End of Gen filler, people have a hard on for it because of its (back-to-roots) medieval setting.
But in reality the characters are probably the most forgettable in the series and the best character is a fucking Black Mage

combat was probably the worse out the 3 PSX titles and its painful slow.
And the music aren't even on par with the music you don't remember from FFVII & FFVIII...wait there isn't any you don't remember from them games, silly me

Not to say it isn't a good FF, it is.
but it definitely felt like a Phone in effort just to release something that year while they was working on FFX for the PS2.
As for that article title...the dude wasn't even with Square when the best FF's was made so how is he the King of Final Fantasy?
because he save FFXIV and made a shit load of money from a subscription service?
we've yet to see if he can actually make a proper FF, and despite the hype... which is due to the same reason IX is seen with Rose tinted glasses.
I'm not convinced.
but we have FFVIIR.... despite the changes they've made in it, which is another wall if text.
it's still the best SE has produced in long time.