Final Fantasy IX was a big deal at the time, because it was advertised as a return to the classic feel of the series, after VII and VIII being so inundated with high-res graphics, sci-fi settings, and complicated skill systems. I played the game, but never finished it. Watching a Let's Play of it much later, I do think the mechanics of it were well-designed in a lot of ways. I'm just not terribly fond of the art style.

Chrono Cross was also highly anticipated, being a sequel to one of the greatest games of all time. I'm really not fond of it, though. The number of playable characters you have to keep track of is pretty overwhelming, and trying to manage the colored equippable abilities that the combat system was built around just didn't feel all that enjoyable. I think it was pretty well-done artistically, though, and the writing and the soundtrack were both amazing.