[barneybooroo]

I think this was an art choice rather than technical inexperience.

The proportions of the field models are more similar to the chibi sprites of the SNES games, so we’re seeing the gradual evolution of FF’s style with VII the first transition from 2D to 3D.

That VIII and IX used more realistic proportions is just a later stage of that stylistic transition.

Personally, I find them quite charming. There’s a fair bit of slapstick in the game that IMO works better with the low poly models.