Final Fantasy takes the classic, medieval theme to somewhere seldom achieved.
The story revolves around an adventurous thief, Zidane, who kidnaps a more-than-willing princess, Garnet. Garnet's flight from her kingdom then ties in with a chain reaction that begins to affect the entire world. Together, with a large cast of other characters, they must get to the bottom of this world(s)-wide catastrophe.
The story of Final Fantasy IX can be very, very dark, with dramatic scenes involving mass genocide, destruction of entire kingdoms, and various other disparaging events. However, the game also counteracts with extremely bright, colourful, and uplifting scenes that take the series to a whole new level.
The characters are also excellent. The cast is made up of astoundingly entertaining personae. The characters range from perky to amusing to downright ridiculous. The player will never find him or herself bored with the cast.
The battle system of this game is standard for a Final Fantasy installment. It is active-time based, and players will find themselves instantly familiar with the options and commands. The one thing that sets itself aside from the later Final Fantasy games is that this uses battle parties of four, rather than three, allowing the party to be more greatly variable and customizable.
The graphics of Final Fantasy IX are also excellent for its time. The backgrounds are vivid, the maps are more detailed than seen from predecessors, and the CGIs are amazing enough to rewatch on YouTube.
Overall, Final Fantasy IX is one of the best installments of the entire franchise. With an excellent storyline, an endlessly-entertaining cast, amazing graphics, great music, and thrilling battles, the fun and games are always there.