday" is there for us as the player, not for anyone else in the story. This game is a place that we can all return to, to remember the joys of life, to remember that it's all worth it, that every life and every experience shapes us and is worth the struggle so that we can move on and meet those that hold us up stronger. This is a story where family is never defined by blood, but by the people who genuinely care for you. This is a story where you get to decide who becomes dear to you, dear enough to cross the world and face existentialism for. This is a story of love in all its forms, and life is forever if you know that it is the memories everyone makes and weaves together into the essence of this world that keeps forever flowing. Thank you for sharing this video and your thoughts.
You forgot to mention that vamo alla flamenco uses the well known theme of "la follia", a lot of composers of periods before (and even after) Bach used it. Among them Corelli and Vivaldi.
Ever since I learned that both this and Oops I Did It Again uses that same progression, I've been itching to do some tomfoolery on a DAW. But Vamo 'Alla Flamenco uses a 3/4 time signature...
15:50 What I love about Zidane's Theme is that halfway through, it switches and takes on a more mysterious and serious vibe, like he doesn't fully know who he is and is still figuring out his life. So even in a playful theme like this, Uematsu changes it up for some more added depth. I wish you showed that part too.
Thank you for highlighting Zidane's theme! So few people even acknowledge it, but it works so well. The way his theme changes to more melancholy while he is sitting in the bar convincing himself that he's losing Dagger, but then picks back up after to bring that fun personality back, I just love it so much!
I wish you had gone on for 2 hours or longer. Funnily enough I had recently decided to replay the ff9 soundtrack just yesterday, so your video could not have come out at a better time for me. Love hearing your thoughts and experiences of the tracks. FF9 was also my first foray into the series when it released in the day and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Great video as always and thank you again for this boost in my day!
31:50 Tbf, I think the entire game is incredibly dark. People don't even need to go that far to see that. It might even be one of the darkest Final Fantasy games when you think about it. Just a little bit into the game, they crash into Evil Forest and Blank sacrifices himself to save the rest. That alone tells the audience that this game isn't going to be just happy and joyful. Just a little ahead, in Dali, Vivi learns that he's essentially just a puppet manufactured. That's also incredibly dark. Fast forward to Lindblum, a Burmecian shows up and literally dies with his last words being about war. You then go to Gizamaluke's Grotto where people are dying left and right. Burmecia is also very depressing, and you get beaten to a pulp by Beatrix. All this happens on disc 1 out of 4 btw. You then go to Cleyra, which gets invaded, but you try to save as many as possible, only for the entire place to get destroyed. It's insane. You then have the whole thing about Brahne essentially wanting Garnet dead. Yikes. Then later in the game, Brahne makes war against Kuja, but dies in the process, making for a very sad moment for Garnet. Even though Brahne was evil, she was still her mom. Crazy amount of dark things happen in this game. The "You're Not Alone" part hammers it home even more. That's why I feel like people who say this game is too light only played the first 10 minutes with Vivi and didn't like it. I can't take people like that seriously at all.
Final Fantasy IX has always been and will always be my favorite the music , the characters and the story all hit home on so many different levels and continue to do so every time I replay it
It kind of disappoints me "You're not alone" wasn't used in Endwalker. It would have been perfect for a side story to match the theme of the expansion and sit next to close in the distance.
Lovely video. I listen to this soundtrack all the time. It's a real source of comfort for me and honestly is a huge influence on myself as a songwriter. It has this quality of hopeful sadness, pain masked by surface level light heartedness, and its share of moments of despondency and despair. I feel like FF9 is a wholistic masterpiece and it never fails to bring me to tears. I even used Vivi's last name when i changed my name because it just feels like that important of a part of my life.
Great video, Marco! I played 8 -> 7 -> 9 when growing up, and it wasn't until playing 9 that I truly fell in love with the series and started recommending it to everyone. It really is just perfect in so many ways, especially the music. 8-Bit Music Theory has done a couple videos on why FFIX's music is so good as well, and I highly recommend checking them out! The standout track for me, musically, is South Gate, where Uematsu uses 3 recorders to create a heart-wrenching piece.
MAN, I haven't owned a piano or keyboard in years, but hearing Jesters of the Moon instantly made me wish I did. It is an absolute BLAST of a piece to play, every bit as fun as it sounds. My Final Fantasy Piano Collections sheet music books have been collecting dust for too long...
Great video. My first FF and my favourite game of all time. I alway return to the game with joy and the characters and music will stay with me forever.
I occasionally start humming "the place I'll return to someday" at times. I've actually had people ask me what it's from I do it so often. It just kinda sits in my head.
I adore this game. I replayed it last year, and I love it more than I ever did. It's such a powerful message about how to find purpose in life and understanding that we are never alone in our struggles. It hits me harder as a working adult than it did as a college student.
IX is still my fav chapter in the franchise to this day. So this video was emotional to watch as all those wonderful feelings of nostalgic, hope, sorrow and triumph washes over me once again. I listen to this soundtrack on a regular basis as its a comfort soundtrack for me. So I'm abuzz with joy to watch you tackle this extensive and heart-warming soundtrack
a very thoughtful and empathetic understanding of the game and the character's struggles. a lot of people just see kuja as a bad guy. they don't take the time to understand what he's going through or what he must feel in that moment. it really was a wonderful choice for him to teleport them out in the end and for zidane to go back for him. ff9 is my top favorite final fantasy with 8 and 7 being close seconds.
Great review! I love FF IX so much, it's my favorite FF! Certainly one of my top 5 of all time RPGs. The story, character development, world building, music and customization are all perfect for the setting and a tribute to the FF franchise. The deep values and meaning the story portrays is immense, that using almost comical sprites for the characters feel great because it helps display that even comical characters have deep thoughts hidden in them, much like Zidane.
FF IX is one of my all-time fav FF games (along with VI and VII) and it really does feel like the end of an era with how the series has pushed further and further into being more "realistic" and "mature", despite this one eliciting more emotion out of me than anything that came after. The whole "You're Not Alone" sequence is peak storytelling through gameplay, and something I wish more games did instead of just relying on cutscenes.
FFIX was my first final fantasy game, i never had a playstation, but my friend rented it a few times, I only got part way through disc 2 since I didnt get many chances to play it, but it always stayed my favourite even after playing 10, 12, and 7. In 2012 I was finally able to play through the game and it just cemented this game as my favourite in the series, and one of my favourites of all time. This video reminded me just how great it's entire soundtrack is, the other games in the series have some bangers and memorable music, but i dont think any come close to the depth and emotion that this OST has.
Kuja's is my favorite reoccuring theme. like you can hear it a bunch of times and it doesn't soften it's impact. unlike say sephiroth's, OWA blows it's load and it's spectacular... but you can only get that bombastic explosion once, which is why that dread nibelheim scene generally follows him around. But Kuja? nah he can rock his devious tune all day. and then messenger of ruin? i had just discovered Queen when i first played this game, and fuck me if messenger doesn't sound like some evil "we will rock you" and a little "flash gordan" before going off and doing it's own thing
Yeah my first playthrough of FFIX was about 2002. It's been 22 years and I still can't not cry on You're Not Alone. So many amazing themes in that game, so many amazing characters and stories, but that song... It hits different. I love your interpretation of Kuja. The whole point of his story arc is that while he's a threat at all times, it is only when he has his whole worldview shattered that he's truly dangerous, to the whole world and to himself. Him and Zidane have the same reaction to their revelations, and the real difference lies in the fact that Zidane has a support system. Kuja is alone, and he always has been. Zidane is correct in saying that in Kuja's shoes he likely would've become the same person. But it's not as simple as that. Because Zidane earned his friends with his own actions. He was put in a much more advantageous position for finding friends than Kuja was, but he still didn't get them for free, just by virtue of existing.
