Final Fantasy IX Remake Wishlist

Howdy all, it’s been a while since I blogged on GB and after watching @zombiepie, @mento, @arbitrarywater, and @jeffrud keep up their prolific outputs for so many years, I just had to get back in the game. I’m not sure how frequently I’ll be able to put out a full blog. My life has changed a great deal from the years I was putting out a blog a week. However, the last two days of radical change at GB has jumpstarted my will to write. With that preamble out of the way, I’ll get into the point: there have been so many Final Fantasy IX remake rumors the last few months that I’ve been obsessed with what that game could be. As GB’s resident FFIX super fan I’ll go through a few possible scenarios in order from what would make me the least to the most hype. Unfortunately, the order also worked out to be from most to least plausible actual outcome.

1. It’s the FFVIII Remake treatment: Final Fantasy VIII was remade a scant few years ago for modern consoles. The remake basically entailed new character models for the main cast, HD resolution support, some new wonkiness thanks to old assets interacting with new technology, and some quality of life upgrades. This is basically the bare minimum Square Enix could do to create something they could call an FFIX remake. On the one hand, the mobile and Steam releases of FFIX were basically already this exact treatment. On the other hand, Square is notorious for pumping out barely changed re-releases that they can charge full price for. I truly hope this is not what happens, but this seems like the most likely outcome. If this is what comes to pass, I hope they at least do a better job of up-resing the FFIX cast than they did the FFVIII cast.

2. It’s the FFVIII Remake Treatment, but with the Moguri Mod in mind: As I said before, the Steam release of FFIX already incorporated quality of life features, HD resolutions, and new character models for the main cast. However, the modding community around the game managed to breathe new life into it in a way Square didn’t. If you haven’t seen the Moguri Mod, it is one of the most impressive fan updates to an old game I’ve seen in quite some time. A group of fans ran the existing low-res FFIX backgrounds through a Deep Learning image processing algorithm to add HD detail that was lost due to the PS1 era compression that was performed on the original FFIX backgrounds. Since the original FFIX HD backgrounds are lost to time and poor video game code preservation, these new Moguri Mod backgrounds are basically the best we have available. If Square officially incorporated the Moguri Mod, console players would get to experience the best-looking, currently-available version of FFIX. That’s not exactly a revolution, but it’s still pretty darn good. This seems slightly less plausible than the laziest option simply because it isn’t the laziest option.

3. By golly, they found/recreated the original backgrounds: Hey, it’s not impossible that they could have found something on an old hard drive. Or maybe they could actually put in the elbow-grease to re-create the backgrounds somehow. This would be preferable to the Moguri Mod in one major way: some of the new Moguri backgrounds look a bit wonky thanks to the algorithmic nature of the up-resing. Deep Learning is a very impressive technique, but it isn’t perfect. An algorithm can make some odd choices about what it thinks a blurry object is supposed to be and a few backgrounds show the tell-tale squiggles of an algorithmic up-res. A more human touch might provide a better, more deliberate end result. As a result, I think this is the cutoff point where I would actually buy this version of the remake. Sufficient work would have been done and I would get to see something genuinely new in a game I’ve loved for over a decade.

4. HOLY HELL THEY’RE DOING AN FFVII REMAKE, BUT FFIX: This is the least-likely, but more exciting possible outcome. The bones of FFIX’s story and world are very strong and could support a full remake on the level of FFVII Remake. Alexandria, Lindblum, Dali, Burmecia: each of these towns and cities have interesting, diverse populations and iconic looks. Furthermore, the combat system in FFIX was always hamstrung by its PS1 capping animation quality and its fiddly Trance system. Moving the game to an action-oriented, FFVII Remake style system would likely be a boon for modern players. There could even be a significant differentiation from the FFVII Remake combat and leveling systems given FFIX’s increased focus on equipment and iconic character classes rather than the open-ended Materia system. If this is the actual direction of the FFIX remake, I would absolutely flip. Good luck getting me to think about anything else until the game comes out.

