Final Fantasy 9, which is indisputably the best in the series, is available now on the PC through Valve’s Steam platform. The fantasy RPG epic, which was originally released for the PlayStation in 2001, has been updated with high-definition visuals and a few other new features for its re-release.
As detailed on the game’s Steam page, the PC version has seven game boosters, including a high speed option and a no encounter mode. Additionaly, autosaves have been added, as well as high-definition versions of its CGI movies and character models.
In other Final Fantasy news, the latest entry in the series, Final Fantasy 15, will launch on September 30 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. A PC version could come later, but Square Enix hasn’t decided on this yet.
Final Fantasy 15 was first announced back in 2006 as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, one of the games included in the Fabula Nova Crystallis series. Although a few games in the mini-universe have been released, such as the Final Fantasy 13 games, Versus went through a period of troubled development.
Square Enix eventually re-introduced Versus XIII as Final Fantasy 15 at E3 2013. The project had evolved significantly and thus become a core, numbered entry in the series.
Game director Hajime Tabata has said when he took over the project the Final Fantasy franchise was considered a “dying IP that had already peaked.”
“The gravest situation of all was that, at the time we were starting Final Fantasy XV, we didn’t see an increase in new fans of the franchise,” he added. “The brand image of Final Fantasy wasn’t really clear.
“The reality is not that the situation is okay or in favor of us. Rather, it is more grave and serious than we had initially thought … The way we understood Final Fantasy after our analysis is that it was a dying IP that had already peaked.”
Disclaimer: The assertion that Final Fantasy 9 is the best in the series is the opinion of this author. Nevertheless, it is the correct opinion.