FF9 is my personal all time fave As i mentioned in one of your FF9 post before, FF9 is the game that gets me hooked up and fall in love with Theatres and Opera (That's why i found your channel) When i was a kid, i have no idea about the story but i just like Zidane as a main character, but growing up and playing the remastered, it hits me both in the nostalgia and the theme of the game itself "Life" Kuja is an interesting antagonist, he is not exactly a Villain, he is just someone that was given a promise but in the end, he found out everything was a lie, and the final battle with him is basically siblings fight to cool down the tantrum of the others I feel for the characters, their growth, their struggles and stories, each and their own are the Protagonist of their own story and life The musical score hits differently after you understand the story, you can feel both pain and happiness in almost all the characters theme, well maybe except for Quina since Quina only thinks of food
FF9 has always been my favorite FF soundtrack, but probably my 3rd favorite game. The song for the final battle vs Necron is my favorite boss fight track ever.
AH YES FINALLY MARCO! FINALLY FINALLY! This is by far my most beloved JRPG. The themes of life,death and existential dread just resonate with me on another level I can't really describe. FFIX is peak Uematsu und Peak FF Music, you cannot convince me otherwise. I mean the man said so himself, that this is his favorite out of all of them. There is so much to unpack in this one. The beautiful Leitmotiv of " The Place I'll return to someday" that carries through out the whole game every time Zidanes "home" is hinted at (Oeilvert, Ipsen's Caste) which culminates in this really sad, twisted yet absolutely beautiful version of the Terra Theme. The fact that the Dali Theme, the place where the story really took off can be felt and heard in "You are not alone". The jazzy laid back theme of Esto Gaza. The otherworldly Iifa Tree theme. The way how Freya's theme perfectly loops with the Harpsichords kicking in. The spin of the classic FF Prelude theme in the Crystal world! I could go on and on and on, and I have not even watched the video yet. I am beyond excited to see what you have to say! Btw did you know that Uematsu traveled Europe visiting different castles in Germany for inspiriation before making this Magnum Opus? Thank you for this!
Thank you for this amazing video, a true love letter to FFIX ❤ The OST is the only one that I truly enjoy listening to from the first track of the 1st CD to the last track to the last CD. I had the chance te meet Nobuo Uematsu at a Distant World concert and even if I fumbled with my English to tell him that I loved his work on FFIX, he seemed pleasantly surprised and told me he didn’t hear that often (I guess many are talking about FFVII only?). He was very kind and I was honored to have met him even if it was for a minute. 😊💕 FFIX is my very first Final Fantasy, bought by my father (who doesn’t understand what is the point of video games) at a flea market because I asked him to by me « a Final Fantasy game on PS1 » if he found one as I heard of it from a friend when I was a teen. Little did he know that he bought me the Final Fantasy that was a sweet and amazing love letter to the fantasy genre, a genre that my father and me share in our love of books. Sadly, life made us break appart because of my physical disability too « hard » to handle for him even if I am able to live alone, and unsaid and unattended hurts between us though I offered him a hand and as in FFIX, I learned that you can create your own family with people who cares about you even if you are not blood related, and have to let go of people who hurts you. But I keep FFIX close to my heart as an invisible link to my father and I enjoy replaying it every now and then like a sort of childhood comforter. 💕 It was also the Final Fantasy I enjoyed voice acting to read it to my little brother and sister who watched me play so that they would not be bored and even give them characters to voice over to entice them to read (my sister was Eiko, my brother Steiner and our cousin Bibi/Vivi ). 😅
I know FF for pretty much 10 years but have not played their games at all until recently (2 years). I played i think 6 ou 7 different FF games and i can say with confidence that ff9 is the favorite. Ost, characters, story, every thing was peak. Playing with moguri mod also helps as far as graphics aspect are concerned. There's something magic, genuine about this specific FF game that i have not seen yet in any others FF games so far (still not have played them all though). Kinda like the magic and power of KH1 that has not been replicated since, in every others kh games. That's the impression i got with ff9. Truly a wonderful experience. Will Come back here when the remake will be official...
I want to hear Soken's take on You're Not Alone for sure. Also really hoping they called Viper's Limit Break 3 "Grand Lethal". My Miqo'te's white mage glam is Princess Garnet, thinking I might go through Dawntrail as that for nostalgia/theming's sake.
I'm so curious to see how FFIX will be represented. It has such a wild and different visual style, especially in the character designs, I just don't see how it will fit FFXIV's world. Then again, they did give us the loporrits in Endwalker, so I guess anything's possible!
Its funny that you mention that Vamo alla Flamenco only really appears in a "silly" mini-game. 'Cause the only other place it appears after the duel mini-game (to my knowledge) is the chocobo dig.
FF9 held a special place in my heart. It may not be my first FF to touch but it was my first that I owned proper (both PS1 and later PC). It was also my first ever FF and JRPG that I finished on my own. Vivi would always be my favourite both FF9 and all of FFs character because there was something about him I felt so drawn to. It also marked my first FF that I had to wait for more than 10 years to finally beat the damn superboss Ozma (not sure if you count Hades but I beat him in PS1 version) on the PC version. Oh yes, we can't forget about the music of the game. The battle theme always psyched me up to excitement, the boss theme carries that appropriate amount of dread, the location themes fit their respective areas so perfectly that you could feel yourself immersed in them, and the other themes just fit their context
If you want 100 crowd approval, you can just mute the volume and hide the left part of the screen. A few tries and you're golden! This is a case where sound and visual cues actually detracts you from the goal of hitting a button as fast as possible because your instinct is to follow the music and on-screen choreography
I really hope FF9 gets a remake someday, and that the revised story gives Freya the chance to do something cool after Disc 1. And if you're looking at classic RPGs, the recent release of the new game from the creator of Suikoden had me thinking of that series again. Suikoden 1 and 2 have a remaster in the works, and I really hope they don't change the music at all. When I originally played Suikoden 1, some of the music got stuck in my head for years.
It really was peak stylized final fantasy. Before the push for "photo realism" diluded how many characters would be in a game, or what races or styles they could have. The push for graphics deminished art. I also feel like this game felt more like a stage play than a movie. Which was the ff 4 and 6 feel for me.
I couldn't agree more. I love that the technological limitations made them create something artistically new and unique. That's something missing from XIII on, imho.
Final Fantasy 9 was not only my very first Final Fantasy but the game that made me love playing games. I didn't have the reflexes to play Mario or those type of games. But this game didn't need me to. It just needed me to enjoy the story and enjoy the music. The challenges are very fair. It was the perfect game for me. Especially back then. Also. Don't go for the extra ending if you don't want to cry. I did and I couldn't handle it without crying.
