ff9 is the best final fantasy and you can't change my mind
I can try:
-Slow-ass battle system
-card game is MASSIVE decline over triple triad
-Slightly watered down RPG systems compared to 7 & 8 (though they're OK)
-Too many brats (Eiko, Vivi, Dagger, Quina). It's no wonder people give up before the game gets
really cool & dark (Terra)
-"!" indication when exploring the environment dumbs down exploration/secret hunting...slightly. It's well implemented and the environments oftentimes do demand it. 8 & 7 instead opted to have fewer secrets in the environment instead of the tradition largely set by 5 & 6, so I prefer this to the 7 solution of less secrets and make most treasure stand out as shiny chests or floating materia.
-Choco hot & cold. It's overall pretty fun when you factor in hunting treasure in the world map, but the mini-game itself is bit too simple & repetitive. They could have done more.
-Not only is Eiko the biggest brat in the cast, but she is also the better white mage, unbalanced and incentivizes you to use her over dagger.
-Puts annoying moogles in the spotlight for even more brats. It does suit the setting but I prefer them as brief....cameos like they had been in all prior FF.
-Lack of late game content: choco hot & cold, mognet central....and not a lot else. Not even a single optional dungeon. Forbidden continent & lost continent severely lacking
content
-Frog catching mini-game
-Necron. I actually consider him a positive since he adds to the existential crisis theme of the game, music is badass, and Kuja always was a cuck, but some people really hate this.
-On that note, Kuja. The psychotic trans antagonist.
-Freya, Quina, Stiener and Amarant get their scenes and then get very little development after. Vivi, Dagger, Eiko and Zidane hog most of the later character development and story.
-Perhaps one too many returns to Alexandria/Lindblum/Treno
To me, FF7 is the best (though FF7 hardtype mod does influence that decision), but 9 is still an awesome game, and I consider it the last worthy and true FF entry before the quality matter of factly (Roguey!) declined. Though X, X-2 & XII are still fun and interesting, the devs were still actually trying/hadn't been completely overrun by shitlords yet. Just half overrun.
You can't force your interpretation of reality on other people.
If only