Quote:
Originally Posted by KniteOps
Final Fantasy IX was a good game. Perhaps the reason why this game attracts so many people is because of how stunningly charismatic and realistic the characters are portrayed to the extent that they literally hook you in and make you want to ask for more even after the final encore.
I could write pages and pages of how much detail went into characterization and interaction among characters along their journey. But suffice to say, it was fantastic. Deep down you can feel see the characters slowly begin to change and adopt new personalities. Zidane always appears to be rambunctious and to some players who are uncomfortable with not having a silent protaganist, it is easy to mistake Zidane as simply being the annoying loudmouth.
In Disc 3 though Zidane seriously goes through an existential meltdown. He doesn't have anything to do or anywhere to go anymore. He can't rejoin his old crew because of a dispute and he's left all alone in a bar twiddling his thumbs. More or less Zidane gets through his funk, only to get knocked down again by discovering what he really is and the purpose of his existence. During this phase we are presented with, "You Are Not Alone." Perhaps one of the most emotionally stirring scenes where all the characters are battling monsters. During this process they tell Zidane how he changed them for the better and how he can go against his own destiny.
The game is all about what it means to be human. It's not afraid of breaking down it's characters once or twice in order to show that most of these events do really screw with you. But the important thing is that the characters always get back up for round 2, a bit stronger and a bit more mature from the previous encounter. Watching the characters transform from stock RPG characters to fleshed out personalities was amazing. Certain characters didn't have as much as a noticeable change throughout the course of the game but you can definitely attest a change in heart for all of the characters in the series. Absolutely fantastic game.
|
Wow, couldn't have summed it up better myself. In my opinion the era of silent main character ended a long time ago. you need to give the main character a personality so that the player can connect with them. At least that is my view.
I think the quotes for each character sum them up the best. All of the characters went through major life changes and you see the characters grow as you play the game. This happened with all the characters in the game, and the few that were not fleshed out completely, in my opinion, were Amarant, Eiko and Freya. There should have been a lot more to Freya too as she is a fantastic character. Her love story is tragic.
Vivi, Zidan, and Garnet have the most dramatic changes. I think Zidane and Vivi even connect on a level that the others in the group cant. I love to see that. Steiner was also a good character; sworn in his duty to his queen only to find out that his queen has betrayed him. To that extent Beatrix, who was not a playable character, was also one of my favorites.
All around FFIX has the best character development compared to any other FF game. The only downside is the boss. Kuja is not all that great for a boss, and I think he could have been better.