FF9 has always been my favorite FF game, following with FF12. First one leads in emotions and playfulness, but both are absolutely great in music and gameplay in its own way.
You hear about FF7 a lot but FF9 and FF13 are my favorites of the main series. Between their stories of strife and the gameplay, I truly enjoy these games. And out of all the characters in the franchise, I'd have to say Freya is a personal favorite of mine.
OMG I'm not alone! Because I love FF IX as well and it's my favorite ever comparing to VII or any other else. I hope Square Enix remake or remaster it well. Also I like Silver Dragon Assault song, it's also great as well!
FF9 is tied with FF14's story(up to end of Endwalker) for me for favorite FF story. I've played through 9 quite a few times and still love it. Also if you have never heard them before, please check out "Roses of May" and You Are Not Alone" by Erutan(formerly known as Katethegreat19), I think she did an amazing job adding lyrics to those songs; her vocals and instrumentation are on point, and whenever I hear those 2 songs to this day I hear her lyrics in my head.
IX does not get as much respect as it deserves, it's my favourite if not very close second. The music is by far the best in the series, so happy that you gave it the love it deserves. The Frontier Village of Dali has always been my favourite track, you explained why really well and it's just a simple piece but for me I almost feel that this song represents my youth for reasons I dont know how to articulate. I also think that the Trance Kuja theme is one of the best 'boss' songs in the series right up there with One Winged Angel.
To get max audience approval, it's not just about getting all of the inputs right - it's about getting enough of them. As in, you need to be sufficiently fast at them. That's the only secret to it.
FF9 is actually the only FF game I played through twice. Once when it came out and once when I just wanted to test how emulators on PC worked, way back in Win XP times.
I replayed the beginning of this game over and over when I was a kid, 'cause I was too little to know what I was really doing. But because of that, the world map theme and the Dali theme are instant nostalgia tearjerkers for me. Don't think I could put into words how much FFIX means to me overall. Certainly not in a YT comment :v
This game is very special to me. This was my first final fantasy as a kid. This remains as one of my favorite OSTs. I remember really liking ViVi's character design as a kid. Whenever I played I always named ViVi my own name.
I’m so hoping for some FF IX themes in the upcoming FF XIV Dawntrail expansion. We got some themes from FF IV in Endwalker which were amazing. If I hear Kuja’s theme in a boss fight I’m gonna lose it!
It's a huge soundtrack, not enough time to go into every track. But I agree, the boss theme is a banger. Heck, I really like the normal battle theme too.
I wouldn't mind a 2 hour version of these lol What I like and impact me the most from FF9 is its love story, for me Zidane and Dagger is the best couple in Final Fantasy Franchise and one of the best couple in entire franchise I've seen The story of FF9 revolves around these two the most, their journey to self discovery and how the two slowly becoming a couple.
Final Fantasy IX and VIII was my first experiance with FF. My grandparents are geeks and had all consoles available at the time. So video games taught me english at a very young age. (from sweden) I absolutely love the silly artstyle of this game compared to say FF8, and the music is amazing. ( which is my all time favorite,fight me I'm a bit of a TT addict) So this title and FF8 is a very fond memory I shared with my grandparents! FF9 is a close second for me!... or first. And Freyas ' theme is my favorite ff soundtrack of all time. sidebar. I have not been able to please all 100 nobles.. 99 .. it's that one person who just hates me! Though skipping rope 1000 times we got it under control!
I named my very first dnd character Freya bc of this game. Dagger and Vivi have stolen my heart forever 🥺 The only other game I really enjoyed alongside this one is the Xenosaga series.
FF9's main character is Vivi. He is the opposite of Kuja in the way he reacts when he finds out that he will soon "stop" like the other black mages. Even if Vivi is dead by the end of the game, he has left his legacy behind (his children and the last message to Zidane). FF9 is a celebration to life itself and the apex of the series in terms of storytelling. Edit: Do Xenoblade Chronicles! There is a lot to unpack there too.
I'll always die on the hill of FF9 being the best Final Fantasy story out of all the games. A large part of that is Zidane himself, and his unabashed goodness. He's a scoundrel, yes, but he's enthusiastically kind and takes initiative to that effect. he doesn't have to be dragged into the adventure like Cloud or Squall. There's nothing reluctant about his opening his heart to his friends. Sure, he has a lot of pain and mystery and doubt in him, but he doesn't use that as an excuse to be an asshole. He's a wonderful hero and I wanted nothing more than to be like him for years after playing the game for the first time.
Ive only played through FF9 once in 2017 or something like that. As a kid I always wanted to play it but growing up we never had any playstation consoles, so I never got to play it for years but I had seen some stuff about it and It always kind of existed as that game I wanted to play. When I finally got to actually play it, it was a wonderful experience. Ill never forget the feeling when Vivi wants to stay in the Black Mage village with people like him and a Place To Call Home is playing, or the whole sequence with You're Not Alone. The whole game is just a wonderful, magical experience and it disguises itself behind a kid like aesthetic. For me, FF9 is my 3rd favourite FF game just behind 14/16 and I really hope the Remake is real so I can shill a version of the game to my friends they might actually want to play so they can experience the amazing game that is FF9
The first thing I do when I find a new interesting gaming-centric channel on UA-cam is to search their videos for "Final Fantasy". I call it the "FF Test". Let me just say that you have passed the test with flying colors.
Ah, you have stumbled upon my decades-long fixation. I'm glad you love FF9 so deeply; it's certainly one of the best, if not the best of the single-player console FF games. (look, XIV changed me a lot, I can't say 9 is the best hands-down anymore haha.) And with Kuja actually being one of my top three favorite FF antagonists, there's a few things I'd like to say about his theme(s) and how as you progress in the game his music actually teaches you more about him. Because by only listening to that piano version at the start, I think it oversimplifies things. So Kuja doesn't show up for quite a while, although his influence is certainly felt. FF9 is a game that really goes hard into having a different villain for every act, almost. But once he *is* introduced, we actually see him quite a lot. We're given a lot of insight into what he is doing and what he is thinking, especially in comparison to villains like Sephiroth - for all his popularity, he's mostly FELT and not SEEN in VII, and Ultimecia. And every time we see him, we get his music; many different versions. When we first properly meet him, we get the drums, first thing's first. The same rhythm as "We Will Rock You" which... super appropriate as we just got our asses kicked and I am not sure is a coincidence but I have no proof other than Nobuo Uematsu has definitely taken inspiration from classic rock for other themes. (Listen to the Shinra theme, then listen to Led Zeppelin's Kashmir) The version of his theme that plays in the cutscene in Burmecia tells us everything we need to know in that moment; this is Kuja at the height of his political power and influence. There's a real malice in that arragement, as well as a grandiosity and D-R-A-M-A (whaaat an entrance lol). It's later that we get the more piano-esque versions without the drums, without that grounding influence, and that's when he's soliloquizing about his plans, or about his hatred of Garland and his desire to be *free*. That's a BIG theme with Kuja that people overlook-- he's known the truth far longer than Zidane, and he hates it just as much as Zidane does. The difference in Kuja and Zidane is that Kuja IS alone. He wants to be free, but has no one to rely on other than himself, and also has Garland literally breathing over his shoulder, hence the convoluted plots and plans. In fact, there is an alternate version of Kuja's theme on the full OST Plus that never made it into the game, titled simply 'Kuja V' that is, I think, the purest representation of his character. I highly recommend listening to it. A simple key change really reveals the sorrow, loneliness, and desire to be free that underlies every decision Kuja makes. I'll link it here: ua-cam.com/video/d2xdak0iwg8/v-deo.html Another moment and another change to his theme is when he captures Bahamut using invincible. This is his moment of triumph, the culimination of his plans with Gaia, and the start of his march on Garland, and the fluorishes and vocals in his theme reflect that. And then later we have the Trance. The cutscene when we see him starting the destruction of Terra-- were Kuja a different character, that could also have been a scene of triumph. But the lack of drums, the lack of piano, it's choral and strings, and it's *despair*. It brings across perfectly, even without the cutscene focusing in close on the PAIN on Kuja's face, that this is not something he enjoys. He's not Kefka, he's getting no enjoyment out of destroying the place that, for good or ill, has been his *home*. But because he has the emotional intelligence of a *child*, he cannot conceive of any other way to express the PAIN and BETRAYAL he feels than by destroying the thing most important to the man who inflicted it on him. But the music tells us, as clearly as his face does, that this brings him no true relief. And THEN we get to Dark Messenger, which you honestly gave a great breakdown of. I don't really have much of anything to add. But all the different versions of Kuja's theme are important, taken together, because they are what develop him as a character; they are our window into what's going on with him emotionally even when his words are saying "mwahahahaha!"
