002 4 Final Fantasy VIII , the second installment of the Final Fantasy series on the Playstation is a game with outstanding graphics , an original storyline , great character design , and more . You are Squall Leonhart , a SeeD of the Balamb Garden Military Academy.SeeD is a codename for Balambs elite mercenary soliders . Balamb was created in order to train soliders to battle against an evil sorceress trapped in the future . Squall and his comrades go on a mission once they become SeeDs and then the little problem they were sent to solve turns big.They get caught up in a mess and the time has come to fight the evil sorceress from the future . There are many twists in the game and many side quests which makes the game more interesting.Personally , I love the Real-Time graphics done by Akira Fujii , who also worked on Final Fantasy IX . The music is great and it will capture the player in battle sequences . Theres much to say about this game , but I cant give everything away . This game is definetly worth a buy .
065 4 Final Fantasy VIII is one of my favorite video games . The characters are so life like and so are the monsters . You can turn your enemies into collectors cards wich is a unique and interesting feature in this game . It takes some getting used to at first , but then it is a rewarding and challenging game once you into it . I got stuck at a pretty much advanced stage in the game , as where I could not solve a certain challenging event . I waited for my son to come visit to help me solve that particular part of the game . When he finally came , he had brought me a new video game . I wanted to start the new game first , instead of letting him help me with Final Fantasy VIII . In that process the new game was saved over my advanced level of Final Fantasy VIII game . You can imagine how horrible I felt . Now I had to start a whole new game . It is exasperating . I hope nobody else makes the same stupid mistake I did . It's a tough game to play but also very rewarding .
069 4 When I see the arguements posed by others that are calling this game lame or stupid because they don't liek or don'tunderstand the story , I almost start laughing . I've played every single Final Fantasy , on the Nintendo systems , Playstation , and all the games issued for the handhelds and I GUARANTEE that not only is this the greatest and best Final Fantasy , but the greatest and best games ever made . Don't be fooled by arguements against it since onceyou play the game you will realize they have no plausibility . Maybe some people don't like it because they realize how much better it is than Final Fantasy VII and this causes them anger . Who cares ? The game is what it is . The characters are phenomenal , the story line is so expertly woven that I might have to classify the writer as a demi-god . The graphics and music suck you in the very moment you start the game so don't have any trepidation in your decision on whether you should play this game or not .
146 4 Final Fantasy VIII is by far the best in the series . Its great characters and storyline let you connect with the game and enjoy it more . Its orginal quests and sidequests are surpassed by no other game on sale today .
162 4 This game is dissapointing , In my opinion it is the worst final fantasy game ever . It is still good , but there are many flaws . For one , the GF and magic system . . . . It makes the game way too easy . The story isn't that great either . It is really unrealistic , I know , it's a final fantasy game , but the story is stupid . And the game gets really old . There's not that many sidequests that give you a break from battles . And plus , you can't add accessories or armor to the characters . The game is good , but if you don't have VII , IX , or anthology yet , put this game off .
217 4 Being a fairly big playstation fan , and haveing many games for it , I found Final Fantasy VIII to be one of the best . The graphics are amazing with nearly perfect backgrounds , but the characters are the only downfall . They seem to be somewhat boxy compared to the rest of the game , but don't let this disuade you . The fighting scenes are amazing , and the story line thrilling . This is a must have for any RPG fanatic !
074 4 even thouh im only 9 i love these games ! ! ! ! my sittter got me started . then mom's friend took me to a thrift sale i saw the game . i begged and i got it and i did tell him it was rated teen but i got it anyway . my mom was a little mad cuz of the words but you know . i LOVE this game ! ! ! ! ! anyone who says this game is even a little bad . . . . . . . THEY'RE WRONG ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
114 4 All I have to say is I LOVE IT . & quot
084 4 Although the game can be complicated at first when it comes to the junction system and all its actually not that bad , after all those of you who are complaining about the junction system , there is a auto junction you know . The graphics on this game are great . The new added card game system is fun and the sidequests are great though I prefer more crystal weapons . To be honest Im a bit ticked off cuz they dont have you breed chocobos and the pocketstation is just plain wacked ! I pleased with returns of Summons a.k.a Gaurdian Forces and how just by having them makes you stronger . The movies are great as well . The save points are more noticable than the other versions . The school having all you need is great . One thing that they havent improved yet is that your still bigger than the cities on the world map . anyways Im barely giving this review a 5 but still this game deserves at least a 5 - . See ya
102 4 Final Fantasy VIII is an awesome game that has four discs of action and adventure . This game is like a movie complete with an exelent storyline . In some parts it switches between video and RPG without me hardly noticing . Exelent graphics , storyline , and Improved battle mode from Final Fantasy VII , Final Fantasy VIII gets 5 stars , My favorite game of the year !
130 4 Bought this for my wife , and she of course loves it . But I am finding myself playing more and more now as well . An excellent game !
152 4 This is the best Final Fantasy I have ever played its way better than 7 by a long shot
149 4 Ok first off , on the PSX this is my favorite rpg . Basicly i liked it a lot better then the other final fantasies i played on psx . yeah .
well graphics are beautifull yes . . but , what really got me was the story . The character developments , and just everything , it matches together yakno . . .
Battle system isnt bad either , mabye a little to much random incounters but , it wasnt much of a problem to me . yeah not a problem at all . whats cool is the junction system . . thats when you use magic to boost your stats up . Very interesting .
There are side games . One in particular is the triple triad which is a card game , thats actually pretty fun . and later on in the game its also very usefull .
i recomend this game to anyone . Especialy if your just a simple person , that doesnt judge on every single fault . Even if you dislike some of it , im pretty sure you'll love this game . I did . Its just beautifull .
055 4 This game ROCKS ! IT's sorta confusing , but really that only helps the game get away from the bang-boom-you-are-dead-I-win type of game . This game has a great plot , well-devopepted charerters ( Like hating Seifer one minute and loving him the next . ^ _ ^ ) a kick-butt card game that personally I think they should market ( You know , like Pokemon and stuff , only better ! ) and more awesome stuff . Not having played Final Fantasy 7 , I cannot say whitch is better . But if 7 is better it must be one h * ll of a game . 13 + for viloence and swearing , also a few mature themes .
155 4 I played this game for like 100 hours and still didnt fully complete it !
Get the walkthrough if you dont want to wander round aimlessly for a while , card playing is good as well and opens up side stories as well as all the GF's that you have to collect !
163 4 The characters are well developed , the story line is great , and the animation / graphics are awesome . Some of the FMVs ( full motion videos ) are simply amazing ; I could just sit there and watch them over and over . Final Fantasy 8 is an excellent addition to the Final Fantasy tradition . I don't remember how many hours I played this game , but every single minute was worth it ; I wasn't bored once . One thing I really liked about this game was that the final battle could actually be kind of challenging ; especially the first time you try when you have no idea what is going to happen . This game was a lot of fun , and I would recommend it to any fan of the series .
179 4 This one of the most impressive games for Playstation on the market.The graghics are absolutly incredible.The music is irritating at first , but grows on the gamer surprizingly fast.The gameplay is somewhat repetitive ( mainly in cambat mode ) but is still highly enjoyable.With its 4 discs , it should keep even a fast gamer busy for quite awhile .
205 4 This game is awesome . The moment I turned on the game I was hooked . The graphics are totally awesome , the characters are well-developed , there is actually a storyline for once , and Edea is the coolest villian ever ! Okay , well , she's not really a villian , but I'm not gonna spoil it for you . A word of advice for newbies though , if you have a short-attention span don't play this game . It's super long ( spans FOUR discs ! ) and you'll be sitting in front of the TV for hours and hours on end .
173 4 I saw the commercials for this game and thought wow , this looks great . I got the game , and thought it was great . However , there are far to many random encounters , there are no mini games , except for the poorly thought out Card Game . As far as the Junctioning system goes , it's far to confusing , but I eventually got the hang of it , at about the 2nd disc ! A lot of the Side Quests are extremely hard , and upgrading weapons is ridiculous ! The Limit Breaks , are really cool , and get the character more involved , than in 7 . Lion Heart , is just a wannabe Omnislash . The story line is interesting , funny and not at all sad . This game is only for people with alot of patients , because sometimes it take's forever to beat a boss . Disc 4 was easy for me , after I got everyone to level 100 , all G.F . ' s to level 100 , etc . The biggest problem is that you never meet the final boss till the final battle . COme to think of it , you never even hear of her till disc 3 . Overall , I think every RPGer should try the game though most that played and beat 7 , will not think it's too hot .
170 4 This game has got to be one of the greatest games ever made . From the first time you see the opening FMV you know you're in for a rollercoaster ride . A FOUR DISK long rollercoaster ride . The great graphics , emmersive storyline the interesting characters all come together to form a fantastic game . By the end of the first mission you actually begin to care about the characters . Except , maybe , Seifer . The enemies Guardian Forces are a mixture of fantasy creatures like the Phoenix , Odin sorceresses scientifically created robots like Alexander the spider-robot that chases you down from the Communication Tower on you're final exam . If you think I'm giving too many things away then you are wrong . The game is so complex , with numerous plot twists , enemies , spells missions , that even if I wrote for an hour , i wouldn't get past the first disk . If you like RPGs , great plot twists , likeable characters , interesting enemies or just have about six months with nothing to do , then get this game . It is well worth it .
193 4 After watching the beggining scene you feel that you want more . This game is on my top five list because of how good the graphics are . It is also a great story and is challenging to your brain and hand eye coordinetion . The only thing that is not good about this game is the junctioning system . It causes you to exchange eguipment with going through a menu . It is very annoying having to do it every boss but it is worth it . Overal this is a great game and to fully understand it you must have reading abilities . All of my friend have the game and have beaten it with strategy guides it is hard but it is very possible to beat it with a strategy guide .
215 4 This game has everything I expected and more . The graphics are mind boggling , the analog control is exceptional , and aside from the kinda slow story , its perfect . I believe that once you get use to the junction system it's the best system ever . It's so much fun to find spells that make your character better . It's like christmas all the time ! I believe this 4 - disc blowout is years beyond any Playstation or N64 game ever created .
207 4 This game is one of the best games I HAVE EVER PLAYED ! Seriosly I could not put the controller down . I had never been so addicted in my life . And how can people say The only thing good is the graphics because I thought it had a great storyline , deep characters , great junctioning system ( trust me you get the hang of it in no time ) , overall great everything ! So no matter what people say don't let them discourage you into buying this game , get your own opinion of it first . And if your still a little uneasy about buying it rent it first and see how YOU like it ! ( trust me when I say you will most likely be addicted the second you turn it on ) . I remember I was sad when I first beat the game because it was so good and I thought about the game and the ending for like 2 weeks ! ( In fact I still think about it ) . And it is really fun to play it over again because there are so many secrets and things that you miss the first time . I hope this was helpful to you and all I can say is SEE FOR YOURSELF before anyone can discourage you with any negative comments !
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy 8 - everyone was waiting . And when it finally arrived . . some were disappointed . Others were not . Everyone has their own opinion and thoughts , but what it comes down to is one of the more controversial Final Fantasy games . Some believe that Square is losing it , others say they're simply making their games more serious . But , in my opinion Square was going for something new . . and they wanted to see how their followers would react . I personally loved the game from beginning to end . Gone is the Materia and MP magic system , the characters resemble real people ( to a certain extent ) and the ' fun ' has been zapped out .
Final Fantasy fans may be upset or joyful . . either because they feel the Final Fantasy series is straying too far away from its roots or they wanted something new . This Final Fantasy's them is love , and it executes rather well . People say Square took out the ' fun ' because of the absence of enough mini-games and little extras ( such as the golden saucer and chocobo breeding / racing ) that provided a break for those who were tired of leveling up .
The graphics are great , the characters actually look like people now ! Although they still have some unrealistic features , I liked the anime kind of style that they had for the characters in FF7 . Going on , the FMVs are stunning . The best there is around - trust me , the intro alone will make you weak in the knees . The GFs ( which I'll get onto later ) look great , especially Leviathan and Cactuar : ) . Now everything seems to be more detailed , with the monsters , characters and even buildings . However , the chocobos look somewhat different , and there are no moogles ( at least none that I can recall ) in here whatsoever ! : (
Final Fantasy 8 has some of the greatest music so far in the series , in fact right now I'm listening to an orchestrated version of Julia's ' ' Eye on Me ' ' It really is a great song . FF8 definitely does not have the best music in the series , but it can still hold it's own when compared to the music of FF5 , FF7 or FF6 . Sometimes you'll find a track or two to become extremely annoying and repetitive , but just think . . you'll live , right ? There are some tracks that you'll remember , such as ' Eyes on Me ' or Liberi Fatali , but a few tracks of FF8 ' s music just didn't have the same feel as previous Final Fantasy games .
Noteworthy songs :
Premonition
Liberi Fatali
Maybe I'm a lion
The legendary beast Omega Weapon
The Extreme
Eyes on Me
Don't be Afraid
If you liked the Materia or MP system and hoped either one of them would return , you'll be unhappy to hear there is a new magic system , that almost nobody likes . The new ' draw ' system has you sitting down drawing magic spells from your enemies , until you have a suitable amount . Yes , it does get tedious and boring , but you'll really need the magic to help your character due to the junction system . There are also draw points here and there , but they only help a little . I really hate the draw system , and I hope it's not going to be included in later Final Fantasy games .
The characters in FF8 are fresh and new , and the main character , Squall is kind of like Cloud with that ' I don't care ' attitude except he's a loner and always has something on his mind . This is the set of characters you'll remember ( besides Quistis , Selphie , and uh . . Irvine . ) For their charm , humour ( Zell and his hot-dogs heheheh ) , and great stories ( especially Squall ) . There's a long story that has to do with all the characters that goes along these 4 discs . . there will be moments when it'll make you cry ( if you're the emotional type ) , ones that'll make you dance with joy , and others that'll have you swearing at Squall cause he didn't give Rinoa a hug .
The story is well thought out and it has quite a few strange plot twists . You'll be sitting on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next , because of FF8 ' s great story line . It starts off right from after the intro in which Seifer , a rival of Squall's , slashes Squall in the face . Squall is a student at the Garden , a mercenary school . He's very quiet and cold-hearted . He does have a few ' friends ' , who are Quistis and Zell . He and Seifer are the top students at the Garden and were always considered rivals . But , change happens when Squall meets Rinoa on a mission , a very interesting person with an optimistic attitude . She doesn't worry about anything , and is friendly to everybody . At first Squall doesn't really care . . but as the story goes on - things happen . And let's just say Squall's world is turned upside down , inside out and he doesn't really know what to do about it . A number of events occur , as they learn more about the Garden , Edea the sorceress and Laguna . At first you may think this is your typical ' boy meets girl , boy saves girl from big evil sorceress , boy falls in love with girl ' but it's really a lot more complicated than that . Expect the unexpected , and you'll still be in for the ride of your life .