From where I’m sitting, these seem like the four most plausible outcomes for the leaked FFIX remake. If you’re a new console owner and haven’t played FFIX, I’d recommend checking it out regardless of which remake we end up getting. If you’re an FFIX super fan like me who’s played the game before, options 3 and 4 are probably where I would recommend re-buying. If you’re not into turn-based RPGs or high fantasy, I would probably only recommend the game if option 4 comes to pass. Then again, if you’re down for some introspection about your own mortality, FFIX is still the first game I would recommend.

I don't have any great remake ideas, but FFIX was always my favorite of the post-VI 3D FFs because it still felt the closest to when the characters still marched in place. I guess my big brain idea is to maybe ditch the realism stuff (that bores me, honestly) and go really stylized with it. Gimme what the designers back then would have done with that game if they'd had today's tech. I'm probably not making sense here!

So I'm a weirdo here because I didn't play FF IX at the time due to the Dreamcast taking up my attention at the time and the fact that I hated FF VIII after loving FF VII, but I did play through FF IX on PS4 in 2020 and I got to the ending so I feel like I can talk about the game.

FF VII remake was my favorite game of 2020 and one of the reasons I went back to FF IX so my first desire would just be another game like that. I think FF IX has such a fascinating world to explore and is so different in tone and character than both its peers at the time and most modern JRPGs that it would be incredibly to see that world expanded and modernized.

That being said if they do go with more of a remaster than a remake and don't make a whole new game my big request would be to make saves compatible with the already released remaster because I personally would not play through that game again in the near future (it's a great game but it's long and I played it recently and have a ton of other stuff I want to play) but I might buy an upgraded remaster if I could import my old save and go clean up side quests and do some post-game stuff.

Now that we have cloud saves and all that it would be great if new versions of old games allowed you to preserve your progress because the number of games I would like to check out again in upgraded form with my old save game intact is much higher than the number I want to start from scratch, especially when they are super long.

@bigsocrates: Cloud save compatibility would be a huge boon if they go with any of the "Remaster" options. Just let me jump to where I was the last time I played a re-release rather than having to replay the whole game to see the new stuff.

@beggary:I would love to see modern character models on pre-rendered backgrounds that could be made today. There is no reason the backgrounds would even have to look like CGI at this day and age. That would be one of the most fascinating options. Just let the artists run wild.

I want an on-screen death for beloved main character.

I replay the Steam & Moguri mod version and it is pretty amazing, it would take some beating in my mind to make a superior version to it. I'd love to see a FFVIIR treatment and would definitely buy it but the other options are a tough sell for me.

If they did option 3 with some really interesting new assets (I'm thinking new areas/models and/or a new art style basically) I could be persuaded but if it's just slightly better backgrounds than Moguri I'd probably just stick with what I have.

Fix Tetra Master to be less arbitrary, leave Chocobo Hot and Cold exactly how you found it.

Nerf Osma.

Man don't get my hopes up

FFVii REmake is so awesome, I'd love for any FF game to get that treatment

I fear it's got to be door number 1 tho right? What internal capacity does Square even have to do anything other than 1 or 2 right now right?

Should probably add more Stealing.

@mento: Fixed Tetra Master would actually be kinda interesting. Not sure how you fix it, but try something.

@slag:No clue, but FFIX is getting a show soon and some ancillary FFIX stuff has been happening that makes me slightly hopeful for something more.

I never engage with the card games in FF games. So when I avoided it in FFIX I didn't expect them to literally force you to enter a tournament in order to progress, especially that far into the game. I just couldn't win. I'd maybe get lucky and win one, but could never beat it twice. I quit then and there and never went back. I guess I can't expect them to remove it but I'd love if it was skippable and you just miss out on the item I believe you get for winning.

• Get rid of all the mini games except the card game.
• Add a line of dialogue “yo, that castle has wings!” during the CG Alexandria scene.

I think I just about fixed the game, you’re welcome!