FFIX is easily in the top 3 of final fantasy (VI is probably the top since it was my first but its a fight) Zidane and Vivi's personal stories are just peak emotional storytelling for me. Vivi learning about his people and his fate leading into the reveal of Zidane and Kuja's true identity and how its handled is so great with the peak of You Are Not Alone. Its probably also the best romance in the franchise, I don't think any other final fantasy relationship has done it better then Zidane and Garnet.
FFIX is one of the best games, and one of the best soundtracks, in the whole Final Fantasy series. Uematsu was really nailing it in those days. Sad that he eventually moved on from Final Fantasy, even if the composers that followed him have also done excellent work.
I must confess: I paused your video once Beyond the Door stopped playing because the next thing I NEEDED to hear was Melodies of Life into the Final Fantasy theme aka Gaming's National Anthem. THESE THINGS ARE REQUIRED TO OCCUR IN THIS ORDER! Also best version of the Final Fantasy Main Theme, try and fight me so you might lose horribly!
Me waiting for FF9 remake from the Nvidia game leak: 💀 All the others from the game list are announced or out now, not FF9. This is my all time favorite FF game. Such an underrated masterpiece.
Everytime I hear Steiner's theme, my brain just adds the *clank* *clank* *clank* of his steps to the melody.
FFIX is the peak of Uematsu if you ask me. The man is a master of evoking moods. Compare Vivi's awkward brightness to Freya's tragic, rain-like darkness and Kuja's meticulous but dissonant piano (That motif might be my favourite in the series). It's not my no.1 favourite FF game, but it might be the most underrated. I could jump in at any stage of the game and be no more than five minutes from an incredible, stirring, memorable theme.
FF9 has always been my favorite offline game in the series. You're Not Alone left a huge impact on my life and is a song I will always love.
Have you heard the lyric version by Erutan? Her instrumentation and vocals are beautiful, I’d highly recommend.
@dearthofdoohickeys4703 I have and I absolutely love it.
FF9 is an incredible FF. One of the most memorable for me. The music was so fitting to the context or character it comes with; the music instantly makes sense and that makes it so satisfying (as well as being well composed!). When I played this as a teenager it really hit me. I loved Kuja's theme so much, it may be simple and short compared to others in the series but, once again, it is extremely fitting for the character.
My first final fantasy.. and oh boy.. it left its mark on me. Even as a kid who was only learning english, and didn't quite understand all of it, i found the story and the characters so absolutely endearing, and it is to this day one of if not my favorite game of all time!
FF9 was my first FF, and the music was the first soundtrack that i loved. I remember being in Media Play and seeing the soundtrack in the CDs and begging my mom for it, and she agreed! I got to play it for hours and she was happy it wasnt rap haha.
97 out of 100 nobles approve
The first time I played the game, I didn't even understand English (I was 10 years old back then). Through the years as I played again and again, the more I managed to learn English, the more I connected with its story, it is to this day, one of the most fantastic experiences I had with games and as I started understanding I went "WHOA SO THIS IS HOW THEY FELT" and "OHH SO THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS", it made me feel part of a bigger thing. One of my favorite games all time. I'm watching the video right now and I am totally going to play it again because of this video!
Thanks Marco!
Watched this whole thing, great video Marco. FF9 is so unique and yet so familiar since it was like a love letter to 1-8 all in one from Sakaguchi San. The you’re not alone sequence still gives me chills and tears to this day, it’s one of those “earned” scenes where everything comes together perfectly in character, writing, music, design, and cinematography, that make final fantasy what it is. And the Nobuo sound is a big part of that identity.
Glad you enjoyed it buddy - ya I choked up at that section. It really aged like fine wine. The whole game is so timeless
My favourite game of all time, actually. Fantastic soundtrack.
Vivis letter still tears me up to this day. God forbid if I have to explain his story in depth to anyone. I really disliked the art style when I first booted this up after 7 and 8 but this is ended up by far my favourite of the series. The art style juxtaposed the dark undertones of the story beautifully. What an emotional experience!
I love how FFIX incorporates so much storytelling in its OST. Vivi's theme holding all the bells and glocks that tick and tock, counting the clock, the time these mages have left. I love how Beatrix' character doesn't have the time to be explored in-game, but her three theme songs tell you all about her state of mind and her place in the narrative of the story. Wavering Blade, Protecting My Devotion, Rose of May (otherwise titled Loss of Me). The transition of what these songs reflect in the sequence they appear during the game are so important. You also have the only FF game that has a distinct musical theme tied to locations so intrinsically. All locations on Gaia have at least some sort of motif taken from Melodies of Life, BUT any location that is tied to Terra, no matter how minimally, has a completely different motif and melody.
You mention how it feels quick when Kuja decides to take the world down with him, but we often forget that he is narratively, mentally, childlike because he was created that way by Garland. He never 'grew up' like how Zidane and Mikoto were. Kuja's castle especially plays around with candles light/shadow as a medium for moving around, but candles are representative of life. They wear themselves out and the light they cast is flickering. The themes in IX are gorgeous. Kuja is neat because you never ever beat him in-game either, counter to other villains in the FF series. Mikoto's words to Kuja, naming him their hope, showing them that they can defy fate, they can choose their path, and they can learn to be better, their own people.
Culminated by the fight against Necron, the literal manifestation of death, telling you life is futile, that there is no need to fight, but the team fights for the right to live. Life is worth living, no matter the suffering and hardships encountered there.