Guardian Force - without it you'd be toast . Well actually , probably not . I went through the last quarter of the game without using a single GF . Squall with 255 Strength and a Lionheart = doom for enemies . It's simple - the last boss incredibly easy . My simple strategy is to cast Mighty Guard , and then hack away at high speed - or stay at low health [ not too low ] and use endless limit breaks . But that's getting off topic - The GFs are your faithful companions , they're kind of like Summons or Espers ( Shiva , Ifrit and some other classics are back , yet again ! ) and they allow you to junction ( the Junction system completely gets rid of equipping armor etc . . read about it soon ! ) magic to your attributes . The GF summons look fantastic the first couple of times , and they do take up a reasonable amount of time . . but they start to get annoying . You'll be sitting there frantically pressing the square button while watching your GF do the same move . . again and again . There are also hidden / secret GFs . The GFs can learn abilities from a long list including HP up , New junction options , new abilities ( such as Recover , Revive etc . ) and other neat little things . IMHO , the GF concept isn't the brightest idea in the world , but it works out okay .
Did you like to buy equipment and little relics or accessories for your characters ? Well forget all that - instead is the junction system . You take your magic spells that you have , and ' junction ' them to one of your many attributes ( such as attack , speed , defense etc . etc . ) to improve it's rating . And the more spells of that certain spell you have - the stronger you'll become . And different spells have different effects . So this means that when you use your magic , your stats will go down . This is what I hate most about the Junction system and the main reason I hardly used magic throughout the game . Also , you can junction to elemental defense and attack to give you a special raise or drop in offense or defense when facing certain enemies . Then there is also Status attack and defense junctions , which allow you to have a defense against certain status changes , or allow you to attack with a chance to give the enemy a status change . As for weapons , you don't buy new ones , instead you find certain items that the blacksmith needs to upgrade or re-model your current weapon .
The card game - triple triad is Square's answer to your mini-game cravings . Although I think people really wanted a bunch of simple mini-games here and there , Triple triad is so deep and addictive you'll forget about those mini-games . There are hundreds ( I believe ) of cards to collect , and you can battle almost anyone in a card game . There are different rules from different areas of the world , so you'll have a good challenge . And once you build up your collection of cards , you can change them into items to help you upgrade your weapons !
And now , everyone's favourite animal . . the chocobo ! Chocobo catching isn't as easy at all anymore . . you'll find the chocoboy in Chocobo forests , who'll explain everything to you . You have two whistles , the Chocoziner and the ChocoSonar . You use the two of them to lure out the baby chicobos , then after you find them all - the mother chocobo comes and you can ride it . I don't know of any races for chocobos , but I think what you see is what you get . I've also heard of a secret chocobo area , but that's the FA。 's job to explain : )
It's the little things that people miss . . receiving money for defeating the enemies , the materia and MP system , simple yet fun mini-games , a bigger variety of characters , any secret characters and more of a challenge . But there's also some little things that FF fans have embraced and enjoy . Such as car rentals , salaries , tests of knowledge , mini-quests , gorgeous FMV , great characters , a well-crafted story line and the mighty Moombas !
Now , whether you like FF8 or not is your personal opinion . . but I love it from the stunning introduction , to the spectacular ending which makes all of the bad parts of the game seem worth going through . I may not like it as well as FF6 , but it's still a Final Fantasy , and everyone will remember this one . Whether it was because of how horrible they thought it was , or because of what a fantastic experience they had with it .
* * *
Sushi's Quick Sheet
Storyline : I really like the story , besides the few parts of it that I don't understand .
Gameplay : The fighting system remains relatively intact , but I think that limit breaks are a little too easy to activate .
Characters : Quistis , Selphie , and Irvine could've used some more development , but the others are great .
Magic System : I really don't like the fact that whenever you use your magic , you weaken yourself .
Controls : Well , uh , they're good .
Audio : Another batch of excellent tracks from Nobuo Uematsu himself .
Replay : I'm hooked to the card game , even though I always lose heheh .
Overall : It definitely lives up to Final Fantasy's reputation .
* * *
Ratings
Storyline : 9.5 / 10
Gameplay : 9 / 10
Characters : 9.7 / 10
Magic System : 3 / 10
Controls : 10 / 10
Audio : 9 / 10
Replay : 10 / 10 ( The card game . . hehe )
Overall 10 / 10
001 4 As a girl obsessed with the likes of Zelda : The Ocarina Of Time , I was completely unfamiliar with turn based RPGs . When I recieved Final Fantasy 7 and 8 for Christmas , I naturally tried 7 first . I was horrified when I saw that you were unable to run around in a free roaming enviornment hacking and slashing at your leisure . Waiting my turn to deliver one blow was not my idea of a good time . Disgusted , I removed the game and inserted FF8 . I was floored by the opening cinema . When the game started , I was confused by all the new terms . SeeD ? Balamb Gatrden ? Junction system ? What the hell ? But something compelled me to push onward . I was instantly hooked on the characters , which to me are much more appealing than the lego characters of the previous Final Fantasy games .
You play as the quiet lone wolf , 17 year old Squall Leonheart , a member of a group of mercenaries for hire known as SeeD . SeeDs reside in academys known as Gardens . When an evil sorceress gains the trust of President Deling and the people of Galbadia , Squall along with fellow SeeDs the perky Selphie Tilmitt , the loudmouthed Zell Dincht , the ladies ' man Irvine , and the recently fired 18 year old instructer Quistis Trepe set out to assasinate her . Along the way , the lively and beautiful Rinoa Heartilly , a member of a resistance faction known as The Forest Owls teams up with them . Along the way , she struggles to bring down Squall's icy exterior and help him voice his feelings . The plot soon throws many curveballs , eventually bringing forth issues such as romance , possesion , time compression , prison abuse and escape , and traveling into the future .
I will admit that this game is extremely ambitious and has its flaws . The very different reviews serve to prove one thing : it depends wholly on the person whether or not you'll enjoy this game . Some people enjoy the game enough to get by its flaws and appreciate its differences , while others simply don't have the time or patience for it . It depends on your personality . Before buying , you must understand that :
- This is a love story
- The junction system ( attatching magic to stats such as strength and HP to raise or lower the stat depending on magic type and quantity ) takes a long time to understand and get fully confortable with . No other FF has had a system like this , and you may not like it
- You need to play through FOUR discs and have the time to put in upwards of 70 hours in order to get through everything the game has to offer . Patience is important .
While I am an impatient person who gets put to sleep by other RPGs , I enjoyed Final Fantasy 8 a lot . The characters meant something to me because they were realistic looking and typical teens rather than lego people with absent mouths . This is the black sheep of the series , and not everyone will appreciate it . In my case , it will always remain a favorite . For its time , no game was more gorgeous looking and emotional , and no final battle was as long and intense . The stunning ending clocks in at around a half hour . But some people aren't bothered by the long frequent GF summons , and some are extremely bothered by them . I can understand it . As I said , it all depends what kind of person you are .
015 4 Final Fantasy 8 - everyone was waiting . And when it finally arrived . . some were disappointed . Others were not . Everyone has their own opinion and thoughts , but what it comes down to is one of the more controversial Final Fantasy games . Some believe that Square is losing it , others say they're simply making their games more serious . But , in my opinion Square was going for something new . . and they wanted to see how their followers would react . I personally loved the game from beginning to end . Gone is the Materia and MP magic system , the characters resemble real people ( to a certain extent ) and the ' fun ' has been zapped out .
Final Fantasy fans may be upset or joyful . . either because they feel the Final Fantasy series is straying too far away from its roots or they wanted something new . This Final Fantasy's them is love , and it executes rather well . People say Square took out the ' fun ' because of the absence of enough mini-games and little extras ( such as the golden saucer and chocobo breeding / racing ) that provided a break for those who were tired of leveling up .
The graphics are great , the characters actually look like people now ! Although they still have some unrealistic features , I liked the anime kind of style that they had for the characters in FF7 . Going on , the FMVs are stunning . The best there is around - trust me , the intro alone will make you weak in the knees . The GFs ( which I'll get onto later ) look great , especially Leviathan and Cactuar : ) . Now everything seems to be more detailed , with the monsters , characters and even buildings . However , the chocobos look somewhat different , and there are no moogles ( at least none that I can recall ) in here whatsoever ! : (
Final Fantasy 8 has some of the greatest music so far in the series , in fact right now I'm listening to an orchestrated version of Julia's ' ' Eye on Me ' ' It really is a great song . FF8 definitely does not have the best music in the series , but it can still hold it's own when compared to the music of FF5 , FF7 or FF6 . Sometimes you'll find a track or two to become extremely annoying and repetitive , but just think . . you'll live , right ? There are some tracks that you'll remember , such as ' Eyes on Me ' or Liberi Fatali , but a few tracks of FF8 ' s music just didn't have the same feel as previous Final Fantasy games .
Noteworthy songs :
Premonition
Liberi Fatali
Maybe I'm a lion
The legendary beast Omega Weapon
The Extreme
Eyes on Me
Don't be Afraid
If you liked the Materia or MP system and hoped either one of them would return , you'll be unhappy to hear there is a new magic system , that almost nobody likes . The new ' draw ' system has you sitting down drawing magic spells from your enemies , until you have a suitable amount . Yes , it does get tedious and boring , but you'll really need the magic to help your character due to the junction system . There are also draw points here and there , but they only help a little . I really hate the draw system , and I hope it's not going to be included in later Final Fantasy games .
The characters in FF8 are fresh and new , and the main character , Squall is kind of like Cloud with that ' I don't care ' attitude except he's a loner and always has something on his mind . This is the set of characters you'll remember ( besides Quistis , Selphie , and uh . . Irvine . ) For their charm , humour ( Zell and his hot-dogs heheheh ) , and great stories ( especially Squall ) . There's a long story that has to do with all the characters that goes along these 4 discs . . there will be moments when it'll make you cry ( if you're the emotional type ) , ones that'll make you dance with joy , and others that'll have you swearing at Squall cause he didn't give Rinoa a hug .
The story is well thought out and it has quite a few strange plot twists . You'll be sitting on the edge of your seat to find out what happens next , because of FF8 ' s great story line . It starts off right from after the intro in which Seifer , a rival of Squall's , slashes Squall in the face . Squall is a student at the Garden , a mercenary school . He's very quiet and cold-hearted . He does have a few ' friends ' , who are Quistis and Zell . He and Seifer are the top students at the Garden and were always considered rivals . But , change happens when Squall meets Rinoa on a mission , a very interesting person with an optimistic attitude . She doesn't worry about anything , and is friendly to everybody . At first Squall doesn't really care . . but as the story goes on - things happen . And let's just say Squall's world is turned upside down , inside out and he doesn't really know what to do about it . A number of events occur , as they learn more about the Garden , Edea the sorceress and Laguna . At first you may think this is your typical ' boy meets girl , boy saves girl from big evil sorceress , boy falls in love with girl ' but it's really a lot more complicated than that . Expect the unexpected , and you'll still be in for the ride of your life .
Guardian Force - without it you'd be toast . Well actually , probably not . I went through the last quarter of the game without using a single GF . Squall with 255 Strength and a Lionheart = doom for enemies . It's simple - the last boss incredibly easy . My simple strategy is to cast Mighty Guard , and then hack away at high speed - or stay at low health [ not too low ] and use endless limit breaks . But that's getting off topic - The GFs are your faithful companions , they're kind of like Summons or Espers ( Shiva , Ifrit and some other classics are back , yet again ! ) and they allow you to junction ( the Junction system completely gets rid of equipping armor etc . . read about it soon ! ) magic to your attributes . The GF summons look fantastic the first couple of times , and they do take up a reasonable amount of time . . but they start to get annoying . You'll be sitting there frantically pressing the square button while watching your GF do the same move . . again and again . There are also hidden / secret GFs . The GFs can learn abilities from a long list including HP up , New junction options , new abilities ( such as Recover , Revive etc . ) and other neat little things . IMHO , the GF concept isn't the brightest idea in the world , but it works out okay .
Did you like to buy equipment and little relics or accessories for your characters ? Well forget all that - instead is the junction system . You take your magic spells that you have , and ' junction ' them to one of your many attributes ( such as attack , speed , defense etc . etc . ) to improve it's rating . And the more spells of that certain spell you have - the stronger you'll become . And different spells have different effects . So this means that when you use your magic , your stats will go down . This is what I hate most about the Junction system and the main reason I hardly used magic throughout the game . Also , you can junction to elemental defense and attack to give you a special raise or drop in offense or defense when facing certain enemies . Then there is also Status attack and defense junctions , which allow you to have a defense against certain status changes , or allow you to attack with a chance to give the enemy a status change . As for weapons , you don't buy new ones , instead you find certain items that the blacksmith needs to upgrade or re-model your current weapon .
The card game - triple triad is Square's answer to your mini-game cravings . Although I think people really wanted a bunch of simple mini-games here and there , Triple triad is so deep and addictive you'll forget about those mini-games . There are hundreds ( I believe ) of cards to collect , and you can battle almost anyone in a card game . There are different rules from different areas of the world , so you'll have a good challenge . And once you build up your collection of cards , you can change them into items to help you upgrade your weapons !
And now , everyone's favourite animal . . the chocobo ! Chocobo catching isn't as easy at all anymore . . you'll find the chocoboy in Chocobo forests , who'll explain everything to you . You have two whistles , the Chocoziner and the ChocoSonar . You use the two of them to lure out the baby chicobos , then after you find them all - the mother chocobo comes and you can ride it . I don't know of any races for chocobos , but I think what you see is what you get . I've also heard of a secret chocobo area , but that's the FA。's job to explain : )
It's the little things that people miss . . receiving money for defeating the enemies , the materia and MP system , simple yet fun mini-games , a bigger variety of characters , any secret characters and more of a challenge . But there's also some little things that FF fans have embraced and enjoy . Such as car rentals , salaries , tests of knowledge , mini-quests , gorgeous FMV , great characters , a well-crafted story line and the mighty Moombas !
Now , whether you like FF8 or not is your personal opinion . . but I love it from the stunning introduction , to the spectacular ending which makes all of the bad parts of the game seem worth going through . I may not like it as well as FF6 , but it's still a Final Fantasy , and everyone will remember this one . Whether it was because of how horrible they thought it was , or because of what a fantastic experience they had with it .
* * *
Sushi's Quick Sheet
Storyline : I really like the story , besides the few parts of it that I don't understand .
Gameplay : The fighting system remains relatively intact , but I think that limit breaks are a little too easy to activate .
Characters : Quistis , Selphie , and Irvine could've used some more development , but the others are great .
Magic System : I really don't like the fact that whenever you use your magic , you weaken yourself .
Controls : Well , uh , they're good .
Audio : Another batch of excellent tracks from Nobuo Uematsu himself .
Replay : I'm hooked to the card game , even though I always lose heheh .
Overall : It definitely lives up to Final Fantasy's reputation .
