Final Fantasy IX appreciation thread
- Thread starter Dragonslayer Ornstein
- Start date
Avalanche87
Pro Adventurer
- AKA
- Bakito/Marak/DJMarak
Care to discuss that one Lex?
Personally, I've identified with Vivi as THE Final Fantasy character who sums me up in ways... and then with a influence from Barret (favorite VII Char). That's the Sicilian in me ha ha ha!
Even from the start of IX where Vivi is getting pushed around, falling over, got bloody pick pocketed in the ally way, lack of self confidence and unable to make a decision on his own, seeking reassurance & confirmation.... he really struck a chord with me.
Personally, I've identified with Vivi as THE Final Fantasy character who sums me up in ways... and then with a influence from Barret (favorite VII Char). That's the Sicilian in me ha ha ha!
Even from the start of IX where Vivi is getting pushed around, falling over, got bloody pick pocketed in the ally way, lack of self confidence and unable to make a decision on his own, seeking reassurance & confirmation.... he really struck a chord with me.
Unit-01
Might be around.
- AKA
- Sic, Anthony
So I've beaten the game, and also Ozma. Which if you understand the mechanics of his boss fight it isn't so bad. But still luck based.
Having Steiner and Quina fire off Darkside(Friendly Creatures completed) and Frog Drop(LVL99 with 99 frogs) was my main strategy. I made sure to have Auto-Regen, Auto-Haste on.
So my save file is 40 hours(give or take a few) and I have everyone at 99 with most of the abilities of all characters take away Iso-Strike of Steiner. Now I need to mention that I farmed a little bit, but then just ended up using the boosters that the PC port was given. I really didn't feel like having to grind all the abilities(which I was half way there) and then all the levels for the characters. I don't know if anyone here is apposed to that, but I just did not want to go and farm all of that.
Ok but the game itself, excellent. I LOVED THE ENDING. Ending was amazing and really touching. The story in general was awesome. Combat is admittedly slower than in the other FF games. No character does multiple attacks with one command. The only mini-game I managed to beat was racing Hippaul, and I don't think I could ever complete the jump rope mini-game. I won a few games with Tetra Master, but there isn't a point to it. Completely missed the Nero Brothers shuffling game. Also need to do a under 12 hours run for the Excal-II which is possible with high-speed.
I did most of the side quests, upto beating Ozma so I have played the majority of the game.
Overall really great. Beats VIII at the very least in terms of story and combat system. Loved all the little nods and references to previous FF games.
With all of this said, I think it's time to return to FFX and finish.
Edit- I just also wanted to say, if there was no HiSpeed or no encounter option, like my VIII play through my game clock would be a good 5-10 hours more.
Having Steiner and Quina fire off Darkside(Friendly Creatures completed) and Frog Drop(LVL99 with 99 frogs) was my main strategy. I made sure to have Auto-Regen, Auto-Haste on.
So my save file is 40 hours(give or take a few) and I have everyone at 99 with most of the abilities of all characters take away Iso-Strike of Steiner. Now I need to mention that I farmed a little bit, but then just ended up using the boosters that the PC port was given. I really didn't feel like having to grind all the abilities(which I was half way there) and then all the levels for the characters. I don't know if anyone here is apposed to that, but I just did not want to go and farm all of that.
Ok but the game itself, excellent. I LOVED THE ENDING. Ending was amazing and really touching. The story in general was awesome. Combat is admittedly slower than in the other FF games. No character does multiple attacks with one command. The only mini-game I managed to beat was racing Hippaul, and I don't think I could ever complete the jump rope mini-game. I won a few games with Tetra Master, but there isn't a point to it. Completely missed the Nero Brothers shuffling game. Also need to do a under 12 hours run for the Excal-II which is possible with high-speed.
I did most of the side quests, upto beating Ozma so I have played the majority of the game.
Overall really great. Beats VIII at the very least in terms of story and combat system. Loved all the little nods and references to previous FF games.
With all of this said, I think it's time to return to FFX and finish.
Edit- I just also wanted to say, if there was no HiSpeed or no encounter option, like my VIII play through my game clock would be a good 5-10 hours more.
Last edited:
Lex
Administrator
Sorry, I only just noticed this
I'm not sure what you mean by discuss though?
Vivi is the one talking during the ending. The monologue narration over the scenes is Vivi (because he's dead), although it kind of masquerades as Zidane (until the part where the narrator talks about having learned from Zidane). It's one of those things that a lot of people miss (I certainly didn't realise it until years later), but it makes it one of the most emotional FF endings when you do.
From the Wiki though:
"The monologue during the ending is spoken by Vivi, indicating he has expired by the time the ending takes place, as he is saying goodbye to his friends and the final words of his monologue are "Farewell. My memories will be part of the sky", an allusion to death in the world of Final Fantasy IX. Because the speaker of the lines is not specified it has incited speculation among fans on Vivi's fate and who is the speaker of the monologue. The game's Japanese version is more explicit on the issue, as the speaker uses a speech pattern and pronouns that only Vivi used throughout the game."