As for your question... FFIX is right up there in my top 3 FFs that all share the position of #1, and those are IX, XIII, and V. IX is extremely special, extremely well rounded, it's a complete story that doesn't need any additional content to close it off. Yes, not all of the characters were properly or fully explored, a lot of side stories and character arcs were reduced in favor of the larger story, but you still have so much to love. The stories we get from side quests, from looking a little closer, the themes we see in Memoria, the fact that "A Place I Return to Someday" is there for us as the player, not for anyone else in the story. This game is a place that we can all return to, to remember the joys of life, to remember that it's all worth it, that every life and every experience shapes us and is worth the struggle so that we can move on and meet those that hold us up stronger. This is a story where family is never defined by blood, but by the people who genuinely care for you. This is a story where you get to decide who becomes dear to you, dear enough to cross the world and face existentialism for. This is a story of love in all its forms, and life is forever if you know that it is the memories everyone makes and weaves together into the essence of this world that keeps forever flowing.
Thank you for sharing this video and your thoughts.
You forgot to mention that vamo alla flamenco uses the well known theme of "la follia", a lot of composers of periods before (and even after) Bach used it. Among them Corelli and Vivaldi.
I just didn’t know that 😂. Cool!
Ever since I learned that both this and Oops I Did It Again uses that same progression, I've been itching to do some tomfoolery on a DAW. But Vamo 'Alla Flamenco uses a 3/4 time signature...
15:50 What I love about Zidane's Theme is that halfway through, it switches and takes on a more mysterious and serious vibe, like he doesn't fully know who he is and is still figuring out his life. So even in a playful theme like this, Uematsu changes it up for some more added depth. I wish you showed that part too.
Thank you for highlighting Zidane's theme! So few people even acknowledge it, but it works so well. The way his theme changes to more melancholy while he is sitting in the bar convincing himself that he's losing Dagger, but then picks back up after to bring that fun personality back, I just love it so much!
Roses of May doesn't get enough love, that song is AMAZING
Erutan's cover of the song is Amazing. I listen to it every once in a while. The lyrics are perfect.
Best in the game alongside Vama alla Flamenco and the Hunter song that plays in Lindblum.
@@dagwardenaer8450 KWEH!
I wish you had gone on for 2 hours or longer. Funnily enough I had recently decided to replay the ff9 soundtrack just yesterday, so your video could not have come out at a better time for me.
Love hearing your thoughts and experiences of the tracks. FF9 was also my first foray into the series when it released in the day and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Great video as always and thank you again for this boost in my day!
31:50 Tbf, I think the entire game is incredibly dark. People don't even need to go that far to see that. It might even be one of the darkest Final Fantasy games when you think about it. Just a little bit into the game, they crash into Evil Forest and Blank sacrifices himself to save the rest. That alone tells the audience that this game isn't going to be just happy and joyful. Just a little ahead, in Dali, Vivi learns that he's essentially just a puppet manufactured. That's also incredibly dark. Fast forward to Lindblum, a Burmecian shows up and literally dies with his last words being about war. You then go to Gizamaluke's Grotto where people are dying left and right. Burmecia is also very depressing, and you get beaten to a pulp by Beatrix. All this happens on disc 1 out of 4 btw. You then go to Cleyra, which gets invaded, but you try to save as many as possible, only for the entire place to get destroyed. It's insane. You then have the whole thing about Brahne essentially wanting Garnet dead. Yikes. Then later in the game, Brahne makes war against Kuja, but dies in the process, making for a very sad moment for Garnet. Even though Brahne was evil, she was still her mom. Crazy amount of dark things happen in this game. The "You're Not Alone" part hammers it home even more. That's why I feel like people who say this game is too light only played the first 10 minutes with Vivi and didn't like it. I can't take people like that seriously at all.
Final Fantasy IX has always been and will always be my favorite
the music , the characters and the story all hit home
on so many different levels and continue to do so every time
I replay it
It kind of disappoints me "You're not alone" wasn't used in Endwalker. It would have been perfect for a side story to match the theme of the expansion and sit next to close in the distance.
There are hints of Dawntrail having some FF9 themes, could be that they will use You're not alone there.
The music you hear when the Tantalus is approaching Alexandria castle at the begining of the game always gets me. I love this game so much.
Lovely video. I listen to this soundtrack all the time. It's a real source of comfort for me and honestly is a huge influence on myself as a songwriter. It has this quality of hopeful sadness, pain masked by surface level light heartedness, and its share of moments of despondency and despair. I feel like FF9 is a wholistic masterpiece and it never fails to bring me to tears. I even used Vivi's last name when i changed my name because it just feels like that important of a part of my life.
Great video, Marco! I played 8 -> 7 -> 9 when growing up, and it wasn't until playing 9 that I truly fell in love with the series and started recommending it to everyone. It really is just perfect in so many ways, especially the music. 8-Bit Music Theory has done a couple videos on why FFIX's music is so good as well, and I highly recommend checking them out! The standout track for me, musically, is South Gate, where Uematsu uses 3 recorders to create a heart-wrenching piece.
MAN, I haven't owned a piano or keyboard in years, but hearing Jesters of the Moon instantly made me wish I did. It is an absolute BLAST of a piece to play, every bit as fun as it sounds. My Final Fantasy Piano Collections sheet music books have been collecting dust for too long...
Great video. My first FF and my favourite game of all time. I alway return to the game with joy and the characters and music will stay with me forever.
FF9 and Wild Arms 2 have my most favorite JRPG.
FF9 has some many just character moments with "breather" songs.
I occasionally start humming "the place I'll return to someday" at times. I've actually had people ask me what it's from I do it so often. It just kinda sits in my head.
I adore this game. I replayed it last year, and I love it more than I ever did. It's such a powerful message about how to find purpose in life and understanding that we are never alone in our struggles. It hits me harder as a working adult than it did as a college student.
IX is still my fav chapter in the franchise to this day. So this video was emotional to watch as all those wonderful feelings of nostalgic, hope, sorrow and triumph washes over me once again.
I listen to this soundtrack on a regular basis as its a comfort soundtrack for me. So I'm abuzz with joy to watch you tackle this extensive and heart-warming soundtrack
Funny you release this video after I just beat FF9 for the first time ever. Now I can watch without worry of spoilers
I like this format of game ost portraits very much! 😊
a very thoughtful and empathetic understanding of the game and the character's struggles. a lot of people just see kuja as a bad guy. they don't take the time to understand what he's going through or what he must feel in that moment. it really was a wonderful choice for him to teleport them out in the end and for zidane to go back for him.
ff9 is my top favorite final fantasy with 8 and 7 being close seconds.
Username checks out 😂
Great review! I love FF IX so much, it's my favorite FF! Certainly one of my top 5 of all time RPGs. The story, character development, world building, music and customization are all perfect for the setting and a tribute to the FF franchise. The deep values and meaning the story portrays is immense, that using almost comical sprites for the characters feel great because it helps display that even comical characters have deep thoughts hidden in them, much like Zidane.
FF IX is one of my all-time fav FF games (along with VI and VII) and it really does feel like the end of an era with how the series has pushed further and further into being more "realistic" and "mature", despite this one eliciting more emotion out of me than anything that came after. The whole "You're Not Alone" sequence is peak storytelling through gameplay, and something I wish more games did instead of just relying on cutscenes.