* * *
Ratings
Storyline : 9.5 / 10
Gameplay : 9 / 10
Characters : 9.7 / 10
Magic System : 3 / 10
Controls : 10 / 10
Audio : 9 / 10
Replay : 10 / 10 ( The card game . . hehe )
Overall 10 / 10
046 4 This is a very high quality game.The story is solid , but still manages to be packed with twists and turns . The GC cinemas are some of the best , if not the best , ever put in a PS1 game . The battles are sweet , and the bosses are at least twice as good . You have many options to do in a battle : you may attack , extract magic from an enemy ( or use some ) , revive a KO'd character ( you can controll up to 3 ) , recover any lost HP , or even transform an enemy into a green Zombie ! , or more .
PROS
+ Good Graphics ( 4 a PS1 game )
+ Awesome in game movies
+ You can strengthen characters by fighting
+ GFs ( summonable monsters ) are plentiful , but each one has its own fighting scene and style .
+ Cool Characters
+ Many side Quests
+ Awesome magic : create a meteor shower on your enemies , ect .
+ Fighting twist : status ailments enemies create on your players ( zombie , poison , confuse , beserk , ect . )
+ Exiting
CONS
- Far too long
- Gets too hard at the end
- Takes too long to level up
About anyone with a Playstation should buy this . Trust me , you won't regret it . And 4 the price you can get Playstation games , I see no reason not to . Thanks 4 reading my review .
063 4 I had my doubts in the beginning of this game , I must admit . My expectations for this game soared past the limit of my 1st FF game , Final Fantasy VII . When I borrowed the game from my friend , I honestly wasn't satisfied . The CG animated scenes are spectacular , but the story wasn't near as good as FFVII , and I wouldn't care if in the opening scene Seifer cut Squall's whole head off . Boy . . . did that change . . .
Now I am almost done with the second disc and I feel I've captured the game's atmosphere and such to write a review . The new Draw and GF system is good ( although I must say that I like the Materia system in FFVII much better , though ) and the magic system doesn't revolve around MP , but numbers of how much more times you can cast the spell . A minor flaw I also noticed was the battle scene , I wish that it would show your maximum HP so you can get a general idea of how low your health is without relying on the color of your remaining HP . Otherwise , Sqare did one heck of a job putting together the pieces of a perfect masterpiece only a year or two after FFVII . And yes , this game is perfect .
First of all the GF graphics surpass the summon graphics of Final Fantasy VII on every angle . They are fluent and sometimes whimsical - Brothers GF ring a bell ? When you junction a GF they give you a window to Junction your magic to suit your statistical needs . ( ex : my regular HP was in the upper 1000s and I equipped the Ultima magic to HP . Ding ding ding ! Now my HP is like 2500 something . )
Personally , I think that the FFVII story is the best , but I still think this story gives a good stab at it . And all the character personalities are there . There's intimidating to angry to deep to the I really don't care personalities spread across the range of six characters you control .
The dialogue in this game sends the FF killer Legend of Dragoon trying to find a new pair of boxers . ( by the way , check out the Legend of Dragoon reviews , you'll see mine ! ) It totally fits the characters . The game is just marvelous .
I conclude this review urging you to buy this game . It delivers the goods that make up an RPG . And though it may not have been a FFVII , I think it deserves your playing time . Rent it or buy it . Now .
106 4 Looking up from my joypad I saw the time was 2 : 00 am.Time for bed , I thought to myself , just another 5 minutes play.The next time I peeled my eyes from the screen the clock showed as 3 : 00 am . Oh well I thought just another 5 minutes . That is how addictive this game is.If the player spends the first frustrating half hour of this game patiently working out its complex ( yet eventually simple ) game system they will find themselves as helplessly hooked as I . The game unfolds like a story in a book rather than a game , following the SeeD , Squall leonhart and co through adventures in battle , love , time and space . The game improves both in its graphics and story over its predecesors as well as its new command system ( the junction system ) . The junction system may prove dificult at first , however once mastered you will wonder how it could have ever caused you a problem . The guarian forces ( creatures you summon ) will cause graphical explosions the like which have not been seen outside big budget Hollywood movies . The game characters themselves will also evoke emmosions that you thought you could never feel for a video game character . In all tihs game will keep you up all night with its storyline , will cause your jaw to drop with its graphical effects and will cause tears to roll down your cheeks as you watch and co's lives unfold in front of you . P.S . It'll also leave your life feeling empty when you eventually finish it ( It took me 99 hours ) so much that you will have to do it all again
140 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
i loved this game . while it's true , it's not as good as VII , that is an unfair comparison , as VII was a milestone . now , back to VIII .
Story : the story is good ; passable , but not brilliant . certainly not the games strong point , but it does have it's moments , and further expands upon the love story element touched on in VII . the story progression is rather refreshing , as it is more character driven than event driven when compared to other games in the series . the personalities of the main characters are fleshed out rather well , and you learn what motivates them to do what they do . there are no secret characters to obtain ( other than by use of a cheat device ) , but this keeps the narative running at a steady clip . though not as endearing a story as some , it still provides a decent adventure .
Gameplay : this is where the game really shines . the character customization is deep , making full use of the GF ( Guardian Forces , this game's summons ) and Magic systems . the game forgoes the MP system in favor of requiring you to draw ( or absorb ) your magic from enemies and draw points , which are then stocked in your magic menu , like items . 100 can be stocked for each kind , and your magic can be junctioned to your stats for increases in your HP , Atk , etc . , provided your junctioned GF has that ability available .
GFs can be summoned into battle , and have their own HP . when a GF is summoned , a time bar appears , similar to your active time bar , that depletes at a speed that is directly tied to your compatabilty with the GF you're summoning . once the bar empties , the GF appears and attacks your foe . the higher your compatability , the less time it will take for your GF to appear . the compatability can be increased by using your GF in battle or using certain items .
some have complained about the Draw system , but once you get further into the game and aquire the required abilities , you can synthesize almost anything you need from items you pick up along the way , from magic and potions to items that enhance your stats .
the money system has also changed . instead of earning money in battles , you earn a salary based on your SeeD ranking , which you can increase by performing certain action throughout gameplay and by taking the SeeD Ranking tests at Balamb Garden .
Graphics : i won't rate this since it's a PSone game , but they are good for their time period .
Audio : superb , as always . sound effects and sountrack are standard squaresoft quality .
161 4 I have say that this is one of the greatest final fantasy games ever made but it is also the only one with a nice different idea . First of all , there is no MP which makes it nice and it is a good change . There is still some old ; there are guardian forces and magic spells and upgrading weapons . I like the idea of Seeds and the Garden Schools . They have great characters ( Rinoa being my favorite female character ever ) who make great improvement over the course of the game . The graphics are great and the ending is very long , longer than all the other ones ( this might be a turn-off for some people but I like it ; especially since 20 minutes of it or something is in the really good graphics ) and also the idea of sorceresses being the villains and stuff like that is really neat . Something I didn't like was the card game . You don't have to play it to complete the game but you play it if you want to get really good items . A lot of people like it though and it is not enough to make me say that it isn't one of the greatest games ever.Also , at the end you cannot go in the cities anymore like you do with the other games but that is okay because with the guardian forces , you can gain several different kinds of useful abilities including one that lets you call the junk shop or something from anywhere at anytime so you can upgrade your weapon even if you are in the middle of nowhere . Overall , I have to say that this is one of the greatest games and Final Fantasies ever made for it's great storyline , characters , graphics , gameplay , and for being a big ( but good ) change from other RPG's and final fantasies .
166 4 It seems that many people who criticized this game were those who considered themselves long-time fans of the FF series . They attack the realistic character design in favor of cartoonish disproportionate characters . They also attack the Science Fiction element in this story . In my opinion the realistic character design is much easier to be taken when you are dealing with an equally realistic and complex plot . The game also took a very cinematic approach and the realistic characters were again necessary to pull that off . Those who criticize and attack the game for the points I mentioned above should try to see it with an open mind . Squaresoft must always try and push for something new because to simply re-visit the past is stagnation , even though it may be warm and comfortable to some .
The game was not 100% perfect and I see the qualms that some mentioned . The junctioning system was very complex and if you did not spend time re-junctioning , your characters would be seriously unprepared for later battles ( I had problems with Adel because I had not re-junctioned better spells to my HP - - I had also not realized the importance of refining items ) . That took something away from my enjoyment but not much . Made me want to play it again with the knew knowledge that I had - - but over 60 hours could be invested in another game right now . It was also hard to get weapons upgraded because you were relying on dropped or stolen items and junk shops to modify . I went into the end of the game with hardly the ideal weapons but I still won ( it just took me several more attempts ) .
Also their was a weak series of antagonists who had less explained about them with each new appearance . I liked the realism though with the characters - - each one had their own persona and it was believable . People attacked Squall for being boring and Rinoa for being annoying and I cannot agree . Someone who wrote an earlier review said that we know a Squall and Rinoa in our real lives and we feel sorry for them . I know Rinoa and Squalls in my life and I feel intrigued by them . Squall , specfically , is an introvert who spends much time inside himself . It is a defense for him because he has always been alone . Likewise he doesn't want to put trust into others for the same reasons . He denies his feelings because it's safer for him to do so . This makes him unique .
To sum up , this game is * not * perfect but when I watched the ending CG and saw the credits role , I smiled and felt that it was all well-worth the journey and time spent .
187 4 I feel that this is the best final fantasy out their . Square really improved on the storyline and charecter development . Squall is definatly not a hollow character ff7 ' s cloud is . The story revolves around love , and not destory the evil one who is trying to destory the planet . That plotline is not the main theme , it is kind of a subplot , love is the main plot . all the charecters act with human emotion , their is kind of love triangle in ff7 but its never really explored , leaving u kind of unsatified . I like the fact in 8 that u really don't know what is really going on until the third disc . the main enemy is good , but not the best in the series , kefka is . i like the junction system a lot , its better than materia , and drawing magic is better than mp . ff8 definatly has the most statagy of any of the ff games . it offers challeging enemies like omega weopon and those friken malbros , their not as challeging as ruby and emerald from 7 , but worth fighting , the overall world in ff8 is overall the most complex , cities and towns are huge compared to the other final fantasies , the card game is fun , its definatly a valuable part of the game , espcially near the end , people say the death of aeris in ff7 is the greatest moment in rpg history , i'd have to dissagree , i think the ragnorok moment is the greatest , nuff said
218 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This must be one of the most complicated games that I have ever played in my entire 13 years . But put aside the difficulty , that I remind you soon becomes second nature , and you find a dark , yet somewhat sweet and extremely romantic ( I'm a girl , okay ? ) video game . You become easily captivated by the emense storyline , with the characters only adding to the games instant charm . There are a total of six main characters in the game . This is excluding Scorceress Edea , of coures . She does play an important role in the game , but not very significant one , though . On to the other characters now . Their names are , Squall ( the hero in the story . He uses a Gunblade as his weapon in battle ) , Rinoa ( she is Squalls love interest , but not at first . She uses a weapon that shoots a disc at her enimies . ) , Zell ( a lively little fellow , he uses is hands as his weapon , a rather skilled martial artist he is . ) , Selphie ( she is much like Yuffie , a character from Final Fantasy VII . She uses Nanchukas as her choice of weapon . ) , Quistis ( a talented SeeD , once Squalls instructor . She uses a whip as her weapon . ) , and last but not least , Irvine ! ( he is quite the ladies man ^ _ ^ . He uses a Shotgun as his weapon . ) . There are many aspects of this game I'd like to further discuss , but I'd need more than a 1,000 word limit , so I'll discuss what is most important . First , the Junction system . This system of junctioning GF's ( Gaurdian Forces , their are a total of 16 in the game . ) to characters , of Magic to HP , resistence , strength , etc . . . . can be quite confusing at first , but you'll catch the hang of it . Second , the Draw system . You draw Magic from the enimies you encounter , the strongest being Demi , Meteor , and Pain . There are more , but I don't remember them . And that's about it , that's all I can think of . But I do think this is one of the best RPG games out there . The CG movies are absolutely breathtaking . The characters move gracefullly in an intricate world , with great characters and deep plot . I love this game !
219 4 This must be one of the most complicated games that I have ever played in my entire 13 years . But put aside the difficulty , that I remind you soon becomes second nature , and you find a dark , yet somewhat sweet and extremely romantic ( I'm a girl , okay ? ) video game . You become easily captivated by the emense storyline , with the characters only adding to the games instant charm . There are a total of six main characters in the game . This is excluding Scorceress Edea , of coures . She does play an important role in the game , but not very significant one , though . On to the other characters now . Their names are , Squall ( the hero in the story . He uses a Gunblade as his weapon in battle ) , Rinoa ( she is Squalls love interest , but not at first . She uses a weapon that shoots a disc at her enimies . ) , Zell ( a lively little fellow , he uses is hands as his weapon , a rather skilled martial artist he is . ) , Selphie ( she is much like Yuffie , a character from Final Fantasy VII . She uses Nanchukas as her choice of weapon . ) , Quistis ( a talented SeeD , once Squalls instructor . She uses a whip as her weapon . ) , and last but not least , Irvine ! ( he is quite the ladies man ^ _ ^ . He uses a Shotgun as his weapon . ) . There are many aspects of this game I'd like to further discuss , but I'd need more than a 1,000 word limit , so I'll discuss what is most important . First , the Junction system . This system of junctioning GF's ( Gaurdian Forces , their are a total of 16 in the game . ) to characters , of Magic to HP , resistence , strength , etc . . . . can be quite confusing at first , but you'll catch the hang of it . Second , the Draw system . You draw Magic from the enimies you encounter , the strongest being Demi , Meteor , and Pain . There are more , but I don't remember them . And that's about it , that's all I can think of . But I do think this is one of the best RPG games out there . The CG movies are absolutely breathtaking . The characters move gracefullly in an intricate world , with great characters and deep plot . I love this game !
229 4 Well I ain't got much ta say , but I thought Final Fantasy 8 was a very wicked-cool game . It made me laugh , it made me cry . . . it makes me cry even more ' cause I can't deafeat the villian woman , Ultimica and the Omega Weapon worth a hoot on disc 4 ! but anyway I really , really love it . If you're into the action thing or the cute love stuff thing . . . very sweet and romantic ( um . . . love in real life , it's another story ! ! ! ) I thought the characters were excellent . I have to say my favorite female character is Selifie because she is very energetic like me , and smiles a lot like me . . . and clumsy like me ! My fave ' male character is the handsome , sweet , ladies ' man himself , Irvine because he kinda favors me . He's so senitive , and speaks from the heart . I love acting out the characters ' parts . I always feel everytime I play Final Fantasy games . . . it's like I'm in them . I act out the parts in my class from time to time and my homies get a kick out of it because I'm talented and I got it like that ! ( ahem ) The music is wonderful too . If you're into that opera thing . There's one music that kinda favors me . ( you might know what I'm talking about if you buy it ) I think it's called ' The Oath . ' It makes me stand up tall and feel I can do anything . And there's this other song called ' Eyes On Me ' that I'm just dying to preform at school if it's okay with my music teach ' , and if she can help me find the music piece for it . So what more can I say ? I love Final Fantasy 8 . I'm not saying the one's who are curious about the game should buy it ' cause I said so . You gonna find several people that might not be satisfied with this game , but if ya not a Square Soft fan get something else , mmkay ? But I really loved it . . . really . And if I ever get to the end of it , I might love it even more ! ! ! So if ya wanna buy Final Fantasy 8 go for it . Don't hesitate and be a chicken-wuss . Hey , if ya'll wanted my opinion . . . I just gave it to ya , ya know ? ? ?
