Final Fantasy IX

Square Enix

PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android, PlayStationPremium

Health Score

GOOD

Watch Gameplay

About This Game

A classic single-player fantasy role-playing game. Players guide a party of four characters through a medieval world torn by war, exploring towns, battling monsters in turn-based fights, and following a long story about loyalty, identity and loss. Includes side activities such as a card minigame and Chocobo treasure hunting. Playable on PC, consoles and mobile.

Score Breakdown

Positive Aspects

Educational Value

4/5

Creativity

2/5

Pro-Social

1/5

Risk Factors

Addictive Monetization

0/5

Time Pressure / FOMO

0/5

Social Risk

0/5

Content Intensity

2/5

Negatives

•Officially rated Teen for mild language and animated violence, and it includes mild suggestive humour, such as a character grabbing a companion's rear.
•The story deals with heavier material: war between nations, genocide, a parent ordering her child's death, and characters grappling with mortality. Some younger or sensitive players may find this upsetting.
•No real creative tools inside the game itself
•the creation side exists only through unofficial PC modding, which requires technical setup.
•Multiplayer is limited to a second player controlling a battle character on the same console
•there is nothing social beyond that, so it is not a game for playing with friends online.

Positives

•A long, story-driven adventure that rewards reading, planning and party management, with turn-based battles that encourage strategic thinking about abilities and equipment.
•The plot explores identity, empathy, prejudice and coming to terms with loss, giving older teens plenty to reflect on and discuss.
•No online play at all: there is no chat, no strangers and no voice communication, so exposure to other players is essentially nil.
•No microtransactions, no loot boxes and no daily-login pressure. It is a straightforward one-time purchase you can play at your own pace.
•Modern releases add optional speed and no-encounter modes, so families can shorten grind sessions when time is limited.