Why aren’t there more love games? The term “love game” itself sounds extremely weird, but love songs are practically all you hear on the radio, and for a while, it seemed like every movie regardless of genre had a romance subplot. Meanwhile, pretty much the only games about romance are dating sims, a niche genre that is frequently mocked and perceived as lesser than the highbrow and urbane violence we’re accustomed to. Maybe it's because romance doesn't translate to interactivity very neatly, making it hard to get players involved in the drama, and causing even the best emotional climax completely flop for a large portion of the audience. Recognizing this potential problem, Final Fantasy 9 did something pretty smart, setting up multiple love stories in parallel to resonate with almost anyone’s personal experience. Each party member’s personal journey revolves around a different kind of story, from a classic fairy-tale romance to something more abstract, like the love of one’s people or country. The game skillfully balances the focus on each of them by mixing combinations of characters, letting their different perspectives build on each other to give players insight into the authors' thoughts about being in love.
Of course, the amount of patience that players will have for indulging the parts that don’t resonate is another matter entirely, especially when so much of the central plot and gameplay are grounded by a love of the franchise itself. While this may include the best parts of the series, like its beautiful aesthetic and compelling characters, the worst parts are here too, like two-dimensional villains and a pace that is uncomfortably slow at times. Towards the end in particular, the love it shows for classic Final Fantasy grandiosity borders on obsession, and it muddles the beautiful individual stories with unnecessarily high stakes. It’s a case of missing the forest for the trees, forgetting that the big dramatic showdowns of the series were memorable as a payoff for emotional investment, not just for their own sake. Final Fantasy 9 may stumble when it comes to the handling and pacing of those big scenes, but luckily, the little interpersonal moments are strong enough to make up for it. It’s a game where I recognize all the flaws, and I wouldn’t say that I like it as much as other RPG's, but for the whole-hearted appreciation I have for a game trying to tell this kind of story, I guess I have to admit that I love it.
Of course, the amount of patience that players will have for indulging the parts that don’t resonate is another matter entirely, especially when so much of the central plot and gameplay are grounded by a love of the franchise itself. While this may include the best parts of the series, like its beautiful aesthetic and compelling characters, the worst parts are here too, like two-dimensional villains and a pace that is uncomfortably slow at times. Towards the end in particular, the love it shows for classic Final Fantasy grandiosity borders on obsession, and it muddles the beautiful individual stories with unnecessarily high stakes. It’s a case of missing the forest for the trees, forgetting that the big dramatic showdowns of the series were memorable as a payoff for emotional investment, not just for their own sake. Final Fantasy 9 may stumble when it comes to the handling and pacing of those big scenes, but luckily, the little interpersonal moments are strong enough to make up for it. It’s a game where I recognize all the flaws, and I wouldn’t say that I like it as much as other RPG's, but for the whole-hearted appreciation I have for a game trying to tell this kind of story, I guess I have to admit that I love it.