• Now, this is a bad idea but what if they added an optional VO? (I think I hear ppl booing)

Look, if any FF is getting the FF7R treatment next, it's FFX damnit. It's right up there in popularity and arguably more popular in Japan. Don't joke about this, it's deadly serious!

My guess is a shoddy Chrono Cross Radical Dreamers level "remake."

@liquiddragon: You would keep the card game...?

@efesell: That's the only mini game in FF9 I don't remember absolutely hating tho admittedly, I've never been good at any card games and I sure wasn't good at that one. Not saying it was great, I just remember thinking, wow, this game is pretty cool but literally every mini game is ass. The frog catching one? The chocobo treasure hunt in the overworld? The other chocobo treature hunt in that one location? The card game is def better than all those. I can't say I liked it but I'm not mad at it enough to get rid of something someone somewhere probably likes. If you like the other ones, seek help.

@liquiddragon: The thing about the card game is that I'm pretty sure it's actually just broken. A lot of the values don't seem to function in the way they are presented and generally that means most games are unpredictable and random.

Anyway I do love Chocobo Hot and Cold.

@efesell: The card game has a lot of random die rolls going on in the background so it looks very random. It's definitely a step down from Triple Triad, but there is some method to the madness.

I am also a Chocobo Hot and Cold defender.

@efesell: I see. Yeah, I think I remember it being pretty random. Honestly, there is enough meat on the bones of rpgs that I just do as much as games force you to w mini games, tho FF is def a special case where I end up using a guide to get w/e ultimate weapons that’s locked behind mini games.

I just remembered 2 other mini games in FF9. The auction and the qte sword fighting game. The sword fighting one really sucks.

I’m finally getting around to finishing ff7r and I’m kinda embarrassed how much I enjoyed the simple pull up game and the time attack box killing game haha

I just remember this happening a lot. I think it's just that it presents itself as though the numbers matter and sometimes they just don't and that's not an ideal state for a card game to be in let's say.

I'm a huge FF8 fan, and I know that makes me some kind of disgusting pervert man. I never even played 9.

Im all for doing a total remake of 9 but they have to do 8 first. I'm putting my foot down.

I'll let you all know when Sqeenix starts working on it.

GUNBLADE

@splodge: Unfortunately there haven't been any VIII remake leaks the same way there are IX remake leaks. Guess you'll have to settle for the VIII Remaster.

@efesell:Yeah the cards have different levels and they have a rocks, paper, scissors strength and weakness system, but there are still die rolls after all of that happens. So the weaker card can still win even if you do everything correctly. Even weirder, cards level up the more you use them. So the more you play, the better your deck gets. Tetra Master is really needlessly complicated, but the idea of "cards with arrows of attack/defense with spaces on the board that are blocked" is solid.

Honestly? I kind of don't want them to touch it. FFIX is one of my favorite Final Fantasies, warts and all, and all modern Squeenix would do is ruin it. I know I'm in the tiny minority, but I absolutely loathed the FFVII remake. The last thing I want is for IX to get the same change for the sake of of story alterations with a bad action-y combat system lathered on top of it.

I'd much rather they put their efforts into making a good new mainline game rather than trying to recapture past glory. I haven't really liked a FF game since XII, and what I've seen of XVI has left me feeling lukewarm at best.

Keep Hot and Cold the same, but make it less annoying to get into the lagoon area with the light blue chocobo. Finding the route was painful. If you know, you know

@therealturk: This is a take I don't quite understand unless you think the opportunity cost of making an FFIX Remake is so large that another worthwhile game won't get made because those resources went to FFIX Remake. The old game will still exist so the new game doesn't take anything away from the legacy. Given what SE has made when left up to their own devices, for example every non-MMO FF since XII, I am more confident in them re-telling or expanding upon stories that were already well-written than creating new ideas.

I'm really looking forward to the remake of this part of Final Fantasy

@thatpinguino: i meann....I am not trying to compare them to mainline FF games but 13-2 and Lightning Returns are respectable fun video games.