Inspiration Spotlight # 11: Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy IX is my favorite video game. It is the only Final Fantasy game I've been able to reach the end of, and I've done so many many times. For me, I can easily pickup this game whenever and run all the way through it without getting sick of it.

This game had a huge impact on me when I played it as a kid. My first Final Fantasy game was VIII and it was just too complex and had too much teen angst for me, I could only get past the 1st disc. But everything about FFIX I loved! It was more sword & sorcery / steampunk (which I prefer) than other Final Fantasy games are; most usually leaning towards the sci-fi realm. It has a very whimsical art style to it, and the overall feel of the game is a lot more lighthearted than most Final Fantasy games as well.  

 FFIX knows just how to balance the happy-fun-times with the dramatic-extreme-epicness. It's not a non-stop depression-fest, it's a mix of all the right emotions. FFIX is my favorite game because I will never be able to forget when I finally beat the game and I watched the end credits and I found myself asking "It's over? NO! I want more!" I'm yet to play any other game, read any book, or see any movie that made me feel the same way about it.

The art (like any Final Fantasy) is absolutely gorgeous and all the designs are brilliant. The monsters, the characters, the cities, the vehicles, EVERYTHING! For anyone who loves FFIX as much as me or just appreciates the artwork that goes into creating such games, I highly recommend The Art of Final Fantasy IX. It's full of gorgeous development artwork for a variety of characters, monsters, and environments. And of course, it has a bunch of Amano pieces in it as well. Overall, you can tell there was tons more that they left out and so it's a little upsetting to see they didn't add more into the final product, but it's still one of my most treasured art books.

If you haven't played FFIX yet, you're missing out. You should get a hold of this game somehow and love it forever. If you have played and you've been nodding your head with excitement as you read this post, then high five!