Yay! You finally played it! Definitely one of my favorite games!
Vamo alla Flamenco also plays during the Chocobo Hot and Cold minigames too.
FFIX was my first final fantasy game, i never had a playstation, but my friend rented it a few times, I only got part way through disc 2 since I didnt get many chances to play it, but it always stayed my favourite even after playing 10, 12, and 7. In 2012 I was finally able to play through the game and it just cemented this game as my favourite in the series, and one of my favourites of all time. This video reminded me just how great it's entire soundtrack is, the other games in the series have some bangers and memorable music, but i dont think any come close to the depth and emotion that this OST has.
I may not have finished FF9 but man I do love the soundtrack. I think this game introduced me and made me love Baroque music when I was a kid.
Это моя любимая часть Final fantasy!! Спасибо, что смотришь еë, Марко❤
Kuja's is my favorite reoccuring theme. like you can hear it a bunch of times and it doesn't soften it's impact. unlike say sephiroth's, OWA blows it's load and it's spectacular... but you can only get that bombastic explosion once, which is why that dread nibelheim scene generally follows him around. But Kuja? nah he can rock his devious tune all day. and then messenger of ruin? i had just discovered Queen when i first played this game, and fuck me if messenger doesn't sound like some evil "we will rock you" and a little "flash gordan" before going off and doing it's own thing
Vivi's monologue at the end always hit me in the feels. FF9 well always be my favorite FF series and 2nd to Xenogears all time for psx RPG.
Yeah my first playthrough of FFIX was about 2002. It's been 22 years and I still can't not cry on You're Not Alone. So many amazing themes in that game, so many amazing characters and stories, but that song... It hits different.
I love your interpretation of Kuja. The whole point of his story arc is that while he's a threat at all times, it is only when he has his whole worldview shattered that he's truly dangerous, to the whole world and to himself. Him and Zidane have the same reaction to their revelations, and the real difference lies in the fact that Zidane has a support system. Kuja is alone, and he always has been. Zidane is correct in saying that in Kuja's shoes he likely would've become the same person. But it's not as simple as that. Because Zidane earned his friends with his own actions. He was put in a much more advantageous position for finding friends than Kuja was, but he still didn't get them for free, just by virtue of existing.
I’m playing this really for the first time I only know the beginning where you are in Alexandria castle but I’m enjoying it so far
Esto Gaza was my favorite growing up. I remember getting to this place, and suddenly stopped to listen to this.
FF9 is my personal all time fave
As i mentioned in one of your FF9 post before, FF9 is the game that gets me hooked up and fall in love with Theatres and Opera (That's why i found your channel)
When i was a kid, i have no idea about the story but i just like Zidane as a main character, but growing up and playing the remastered, it hits me both in the nostalgia and the theme of the game itself "Life"
Kuja is an interesting antagonist, he is not exactly a Villain, he is just someone that was given a promise but in the end, he found out everything was a lie, and the final battle with him is basically siblings fight to cool down the tantrum of the others
I feel for the characters, their growth, their struggles and stories, each and their own are the Protagonist of their own story and life
The musical score hits differently after you understand the story, you can feel both pain and happiness in almost all the characters theme, well maybe except for Quina since Quina only thinks of food
FF9 has always been my favorite FF soundtrack, but probably my 3rd favorite game. The song for the final battle vs Necron is my favorite boss fight track ever.
AH YES FINALLY MARCO! FINALLY FINALLY!
This is by far my most beloved JRPG. The themes of life,death and existential dread just resonate with me on another level I can't really describe.
FFIX is peak Uematsu und Peak FF Music, you cannot convince me otherwise. I mean the man said so himself, that this is his favorite out of all of them. There is so much to unpack in this one. The beautiful Leitmotiv of " The Place I'll return to someday" that carries through out the whole game every time Zidanes "home" is hinted at (Oeilvert, Ipsen's Caste) which culminates in this really sad, twisted yet absolutely beautiful version of the Terra Theme. The fact that the Dali Theme, the place where the story really took off can be felt and heard in "You are not alone". The jazzy laid back theme of Esto Gaza. The otherworldly Iifa Tree theme. The way how Freya's theme perfectly loops with the Harpsichords kicking in. The spin of the classic FF Prelude theme in the Crystal world! I could go on and on and on, and I have not even watched the video yet. I am beyond excited to see what you have to say!
Btw did you know that Uematsu traveled Europe visiting different castles in Germany for inspiriation before making this Magnum Opus?
Thank you for this!
IX was my second FF after VIII, and to this day still my absolute favorite in the series (and second only to VI in "the best made")
Thank you for this amazing video, a true love letter to FFIX ❤
The OST is the only one that I truly enjoy listening to from the first track of the 1st CD to the last track to the last CD. I had the chance te meet Nobuo Uematsu at a Distant World concert and even if I fumbled with my English to tell him that I loved his work on FFIX, he seemed pleasantly surprised and told me he didn’t hear that often (I guess many are talking about FFVII only?). He was very kind and I was honored to have met him even if it was for a minute. 😊💕
FFIX is my very first Final Fantasy, bought by my father (who doesn’t understand what is the point of video games) at a flea market because I asked him to by me « a Final Fantasy game on PS1 » if he found one as I heard of it from a friend when I was a teen.
Little did he know that he bought me the Final Fantasy that was a sweet and amazing love letter to the fantasy genre, a genre that my father and me share in our love of books.
Sadly, life made us break appart because of my physical disability too « hard » to handle for him even if I am able to live alone, and unsaid and unattended hurts between us though I offered him a hand and as in FFIX, I learned that you can create your own family with people who cares about you even if you are not blood related, and have to let go of people who hurts you.
But I keep FFIX close to my heart as an invisible link to my father and I enjoy replaying it every now and then like a sort of childhood comforter. 💕
It was also the Final Fantasy I enjoyed voice acting to read it to my little brother and sister who watched me play so that they would not be bored and even give them characters to voice over to entice them to read (my sister was Eiko, my brother Steiner and our cousin Bibi/Vivi ). 😅
I know FF for pretty much 10 years but have not played their games at all until recently (2 years). I played i think 6 ou 7 different FF games and i can say with confidence that ff9 is the favorite. Ost, characters, story, every thing was peak. Playing with moguri mod also helps as far as graphics aspect are concerned. There's something magic, genuine about this specific FF game that i have not seen yet in any others FF games so far (still not have played them all though). Kinda like the magic and power of KH1 that has not been replicated since, in every others kh games. That's the impression i got with ff9. Truly a wonderful experience. Will Come back here when the remake will be official...
FF14 Dawntrail is supposed to have some FF9 inspirations so look forward to remixes of some of these songs.
I want to hear Soken's take on You're Not Alone for sure. Also really hoping they called Viper's Limit Break 3 "Grand Lethal". My Miqo'te's white mage glam is Princess Garnet, thinking I might go through Dawntrail as that for nostalgia/theming's sake.
I'm so curious to see how FFIX will be represented. It has such a wild and different visual style, especially in the character designs, I just don't see how it will fit FFXIV's world. Then again, they did give us the loporrits in Endwalker, so I guess anything's possible!
