Few games have wowed me the way Final Fantasy IX has.

I am in the middle of my first playthrough of the PlayStation 1 classic and I’ve been enthralled. The story and characters are amazing and the themes are still painfully relevant today.

The best part? This game is 24 years old.

Since this is my first playthrough, I am playing Final Fantasy IX without any kind of nostalgia. It’s the same way I experienced the original Final Fantasy VII and that was a similar experience to FFIX.

What’s really stood out to me regarding both FFVII and FFIX is how much I’ve been into each game despite their age. That’s not a knock against retro games but rather that older titles tend to have glaring limitations from their time.

These two games are no different but the ability to easily overlook them is what allows FFVII and FFIX, along with many others, to snatch the title of classic or masterpiece.

Many use the term of “masterpiece” liberally, often diluting the true meaning of the word. One way that a game can truly be a gaming masterpiece is if it can easily be enjoyed and appreciated long after its release.

One way a game achieves that status is by transcending its limitations of the time.

At initial release, those limitations may not be as obvious since they are largely on par with the rest of gaming world. This makes those limitations the norm rather than anything to scrutinize.

As the years past and games advance, those limitations come into full view. They can take the form of archaic gameplay features, graphical limitations, or lack of production value, among others.

Holding up retro games to modern titles often draws the comparison of, “yeah, that game was great for its time.” You also have nostalgia creeping in to potentially bloat the view of a retro game, not allowing for a fair assessment.

A true gaming masterpiece doesn’t need nostalgia to inflate its worth. It embraces its limitations of the time and shines regardless.

Final Fantasy IX is an example of this. Some of the obvious limitations of the time are outdated graphics and slow combat or movement. Its presentation is no where near what Final Fantasy XVI puts out.

Those limitations and comparisons are not faults of the game, but rather a window into what games looked like in 2000. Compared to modern games, they just look out of place.

Despite all of these limitations, FFIX still stands out. While I’m not a fan of pre-rendered backgrounds, I’ve found the deeper I go into the game, the less time I spend focusing on them.

To me, a gaming masterpiece is so good that you stop noticing its limitations and can appreciate what the developers were trying to accomplish. It’s what separates the good games from the masterpieces.

Of course, nostalgia will play a factor for many and that’s inevitable. What takes it to a new level is when first-time players, like myself, can pick it up and become enthralled despite no prior connections to the game.

At the end of the day, this point will always be subjective. I’ve seen plenty who don’t believe FFIX deserves the distinction of a masterpiece while others won’t accept anything less.

Still, there’s some objectivity in this as you can gather the thoughts of people who are either nostalgic for the game or a newcomer to it. It’s not perfect but it’s a step in the right direction to having an objective conversation.

What about you? Does a gaming masterpiece transcend its limitations of the time? What games have you enjoyed despite their limitations. What role does nostalgia play into this discussion? Let us know in the comments below or head over to our Discord channel to join the conversation.

Featured Image: Square Enix (via IGN)

Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games

The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games – is the flagship show of the Boss Rush Network and Boss Rush Media. Each week, hosts⁠ Corey Dirrig and LeRon Dawkins⁠ are joined by friends, fellow creators, indie developers, and industry veterans to discuss the latest in the world of video games, including news, rumors, new releases, and what they’ve been playing. They also answer listener questions, debate important industry topics and Boss Rush Banter discussion points, and feature a rotating weekly segment. New episodes post every Monday.

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