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy 8 for me ranks as a 5 and is one of the best games I have ever played besides The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time.If you or your kids are RPG fans then this is defenitly a gamers must have.It has the best FM。 's I've ever seen in a game and have been gaming.It is based around love . It has awsome characters . Each character has their own personality.Like Squall Leonhart the hero of the game he is seen as a lonewolf at Balamb Garden and lacks team unity.Zell Dincht also a cadet at Balamb is funny , nice , firey and has a ready to go attitude.This is just some of the unique things the game has.It is awsome if you get this game just wait till you see the dance part.This game has an all new junction system that is great.I am a first time Final Fantasy player and for me this game is really good I'm on the fourth disk and think this game has just been awsome . I'm only 13 so its taken me awhile to get to the fourth disk.But I had been awaiting this game for along time.I had it reserved a week in advanced before it came out and when I saw the prolog I knew there was no question this game would be EXELLENT ! The downs this game lacks like all others is I wish you could hear the characters speak.At least just at the movie parts it would be nice to hear what they each sound like.The random battles are long but can be challenging and at some parts boring . I cant think of any words on how to describe how GREAT this game is.This game is so real and amazing you would think the charecters in this game are real people.It's so real it will stir your emotions.But I think what I'm trying to say is , SEVEN WAS GOOD BUT EIGHT IS GREAT ! Squarsoft has somehow out done their selves again * Rember there is no such thing as a perfect game but Final Fantasy VIII I think is as close as it comes to one existing . *
028 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy 8 for me ranks as a 5 and is one of the best games I have ever played besides The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Time.If you or your kids are RPG fans then this is defenitly a gamers must have.It has the best FM。's I've ever seen in a game and have been gaming.It is based around love . It has awsome characters . Each character has their own personality.Like Squall Leonhart the hero of the game he is seen as a lonewolf at Balamb Garden and lacks team unity.Zell Dincht also a cadet at Balamb is funny , nice , firey and has a ready to go attitude.This is just some of the unique things the game has.It is awsome if you get this game just wait till you see the dance part.This game has an all new junction system that is great.I am a first time Final Fantasy player and for me this game is really good I'm on the fourth disk and think this game has just been awsome . I'm only 13 so its taken me awhile to get to the fourth disk.But I had been awaiting this game for along time.I had it reserved a week in advanced before it came out and when I saw the prolog I knew there was no question this game would be EXELLENT ! The downs this game lacks like all others is I wish you could hear the characters speak.At least just at the movie parts it would be nice to hear what they each sound like.The random battles are long but can be challenging and at some parts boring . I cant think of any words on how to describe how GREAT this game is.This game is so real and amazing you would think the charecters in this game are real people.It's so real it will stir your emotions.But I think what I'm trying to say is , SEVEN WAS GOOD BUT EIGHT IS GREAT ! Squarsoft has somehow out done their selves again * Rember there is no such thing as a perfect game but Final Fantasy VIII I think is as close as it comes to one existing . *
041 4 This is a game not to be forgotten . It truly is the game to have if youre a big final fantasy fan . I mean come on , it took the biggest leap of all the games in the series up to that point when it was released , and yet , there are still naysayers about the games overall quality ! This makes no sense to me at all because not only did it bring about a heavy graphical upgrade , the best to be seen on the PS1 in my opinion , but it also had a complex and gripping storyline that begs you to keep your senses peeled and ready for what might be coming around the corner . The main character , Squall is quite interesting for an introvert , Rinoa is a lovable character from the first time you meet her and what develops between the two is pretty moving and the FM。's just make the love story ten , no 20 times more interesting and unforgettable . Zell is crazyyy , Irvine is forever in search of the right girl , Quistis seems to PMS all the time haha , sorry if I offend anyone , but yeah , and Selphie is . . . weird . But on a more serious note , the game has a pretty deep character customization , and it makes you want to develop your characters as much as you can . The story line revolves around the same old same old , but it has its twist and turns and one of the best features of the new story line is that you can travel back in time and play as Laguna , who you'll find out later is a significant character to Squalls past . Wedge and Biggs return in this game also , and thats when you know that this game rocks ass . OHHH and not to be forgotten , we all love chocobos ! without chocobos this game would lose a star or two . But man , I love this game and I've beaten it so many times , I think I might just pop it in once more for old times sake . Buy the game and enjoy it , which I doubt that you wont .
050 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Never befor have I played a game that made fell that I was not only watching a movie , reading a book and playing a game . Final Fantasy 8 is a true epic in every sense of the word . In the game you play as Squall Lionheart , a cold young man whom is training to be a mercinary at a school made to train children for such an occupation . Yet when Squall is given the assignment of helping a beautiful and lively young woman begin a revolution a evil presence is revield on that not on threatens squall and his friends but all space and time . The game uses the latest in computer generated technology to allow incredible FM。's . The card game with in Final Fantasy 8 is just as addictive as the actual game itself . Learning to use the junction system is a nightmare , yet it is worth it for the reward . The sound on the game is incredible especially during the FM。's . The musical score is equall to anything from John Williams . The story line is one filled with adventure and a timeless romance that with embrace all whom play it . Warning this game contains violence , language , and some suggestive themes . I would recommend this game for the thirteen and up crowd .
051 4 Never befor have I played a game that made fell that I was not only watching a movie , reading a book and playing a game . Final Fantasy 8 is a true epic in every sense of the word . In the game you play as Squall Lionheart , a cold young man whom is training to be a mercinary at a school made to train children for such an occupation . Yet when Squall is given the assignment of helping a beautiful and lively young woman begin a revolution a evil presence is revield on that not on threatens squall and his friends but all space and time . The game uses the latest in computer generated technology to allow incredible FM。's . The card game with in Final Fantasy 8 is just as addictive as the actual game itself . Learning to use the junction system is a nightmare , yet it is worth it for the reward . The sound on the game is incredible especially during the FM。's . The musical score is equall to anything from John Williams . The story line is one filled with adventure and a timeless romance that with embrace all whom play it . Warning this game contains violence , language , and some suggestive themes . I would recommend this game for the thirteen and up crowd .
077 4 Ok , one , this game does not deserve 5 stars it deserves 10 , this game is the best game ever made . Adventure , action , and romance . If you are looking at my review and you dont have this game , then i strongly advise you to go to your local wal-mart and buy , may this game go on and on , because it did for me , i feel as though this game changed my life with its love and excitment , trust me . Oh and if you happened to beat the game wait till after the credits theirs a big excitment your in for , who knows maybe youll cry alittle , well anyway , this game is basicly starts off when your a Balamb Garden , your a student their named Squall , a student that dosent want to get along or love , find out about squall , youll thank me on day for buying this game because it is simply , the best game ever mad .
096 4 Man , this game is the bomb ! I love it and I couldn't stop playing it . This is one of the BEST games Square has ever made . All the characters ' animation has really improved since the Final Fantasy VII . Squaure has really outdone themselves in graphic this time . I really recommend you buying it . It's worth every single penny I paid for .
169 4 . . . because that's what Final Fantasy 8 is , spectactular . With its stunning graphics and astounding storyline its no wonder that Electronics Gaming Monthly gave it one of its most prestigious award . The characters in this game are so lifelike , I know that all of you know a ' Squall ' or ' Zell ' or even ' Edea ' in your life . This Role Playing Game like no other can only be made greater when played on the new Playstation 2 where its graphics will become even more crisp and clear . In conclusion , buy this game if your looking for something to keep your Final Fantasy palate satisfied until the 9th installation comes out to a Playstation near you .
199 4 this game is totally the best ! Its one of those stradgy games that has an interesting plot ! It flips from the real life to Squall's dream world to where he turns into Laguna . Althou this game is powerful if your the only one playing . I've caught myself playing it and ending up getting into it soo much that i think ive lost my life when I die . But you have to pay attention . Even if you think you know whats going to happen . I highly recomend that ppls over the age of 13 play it cuz its soo intense .
224 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Ok . In 1999 , this game was releaed . Many people were like , OMG ! thiS gam3 suck comp @ too vee eye eye ! ! But I loved it . It's not as good as VII , but only by a hair .
Gameplay : 10 / 10 : A new RPG where you are in the military SeeD . You have many summons called GF's . It's a long game , about 45 hours . Lots of sidequests , too .
Ok , many have complaints about the Junction system . It's too complicated ! Wahhhh ! Well , READ THE GODDAMN TUTORIAL ! ! ! ! * Is glad to get that out of my system .
Graphics : 10 / 10 : For the time , they are excellent . The FM。's kick ass !
Music : 10 / 10 : Another high point . You might be humming the great tunes !
Story : 9.5 / 10 : OK , there is a lot of bashing with it . Personally , I liked Squall and others because they act realistic . Plus , lots of plot twists .
Overall , a great game overlooked by many . So relax , and quit complaing , guys !
225 4 Ok . In 1999 , this game was releaed . Many people were like , OMG ! thiS gam3 suck comp @ too vee eye eye ! ! But I loved it . It's not as good as VII , but only by a hair .
Gameplay : 10 / 10 : A new RPG where you are in the military SeeD . You have many summons called GF's . It's a long game , about 45 hours . Lots of sidequests , too .
Ok , many have complaints about the Junction system . It's too complicated ! Wahhhh ! Well , READ THE GODDAMN TUTORIAL ! ! ! ! * Is glad to get that out of my system .
Graphics : 10 / 10 : For the time , they are excellent . The FM。's kick ass !
Music : 10 / 10 : Another high point . You might be humming the great tunes !
Story : 9.5 / 10 : OK , there is a lot of bashing with it . Personally , I liked Squall and others because they act realistic . Plus , lots of plot twists .
Overall , a great game overlooked by many . So relax , and quit complaing , guys !
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I'm not a seasoned Playstation owner , and in fact , this is my very first Final Fantasy game I've ever played . So , at first , it looked too complicated for me to play ( I'm a person easily scared off if the game involves more than two buttons . : ) ) First , the story is involving . It's more than just fighting . The characters develop in interesting ways , as you see their history and how they are connected . Is it complicated ? Yes . The junctioning system took a while to figure out , but the in-game tutorial will you give information anytime ( well , not in the middle of fights , but . . . ) It even come with tests which , when passed , will raise your ranking ( and give you pay raises , ) as well as a small glossary . And when necessary , characters in the game provide tutorials the first time , so that you will learn as you play . The FMVs are the BEST ! Those scenes ( such as the famous dance scene , ) are just breathtaking ! The music is moving and appropriate for the scenes , and there are enough side quests to keep you busy for awhile . One that some players might enjoy is the game-within-a-game , a card game called Triple Triad , where you challenge Non-Player Characters to card games . Later , the cards can be modified to useful items . There are enough twists in the story to keep you coming back for more . I haven't finished the game ( maybe in a way , I don't want it to end . ) The only thing that I might say against the game is that in order to get the most out of it , you have to have a walkthrough or even better , buy the official strategy guide . But in a world where many games give you worlds that are more terrifying or disturbing , here's one world that's a pleasure to visit , with its small towns and cities , forests , beaches , deserts and snow lands , it's almost like going on vacation . And it's easy to fall in love with all the characters . The fighting requires use of strategy , such as understanding the weaknesses and strengths of the enemy . Some attacks and magic , for example , can heal , rather than hurt , an adversary . This makes it a challenging game . For those who want a game that's more than just fighting and a bit of dialogue , for all those intelligent gamers who want more depth in a game , I definitely recommend this . The only problem ? I'm so spoiled now , I don't know if any other game existing today for the Playstation could satisfy me .
011 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I'm not a seasoned Playstation owner , and in fact , this is my very first Final Fantasy game I've ever played . So , at first , it looked too complicated for me to play ( I'm a person easily scared off if the game involves more than two buttons . : ) ) First , the story is involving . It's more than just fighting . The characters develop in interesting ways , as you see their history and how they are connected . Is it complicated ? Yes . The junctioning system took a while to figure out , but the in-game tutorial will you give information anytime ( well , not in the middle of fights , but . . . ) It even come with tests which , when passed , will raise your ranking ( and give you pay raises , ) as well as a small glossary . And when necessary , characters in the game provide tutorials the first time , so that you will learn as you play . The FMVs are the BEST ! Those scenes ( such as the famous dance scene , ) are just breathtaking ! The music is moving and appropriate for the scenes , and there are enough side quests to keep you busy for awhile . One that some players might enjoy is the game-within-a-game , a card game called Triple Triad , where you challenge Non-Player Characters to card games . Later , the cards can be modified to useful items . There are enough twists in the story to keep you coming back for more . I haven't finished the game ( maybe in a way , I don't want it to end . ) The only thing that I might say against the game is that in order to get the most out of it , you have to have a walkthrough or even better , buy the official strategy guide . But in a world where many games give you worlds that are more terrifying or disturbing , here's one world that's a pleasure to visit , with its small towns and cities , forests , beaches , deserts and snow lands , it's almost like going on vacation . And it's easy to fall in love with all the characters . The fighting requires use of strategy , such as understanding the weaknesses and strengths of the enemy . Some attacks and magic , for example , can heal , rather than hurt , an adversary . This makes it a challenging game . For those who want a game that's more than just fighting and a bit of dialogue , for all those intelligent gamers who want more depth in a game , I definitely recommend this . The only problem ? I'm so spoiled now , I don't know if any other game existing today for the Playstation could satisfy me .
012 4 I'm not a seasoned Playstation owner , and in fact , this is my very first Final Fantasy game I've ever played . So , at first , it looked too complicated for me to play ( I'm a person easily scared off if the game involves more than two buttons . : ) ) First , the story is involving . It's more than just fighting . The characters develop in interesting ways , as you see their history and how they are connected . Is it complicated ? Yes . The junctioning system took a while to figure out , but the in-game tutorial will you give information anytime ( well , not in the middle of fights , but . . . ) It even come with tests which , when passed , will raise your ranking ( and give you pay raises , ) as well as a small glossary . And when necessary , characters in the game provide tutorials the first time , so that you will learn as you play . The FMVs are the BEST ! Those scenes ( such as the famous dance scene , ) are just breathtaking ! The music is moving and appropriate for the scenes , and there are enough side quests to keep you busy for awhile . One that some players might enjoy is the game-within-a-game , a card game called Triple Triad , where you challenge Non-Player Characters to card games . Later , the cards can be modified to useful items . There are enough twists in the story to keep you coming back for more . I haven't finished the game ( maybe in a way , I don't want it to end . ) The only thing that I might say against the game is that in order to get the most out of it , you have to have a walkthrough or even better , buy the official strategy guide . But in a world where many games give you worlds that are more terrifying or disturbing , here's one world that's a pleasure to visit , with its small towns and cities , forests , beaches , deserts and snow lands , it's almost like going on vacation . And it's easy to fall in love with all the characters . The fighting requires use of strategy , such as understanding the weaknesses and strengths of the enemy . Some attacks and magic , for example , can heal , rather than hurt , an adversary . This makes it a challenging game . For those who want a game that's more than just fighting and a bit of dialogue , for all those intelligent gamers who want more depth in a game , I definitely recommend this . The only problem ? I'm so spoiled now , I don't know if any other game existing today for the Playstation could satisfy me .