Its funny that you mention that Vamo alla Flamenco only really appears in a "silly" mini-game. 'Cause the only other place it appears after the duel mini-game (to my knowledge) is the chocobo dig.
FF9 held a special place in my heart. It may not be my first FF to touch but it was my first that I owned proper (both PS1 and later PC). It was also my first ever FF and JRPG that I finished on my own. Vivi would always be my favourite both FF9 and all of FFs character because there was something about him I felt so drawn to. It also marked my first FF that I had to wait for more than 10 years to finally beat the damn superboss Ozma (not sure if you count Hades but I beat him in PS1 version) on the PC version.
Oh yes, we can't forget about the music of the game. The battle theme always psyched me up to excitement, the boss theme carries that appropriate amount of dread, the location themes fit their respective areas so perfectly that you could feel yourself immersed in them, and the other themes just fit their context
If you want 100 crowd approval, you can just mute the volume and hide the left part of the screen. A few tries and you're golden! This is a case where sound and visual cues actually detracts you from the goal of hitting a button as fast as possible because your instinct is to follow the music and on-screen choreography
Oh!
I really hope FF9 gets a remake someday, and that the revised story gives Freya the chance to do something cool after Disc 1.
And if you're looking at classic RPGs, the recent release of the new game from the creator of Suikoden had me thinking of that series again. Suikoden 1 and 2 have a remaster in the works, and I really hope they don't change the music at all. When I originally played Suikoden 1, some of the music got stuck in my head for years.
I never understood the hate for FF9, it’s probably my favorite out of the entire series
Ff9 ending made me cry. The only game to do that for me
It really was peak stylized final fantasy. Before the push for "photo realism" diluded how many characters would be in a game, or what races or styles they could have. The push for graphics deminished art. I also feel like this game felt more like a stage play than a movie. Which was the ff 4 and 6 feel for me.
I couldn't agree more. I love that the technological limitations made them create something artistically new and unique. That's something missing from XIII on, imho.
Final Fantasy 9 was not only my very first Final Fantasy but the game that made me love playing games. I didn't have the reflexes to play Mario or those type of games. But this game didn't need me to. It just needed me to enjoy the story and enjoy the music. The challenges are very fair. It was the perfect game for me. Especially back then. Also. Don't go for the extra ending if you don't want to cry. I did and I couldn't handle it without crying.
FF9 has always been my favorite FF game, following with FF12. First one leads in emotions and playfulness, but both are absolutely great in music and gameplay in its own way.
You hear about FF7 a lot but FF9 and FF13 are my favorites of the main series. Between their stories of strife and the gameplay, I truly enjoy these games. And out of all the characters in the franchise, I'd have to say Freya is a personal favorite of mine.
OMG I'm not alone! Because I love FF IX as well and it's my favorite ever comparing to VII or any other else. I hope Square Enix remake or remaster it well. Also I like Silver Dragon Assault song, it's also great as well!
FF9 is tied with FF14's story(up to end of Endwalker) for me for favorite FF story. I've played through 9 quite a few times and still love it. Also if you have never heard them before, please check out "Roses of May" and You Are Not Alone" by Erutan(formerly known as Katethegreat19), I think she did an amazing job adding lyrics to those songs; her vocals and instrumentation are on point, and whenever I hear those 2 songs to this day I hear her lyrics in my head.
IX does not get as much respect as it deserves, it's my favourite if not very close second. The music is by far the best in the series, so happy that you gave it the love it deserves. The Frontier Village of Dali has always been my favourite track, you explained why really well and it's just a simple piece but for me I almost feel that this song represents my youth for reasons I dont know how to articulate. I also think that the Trance Kuja theme is one of the best 'boss' songs in the series right up there with One Winged Angel.
To get max audience approval, it's not just about getting all of the inputs right - it's about getting enough of them. As in, you need to be sufficiently fast at them. That's the only secret to it.
FF9 is actually the only FF game I played through twice. Once when it came out and once when I just wanted to test how emulators on PC worked, way back in Win XP times.
I replayed the beginning of this game over and over when I was a kid, 'cause I was too little to know what I was really doing.
But because of that, the world map theme and the Dali theme are instant nostalgia tearjerkers for me.
Don't think I could put into words how much FFIX means to me overall. Certainly not in a YT comment :v
This game is very special to me. This was my first final fantasy as a kid. This remains as one of my favorite OSTs. I remember really liking ViVi's character design as a kid. Whenever I played I always named ViVi my own name.
FF9 is one of my favorite final fantasy games, along with 6 and 7. Now that I've seen this video, I like it a little more. ^^
I’m so hoping for some FF IX themes in the upcoming FF XIV Dawntrail expansion. We got some themes from FF IV in Endwalker which were amazing. If I hear Kuja’s theme in a boss fight I’m gonna lose it!
I was looking for the boss theme. Honestly still one of the very best for evoking stress to this day.
It's a huge soundtrack, not enough time to go into every track. But I agree, the boss theme is a banger. Heck, I really like the normal battle theme too.
I played ff9 for the first time last year, honestly so good and holds up well for a ps1 game
I wouldn't mind a 2 hour version of these lol
What I like and impact me the most from FF9 is its love story, for me Zidane and Dagger is the best couple in Final Fantasy Franchise and one of the best couple in entire franchise I've seen
The story of FF9 revolves around these two the most, their journey to self discovery and how the two slowly becoming a couple.
FF9 has my favorite ending in the series, every time I see Eiko call Cid dad I break into tears.
And Garnet running into Zidane's arms! It's so sweet. After all the hardships and dark things happening througout the adventure, it's so good to see.
Hearing Marco’s voice in the new Genshin Event made me instantly happy
Final Fantasy IX and VIII was my first experiance with FF. My grandparents are geeks and had all consoles available at the time. So video games taught me english at a very young age. (from sweden) I absolutely love the silly artstyle of this game compared to say FF8, and the music is amazing. ( which is my all time favorite,fight me I'm a bit of a TT addict) So this title and FF8 is a very fond memory I shared with my grandparents! FF9 is a close second for me!... or first. And Freyas ' theme is my favorite ff soundtrack of all time.
sidebar. I have not been able to please all 100 nobles.. 99 .. it's that one person who just hates me! Though skipping rope 1000 times we got it under control!
FF9 has my favorite villain and overall best cast of characters, in my opinion. I also LOVE the music!
I named my very first dnd character Freya bc of this game. Dagger and Vivi have stolen my heart forever 🥺 The only other game I really enjoyed alongside this one is the Xenosaga series.
When even the series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi says it’s his favourite game, you know it’s special.
I named my first daughter Beatrix and my second daughters first and second name start with a V. I kinda like ff9.
"You're Not Alone" always gets me, man.
FF9's main character is Vivi. He is the opposite of Kuja in the way he reacts when he finds out that he will soon "stop" like the other black mages. Even if Vivi is dead by the end of the game, he has left his legacy behind (his children and the last message to Zidane). FF9 is a celebration to life itself and the apex of the series in terms of storytelling.
Edit: Do Xenoblade Chronicles! There is a lot to unpack there too.
