If you ask me the question "What's your favorite Final Fantasy game?", Final Fantasy IX is my unironic answer.

This was something like my fifth complete playthrough of this game, and I still love it the same this time as I did the first time. The music hits me in all the right places, the character growth some of the characters experience is fantastic (Vivi remains my favorite FF character), and I just like the atmosphere, the struggle, the philosophical ponderings of what makes a man, and basically everything inside this package.

I will agree with most people here that the combat is pretty slow. But this particular version comes packaged with several helpers that alleviate that problem (and others) entirely, and would highly recommend it if the slow combat has turned you off in the past.

Just a great game. Can't wait for my next playthrough in the future already.