a warning to people who havent played it before

[Morotstomten]

this is just a bit of a warning, personally i didnt like the game for a number of reasons. but for people who have played the previous 2 and/or the later games, 9 is very very linear, i couldnt take it and quit shortly after disc 2 because at that point after mostly walking from cutscene to cutscene or scripted battle to scripted battle i found myself just clicking away conversations to get going so in order of what i experienced as bad gameplay i ended up not following the story progression either so there really wasnt any point in playing anymore. personally i think the game was more like an interactive storybook than an actual game.(for the portion i experienced that is).

unless the game has serious technical flaws i dont think i can say the game is bad not having completed it, just that it wasnt to my taste. however if you are looking for more than story in a game i dont think ff9 is for you, you may get more freedom later on but if i remember correctly disc one alone took many hours getting through and vaguely remember putting in a good few in disc 2 before throwing in the towel.

[JadeWing]

The game, if I recall, opens up early into disc 3 or late into disc 2. I know it's a long time for the sandbox to open up but I honestly think it's worth it. I suggest copying this over to a review though, this is more thoughtful than most. Though, admittedly, plot's been the main focus of Final Fantasy since... I wanna say 2? 4 at the latest.

[Alamo Jack]

It's not any more linear than the rest of the psx final fantasy games. But yeah if you don't like the characters than you probably won't like the game very much. It has in my opinion the most charming characters though, and a solid story.

Lots of side content for those wondering, most of it is locked away til later though.

[Vissk]

Well, I won't criticize you for disliking this style of RPG but this isn't Skyrim... Traditional JRPGs are focused and story driven. If you can't bring yourself to pay attention to the story and characters, this isn't the game for you.

[kaipi1]

Originally posted by author:

9 is very very linear

Have you ever played 10 or 13?

[Fli]

Not all RPGs are open world. Final Fantasy is traditionally a story driven linear game, with some freedom later on.

The difference in this, and say something like XIII is that IX always lets you explore your surroundings even if you're still always on the same path.

[Phade]

most people felt this game was more linear because it was the first one with four discs. FF7 and 8 opened up on disc 2, whereas 9 opens up on 3.

[Dzaka]

this is the third best FF game based on story. best and second best in order are 4 and 6. any you havn't even gotten into the epic multi world war between michael jackson/zidane and david bowie/kuja by the point you quit. which is where the game really steps out on its own

[TheSlowKnightOfNi]

Originally posted by Phade:

most people felt this game was more linear because it was the first one with four discs. FF7 and 8 opened up on disc 2, whereas 9 opens up on 3.

8 also had 4 discs.

[Iido]

Nearly every Final Fantasy game ever made is very linear for the most part. They usually open up a little over halfway through, but for the most part, it's a beeline to your next destination with not much to do on the side (Having a world map may make it SEEM open, but until you get a boat or airship, you're generally stuck just walking from one area to the next, with only a few chances for side exploration here and there)

[Nildar]

Sometimes I feel like I am the only person left in the world who actually prefers linear story driven games over open-world games...

[Iido]

Originally posted by Nildar:

Sometimes I feel like I am the only person left in the world who actually prefers linear story driven games over open-world games...

Nah, I actually prefer more linear games as opposed to completely open world ones, myself.

[Stationary Traveller]

I dropped FF9 at the end of disc 1 or 2 (right before getting out of the first continent) because the story and the setting weren't appealing to me at all. I much preferred the more modern cyberpunk settings of FF7 and 8, even if I didn't like the latter for other reasons.
But then one day I watched a playthrough on Youtube... and I discovered how bad my decision was. The story really takes a huge leap as soon as you exit the first "world" and goes completely crazy the more you get closer to the end. It is in my opinion the 3rd deepest scenario in the FF series right behind 7 and 6.
Don't make the same mistake I did at the time and keep on playing the game, it gets REALLY better later.

[Morotstomten]

Originally posted by Chrysalis:

Well, I won't criticize you for disliking this style of RPG but this isn't Skyrim... Traditional JRPGs are focused and story driven. If you can't bring yourself to pay attention to the story and characters, this isn't the game for you.

first of all, Oblvion and Morrowind > Skyrim(no offense to you but im sick of people using skyrim as the go to rpg)

2nd, i did compare this to ff7 and 8 which means i have played them, im not comparing them to 10+ or 6- because they are all in a different style from the psx series, and if you play a game where a character has a name you are likely playing a game with a story and that story should be a main focus. but yes, the story in 9 bored me and when you are forced to click away speechbubbles and look at cutscenes for hours on end with little or no choice in the matter it gets even more boring. but just cause i find the story boring doesent mean that someone who likes the story is gonna enjoy the lack of gameplay in disc 1.

this is a warning to people who enjoy the gameplay aspects of the the final fantasy series, more so the ones of the psx series. saying "the game opens up after 20h of clicking away speechbubbles and looking at cutscenes" is not a valid argument. not even if i liked the characters and the story would i enjoy disc 1 and what i experienced in disc 2.

[Maechen]

All FF games are about making it to the next cut scene. Some are mor corridor-ish than others but the goal is the same, till you get the airship or whatever else you use to travel from place to place easily.

[Pvt. Stash]

Originally posted by kaipi1:

Originally posted by author:

9 is very very linear

Have you ever played 10 or 13?

Yup. FF X+ is on rails.