First released back in 2000, Final Fantasy IX is remembered for all the right reasons. As the ninth main installment in the beloved Final Fantasy franchise, Final Fantasy IX saw players take on the role of a thief named Zidane Tribal who kidnaps a princess as part of a political ploy by a neighboring nation. Joined by a diverse bunch of characters, the group embarks on a journey to take down the Queen, who just so happens to be mother of the missing princess, after learning that it was her who started the war.
Now, 26-years on, Final Fantasy IX is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time, and back in 2016, Square Enix released an enhanced port complete with graphical enhancements. Not only that, but with an animated television show inspired by FFIX on the way, it truly is an exciting time for fans of the classic entries.
Final Fantasy 9 Is A Timeless Classic
Not only is there a movie adaptation on the way, but fans can also experience Final Fantasy IX like never before thanks to Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project. This marks the first official remake of the game, albeit an unofficial one, and thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the 2000 title looks better than ever.
Created by a group of over 50 dedicated fans, Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project takes us back to the familiar streets of Alexandria and, thanks to the graphical upgrades, some of our favorite locations look better than ever.
“Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project is a passion project led by a team of over 50 professional developers and artists in the video game industry that aims to reimagine what the legendary game could look like if it was remade with modern graphical capabilities. Final Fantasy IX is near and dear to our hearts, and this non-profit love letter was created as a tribute to the masterpiece that is the 2000 original. We’d like to thank everyone who supported us over the years and motivated us to keep pushing through this massively ambitious project despite all the challenges. We hope you enjoy our reimagining of this classic game!”
Completed back in 2023, Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project is now available to play, featuring fully voiced gameplay, and without that pesky AI involvement.
This Is The Final Fantasy 9 Remake We Always Dreamed Of
Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project may not be an official Final Fantasy 9 remake, but it is definitely the next best thing, and with some of the game’s most dedicated fans praising its existence, it seems as though it has the seal of approval. However, if you are still unsure, you can check out the game in action thanks to this epic teaser and thanks were quick to share their praise.
“What an incredible effort! I really enjoyed seeing one of my favourite games reimagined so beautifully. Must’ve been extremely difficult!” One comment read. Another agreed, adding, “It looks BEAUTIFUL! Hats off to all the developers who’ve been working on this. I never knew I’d see FF9 like this. The love is oozing in this demo.”
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
