It may not be official yet that aFinal Fantasy 9remake is on its way, but that announcement is only a matter of time. First spotted in the often-accurate Nvidia GeForce Now leak, aFinal Fantasy 9remake has been the topic of confirmation and cancelation rumors for several years running. Early rumors even claimed it would launch alongside a cartoon, but no matter how much buzz was made about it, official word from Square Enix never came. As one of the last holdouts from the Nvidia leak alongsideFinal Fantasy Tactics, an announcement feels long overdue.
Fortunately, fans may not have to wait much longer, as another confirmation of the remake’s existence has leaked. In the process of a third-party establishing a database for the Epic Games Store, part of the store’s backend became publicly visible for a short period. Among the few identifiable games found in the leaked listings was something codenamed Momo, which had an “Early Purchase Bonus Tetra Master Starter Pack” listed among its pre-order bonuses. That can onlypoint to aFinal Fantasy 9remake, so assuming the project is still forthcoming, now is the perfect window to imagine what an idealFF9remake would be.
Final Fantasy 9 Deserves A Modernized Presentation
FF9’s high fantasy art style and well-made models ensure that it’s still a looker today, and it can be enjoyed at high resolutions thanks to thelastFinal Fantasy 9remaster’s Moguri mod. However, expectations for a remake’s presentation are much higher than simply looking clean. Replacing all the assets with new 3D ones is almost a given, but keeping the old camera angles to stick withFF9’s original art direction as closely as possible would be appreciated. A reorchestrated soundtrack and full voice acting would ensure that theFinal Fantasy 9remake is the full package, presentation-wise.
FF9’s Tetra Master Needs A Remake
Rebuilding the core gameplay shouldn’t be theFinal Fantasy 9remake’s top priority, but rather revising its Tetra Master card game. Tetra Master inherently suffers from being “not-Triple Triad,” measuring up toFinal Fantasy 8’s more popular minigame poorly, but it’s also poor in the first place. In summary, Tetra Master is frustrating because random chance trumps skilled play, and players are forced to attend a Tetra Master tournament to rub salt in the wound. Now that Square Enix has proven itself with minigames likeFF14’s revised Triple Triad andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s surprise-hit Queen’s Blood, fans should expect a full remake of Tetra Master that puts the original to shame.
Final Fantasy 9’s Main Party Should Be Developed More
Final Fantasy 9’s charming characters and setting are remembered fondly, but the wayFF9treats its protagonists might make one question that.The playable party splits up often throughoutFF9, and the Active Time Events that help players keep up with everyone gradually fade out. As a consequence, everyone but Zidane, Garnet, and Vivi end up with character arcs that feel varying degrees of unfinished, and Quina and Amarant barely get any development at all. Tightening this part of the game up, as well as rebalancing the cast’s abilities, should help makeFF9shine even brighter.
The FF9 Endgame Could Use Some Expansion
Besides Tetra Master, it’s commonly agreed that the weakest part ofFinal Fantasy 9is its ending. FromFF9’s infamous sin of not foreshadowing its final bossto the initial fights against three of the Chaos Guardians being cut despite all four becoming bosses later, the end of Disc 3 and all of Disc 4 are full of holes. A remake presents the chance to fill these, and new content could be added, like an actual fight against Gilgamesh or the ability to recruit Beatrix as a party member. No matter how it does it, this remake should take every chance to make itself the definitive version ofFinal Fantasy 9.
Final Fantasy 9
WHERE TO PLAY
Zidane and the Tantalus Theater Troupe have kidnapped Princess Garnet, the heir of Alexandria. To their surprise, however, the princess herself yearned to escape the castle. Through a series of unusual circumstances, she and her personal guard, Steiner, fall in with Zidane and set out on an incredible journey.Meeting unforgettable characters like Vivi and Quina along the way, they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world.Learn new abilities by equipping items. When fully mastered, these abilities can be used even without equipping items, allowing for nearly endless customization options.Fill your Trance gauge as you sustain hits in battle. When fully charged, your characters will enter Trance mode, granting them powerful new skills!Never let items go to waste. Combine two items or pieces of equipment together and make better, stronger items!