From the Wiki though:
"The monologue during the ending is spoken by Vivi, indicating he has expired by the time the ending takes place, as he is saying goodbye to his friends and the final words of his monologue are "Farewell. My memories will be part of the sky", an allusion to death in the world of Final Fantasy IX. Because the speaker of the lines is not specified it has incited speculation among fans on Vivi's fate and who is the speaker of the monologue. The game's Japanese version is more explicit on the issue, as the speaker uses a speech pattern and pronouns that only Vivi used throughout the game."
Avalanche87
Pro Adventurer
- AKA
- Bakito/Marak/DJMarak
Start of the spoiler warning, it's a big one!
I did not take it in that Vivi had "stopped", in the last scene where "Vivi" catches up with our little rat prince, Puck, just like at the start of the game and there is the whole confusion "how could you not remember me" and then "Vivi" says he is the son of Vivi and then all the other children of Vivi come running past (one of the cutest parts of the game IMO, it made me so happy!), I got the feeling of "aaahhhh he didn't "stop" after all" then I thought.... "how could Vivi have children??!!"... I figured the "Farewell, my memories will be part of the sky" was a "well the journey was a big one" statement.
Going through the ending clip again, thinking from Vivi's perspective and not Zidane (because Zidane was created for a purpose also), Vivi speaks of how he and they were created for a purpose to do bad...
"Kuja... what you did was wrong... But you gave us all one thing... Hope... We were all created for the wrong reason, but you alone defied our fate. We do not want to forget this. We want your memory to live on forever... To remind us that we were not created for the wrong reason - that our life has meaning."
"I always talked about you, Zidane. How you were a very special person to us, becacuse you taught us all how important life is."
"You taught me that life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest."
"Even if you say goodbye, you'll always be in our hearts. So, I know we're not alone anymore."
aaaawww come on man!! Making me well up!
"Why I was born... How I wanted to live... Thanks for giving me time to think."
"To keep doing what you set your heart on... it's a very hard thing to do. We were all so courageous..."
"What to do when I felt lonely... That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves..."
"I'm so happy I met everyone... I wish we could've gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday."
aaahhh seariously!!!! Now it really does sound like Vivi has stopped
I seriously was in the mind set of "the journey is over" aaaaaand now I'm being a little girl!
"Everyone...
Thank you.
Farewell."
"My memories will be part of the sky..." (there it is.)
That's it! I'm done! A mess!! Now with Garnet's song in the credits just doesn't help get my shit together... such a strong and moving song!!
One thing that always stuck with me was that no matter what Vivi would do, fall, get pushed over, anything... he would stand up, straighten his mages hat and keep going... that alone speaks so loudly to me! Kind of like the "if you fall off the horse, dust yourself off and get back on" sort of meaning. My 2nd favorite Final Fantasy character hands down!
Going through the ending clip again, thinking from Vivi's perspective and not Zidane (because Zidane was created for a purpose also), Vivi speaks of how he and they were created for a purpose to do bad...
"Kuja... what you did was wrong... But you gave us all one thing... Hope... We were all created for the wrong reason, but you alone defied our fate. We do not want to forget this. We want your memory to live on forever... To remind us that we were not created for the wrong reason - that our life has meaning."
"I always talked about you, Zidane. How you were a very special person to us, becacuse you taught us all how important life is."
"You taught me that life doesn't last forever. That's why we have to help each other and live life to the fullest."
"Even if you say goodbye, you'll always be in our hearts. So, I know we're not alone anymore."
aaaawww come on man!! Making me well up!
"Why I was born... How I wanted to live... Thanks for giving me time to think."
"To keep doing what you set your heart on... it's a very hard thing to do. We were all so courageous..."
"What to do when I felt lonely... That was the only thing you couldn't teach me. But we need to figure out the answer for ourselves..."
"I'm so happy I met everyone... I wish we could've gone on more adventures. But I guess we all have to say goodbye someday."
aaahhh seariously!!!! Now it really does sound like Vivi has stopped
I seriously was in the mind set of "the journey is over" aaaaaand now I'm being a little girl!"Everyone...
Thank you.
Farewell."
"My memories will be part of the sky..." (there it is.)
That's it! I'm done! A mess!! Now with Garnet's song in the credits just doesn't help get my shit together... such a strong and moving song!!
One thing that always stuck with me was that no matter what Vivi would do, fall, get pushed over, anything... he would stand up, straighten his mages hat and keep going... that alone speaks so loudly to me! Kind of like the "if you fall off the horse, dust yourself off and get back on" sort of meaning. My 2nd favorite Final Fantasy character hands down!
