Summary
AFinal Fantasy 9remake is likely on its way from Square Enix, owing to years of leaks that have culminated in what seems to be several relevant pre-order bonuses found on the Epic Games Store’s backend. What was once just another name on the Nvidia GeForce Now leak list has become one of the few remaining games left on it that hasn’t been released or canceled, and fans are keen to see what this one-offFinal Fantasy 9remake will be. It’s an interesting project in the wake of the incompleteFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogy, especially with regard to what’s been changed.
Final Fantasy 9is a beloved cult classic among the older games, but a combination of its dedication to fanservice rather than pushing genre boundaries like its predecessors, and a few scattered rough spots, held it back from reaching all-time great status. Thelarger flawsFinal Fantasy 9’s remake should fixare evident, like its Tetra Master card game, the lack of development several characters gain, and the obviously rushed nature of the end game. All of these are things that aFinal Fantasy 9remake should address, but even its battle system has one element that would benefit from otherFFremakes’ aid: Trance.
Trance Was Final Fantasy 9’s Answer To Limit Breaks
Beginning as rarely-seen Desperation Attacks inFinal Fantasy 6, Limit Breaks hit their stride inFF7and have had some kind of equivalent in almost every numbered entry since.Final Fantasy 8copies7’s Limit Break systemdirectly, butFinal Fantasy 9decided on a more experimental approach instead, naming it afterFF6protagonist Terra Branford’s Trance battle command. By accumulating hits from enemies across multiple battles,FF9’s party members build up a Trance gauge that automatically gives them their Trance form once it’s full. They get at least one modified battle command in the process, as well as enhanced stats while the form lasts.
Final Fantasy 9’s Trance Was Neat, But Missing Something
It sounds good on paper, even if it means most characters lack a traditional cinematic Limit Break attack. However, in practice, Trance falls prey to the same randomness issues plaguingFinal Fantasy 9’s Tetra Master minigame, making it almost impossible to prepare before a major encounter. Trance is used instantly once any enemy fills a character’s gauge, and disappears after that battle, frequently meaning players have no choice but to watch it appear, do nothing, and be reset to zero. It would be simple for aFinal Fantasy 9remake to fix Trance, but some pointers fromFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcould help it become even better.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Could Help Flesh Out Trance
Besides eliminating the random aspects and general unreliability of Trance, theFinal Fantasy 9remake could rope a fewFF7 Rebirthmechanics into the Trance ecosystem. In the story, and occasionally the gameplay, Trance is attributed to feeling strong emotions, and it isn’t a stretch to tie the power of friendship into this equation. The freeSynergy Skills fromRebirthcould be repurposed inFF9as a way to manually charge Trance, giving characters a bit more utility in battle as well as a way to interact more often.
Synergy and Trance Could Help Each Other Reach New Heights
And that’s not all the Synergy system can do forFF9. While Synergy Skills would logically prioritize building the user’s Trance gauge, they could empower both characters involved. That way, multiple characters could feasibly enter Trance at once, making way for Synergy Attack team-ups that functionally give everyone new Limit Breaks. Reconvening with the original Trance system, these Synergy Attacks could use up most of both characters’ Trance time, but not necessarily all of it. With how well Synergy established thebonds betweenFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s heroes, theFinal Fantasy 9remake could work wonders with its own colorful cast.
