After the success of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Intergrade, and its Episode Intermission expansion, fans of the series are now eagerly awaiting its second chapter. Yoshinori Kitase and company are transforming this beloved narrative into something entirely new while changing the trajectory of its characters like never before. It’s simultaneously exciting and terrifying, and much too early to tell if the experiment will end up paying off.
However, the long-awaited revival of Final Fantasy 7 has also brought discussion of additional remakes into the zeitgeist. Particularly the other two classics that graced the original PlayStation - Final Fantasy 8 & 9. They’re both fantastic games, having been remastered and released on multiple different platforms over the years, but aside from fan mods and projects, neither of them have ever received the official remake treatment.
Much like Final Fantasy 7, there was the initial belief that the sheer scope of these games would be impossible to replicate on a modern scale, at least not without splitting them into multiple entries or making compromises that risk hurting the original experience. But now we’ve seen the beginnings of FF7 Remake come to pass it all seems possible, and I imagine remakes of these games are high on the wishlists of many fans right now.
Final Fantasy 8 would work. The majority of its characters reflect our own world in terms of appearance, height, and personality - while there are also a number of themes, cities, and other environments that would translate perfectly when outfitted with current visuals. Much like Final Fantasy 7 I can picture it being updated in a way that possesses the same tone and atmosphere while also building upon the original. It’s faithful without being overly reliant on what came before, and that’s a sweet spot that not all remakes seem to recognise.
But when it comes to Final Fantasy 9 such an adaptation would be far more difficult, if not impossible without tearing the classic’s vision apart in the process. Unlike its predecessors this game looked into the past instead of paving a path forward into the future. Not negatively, but Zidane’s adventure was one that happily paid homage to classic fantasy designs and tropes in a way that felt almost folksy in its execution. Lifelike humanoid models were thrown aside in favour of eccentric characters and outlandish creatures that fit perfectly into the world Squaresoft had created. Seeking to update it would risk tearing that soul away, and seeking to present characters like Queen Brahne, Vivi, and Quina in a photorealistic way simply would not work. It’d look hideous as all hell.
Part of me is being uncharitable, because there is always a chance that a potential remake could take the existing aesthetic and refine it, understanding the nuance within its creative characters and diorama-esque world design to construct something wonderful. Final Fantasy 9 is so unique within the series’ pantheon because it followed up two obscenely successful blockbusters with something different as it abandoned edgy emo boys and cyberpunk futures in favour of a quirky little boy with a tail crushing on a princess.
None of us expected it at the time, and that’s what made it so damn special. Remasters are a reminder of that brilliance with a few worthwhile updates, while a fully-fledged remake presents the opportunity to either expand upon or bastardise a classic. We all feared such a thing would happen with Final Fantasy 7 but were proven wrong despite odds being stacked against it, and I’m unsure lightning will strike twice if the focus ever falls on Final Fantasy 9.
Such conversations are also reminders that not everything needs to be remade, and our cultural obsession with constantly digging up treasures from the past and polishing them for a new generation will inevitably come back to haunt us. Reissuing classics with remasters and modern versions that ensure the original experiences are accessible to all is vitally important, but I would much rather resources and talent are placed on new ideas, not remake after remake just to satisfy those who have called this medium home for decades now. Final Fantasy 9 remains a masterpiece, and it is filled with too many moments and characters reliant on its minimalist graphical style and fantastical approach to storytelling that translated such a tale onto PS5 will all the bells and whistles feels like a recipe for disaster to me. I’d love to be proven wrong, but right now I’m resolute.