075 4 Story = wow . this story is so beautiful and can capture almost anyone . . . it's not the basic action / romance that you see everyday . ff8 ' s story is what got me so obcessed . ^ _ ^ if you're looking for a final fantasy that can capture you and squeeze a few tears - this is the one . = 10 / 10
Graphics = PERFECT . along with ff10 , final fantasy 8 has some of the most amazing graphics out of any of the ffs . Beautiful , realistic full motion videos and awesome in-game graphics . i guarantee these graphics will NOT dissapoint you ! = 10 / 10
Characters = I love every single character in this game . All of them have their own personalities and you can always tell how they might be saying a certain quote . ( ex , selphie WHOOO-HOOOO ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ) The only thing I didn't like about them was that some never talked to another during the whole game . : - / oh well . . . still awesome and really cool ! = 9 / 10
Music = woohoo ! one of my most favorite things through the whole game : THE MUSIC ! ff8 has a wide variety of music that has always fitted in with the situation . From the beautiful eyes on me to the fast-paced don't look back it's all here . the music couldn't let anyone down . . . it's truely gorgeous . = 10 / 10
Ending = F I N A L L Y . you get a worthy ending for all your hard work ! the ending of this game , after fighting all four forms of the final boss , is a loong fmv of squall , rinoa , selphie , seifer , quistis - everyone . how long ? 5 ? 15 ? 25 ? nope . 30 minutes ! ! ! ! a perfect , rewaring ending that leaves ya in tears . . . and wanting to watch over and over . completely AWESOME ! = 10 / 10
overall , ff8 is probably close to the best of any rpg games out there . I promise it's worth every penny of your money . it takes a step away from all the other final fantasies : no summoning , a new junction system , new feeling - just what the world needed . overall score : 9.8 / 10 . . . now i feel like playing it again . . .
115 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
What is up with all these people dissing this game ? A lot of my friends hate it . I don't know why . to me , it is the greatest thing ever created ! The graphics are PERFECT . The fmv is where no word can describe it . It is too beautiful . Spells are stunning . The story is incredibly complex and sad ( seriously ) . It really doesn't kick in until the third disk . All my friends say oh , its too short . WELL IT ISN'T ! Now , on to the GF's . They rock ! they have amazing spells that you ( unfortunately ) have to see every time you summon them . The junction system is GREAT ! One more thing , if you think that there is too many battles , on GF allows you to make it so there are no random battles .
116 4 What is up with all these people dissing this game ? A lot of my friends hate it . I don't know why . to me , it is the greatest thing ever created ! The graphics are PERFECT . The fmv is where no word can describe it . It is too beautiful . Spells are stunning . The story is incredibly complex and sad ( seriously ) . It really doesn't kick in until the third disk . All my friends say oh , its too short . WELL IT ISN'T ! Now , on to the GF's . They rock ! they have amazing spells that you ( unfortunately ) have to see every time you summon them . The junction system is GREAT ! One more thing , if you think that there is too many battles , on GF allows you to make it so there are no random battles .
147 4 THE REASON IS , THAT THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER MADE ! ! ! !
Gamer Zero
Denmark
182 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Ok , look at the difference between th epeople who like the game and the ones who dont . i mean it is is an amazing game . i do not understand how ANYONE could not adore it . and i am speaking in the most serious sence . DONT LISTEN TO THEM . it rox
227 4 I have no idea why people hate this game so much , I love it and think it has the best replay factor , some things people have said have bothered me .
1 . Military , gunblades , cars , it's not fantasy !
Ok , what do you call a time compressing sorceress then ? Reality ?
2 . The junction and draw systems suck
I thought so too at first , but then I stopped setting the junction to auto and learnt GF abilties like ST-At and ST-Defx4 . You wouldn't believe how much more fun the game became and by boosting my magic junctions , each character was able to draw 9 of a magic at a time , a few minutes and I had three characters with 100 each .
3 . No replay factor
Ok , I've played through this game 3 times . First time I played it for the story . Second time I played it to unlock all the secrets and get all the GFs . Third time I played it to make full use of the draw and junction systems . I don't imagine it will be my last time either . To all you pro-ff7 people out there ( i don't hate ff7 btw , just the opposite i love it ) i would rather play ff8 than ff7 anyday . For it's replayability , ff8 is much more versatile and who wants to play gold saucer garbage when triple triad is on offer ?
4 . Stupid characters , desperate love story
I found that myself , and others i've talked to , really got into the characters , a lot more than ff7 . There was a lot more depth . As for the love story a lot of people have said that it was desperate , not believable , last minute . I don't understand this . It's a strong element that i admit is subtle in parts , but your an idiot if you don't pick up on it . I was once on this forum and this guy said he didn't realise there was a love connection between the two until he was near the end of the game . Go figure . . .
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
If there has ever been any rpg game that I completed feeling invigorated , not sluggish , it's FFVIII . The experience is a mixture of intrigue , suspense , emotion , and excitement all in one .
You begin as Squall , a pupil of Balamb Garden , which is no ordinary academy - it is in fact a mercenary-for-hire training ground , where members young and old are molded into well-educated , productive fighting machines . Eager to obtain initiation to Seed , the Garden's elite force , Squall finds himself briefed on harrowing missions he must face in order to make the grade . In constant competition with Seifer , his arch-nemesis , and new assigned comrades , going about his duties becomes harder as exterior threats rear their ugly heads in his direction . That , along with strange dreams that plague him as well as anyone in his vicinity , make for an unfolding of events that mark the connection between acquaintances , forgotten memories , and their impact on the fate of the world .
For a ten year old game , viii's graphics were almost unsurpassed for it's time . The sophisticated design and movement of player characters , both on the field and into the battles , are a far cry from the disproportionate statures of child-like character layouts we see so often in rpgs . There's definitely nothing cute intended in this game , which comes as a relief to the avid gamer . Enemies actually intimidate the player , thiers and the player character's stance and kinetics believable . FMV sequences are a step up from predecessing games , the only downside being the alteration of features and / or other details on the appearance of a character from movie sequence to sequence - for instance , the ending FMV seemed to show a different looking Squall , both in face and body , than in every other video sequence .
Music is a perfect compliment to the situations and events occurring throughout the game . Tracks migrate from field tunes reminiscent of old 80 ' s nostalgic underground alterna-hits : pangs of synthesized notes in minor keys along with couth , plucky strings , perfectly implemented to aid the player in relaxing and pondering the situations and environment around them , to fully-orchestrated , demanding overtures of a this
is it nature . I'd actually be lying if I said I didn't find this soundtrack as one of the most fitting , original , and cherished of any I've heard in / for a game before .
Gameplay-wise , viii doesn't leave you without a challenge . Like with any true rpg , anything you receive , you must first earn , either through use of GP or gaining of exp . points . It is worth mentioning that unlike with most other level-based games of the genre , there is no doubling of required exp . points for advancement to the next level . A thousand points is all that is needed to progress from one to the next . However , as new areas are explored , enemies do in fact become nearly impossible to deafeat , unless you know what you're doing . Weapon and status strength is therefore earned through the draw system .
With the draw system , any kind or number of spells ( or GF ) may be drawn , or stolen , from an enemy or boss . Every enemy carries its own spells , and with the draw function , a character may suck up a number of them into their own inventory . These spells may then be implemented into the character's stat list . Of course , in order for certain stats ( STR . , DEF . , etc . ) to be raised , a GF must be assigned to make them available . GF stands for Guardian Force , viii's version of summon creatures ( Ifrit , Shiva , Carbuncle , etc . ) . These GF may be drawn from enemies , usually bosses , or found throughout the map . Once assigned , certain stats on a character's menu become available for junction .
The junction system is also a new detail in viii . It allows for any number of drawn magics ( up to 100 ) to be slotted into a character's stat menu . Magics can be split up , switched , taken or given . The more magic spells in a slot , the higher that character's stat number will rise . This is a great point of viii ; the junctioning system allows the player to have the freedom and choice of custom designing each character's strengths and weaknesses . Eventually , with practice comes discovery of unique uses for the junctioning of GF's , and drawn magics , leading to such skills as a one-hit-kill , or invincibility against certain magics and status attacks , leading into straight-out absorption . GF's as well come with their own lists of learned abilities , which you may pick and choose in the order of which you wish them learned , thus leading to a better character-GF compatibility , as well as more open stat slots and greater strength .
As with other FF's , characters each have their own set of limit breaks , only now they greatly differ in functionality and frequency . Push-button combos , random spell inventories , and even a killer dog come into play here . Like with other FF's , these can prove critical , as this title also has an ATB-style battle system , which means battle sequences run on active time . Yes , we're talking the waiting for the bars to fill up while the three-person party stands in a line . Many players actually prefer this style of battle , however , as such a set up eliminates angle confusion , and makes for your brain to do all the work ; stategically planning out your next series of moves and sizing up your local enemies so you may junction your party accordingly . In addition to the usual explore / fight / earn , there is also another nifty sidequest involved : a card game any character leading may play with just about anyone else in the world . It becomes addictive quite fast and is a good area to collect all cards coinciding with every entity in the game , or to trade and earn good benefits .
Also , in this game , there are no weapon shops , armories , or wizards with potions . Although the item list remains the same as it has , the element of sophistication still remains true in this department as well , at least in my opinion . This is a world of busy cities , tremendous technological advancement , space travel , state-of-the-art prisons , vehicles , weapons , and high-class political systems . Therefore , your run-of-the-mill sword and shield or magic wand will not suffice . Squall's weapon , for instance , is a gunblade , a melee hybrid of a broadsword with a trigger handle . Default weapons are assigned , of course , but your only option for progression is to earn items or tools in the field and use a mechanic to upgrade your model . GP is also not a concern as far as leveling goes ; as a SeeD , a regular salary is allotted to you , recurring after a certain number of steps are taken . The amount is never set in stone , though ; the player has the option of taking written tests in their menu , which are actually quizzes on enemy strengths and weaknesses , comrade stats , and other details of character fighting styles . With or without the tests , salary , and thus your SeeD ranking , may go up or down depending on your actions .
Of course , no rpg would mean a thing were it not for the storyline . The lifeblood of your endeavors , plot is what all your hours of hard work are for . Many mistake the main point of the story as that of love , yet it is perseverance , friendship , bonding , trust , and the gaining of maturity that hold the party together in their darkest hour . Indeed , every single character has an issue which comes to the forefront in the game ; it's not just the main protagonist which hogs the stage . Although budding romance might seem the heart of the matter , it becomes a misconception to those that fully explore what the game has to offer - the sappiness and drawn-out areas equating to these themes are almost non-existent in the game . Regardless of what emotions or turmoils occur , and there are plenty , the deviation from everything that makes the title exciting and anything but trite never clouds the scene for a second . Any hint of emotion or inquisitive notions on the system don't make themselves apparent until disk 3 . Squall is in fact meant to be the personification of the degredation , abandonment , moodiness , and self-doubt many of us feel . It is only through his dropping of petty inhibitions and learning of trust , coming to terms with his past , and true comraderie that he is able to bloom as a character with humanity . In this sense , the character development proves to be the best one will ever encounter in a game of this kind . In comparison of the beginnings of the story with disk 3 - 4 , the protagonist turnaround is 180 , a grand success on account of the story's writers .
It is always sad to reach the end of the game , fight the major boss , and watch the credits roll . Although the story does leave a few strings untied , if the player truly pays attention to the storyline presented , interesting and absolutely amazing deductions can be made without the game directly stating them , which to me is another first in the genre . Not that viii has any lack of shock and awe in terms of character and plot revelations and coincidences ( ahh , fate ) . Every time I play this game , I learn something new . When I complete it yet again , I leave with a sense of something more than the pride of completing all quests , earning big money , and getting bored with instant kills . I marvel at the fact that there are people out there who make an art form out of touching whomever they can with their own innovative and ingenious sense of value , honor , and intelligence as can only be expressed in the avant-garde , original fashion of what's brought to us by today's technology . Even in the most unexpected places , answers are wrought with great citified fervor .
003 4 It's eye opening to turn back the clock and play the old Final Fantasy games in the light of the remarkable production values of FF X . Each game in the series set a standard for console and computer games that has changed the way today's player sees the RPG genre .
I originally played FF8 in the PC version , so I was interested in how the PS2 version would compare . Even with a my leaky memory , my impression is that the PS2 version is a bit solider graphically . And , of course , the use of a game controller makes everything seem smoother , even if it really isn't .
FF8 follows in the classic Final Fantasy mode - a team of characters headed by a serious minded leader , with a bunch of slightly wacky , but dedicated companions , take on an evil that seems to keep getting stronger and more capable with each advance of the plot . No villain ever really seems to die , the keep coming back in new and deadlier forms . And then there are the Guardian Forces , who provide all kinds of spectacle for the battles .
This time it is Squall , his fellow SeeDs , and the beautiful Rinoa . The story starts as a revolution , and then the characters discover that events are really being manipulated by a series of sorceresses who want to destroy the world so that they can rule it unchecked ( I know that doesn't make any sense ) . All of this on a giant world make full of monsters convenient for leveling up .
And leveling up is certainly what a Final Fantasy game is about . Various side quests and challenges are provided so that reaching the levels needed to kill the final bosses doesn't become tedious , and an incredibly complex character building system makes sure that everyone's playing experience is different .
FF8 set a standard that is still higher than some games being written for the PS2 today , and managed to accomplish that on a more primitive platform . Graphics and character design are amazing , the plot complex , and the action satisfying . Proving that the best isn't always the newest and the loudest .
004 4 This is where it begins . Watch closely , people . If you are wise , you are ( or will be ) playing a game that trancends almost every idea to grace the human mind on creating a videogame masterpiece . Final Fantasy VIII is as such a classic , that if possible , should be displayed in the most important museums in the world . I'm pretty sure most reviewers ' greatly ' disagree with me , but then isn't everyone entitled to share their opinion ? I respect theirs as I expect mine will be .
What I cannot fathom are the intensely negative reviews coming from the people ! How can a game of such caliber , genius , beauty and artisty be seen as the worst FF ever . . . and so on ? I simply don't comprehend . Ive heard others like I like all FF games , ' cept 8 , or It just doesn't belong in the Squaresoft catalogue . . . . . Why ? Upon critical analysis , I think it's because people fear change . It's part of human nature . If you adapt to something , why would you want it to change ?