I was hoping for the 2 hour video :P A 2 hour ramble on the music of FFIX? I be plastered to the monitor :D
I'll always die on the hill of FF9 being the best Final Fantasy story out of all the games. A large part of that is Zidane himself, and his unabashed goodness. He's a scoundrel, yes, but he's enthusiastically kind and takes initiative to that effect. he doesn't have to be dragged into the adventure like Cloud or Squall. There's nothing reluctant about his opening his heart to his friends. Sure, he has a lot of pain and mystery and doubt in him, but he doesn't use that as an excuse to be an asshole. He's a wonderful hero and I wanted nothing more than to be like him for years after playing the game for the first time.
Ive only played through FF9 once in 2017 or something like that. As a kid I always wanted to play it but growing up we never had any playstation consoles, so I never got to play it for years but I had seen some stuff about it and It always kind of existed as that game I wanted to play. When I finally got to actually play it, it was a wonderful experience. Ill never forget the feeling when Vivi wants to stay in the Black Mage village with people like him and a Place To Call Home is playing, or the whole sequence with You're Not Alone. The whole game is just a wonderful, magical experience and it disguises itself behind a kid like aesthetic. For me, FF9 is my 3rd favourite FF game just behind 14/16 and I really hope the Remake is real so I can shill a version of the game to my friends they might actually want to play so they can experience the amazing game that is FF9
awww yeeeeeeaaaaaaaaa! I was listening to the OST the other day, one of my favorites. music and game!
The first thing I do when I find a new interesting gaming-centric channel on UA-cam is to search their videos for "Final Fantasy". I call it the "FF Test". Let me just say that you have passed the test with flying colors.
Ah, you have stumbled upon my decades-long fixation. I'm glad you love FF9 so deeply; it's certainly one of the best, if not the best of the single-player console FF games. (look, XIV changed me a lot, I can't say 9 is the best hands-down anymore haha.) And with Kuja actually being one of my top three favorite FF antagonists, there's a few things I'd like to say about his theme(s) and how as you progress in the game his music actually teaches you more about him. Because by only listening to that piano version at the start, I think it oversimplifies things.
So Kuja doesn't show up for quite a while, although his influence is certainly felt. FF9 is a game that really goes hard into having a different villain for every act, almost. But once he *is* introduced, we actually see him quite a lot. We're given a lot of insight into what he is doing and what he is thinking, especially in comparison to villains like Sephiroth - for all his popularity, he's mostly FELT and not SEEN in VII, and Ultimecia. And every time we see him, we get his music; many different versions. When we first properly meet him, we get the drums, first thing's first. The same rhythm as "We Will Rock You" which... super appropriate as we just got our asses kicked and I am not sure is a coincidence but I have no proof other than Nobuo Uematsu has definitely taken inspiration from classic rock for other themes. (Listen to the Shinra theme, then listen to Led Zeppelin's Kashmir) The version of his theme that plays in the cutscene in Burmecia tells us everything we need to know in that moment; this is Kuja at the height of his political power and influence. There's a real malice in that arragement, as well as a grandiosity and D-R-A-M-A (whaaat an entrance lol). It's later that we get the more piano-esque versions without the drums, without that grounding influence, and that's when he's soliloquizing about his plans, or about his hatred of Garland and his desire to be *free*. That's a BIG theme with Kuja that people overlook-- he's known the truth far longer than Zidane, and he hates it just as much as Zidane does. The difference in Kuja and Zidane is that Kuja IS alone. He wants to be free, but has no one to rely on other than himself, and also has Garland literally breathing over his shoulder, hence the convoluted plots and plans. In fact, there is an alternate version of Kuja's theme on the full OST Plus that never made it into the game, titled simply 'Kuja V' that is, I think, the purest representation of his character. I highly recommend listening to it. A simple key change really reveals the sorrow, loneliness, and desire to be free that underlies every decision Kuja makes. I'll link it here:
ua-cam.com/video/d2xdak0iwg8/v-deo.html
Another moment and another change to his theme is when he captures Bahamut using invincible. This is his moment of triumph, the culimination of his plans with Gaia, and the start of his march on Garland, and the fluorishes and vocals in his theme reflect that. And then later we have the Trance. The cutscene when we see him starting the destruction of Terra-- were Kuja a different character, that could also have been a scene of triumph. But the lack of drums, the lack of piano, it's choral and strings, and it's *despair*. It brings across perfectly, even without the cutscene focusing in close on the PAIN on Kuja's face, that this is not something he enjoys. He's not Kefka, he's getting no enjoyment out of destroying the place that, for good or ill, has been his *home*. But because he has the emotional intelligence of a *child*, he cannot conceive of any other way to express the PAIN and BETRAYAL he feels than by destroying the thing most important to the man who inflicted it on him. But the music tells us, as clearly as his face does, that this brings him no true relief. And THEN we get to Dark Messenger, which you honestly gave a great breakdown of. I don't really have much of anything to add. But all the different versions of Kuja's theme are important, taken together, because they are what develop him as a character; they are our window into what's going on with him emotionally even when his words are saying "mwahahahaha!"
FFIX is easily in the top 3 of final fantasy (VI is probably the top since it was my first but its a fight) Zidane and Vivi's personal stories are just peak emotional storytelling for me. Vivi learning about his people and his fate leading into the reveal of Zidane and Kuja's true identity and how its handled is so great with the peak of You Are Not Alone. Its probably also the best romance in the franchise, I don't think any other final fantasy relationship has done it better then Zidane and Garnet.
Wow. I never noticed that the Black Mage Village theme was a variation of Vivi's theme.
:)
XIV is my favorite FF forever, but IX is indeed a gem. (Been playing since about the nes days just to be clear xP)
FFIX is one of the best games, and one of the best soundtracks, in the whole Final Fantasy series. Uematsu was really nailing it in those days. Sad that he eventually moved on from Final Fantasy, even if the composers that followed him have also done excellent work.
Unfortunate you didn't include the final boss song. Its a real banger.
Getting spoiled so much in this video was not something i expected but c'est la vie, still watched the whole video tho
oh the nostalgia all just rushing in all at once
I must confess: I paused your video once Beyond the Door stopped playing because the next thing I NEEDED to hear was Melodies of Life into the Final Fantasy theme aka Gaming's National Anthem. THESE THINGS ARE REQUIRED TO OCCUR IN THIS ORDER!
Also best version of the Final Fantasy Main Theme, try and fight me so you might lose horribly!
That gets claimed sadly 😂
I hope Messenger of Ruin gets a Primals cut in Dawntrail
i wonder how might Soken combine Messenger of Ruin with Maker's Ruin ;)
Liked and Subscribed just for the title. That's enough for me, I don't need to watch the video. All I needed to know is there in the title ❤
Me waiting for FF9 remake from the Nvidia game leak: 💀
All the others from the game list are announced or out now, not FF9.
This is my all time favorite FF game. Such an underrated masterpiece.
Oh and welcome back Dvorjak (spelling might be wrong).
Would to here your take on the Distant worlds Version of Roses of may and Not Alone
FF6 is my favorite from the series, but 9 is a very close second. It's one of the games that I generally consider pretty much flawless.