A team of passionate Final Fantasy fans revealed the gameplay demo of Final Fantasy 9: Memoria Project, a fan-made remake of Final Fantasy 9. After the success of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, it is not too far-fetched to believe that there will be another remake of a Final Fantasy game. Many fans are interested in seeing Square Enix breathe new life into Final Fantasy 9.
Final Fantasy 9 is a JRPG that was released in 2000 for the PlayStation. It is the ninth game in the Final Fantasy series, and compared to the latest releases in the series, Final Fantasy 9 is one of its more unique titles. It features a cast of quirky characters and a stylized art style with medieval theming similar to the first Final Fantasy rather than the sci-fi setting common to later Final Fantasy games. Although it is not as popular as other titles in the series, it is recognized for having one of the best storylines in the Final Fantasy series.
After three years in the making, a team of fans consisting of more than 50 professional videogame developers and artists released a gameplay demo for Final Fantasy 9: Memoria Project, a fan-made remake of Final Fantasy 9. The 25-minute gameplay demo showcases the opening scene of the kingdom of Alexandria which features new graphics, updated gameplay, and other quality-of-life changes that both new and old fans would be impressed by. The demo is non-playable so as to not infringe upon Square Enix’s copyright. However, the official and original Final Fantasy 9 recently became available to play on PlayStation 5.
Most fans shared their love for all the work that has been put into recreating Final Fantasy 9 while discussing what made the original so great to them. Twitter users like kekeaneli commented on how Final Fantasy 9 was the game that solidified their love for JRPGs. Many users also agree that the possibility of petting Chocobos in Final Fantasy 9 just like it is shown in the fan-made remake would heighten the immersion.
Although fans reacted positively to the Final Fantasy 9: Memoria Project gameplay demo, they found themselves fooled by it because they had thought it to be playable. Fortunately, their desire to play its remake may come true. Square Enix may make an announcement this year regarding a Final Fantasy 9 remake. If the rumors are true, fans wonder if Square Enix can meet or outdo the performance and expectations of the fan-made project after being blown away by all it offered players of glimpse of.
The original Final Fantasy 9 is available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox One.