I have almost always noticed that some of the ' hardcore fans ' proclaim that Square's old style is what should have been on this game - that they miss the old style . NONSENSE ! Squaresoft wanted to do something different , temporarily . They wanted to exercise their minds a bit - to stray away from the typical RPG standards . Even possibilities of ' harsh criticism ' wasn't going to stop them . . . . . they were going to experiment . You see , even though we have an inner instinct to fear change , the human will to experiment and ' move on ' conquers all ( look at where experimentation has gotten us : our technology is advancing ) . There is no such thing as ' the way things ( RPGs ) ought to be ' . There's nothing wrong with prefering things to remain the same , but at least , people should keep their right to experiment .
You can actually see where Squaresoft wants to take their work . FF8 houses the most significant changes ever to grace the Final Fantasy series so far . Everything from the different Junction system , to the realism of the characters ( not just the models , but also the humanism ) , to the science fiction-themed dramatic love story , is proof of things yet to come . Where FFIX represents all Final Fantasy as a whole by blending the old and new Squaresoft ideas , FFVIII begins a revolution . The future of Final Fantasy ( as has been presented in FFX ) is hinted in FFVIII .
To sum up , FFVIII is a marvel to behold . Don't dismiss this game because of negative reviews , as I did . If you do want to go by the reviews , take into consideration that some of them are written by hardcore fans who don't appreciate change . . . . who want the same redundant ideas in their videogames . Don't let them fool you . Take it from someone who appreciates good art , and knows a good videogame when he sees one . I am usually a harsh critic when it comes to most things . . . . and I truly do mean it when I say this game gets 5 stars . A classic !
005 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Out with the old , in with the new . This is what Square decided to do with their equip , money and magic systems , above other things . Money is given out as a salary based upon your SeeD rank . Magic is drawn from enemies , and you can't buy weapons or armor . In fact , money plays a very small role in this game . To use your summons ( Guardian Forces in FFVIII ) , you must junction them . The plot takes several intersting twists ( which I will not mention ) .
The game features many interesting and incredible side quests and sub games . Triple-Triad , the card game which can be played throughout the game , is better than a lot of full featured games for the playstation . You can become a card shark and beat little kids . No need to mention the graphics , you probably have already heard about that from eight million people .
Basically , Final Fantasy VIII is well worth the price , even for those who do not regularly play role playing games .
006 4 Out with the old , in with the new . This is what Square decided to do with their equip , money and magic systems , above other things . Money is given out as a salary based upon your SeeD rank . Magic is drawn from enemies , and you can't buy weapons or armor . In fact , money plays a very small role in this game . To use your summons ( Guardian Forces in FFVIII ) , you must junction them . The plot takes several intersting twists ( which I will not mention ) .
The game features many interesting and incredible side quests and sub games . Triple-Triad , the card game which can be played throughout the game , is better than a lot of full featured games for the playstation . You can become a card shark and beat little kids . No need to mention the graphics , you probably have already heard about that from eight million people .
Basically , Final Fantasy VIII is well worth the price , even for those who do not regularly play role playing games .
007 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I've found that , with few exceptions , the line between those who love FFVIII and those who loathe it coincides with the gender of the person being asked .
Being a chick , I adored it . Guys just don't seem to get the thing with Squall . I took the original , cynical view that the fellows I asked were just stupid , but I'm mellowing and now believe they've just been jaded by games that leap out and beat you about the head and shoulders with The Emotional Point . The interplay between Squall and those around him is much more subtle than you usually get with video game fare . And , oddly enough , Seifer was given as much attention , while none of the rest of Squall's party were detailed in any fashion .
I have two main gripes about the game . No , not the junctioning system , which rocks plankton . People who wasted hours on end drawing magic from their enemies just weren't very observant , it's much faster to convert items with GF abilities . No , my one gripe comes from the very fact that nobody was given much characterization aside from Squall and Seifer . That was a tad annoying .
My other gripe is that the plot just kind of falls to pieces in the middle of the third disk . I thought things were progressing quite nicely until the game goes into space for no readily discernable reason .
Significant gripes , but not sufficient to keep me from replaying the game .
And yes , the game was really quite easy , especially once I'd picked up the Lion Heart gunblade , enabling Squall to do about a quarter of a million points of damage in one attack . But I don't play RPGs for the thrill of having to hit reset over and over , I play them for the plot , and the plot is worth it .
008 4 I've found that , with few exceptions , the line between those who love FFVIII and those who loathe it coincides with the gender of the person being asked .
Being a chick , I adored it . Guys just don't seem to get the thing with Squall . I took the original , cynical view that the fellows I asked were just stupid , but I'm mellowing and now believe they've just been jaded by games that leap out and beat you about the head and shoulders with The Emotional Point . The interplay between Squall and those around him is much more subtle than you usually get with video game fare . And , oddly enough , Seifer was given as much attention , while none of the rest of Squall's party were detailed in any fashion .
I have two main gripes about the game . No , not the junctioning system , which rocks plankton . People who wasted hours on end drawing magic from their enemies just weren't very observant , it's much faster to convert items with GF abilities . No , my one gripe comes from the very fact that nobody was given much characterization aside from Squall and Seifer . That was a tad annoying .
My other gripe is that the plot just kind of falls to pieces in the middle of the third disk . I thought things were progressing quite nicely until the game goes into space for no readily discernable reason .
Significant gripes , but not sufficient to keep me from replaying the game .
And yes , the game was really quite easy , especially once I'd picked up the Lion Heart gunblade , enabling Squall to do about a quarter of a million points of damage in one attack . But I don't play RPGs for the thrill of having to hit reset over and over , I play them for the plot , and the plot is worth it .
009 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
There are few series I consider to even be on the same level as the twelve official games in the Final Fantasy legacy , and of those I consider chapter eight to be the undeniable pinnacle . Which , considering its predecessor , the nearly omnipotent fanboy wet dream that was FFVII , says one hell of a lot . This title had every reason to underwhelm , from the groundbreaking success that preceded it ( and the enormous shadow of expectations it had cast ) to the wildly different path it chose to tread in terms of storyline themes and visual direction . . . yet it succeeds all the same .
As is the case with any RPG , the best place to start with FFVIII is its storyline . While chapter seven was focused on a maniacal egomaniac and his plans to destroy the world through the use of magic and spirituality alone , chapter eight concerns itself more with the political and technological necessities of performing such a feat . Not quite as exciting material at a glance , but twice as realistic . Sorceress Edea , the main protagonist of the story , sets about on her aspirations by overthrowing the government of the largest military power in the world , brainwashing its citizens through the use of the media , invading and obliterating everyone in her path , and manipulating her underlings to the point where she has their complete support without even expanding upon her motivations . Where the glam and glitter of Cloud and Sephiroth's tale has become legendary , the struggles of Squall and Rinoa against their oppressors feel much more weighty and , god help me , believable .
Likewise , the central characters in and around your party are much more relatable and varied than those in VII . Where Cloud , Tifa and Aerith , the previous leads , were generally one-dimensional and cartoony , spitting incredible dialog despite their shortcomings , VIII's characters each have elaborate personalities , perks , downfalls and tendencies . Though he's initially far less charismatic and appealing than Cloud , his immediate predecessor , Squall is a tremendously complex , well-rounded lead character with an established psychological excuse for his aggrivatingly anti-social nature . The villains are similarly developed , with an equal amount of redeemable qualities tossed in to keep their more prominent negative characteristics in check . You're never faced with a simple , black and white boss fight , as you were in previous chapters . . . there's always something about the person you're battling that you can relate to . You form such an incredible bond to the characters in your party that the final cinema is a truly emotional experience , one of the most rewarding and worthwhile conclusions I've ever experienced in gaming .
Where every previous chapter in the Final Fantasy story had basically opened with the lead characters already trained and experienced in their professions , FF8 is the first to tell the story of how these characters were first educated as super-soldiers , which natural reservations they had with their chosen role , and just how awkward their first steps as pros really were . In a way , this story is half Platoon and half Breakfast Club . The characters form a bond under extreme circumstances , both with each other and with the player , and develop into skilled fighters before they're even comfortable talking openly about their feelings .
Visually , FF8 was and still is an unbelievable sight . The photorealistic characters , settings and effects all but set the stage for the picturesque beauty of Final Fantasy X , the cutscenes remain an almost speechless affair , and the character designs and overall visual theme of the game itself are just breathtaking . This is a game I'd die to see simply reproduced in high definition at some point in the near future , as it pushed the old PSone above and beyond the limits of its hardware . The cinemas are occasionally marred by some artifacts caused by the necessary compression to fit this onto four discs , and the in-game visuals just scream for the power to deliver what they're so obviously capable of . The visual accomplishments of this game are just staggering , and the final cinematic caught me off-guard yet again by just blowing away the modern competition . This game was produced in 1999 , and for its opening and closing cutscenes to tear apart their modern contemporaries more than a half decade later should say more than a few things about how awe-inspiring these graphics truly are .
And , equally complimenting the humongous strides in the visual department is what I'd loudly proclaim to be the best soundtrack of the series . As was becoming the norm by this point , each character , vehicle , town and dungeon has its own accompanying theme song , but never before had the tunes been so closely intertwined and related as they are here . The softly plucked strings of the Balamb Garden , your base of operations for the majority of the game , are touched upon and mentioned throughout nearly the entire soundtrack , bringing the entire experience full-circle and tethering it to what's quickly identified by both story and player alike as your home . Even the overly sappy J-Pop love ballad , Eyes on You , which is possibly one of the more annoying things I've ever heard on its own , fits in amazingly when surrounded by the rest of this impressive score . Nobuo Uematsu has never produced finer , nor more immediately recognizable and emotional work .
No matter what I say , I can never feel as though I'm doing this game justice . It's a masterwork , the greatest end product to ever emerge from the renowned studios of Squaresoft . Its concentration on the organization , application and implementation of magic into each character's physical attributes appealed to the anal-retentive librarian in me , while the epic storyline , unimaginably cool cutscenes and untouchable characters swept me off my feet . I have my doubts about Square's ability to recapture this past glory , considering the slow downward slope they've presented with each new chapter of the Final Fantasy series since the turn of the millennium , but that can't drag down my utter devotion to the perfection of this title .
010 4 There are few series I consider to even be on the same level as the twelve official games in the Final Fantasy legacy , and of those I consider chapter eight to be the undeniable pinnacle . Which , considering its predecessor , the nearly omnipotent fanboy wet dream that was FFVII , says one hell of a lot . This title had every reason to underwhelm , from the groundbreaking success that preceded it ( and the enormous shadow of expectations it had cast ) to the wildly different path it chose to tread in terms of storyline themes and visual direction . . . yet it succeeds all the same .
As is the case with any RPG , the best place to start with FFVIII is its storyline . While chapter seven was focused on a maniacal egomaniac and his plans to destroy the world through the use of magic and spirituality alone , chapter eight concerns itself more with the political and technological necessities of performing such a feat . Not quite as exciting material at a glance , but twice as realistic . Sorceress Edea , the main protagonist of the story , sets about on her aspirations by overthrowing the government of the largest military power in the world , brainwashing its citizens through the use of the media , invading and obliterating everyone in her path , and manipulating her underlings to the point where she has their complete support without even expanding upon her motivations . Where the glam and glitter of Cloud and Sephiroth's tale has become legendary , the struggles of Squall and Rinoa against their oppressors feel much more weighty and , god help me , believable .
Likewise , the central characters in and around your party are much more relatable and varied than those in VII . Where Cloud , Tifa and Aerith , the previous leads , were generally one-dimensional and cartoony , spitting incredible dialog despite their shortcomings , VIII's characters each have elaborate personalities , perks , downfalls and tendencies . Though he's initially far less charismatic and appealing than Cloud , his immediate predecessor , Squall is a tremendously complex , well-rounded lead character with an established psychological excuse for his aggrivatingly anti-social nature . The villains are similarly developed , with an equal amount of redeemable qualities tossed in to keep their more prominent negative characteristics in check . You're never faced with a simple , black and white boss fight , as you were in previous chapters . . . there's always something about the person you're battling that you can relate to . You form such an incredible bond to the characters in your party that the final cinema is a truly emotional experience , one of the most rewarding and worthwhile conclusions I've ever experienced in gaming .
Where every previous chapter in the Final Fantasy story had basically opened with the lead characters already trained and experienced in their professions , FF8 is the first to tell the story of how these characters were first educated as super-soldiers , which natural reservations they had with their chosen role , and just how awkward their first steps as pros really were . In a way , this story is half Platoon and half Breakfast Club . The characters form a bond under extreme circumstances , both with each other and with the player , and develop into skilled fighters before they're even comfortable talking openly about their feelings .
Visually , FF8 was and still is an unbelievable sight . The photorealistic characters , settings and effects all but set the stage for the picturesque beauty of Final Fantasy X , the cutscenes remain an almost speechless affair , and the character designs and overall visual theme of the game itself are just breathtaking . This is a game I'd die to see simply reproduced in high definition at some point in the near future , as it pushed the old PSone above and beyond the limits of its hardware . The cinemas are occasionally marred by some artifacts caused by the necessary compression to fit this onto four discs , and the in-game visuals just scream for the power to deliver what they're so obviously capable of . The visual accomplishments of this game are just staggering , and the final cinematic caught me off-guard yet again by just blowing away the modern competition . This game was produced in 1999 , and for its opening and closing cutscenes to tear apart their modern contemporaries more than a half decade later should say more than a few things about how awe-inspiring these graphics truly are .
And , equally complimenting the humongous strides in the visual department is what I'd loudly proclaim to be the best soundtrack of the series . As was becoming the norm by this point , each character , vehicle , town and dungeon has its own accompanying theme song , but never before had the tunes been so closely intertwined and related as they are here . The softly plucked strings of the Balamb Garden , your base of operations for the majority of the game , are touched upon and mentioned throughout nearly the entire soundtrack , bringing the entire experience full-circle and tethering it to what's quickly identified by both story and player alike as your home . Even the overly sappy J-Pop love ballad , Eyes on You , which is possibly one of the more annoying things I've ever heard on its own , fits in amazingly when surrounded by the rest of this impressive score . Nobuo Uematsu has never produced finer , nor more immediately recognizable and emotional work .
No matter what I say , I can never feel as though I'm doing this game justice . It's a masterwork , the greatest end product to ever emerge from the renowned studios of Squaresoft . Its concentration on the organization , application and implementation of magic into each character's physical attributes appealed to the anal-retentive librarian in me , while the epic storyline , unimaginably cool cutscenes and untouchable characters swept me off my feet . I have my doubts about Square's ability to recapture this past glory , considering the slow downward slope they've presented with each new chapter of the Final Fantasy series since the turn of the millennium , but that can't drag down my utter devotion to the perfection of this title .
013 4 I hate to admit it , but I used to think Final Fantasy was just a hack-and-slash series . I finally did some research into the series , and was amazed by what I read about FF8 . I went out and bought a copy right away to see what it had to offer .
