Final Fantasy 9 out now on PC: Square Enix confirms release of classic RPG

Square Enix has announced the immediate release of an "optimised" Final Fantasy 9 on PC via Steam. The classic RPG was first released on the original PlayStation in 2000 and arrives in 2016 with high definition assets, an auto-save function and Steam trading cards.

The version of FF9 is the same as the one for mobile devices that was released in February on the App Store and Google Play Store. The game is being sold for at the same £15.99 price point on Steam, but with a 20% off launch promotion bringing the price down to £12.79, and which lasts until 20 April.

Square Enix's official synopsis reads: "Final Fantasy 9 tells the story of the bandit Zidane Tribal who plans to kidnap the princess of Alexandria, Garnet Til Alexandros the 17th, with the troupe of thieves known as Tantalus.

"An unlikely series of events set Zidane, Garnet, the shy yet powerful black mage Vivi Ornitier, the loyal knight Adelbert Steiner, and other memorable characters on an epic journey as they learn about themselves, the secrets of the Crystal, and a malevolent force that threatens to destroy their world."

In 2000 was met with critical acclaim, but wasn't the enormous success that Final Fantasy 7 was three years earlier. However, many RPG purists consider it the better of the two games for its more traditional approach. The fact it's being re-released at all speaks of the love there is for it.

This year is a big year for Final Fantasy as Square Enix builds to the enormous worldwide release of Final Fantasy 15 on 30 September. Square is supporting the release with a multimedia blitz that includes a new anime series, an animated feature film and the hiring of Florence and the Machine to provide music for the game's trailer, if not also the game itself.

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