minuitrail
2000
I decided to try out the original game before they officially come out with the remake, and I'm very glad I did. The game's best assets absolutely stand in its wide, charismatic and memorable cast, with a majestic game design mastery to make all the different characters stand out thanks to ATEs and lots of extra scenes scattered around the main plot.
Another excellent aspect about playing this game in 2024 is the now unreachable feel and emotion that only PS1 pre-rendered colorful backgrounds can give, which is sadly something that I fear we will lose for good with the remake, alongside the breathtakingly beautiful and detailed cutscenes.
On the other hand, as much as I loved playing og FF9, I do firmly agree with the decision to bring this classic back to life in the form of a more modern game primarily because of its gameplay. Spending 30 seconds waiting for a random encounter to just trigger, and let alone the painstaking wait for the ATB system, made me really struggle to enjoy the grind in the last 5-ish hours of the game (which is a shame because that Memoria dungeon is cool af). A smoother and swifter gameplay will definetely skyrocket the experience with replaying this game, at least for me.
Overrall a fantastic experience and definetely one of the most endearing worlds in the whole franchise and in JRPGs as a whole.
also miss Beatrix General of the Alexandrian army I need you
Another excellent aspect about playing this game in 2024 is the now unreachable feel and emotion that only PS1 pre-rendered colorful backgrounds can give, which is sadly something that I fear we will lose for good with the remake, alongside the breathtakingly beautiful and detailed cutscenes.
On the other hand, as much as I loved playing og FF9, I do firmly agree with the decision to bring this classic back to life in the form of a more modern game primarily because of its gameplay. Spending 30 seconds waiting for a random encounter to just trigger, and let alone the painstaking wait for the ATB system, made me really struggle to enjoy the grind in the last 5-ish hours of the game (which is a shame because that Memoria dungeon is cool af). A smoother and swifter gameplay will definetely skyrocket the experience with replaying this game, at least for me.
Overrall a fantastic experience and definetely one of the most endearing worlds in the whole franchise and in JRPGs as a whole.
also miss Beatrix General of the Alexandrian army I need you
2023
honestly after trying some ten different endings i still think i could fix her idk
2001
yeah this is the best game ever made
100/100
Phenomenal game, everything was perfect: from one of the most beautiful video game OSTs i've ever heard, to the dystopian, desolate world they built, to the plot, unraveling itself from route to route, and, of course, the characters. The game only has three main characters, but they're all impeccably written, from their starting point to their finish line. I don't think I will ever move on from this game. It manages to give you a life-changing playing experience in 25-30 hours and I think a lot of games should learn from it.
Phenomenal game, everything was perfect: from one of the most beautiful video game OSTs i've ever heard, to the dystopian, desolate world they built, to the plot, unraveling itself from route to route, and, of course, the characters. The game only has three main characters, but they're all impeccably written, from their starting point to their finish line. I don't think I will ever move on from this game. It manages to give you a life-changing playing experience in 25-30 hours and I think a lot of games should learn from it.
2019
I blame this game for raising the bar way too high for me. I don't think it can get better than this.. this was truly a life changing playing experience.
75/100
I can't lie, I had a pretty great time playing this game, but I didn't feel very satisfied with the true ending. The build up was great, and some routes were incredibly well written, but the point is that there were just too many routes, with a lot of them feeling very rushed and similar to one another. A lot of subplots and questions that end up in giving forced answers that I feel were kinda thrown in just to close all the parenthesis they opened.
Even if I believe the finale could have been a better pay off for 20+ hours of gameplay, this stands just a tiny bit lower than 999 for me. The AB game setting was super engaging as well as the characters dynamics, and I can't say I didn't appreciate all the little QoL improvements from 999.
Even if certainly flawed, I truly enjoyed both the Zero Escape games, and would reccomend everyone to check them out!
I can't lie, I had a pretty great time playing this game, but I didn't feel very satisfied with the true ending. The build up was great, and some routes were incredibly well written, but the point is that there were just too many routes, with a lot of them feeling very rushed and similar to one another. A lot of subplots and questions that end up in giving forced answers that I feel were kinda thrown in just to close all the parenthesis they opened.
Even if I believe the finale could have been a better pay off for 20+ hours of gameplay, this stands just a tiny bit lower than 999 for me. The AB game setting was super engaging as well as the characters dynamics, and I can't say I didn't appreciate all the little QoL improvements from 999.
Even if certainly flawed, I truly enjoyed both the Zero Escape games, and would reccomend everyone to check them out!
80/100
Great
Before playing the true ending I was a little skeptical about it, but after seeing how the story truly wraps up I feel completely satisfied with the game. It did an excellent job in creating the death game itself, a set of likeable characters and an ending route that brings together perfectly all the bits and pieces of information and clues scattered throughout other routes as well.
I wish the puzzles could be a little more balanced though, going from finding pins inside drawers to solving math problems with base numbers was a little off-setting at times.
Great
Before playing the true ending I was a little skeptical about it, but after seeing how the story truly wraps up I feel completely satisfied with the game. It did an excellent job in creating the death game itself, a set of likeable characters and an ending route that brings together perfectly all the bits and pieces of information and clues scattered throughout other routes as well.
I wish the puzzles could be a little more balanced though, going from finding pins inside drawers to solving math problems with base numbers was a little off-setting at times.
2020
95/100
Almost perfect
The only problems I have with this game are some dungeons being very forgettable and the story taking a little while to draw you in towards the beginning. As soon as it starts to hit though, the game is perfectly capable of getting you completely immersed in its universe. The nostalgic countryside small town setting, the murder mystery, the cast. The social aspect of the game, the singular s-links as well as the group dynamic are flawlessly written. They follow the perfect formula to shape a "comfort game".
Truly an unforgettable experience.
Almost perfect
The only problems I have with this game are some dungeons being very forgettable and the story taking a little while to draw you in towards the beginning. As soon as it starts to hit though, the game is perfectly capable of getting you completely immersed in its universe. The nostalgic countryside small town setting, the murder mystery, the cast. The social aspect of the game, the singular s-links as well as the group dynamic are flawlessly written. They follow the perfect formula to shape a "comfort game".
Truly an unforgettable experience.