I was extremely impressed . Usually games offer something to adults , or to kids , but rarely do they get a combination that intrigues both . This has a training system that makes you figure out which kind of fighter you wish to be , what you want to earn points towards , how you want to talk to people , and which of your friends make the best allies against a certain situation .
In addition , an embedded card game series is quite complex , almost chess like . Often we were hard pressed to beat some of their masters , but winning the games brought great advantages going forward .
The combat and movement wasn't arcade like , where you had to hit the joystick just right in Spot A to hit the enemy in Spot B . It mostly was figuring out the right combination of healing , attacking , and defensive spells to cast to keep your party alive while taking out the enemy . There was little if any blood and gore . The aim of the fights was to outsmart your enemy , not to hack ribbons of flesh off of it .
And did I mention the cinematics ? The dance scene in particular stands out in my mind as completely amazing . I would restart there on purpose to see the detail they put into the movements . If you love good animation , you could buy the game just to go from scene to scene .
If you enjoy role playing and graphic adventure games at all , I'd highly recommend this one . It does truly have something for everyone .
016 4 You can't go wrong with this series , no matter which game you play , they are all great in their own way . This game ushers in a whole new Final Fantasy experience with the guardian forces and draw / junction systems , which deepen the plot and let you try some new stuff . kind of like the materia system did in FF7 . As for the plot , it was deeply intriguing , if not a little too romance-laden , but that's just my opinion .
Squall Leonheart is the best main character ever in the series . Cloud Strife from FF7 comes close , but Squall's unique combination of teenage angst and social anxiety , coupled with his fear of intimacy ( the scene with Quistis at the SeeD Ball in disc 1 ) makes for an amazingly deep and interesting story , even more so than its preddecessor . You really care about the characters , not something many games have the power to make you do . And the Time Compression thing , while a little confusing at first , is totally cool once you figure it out .
I got this game for Christmas last year , and I have many fond memories of playing it for hours and hours on the snowy January days when school was cancelled , the Barenaked Ladies on the stereo , a cold Pepsi and the strategy guide on the table beside me . It makes me feel good to just think about this game .
Those who put this game down just don't understand the junction / draw systems or are unable to accept change in the series . That's one of the things that makes this series so magnificent : the constant change , no two games are the same . This game and this series are two of the best things to ever enter my pathetic little life , and I thank Squaresoft on my hands and knees for it . I love all you guys , thanks to amazon.com for providing such a great forum for free expression .
017 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I'm 67 years old , my grandson is eleven . I don't mind taking my time to work thru every facet of games like this . Grandson is a little impatient , but this game demands slow methodical progress . To really get the whole game in , you have to purchase , beg , borrow or steal a Strategy Guide . Don't even start without one , this game is impossible to do without it , and then it's still tough to accomplish . If you start without the guide I guarantee you will pass and miss something you will need . If you do miss things you can't get back and earn them until very late in the game .
We still haven't finished the game , but then , my grandson and I have only been playing it since it came out , many , many , many evenings . ( Good Quality Time Folks ! ) We have all the characters at level 100 and most of the GF's too , but it is still difficult . Omega Weapon is still kicking our tails ! When we finish this game we expect medals from The Final Fantasy Fathers !
There are no pushover bad guys in this baby , as you progress so do they . You are always fighting on an almost equal basis . You will have a tough time with Ultima Weapon and Omega Weapon if you try to beat every part of the game , but it is possible to finish the game without beating them . Loads of tough guys and it is never real easy so , , , bring a lunch , and a few hundred dinners too .
Overall a bit difficult but very entertaining , don't be in a hurry ! The graphics are terrific , the music is great , surprises everywhere , best RPG I have ever run across . Everyone watching cheers when Squall uses his LionHeart attack ! Be there , do it !
018 4 I'm 67 years old , my grandson is eleven . I don't mind taking my time to work thru every facet of games like this . Grandson is a little impatient , but this game demands slow methodical progress . To really get the whole game in , you have to purchase , beg , borrow or steal a Strategy Guide . Don't even start without one , this game is impossible to do without it , and then it's still tough to accomplish . If you start without the guide I guarantee you will pass and miss something you will need . If you do miss things you can't get back and earn them until very late in the game .
We still haven't finished the game , but then , my grandson and I have only been playing it since it came out , many , many , many evenings . ( Good Quality Time Folks ! ) We have all the characters at level 100 and most of the GF's too , but it is still difficult . Omega Weapon is still kicking our tails ! When we finish this game we expect medals from The Final Fantasy Fathers !
There are no pushover bad guys in this baby , as you progress so do they . You are always fighting on an almost equal basis . You will have a tough time with Ultima Weapon and Omega Weapon if you try to beat every part of the game , but it is possible to finish the game without beating them . Loads of tough guys and it is never real easy so , , , bring a lunch , and a few hundred dinners too .
Overall a bit difficult but very entertaining , don't be in a hurry ! The graphics are terrific , the music is great , surprises everywhere , best RPG I have ever run across . Everyone watching cheers when Squall uses his LionHeart attack ! Be there , do it !
019 4 Such an amazing game . Of all the Final Fantasy's I have played , never have I loved a game so much . I have played this game four times . . . I know , I need to get a life . . . but I'm still not bored with it ! FFX or FFIX I would'nt find much of an interest to play again , but this game never made me bored . Never .
The game starts out with the best FF introduction movie ever . Seriously , it's just so amazing . It's based on a love story , but for those of you not too thrilled about that , it isnt simply just a love story . There is also a plot going on too . And it's not one of those overly complicated plots that take forever to understand .
Also in the game , there is a beautiful song called : Eyes on Me that can seriously bring tears to your eyes .
The ending of this game is so amazing . Amazing .
Though the graphics might seem a bit bad , there is many movies throughout the game that you can see the character's faces clearly . Those graphics on the other hand , are amazing . It's also a good game to hook up to your stereo and listen to the music really loud .
I won't get into the whole story , but I will say , for those of you finding this game slow at the beginning , don't stop playing . Shortly it gets amazing . So if you did decide to stop in the middle of the game , go play it ! If you can't beat the final boss , get a gameshark or something , because the ending is worth it .
Simply amazing . My love for this game will stay in my heart forever , and I am doubting any Final Fantasy will ever match up to it .
020 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Being a fan of final fantasy i basically know every game inside and out . I have played every Final Fantasy ( except for tactics ) and the series 1 - 9 . After reading reviews on how poor this game was i decided to write a review about my points of view . I greatly think this is my favorite Final Fantasy . A lot of people thought Final Fantasy 7 or 6 was the greatest but disagree . Final Fantasy 6 was a great game but i thought it was too big for me . The huge world and atmosphere was too much for me and the whole theme was kind of unintersting . However the characters were amazing . Final Fantasy 7 was pretty good i was sort of dissapointed but it was okay . I wish they didn't kill certain people after leveling them UP TO LEVEL 62 ! Well anyways Final Fantasy 7 was nice but nothing special . Now back to Final Fantasy 8 this is a true godsend to me . This is all i every wanted in a rpg . What i truly loved about this game is that you only have 6 characters ! This takes away all of the time to level up those 9 characters or 12 characters or in Suikoden's case 108 . ( DON't KILL NANAMI AND GREMIO NEXT TIME ! ) ahem ! Well anyways the 6 characters work extremely well within the game . Most people argue that the character development was poor and that Squall acted too much like Cloud and that the characters had no different pasts or whatever . I actually like the fact that the characters have no different reasons it feels like their were all in it toghether and that they were all aiming for the same goals . People also argue that FF8 had no villian . Well thats kinda true but actually Squall and his gang were just trying to prevent a crisis from happening and factors of that crisis was soreceress . ( Ultimecia ) Therefore they were just trying to eliminate a factor that could intiate a crisis . Well anways the characters in this game are marvelous . Cold-hearted Squall . Sincere and honest Rinoa . Happy go lucky Selphie . Complexed and sophisticated Quistis . Ladies man Irvine . Angry Zell ? Halarious Raijin and Fuijin . Mysterious Edea . ( SHE'S NOT EVIL ! She's like your next door neighbor she actually is very nice ) And much much more . . The story was sophisticated yet it sort of had that safe the princess plot . Its atmosphere is quite dark with a peaceful world dealing with magical sorceress . It had a strong theme of love . Where you can't live with that person gone . Some people say Xenogears and a much better love theme but i say FF8 had a realistic them of love . It was much more belivable then Xenogears . Xenogears was much too unrealistic . So i think the development , and the story are the best factors of this masterpiece . NOW ! gameplay . Gameplay of this game is quite complex . You power up your characters with certain magic and G.F's are part of a single character's party . Its kinda of hard to explain but its very interesting and fun ! The draw system is a superb magic system some people say its tedious and boring but i say that its better getting magic whenever you want then looking for stupid magicite , materia , or mana eggs . ( ugh mana eggs . sorry sue . ) I love the draw system i wish they had it for ever game . Random battles occur less often reviewers argue that the random battle system is stupid but hey no random battles the draw system can't work . Draw can't work junction can't.So random battles are a MUST ! Gameplay is excellent overall . music ! i love the music ! its soo romantic and then mission-ish and then school-ish . I love Ami and Eyes on Me and Succession of Witches and rivals and every other lovely song . ugh except for that card song . . The songs are a masterpiece remixes from FF7 like a gothic witch like Holding my thoughts in my heart . VERY COOL ! Well i bought the soundtrack so i love the MUSIC ! The graphics well this explains it self their flippin GORGEOUS ! I TELL YOU ! GORGEOUS ! I think their a tad bit better then FF9 even . . not really . . BUT THEIR REALLY REALLY GORGEOUS ! The FM。's ! oh ? are those real people ? THe graphics in this game are simply top-notch they'll probably old school in like year 3000 or something like that . Well there we go a very good game i love this game and it will be my favorite for a looong time . . okay good night !
Best 9 Final Fantasies 1 . Final Fantasy 8 2 . Final Fantasy 2 3 . Final Fantasy 4 4 . Final Fantasy 9 5 . Final Fantasy 6 . Final Fantasy 7 7 . Final Fantasy 6 8 . Final Fantasy 5 ( I HATE JOB SYSTEM ) 9 . Final Fantasy 3 ( how did square make trash like this ? )
Top 5 video games 1 . Grandia ( Sue and Puffy are so Cool ! ) 2 . Final Fantasy 8 ( Nifty game ) 3 . Tales of Phantasia ( good game ) 4 . Suikoden 2 ( I LOVE NANAMI and JOWY and the HERO ) 5 . Lunar 2 Eternal Blue ( 3 words , Lemina , Ruby , and Ronfar )
Okay there you have it see ya !
021 4 Being a fan of final fantasy i basically know every game inside and out . I have played every Final Fantasy ( except for tactics ) and the series 1 - 9 . After reading reviews on how poor this game was i decided to write a review about my points of view . I greatly think this is my favorite Final Fantasy . A lot of people thought Final Fantasy 7 or 6 was the greatest but disagree . Final Fantasy 6 was a great game but i thought it was too big for me . The huge world and atmosphere was too much for me and the whole theme was kind of unintersting . However the characters were amazing . Final Fantasy 7 was pretty good i was sort of dissapointed but it was okay . I wish they didn't kill certain people after leveling them UP TO LEVEL 62 ! Well anyways Final Fantasy 7 was nice but nothing special . Now back to Final Fantasy 8 this is a true godsend to me . This is all i every wanted in a rpg . What i truly loved about this game is that you only have 6 characters ! This takes away all of the time to level up those 9 characters or 12 characters or in Suikoden's case 108 . ( DON't KILL NANAMI AND GREMIO NEXT TIME ! ) ahem ! Well anyways the 6 characters work extremely well within the game . Most people argue that the character development was poor and that Squall acted too much like Cloud and that the characters had no different pasts or whatever . I actually like the fact that the characters have no different reasons it feels like their were all in it toghether and that they were all aiming for the same goals . People also argue that FF8 had no villian . Well thats kinda true but actually Squall and his gang were just trying to prevent a crisis from happening and factors of that crisis was soreceress . ( Ultimecia ) Therefore they were just trying to eliminate a factor that could intiate a crisis . Well anways the characters in this game are marvelous . Cold-hearted Squall . Sincere and honest Rinoa . Happy go lucky Selphie . Complexed and sophisticated Quistis . Ladies man Irvine . Angry Zell ? Halarious Raijin and Fuijin . Mysterious Edea . ( SHE'S NOT EVIL ! She's like your next door neighbor she actually is very nice ) And much much more . . The story was sophisticated yet it sort of had that safe the princess plot . Its atmosphere is quite dark with a peaceful world dealing with magical sorceress . It had a strong theme of love . Where you can't live with that person gone . Some people say Xenogears and a much better love theme but i say FF8 had a realistic them of love . It was much more belivable then Xenogears . Xenogears was much too unrealistic . So i think the development , and the story are the best factors of this masterpiece . NOW ! gameplay . Gameplay of this game is quite complex . You power up your characters with certain magic and G.F's are part of a single character's party . Its kinda of hard to explain but its very interesting and fun ! The draw system is a superb magic system some people say its tedious and boring but i say that its better getting magic whenever you want then looking for stupid magicite , materia , or mana eggs . ( ugh mana eggs . sorry sue . ) I love the draw system i wish they had it for ever game . Random battles occur less often reviewers argue that the random battle system is stupid but hey no random battles the draw system can't work . Draw can't work junction can't.So random battles are a MUST ! Gameplay is excellent overall . music ! i love the music ! its soo romantic and then mission-ish and then school-ish . I love Ami and Eyes on Me and Succession of Witches and rivals and every other lovely song . ugh except for that card song . . The songs are a masterpiece remixes from FF7 like a gothic witch like Holding my thoughts in my heart . VERY COOL ! Well i bought the soundtrack so i love the MUSIC ! The graphics well this explains it self their flippin GORGEOUS ! I TELL YOU ! GORGEOUS ! I think their a tad bit better then FF9 even . . not really . . BUT THEIR REALLY REALLY GORGEOUS ! The FM。's ! oh ? are those real people ? THe graphics in this game are simply top-notch they'll probably old school in like year 3000 or something like that . Well there we go a very good game i love this game and it will be my favorite for a looong time . . okay good night !
Best 9 Final Fantasies 1 . Final Fantasy 8 2 . Final Fantasy 2 3 . Final Fantasy 4 4 . Final Fantasy 9 5 . Final Fantasy 6 . Final Fantasy 7 7 . Final Fantasy 6 8 . Final Fantasy 5 ( I HATE JOB SYSTEM ) 9 . Final Fantasy 3 ( how did square make trash like this ? )
Top 5 video games 1 . Grandia ( Sue and Puffy are so Cool ! ) 2 . Final Fantasy 8 ( Nifty game ) 3 . Tales of Phantasia ( good game ) 4 . Suikoden 2 ( I LOVE NANAMI and JOWY and the HERO ) 5 . Lunar 2 Eternal Blue ( 3 words , Lemina , Ruby , and Ronfar )
Okay there you have it see ya !
022 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
When comparing Final Fantasy 8 to the adjacent games in the series , one thing is very obvious : FF8 is fundamentally different , in terms of both story and gameplay .
