"Final Fantasy IX" or "How The Final Fantasy People Realized They'd Done Wrong".

IX is easily, EASILY one of the best games that I've played now. It is...it is phenomenal. I haven't loved an RPG this much since I played "Chrono Trigger" and "Final Fantasy VI". And I've played a bunch of RPGs since then.

This was mainly because it represented a return to formula for the Final Fantasy series. When you've played VI, and seen how much fun it is to have unique abilities for every character, it becomes disappointing in VII and VIII when all the characters were essentially clones of each other (although at least in VII some characters were better mages/fighters/speed-demons than others...VIII, however, let you alter the stats of your characters, essentially making them all identical).
IX marked a return to this, with each character getting even more unique than VI. Unlike VI, not every character can use magic, and instead each have 2 special skills.
The leveling system, though, was much like VI. As you win battles, not only will your characters level up and get better stats, but they will also gain points that contribute to learning skills. After earning enough, they can know these skills permanently. What skills they are learning, though, can be alternated. For example, giving the character of Vivi a Fire Staff will slowly teach him how to use a powerful Fire Spell, but giving him an Ice Staff will teach him how to use an Ice Move.
It's much like VI, where Espers were attached to characters to teach them magic. IX added in another element, though, by teaching characters passive skills. Things like a resistance to poison, or upping their accuracy. Equipping these skills adds a whole new level of strategy to the game, especially since you can't apply all the skills you want: there is a limit. For example, you might give a character the ability to dodge attacks more easily, but find that, when your opponents are freezing you every 5 seconds, you'd rather give up that so that they are completely resistant to freezing.
The battle system also returned to the original roots, making the characters constantly be charging the bar that allows them to make a move in battle. As a result, animation times for attacks and summons are cut down. (Anyone who watched the Brothers play Rock, Paper, Scissors in VIII as much as I did should be breathing "Thank God" right now).

Add in the fact that the plot of the game was pretty good. It was a lot simpler than VII and VIII's, but more complex than VI or IV. The overall themes of it were just cool, and the writing was often brilliant. Heavy symbolism, a lot of clever foreshadowing, and all around enjoyable lines of dialogue ("Ooh, soft...") made the game just that much more amazing.
The characters were also delightful. Zidane, the main protagonist, was an absolute riot. Square decided to abandon the emo-angst machines from VII and VIII, and replaced it with a wisecracking thief who is a total pervert, and yet has that underlying level of caring and complication. His constant attempts at picking up ladies only made me like him more, as I could swear that I'd said some of his lines before. He wasn't all happiness and lollipops through the game, though, and had his share of darkness and seriousness (his "bedtime story" to love interest Dagger was one of the most powerful scenes in any game). Add into that an awesome character design (twin daggers FTW), and you have my new favorite RPG protagonist.
The rest of the cast is also awesome. Dagger, the Princess-in-disguise, was an easy character to love, and her overly protective guard Steiner was simply hilarious. The 6-year old Eiko was also pretty awesome, being both hilarious and uber-powerful at the same time. With the ever adorable Black Mage Vivi, classic Dragoon-esque Freya (I think I had a geekasm when she had the "Jump" ability), the bizarre Quina (who sported my favorite class from the series, Blue Mage), and the bounty hunter Amarant, and you've got yourself (as usual) a stellar cast.
But what would a Final Fantasy game be without an over-the-top love-to-hate-them villain? Enter Kuja, the cross-dressing freak man. He's got that look that you won't soon forget (silver hair, robed arms, riding a silver dragon...oh, and he's got an exposed midriff and a metal speedo covering his unmentionables), and a host of one-liners and evil plans to keep you longing to beat the guy. "You even managed to hurt me a little!" "So, the curtain rises!" "Time to die, everyone!" Absolutely brilliant villain.
The game was also interesting in that it was perhaps the darkest of the series at some points, despite its rather quirky art style. Mass destruction and murder happens right before the player's eyes. Some of the characters hold some pretty shocking backstories, and the stage for the final battle is perhaps the most miserable that I've seen in any game.

On that note, the presentation for the game was spectacular. The graphics are top notch. Rather than go for the realistic designs, the game delighted in giving the characters a rather cartoonish look. Large heads not only serve as great expressions, but also bear a loving touch to the old days of the series, where tiny SNES sprites were all we got. Summon animations are wonderful, as usual, although this time they are a good deal shorter and faster (as I said before, "Thank God").
The game also just builds off of what VII started, with powerful CGI cutscenes being thrown into the game to illustrate certain scenes. I thought that nothing would top some of the things that went down in VIII (the end of Disc 1? Quistis with the machine gun?). Then IX started. And the first shot alone was breathtaking. And then...Garnet's escape right after? Running from the Evil Forest? Heck, every cutscene in this game was just...wow.
As for sound, the game was excellent. Sound effects were pretty standard slashes and explosions, but they get the job done. As is usual with the series, it's all about the music. And Uematsu delivered again. The soundtrack isn't quite as good as VI or VII's, but it is still wonderful. I'm still not sick of the battle theme. The Overworld theme was rather bright and catchy, and the track "You're Not Alone" is easily one of the greatest pieces not just in FF, but in the video-games that I've played. Oh, and kudos on the return of the Prelude. I probably would have liked VIII a lot more if it had been in.

The game has a few flaws, unfortunately. Some plot points felt a bit weird, a couple characters arriving out of nowhere. A couple battles frustrated, with some enemies getting in 3 or 4 moves for every 1 that I got. Still, it only made the game a little more challenging, which was good, considering that most of it was very easy.

Finally, the game is an excellent length. The main quest should take about 30 hours, slightly shorter than VII or VIII, but still a decent length. And the level of sidequests that they threw in are not only more time to spend on an excellent game, but they are also actually enjoyable. "Chocobo Hot & Cold," a minigame that seems like it would be excruciating, is unbelievably fun.

The game is definitely on my replay list. I didn't do everything that I could, and I just know that I'm going to want to revisit it. 9.6/10, and a hearty recommendation all around.