A Final Fantasy 9 Remake Sounds Disastrous, But Could Prove An Important Point About Modern Video Games

This piece contains spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Final Fantasy IX.

With recent rumors swirling about a remake of Final Fantasy IX, I can’t help but feel a bit anxious. A lot of my hesitation stems from the fact that Square Enix has already released a remaster of the original Final Fantasy IX that’s playable on modern hardware, perfectly preserving it for those of us who love it while also making it accessible for players who want to experience it for the first time. An even bigger factor, however, is Square Enix’s treatment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, and the way the gaming industry views remakes as a whole.

Game preservation is a hot topic in the world of gaming right now. According to the Video Game History Foundation, approximately 87% of all video games from before 2010 are “critically endangered,” meaning only about 13% of those video games are readily accessible today. That’s a lot of video games that are at risk of being lost to time with no way to recover them.

That’s not to say that companies aren’t making a conscious effort to preserve some of their more popular titles though. In recent years, Capcom has delivered well-received remasters and re-releases of some of its most beloved titles from its Resident Evil, Ace Attorney, and Mega Man franchises. Konami has released a much sought after Metal Gear collection, and Square Enix has released numerous wonderful remasters of its Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy franchises.

Another method we’re seeing companies take when revisiting classic titles is the “remake” route, which sees companies remaking titles for the sake of updating controls, visuals, or even story beats for modern audiences. Resident Evil 2, Silent Hill 2, Demon’s Souls, and Dead Space are all great examples of this. In their original form, these games are considered to be some of the greatest of all time–it makes sense that studios would rather re-examine these experiences through a new lens rather than attempt to perfectly emulate what already exists. But while these overhauls are often considered resounding successes, sometimes elements that make the original titles so great get lost in adaptation. This is certainly the case with Square Enix and its Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, which its less about updating the original game and more about reimagining it into a new experience entirely using Final Fantasy VII as a baseline.

This is precisely why the prospect of Square Enix remaking Final Fantasy IX from the ground up, rather than trying to preserve it as close to the original vision as possible, gives me pause.

When Square Enix finally announced the remake of Final Fantasy VII, there was both celebration and hesitation. Would it be turn-based? Would it remain true to the story beats of the original story? Would it be a single game? We eventually got all of those answers with an ongoing trilogy that features real-time action combat and significant changes to important story moments, like turning Final Fantasy VII Remake into a backdoor sequel to the original Final Fantasy VII. For better and worse, the Final Fantasy VII we’re getting is no replacement for the original experience, no matter how you look at it.

Which leads to speculation about Final Fantasy IX’s potential remake. Since a modern remaster of Final Fantasy IX already exists, it stands to reason that Square Enix would be a tad more ambitious in its remake plans for the title, similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake. So, will this be another reinterpretation? Will Square Enix sacrifice the original version’s charm and quirks for the sake of catering to the taste of modern audiences? Final Fantasy IX is famously a tribute to the older era of Final Fantasy games, and its art direction and gameplay reflect that. Final Fantasy IX features some of the most gorgeous art in the entire series in the form of pre-rendered backgrounds that bring the world of Gaia to life–backgrounds that are evocative of storybook illustrations and contribute greatly to the game’s more fantastical world. I can’t help but wonder if some of the charm of Final Fantasy IX’s world would be lost if it were to be replaced with 3D environments in a remake.

I also wonder if a Final Fantasy IX remake would lead to story changes, such as in the VII Remake–I wonder if moments like the Mog or Vivi reveals are at risk of being rewritten, or losing their impact. One of the reasons Final Fantasy IX is held in such high regard is because many consider it to be the pinnacle of storytelling in the Final Fantasy series. To remake it from the ground up is to potentially introduce creative changes that will alter the way we experience the story. Take for example the way that Square Enix handled Aerith’s death in Final Fantasy VII, an iconic moment with one of the most recognizable images in gaming, featuring Sephiroth driving masamune right through the beloved party member. This moment is diluted in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth into an amalgamation of visions, dream sequences, and time jumps to the point that it’s unrecognizable, confusing, and much less impactful.

Is there a world where Square Enix would once again sacrifice the ATB battle system of classic Final Fantasy games, including IX, in favor of even more action-heavy gameplay for fans of Final Fantasy XVI or Final Fantasy VII Remake? The ATB battle system encouraged players to make tactical decisions and think about their every turn–In Final Fantasy VII Remake, however, players can often mash the attack command in most encounters, and often only rely on abilities in late-game fights and boss encounters. And whereas VII’s pivot to real-time action feels somewhat more natural due to its more futuristic setting, Final Fantasy IX’s fantasy setting and overall identity is embedded in its use of the classic ATB system. These gameplay changes could also carry over to moments such as the sword fight open tournament, which could be potentially reduced to a quick-time event much like the Shinra parade was in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Final Fantasy IX isn’t a perfect game, as a few of its ideas don’t feel fully formed. For example, Trance is Final Fantasy IX’s replacement for the Limit Break system seen in Final Fantasy VII that allows party members to transform into more powerful forms when they take large amounts of damage. Despite it not always being mechanically sound, Trance conveys the feeling of a character building up anger and the will to survive in a dangerous fight, adding to the game’s overall charm. It would be equivalent to removing the codec calls from the Metal Gear Solid games for the sake of streamlining and losing a piece of its identity in the process: something that later entries did in fact do.

Another aspect that could change is Zidane himself. Beloved as he is, he does have a few problematic personality traits, namely his womanizing and overly flirtatious behavior toward Garnet. But it is because of this that his actions, character arc, and growth throughout the course of the story mean so much, and make his perceived death and return to Garnet one of the most heartwarming moments in the entire series. If his personality is updated too much for the sake of presenting him in a more positive light, this could have less of an impact and change the whole perception of the ending moments of the game.

Is there a chance my fears are unfounded and the XI remake could avoid the pitfalls of the VII Remake trilogy and perfectly capture the original game’s charm? Maybe. Does the existence of a new, reinterpreted Final Fantasy IX negate the existence of the original? Of course not. But then again, if this new version of the game is the one being touted as the definitive way to play, yet it lacks what made the original game so special, isn’t a bit of magic lost?

It’s important to be able to look back upon the past and experience games in their purest forms. When companies take care of these beloved titles and make them accessible, it’s a step in the right direction. Square Enix has done this by releasing Final Fantasy IX for modern gaming hardware. However, when companies decide to needlessly remake beloved titles for the sake of modernity, they do put the overall perception of these titles at risk–even if the source material remains unscathed. Something is lost when you dilute ideas and design into a “one size fits all” model and give it the same name as a perceived classic. Final Fantasy IX is a masterpiece in storytelling, gameplay, and design, and marks potentially the highest point of the franchise. If it does receive a remake, I just hope Square Enix takes care to remember what made it so special in the first place.