Where 7 and 9 were both basically save-the-world-from-great-evil scenarios , with a little bit of a love story mixed in , 8 is essentially the opposite : a big , dramatic love story with a bizarre , somewhat half-baked save-the-world laid over it . Whereas 7 and 9 both feature singularly evil villains introduced early in the game and maintained throughout ( Sephiroth in 7 , Kuja in 9 ) , the central villain in 8 , Sorceress Ultimecia , appears late , only REALLY appears until the last few hours of the game , and anyway is underdeveloped and uncompelling . Then again , the love story in 8 is reason enough to follow through to the end ; though Aeris and Tifa in 7 and Dagger in 9 were all interesting and compelling characters , the budding romances are uniformly cut off short , while the relationship between Squall and Rinoa is well-paced and fully realized . . . . The point of this being , like any Final Fantasy game , FF8 is heavily story-dependent ; it just happens to be a very different story from its siblings .
FF8 also has a fundamentally different approach to combat and character development - though the differences are mostly under the hood and won't be seen immediately . The biggest difference is that enemies - - both random encounters and bosses - - level up as the player characters do ; so , for example , an enemy will have significantly more health , do more damage , and have stronger magic when the player character is level 30 instead of level 10 . . . . What this really means is that leveling up characters with random encounters - - the core of character development in Final Fantasy games - - is pretty much unnecessary , since it benefits enemies as well . ( I should add that 8 , like 7 and 9 , has a secondary type of experience , called ability points , which develops abilities , not levels , and which does not benefit enemies , so acquiring AP , unlike EXP , is only beneficial . ) Whether this system is better than the standard Final Fantasy system isn't something I can judge ; it's just worth noting that it's different .
FF8 ' s new magic system , though , is one aspect I am willing to criticize . Instead of learning spells and then casting them at the cost of magic points , FF8 bypasses MP altogether , and simply treats spells as a sort of item : you take ( draw ) them from enemies or refine them from items , then cast them out of your spell inventory . However , because spells can also be used to give a character's stats ( strength , vitality , etc . ) a much-needed boost , and having more of a certain spell makes for more of a boost , it seems generally beneficial not to use the spells at all ( after all , why bother casting Ultima when you could junction it to strength and probably do more damage anyway ? ) . While the junction system is pretty amazing and flexible , the unfortunate consequence of it is that actually casting magic is generally more trouble than it's worth .
Related to the junctions is FF8 ' s versions of summons , which are here called guardian forces or GFs . Whereas 7 and 9 introduced summons a good five or ten hours into the game , 8 makes summons available from the get-go , and makes them probably more powerful than they should be , such that you'll be watching the same summon animations over and over throughout the game . Still , the GF system , like the junction system it's a part of , is a very complex and flexible system , significantly more so than the synonymous systems in 7 and 9 ( though , like 9 , it is almost entirely optional , since you can ask the game to automatically optimize your characters ) .
Unfortunately , while the junction system is flexible , it's not particularly well-balanced , particularly near the end of the game . Because of the nature of the junction system , and the new approach to limit breaks , when Squall acquires his ultimate weapon and limit break , the remainder of the game becomes dishearteningly easy , since almost any boss ( with the exception of Omega Weapon , which is an optional battle anyway ) can be defeated in three or four rounds . The game is chock full of optional content - - extra weapons , abilities , items , cards - - but if the game can be made so easy so readily , that stuff is exactly that , optional ; and only diehard completists will bother with it .
I don't want to be unclear : I did enjoy Final Fantasy 8 , and I'm glad I finished it . The story was sweet , compelling , and different , and the gameplay system was complex and engaging enough to keep a control freak happy , without alienating more casual players . Just don't try to make it into something it isn't ; the game has its flaws ( some story holes ; a few half-baked gameplay elements ; pretty major balancing issues ) , but these are generally overcome by the game's merits .
023 4 When comparing Final Fantasy 8 to the adjacent games in the series , one thing is very obvious : FF8 is fundamentally different , in terms of both story and gameplay .
Where 7 and 9 were both basically save-the-world-from-great-evil scenarios , with a little bit of a love story mixed in , 8 is essentially the opposite : a big , dramatic love story with a bizarre , somewhat half-baked save-the-world laid over it . Whereas 7 and 9 both feature singularly evil villains introduced early in the game and maintained throughout ( Sephiroth in 7 , Kuja in 9 ) , the central villain in 8 , Sorceress Ultimecia , appears late , only REALLY appears until the last few hours of the game , and anyway is underdeveloped and uncompelling . Then again , the love story in 8 is reason enough to follow through to the end ; though Aeris and Tifa in 7 and Dagger in 9 were all interesting and compelling characters , the budding romances are uniformly cut off short , while the relationship between Squall and Rinoa is well-paced and fully realized . . . . The point of this being , like any Final Fantasy game , FF8 is heavily story-dependent ; it just happens to be a very different story from its siblings .
FF8 also has a fundamentally different approach to combat and character development - though the differences are mostly under the hood and won't be seen immediately . The biggest difference is that enemies - - both random encounters and bosses - - level up as the player characters do ; so , for example , an enemy will have significantly more health , do more damage , and have stronger magic when the player character is level 30 instead of level 10 . . . . What this really means is that leveling up characters with random encounters - - the core of character development in Final Fantasy games - - is pretty much unnecessary , since it benefits enemies as well . ( I should add that 8 , like 7 and 9 , has a secondary type of experience , called ability points , which develops abilities , not levels , and which does not benefit enemies , so acquiring AP , unlike EXP , is only beneficial . ) Whether this system is better than the standard Final Fantasy system isn't something I can judge ; it's just worth noting that it's different .
FF8 ' s new magic system , though , is one aspect I am willing to criticize . Instead of learning spells and then casting them at the cost of magic points , FF8 bypasses MP altogether , and simply treats spells as a sort of item : you take ( draw ) them from enemies or refine them from items , then cast them out of your spell inventory . However , because spells can also be used to give a character's stats ( strength , vitality , etc . ) a much-needed boost , and having more of a certain spell makes for more of a boost , it seems generally beneficial not to use the spells at all ( after all , why bother casting Ultima when you could junction it to strength and probably do more damage anyway ? ) . While the junction system is pretty amazing and flexible , the unfortunate consequence of it is that actually casting magic is generally more trouble than it's worth .
Related to the junctions is FF8 ' s versions of summons , which are here called guardian forces or GFs . Whereas 7 and 9 introduced summons a good five or ten hours into the game , 8 makes summons available from the get-go , and makes them probably more powerful than they should be , such that you'll be watching the same summon animations over and over throughout the game . Still , the GF system , like the junction system it's a part of , is a very complex and flexible system , significantly more so than the synonymous systems in 7 and 9 ( though , like 9 , it is almost entirely optional , since you can ask the game to automatically optimize your characters ) .
Unfortunately , while the junction system is flexible , it's not particularly well-balanced , particularly near the end of the game . Because of the nature of the junction system , and the new approach to limit breaks , when Squall acquires his ultimate weapon and limit break , the remainder of the game becomes dishearteningly easy , since almost any boss ( with the exception of Omega Weapon , which is an optional battle anyway ) can be defeated in three or four rounds . The game is chock full of optional content - - extra weapons , abilities , items , cards - - but if the game can be made so easy so readily , that stuff is exactly that , optional ; and only diehard completists will bother with it .
I don't want to be unclear : I did enjoy Final Fantasy 8 , and I'm glad I finished it . The story was sweet , compelling , and different , and the gameplay system was complex and engaging enough to keep a control freak happy , without alienating more casual players . Just don't try to make it into something it isn't ; the game has its flaws ( some story holes ; a few half-baked gameplay elements ; pretty major balancing issues ) , but these are generally overcome by the game's merits .
024 4 I first found out about FF8 from the TV commercials that were in heavy rotation when it first came out . It looked great and I heard it was an unprecedented 4 - discs long . For some reason I never got around to buying the game until the price dropped to $25 . I then bought it for $25 and the official strategy guide for a sale price of only $2 . I was amazed . I've played this game 5 times . Which is more than I've ever played any other RPG . So you already know the replay value is immense . Now for the breakdown review .
GRAPHICS : FF8 abandoned the cartoonish look of FF7 and Squaresoft opted for more realistic looking graphics . Some of the scenes in this game could give some early PS2 games a run for their money . The GF animations are crisp and clear and the characters look much better than FF7 .
SOUND : FF7 had an incredible soundtrack that enhanced the gameplay and made that game even more memorable . FF8 is no different . I truly have to thank Nobuo Uematsu for all the hard work , time , and effort they put into this game's soundtrack . Even the introduction music is stellar . At times I would find myself humming some of these tunes in my head .
GAMEPLAY : This is where some have complained about FF8 . Obviously the gameplay is different from FF7 and as you already know , Squaresoft dramatically changes the gameplay with each FF release . Sometimes it's for the better as it is here and sometimes it just doesn't work ( FF9 ) . Materia has been replaced by GFs or summons . Each character relies on them for abilities and what not . Stats are increased by leveling up and by junctioning magic to certain stats . Magic must be drawn from enemies or various draw points . MP has been eliminated and replaced by the draw system . GF abilites are learned by attaining AP from enemies after battles . The actual battles are almost the same as FF7 except limit breaks can be used only when a character is near death or when he or she uses an Aura spell , whereas in FF7 they were charged as the character takes damage . The difficulty level of this game was too much for some gamers . Enemies get stronger as your characters get stronger rather than certain areas containing different level enemies . I personally loved the difficulty level . FF7 became too easy around disc 3 and FF9 was WAY too easy throughout . The sidequests were more challenging than the other titles as well . This game was a great challenge for me and I loved it . Another great addition to this game was the Triple Triad card game . This was an incredible mini-game throughout the whole game . Even after you've beaten everything , you can still have fun playing Triple Triad . Squaresoft should make the next online FF title have an online version of this card game . The only drawback to this game is the number of things you can do inside the cities . The cities themselves are vast and much more detailed than FF7 but the problem is that there are few places you can actually go to in the cities . On FF7 and FF9 you can go inside item shops , houses , and other various places . Even the massive city of Esthar only has about 8 places you can actually go inside of .
STORY : I don't want to spoil too much of the story for those who haven't played or beaten the game yet . FF7 had a critically acclaimed storyline . The storyline for FF8 is great as well . The story will seem boring through much of disc 1 but by the time you've gotten to disc 2 they heat up ( other than the horribly boring event at Trabia Garden ) . At that point in the game I was hooked . I came home from school everyday just to play this game . You'll find yourself always wanting to know what will happen next .
REPLAYABILITY : As I stated above , it is incredible . I played this more than any other FF title .
If you're an RPG fan then you probably already have this title . Then , if you're one of those people who are afraid of the effort required to play an RPG , you'll feel differently after playing this one . I recommend this title to all gamers except for the weak-minded ones ( the ones who complained that this one is too hard ) . You may get bored in the beginning but by Disc 2 you won't be able to stop playing .
025 4 First off , I'd like to say , I love this game . I think that every aspect of it is brilliant , from the gameplay to the story , it's a truly captivating experience . I do understand that many people hate FF VIII , but most of them are just comparing it to FF VII . Also , if you notice , most of the people who hated this game didn't understand the junction system . The GFs ( Guardian Forces ) in this game , are NOT to be used excessively ! In fact , I rarely ever used them in battle ! The purpose of them are their abilities . Relying on GFs will make this game EXTREMELY tedious ! They take a while to load and you'd have to watch a overly played animation only to do rougly around 1000 damage . If you get the junction system down , your basic ATTACK will do AT LEAST 3000 . Earlier in the game , it's hard to get good junctions , so limit breaks are the key . Limit breaks . . . NOT GFs ! I cannot stress that enough and I am getting tired of hearing people complaining about the GFs and having to summon and watch their animations over and over again .
Okay , enough about the that . The story in this game is absolutely beautiful with plenty of plot twists to keep it interesting . It's not just about saving the world , but the developing romance between the two main characters , Squall and Rinoa . There is also a side story based on Laguna , that is a nice break from the main storyline . The two stories tied in together at the end .
The graphics were beautiful , considering the time they were made . It was a big , BIG step up from the blocky , super deformed graphics of FFVII . The frequent Full-Motion-Videos are breathtaking and the backgrounds are beautiful . The in-game characters , however , are pixelated and often seem out of place with the near perfect backgrounds .
The music is very memorable , enough to rival FFVII . Each song is just so full of emotion , from sad to romantic to tense , they capture each moment perfectly . Rarely , if ever , did I find a song that seemed out of place . The only songs that ever really got annoying were the world map and the battle theme . Personally , I prefered Laguna's battle theme over the main one . The main songs , Liberi Fatali and Eyes on Me are great . Liberi Fatali is played in the intro , and Eyes on Me is played in many different variations throughout the game , but the main one was in the 3rd disc , which included the singing by Faye Wong .
The characters , I believe , are the most outstanding , well developed characters , each with their own distinct personalities I've seen in any RPG game , except maybe FF VII-X , which are just as well done . With Squall , you have the troubled teen who isn't very open with his thoughts , and with Selphie , you have the cheerful , almost hyper girl that likes to blow things up . ^ _ ^ ' That's only a few of them , I don't want to give away too much .
Enemys level up as you do , so the way to become powerful is not by leveling up , but by improving your junctions . In fact , it's possible to complete the whole game by not leveling up at all ! If you don't grasp this concept , this game will be hard because as the enemies become stronger , it's nearly impossible to defeat them with no junctions . Although sometimes annoying , I think it's genius because the battle system can quite easily by abused to form super-characters , It's very easy to level up , though , because you basically only need 1000 exp . to gain a level , unlike the past or later Final Fantasies which require more experience points as you level up .
The ending , I must say , has got to be the best Final Fantasy ending that I've ever seen . It's captured in a full 16 minute FMV ( including credits ) . Many people think that it's the one RPG that ties everything together , but I think that it's rather the contrary . It didn't anger me like the way FFVII did with the loose ending , but rather in a way of showing what happened afterward , but kept me wondering about the events that has lead up to the ending . There are many obvious , and yet not so obvious events that were not told in the actual storyline .
As great as I think this game is , it's not without its flaws . The weapons upgrading is different . Instead of just buying a weapon , you need to find rare items before you can upgrade to a specific weapon . Weapons don't do that much , though , except for Squall because he will sometimes learn a new limit break finisher . ( Go Lion Heart ! ! ) Drawing 100x each magic is boring and often tedious , but is necassary to become stronger . The Final Fantasy aspects of it are also not as distinct . Sure , there are chocobos , but you can go through the game without ever laying eyes on one . One thing is that there's an airship . It's also not set in a fantasy setting like the previous SNES titles , but those who has played and loved FFVII like I have will not mind that much . Most of the quests are near impossible to complete without some kind of guide . And , finally , the game is easy , as the GAME OVER screen rarely came up . To cut this review short , go ahead and buy this game as it will be worth every single one of your pennies .
Other RPG Reccomendations :
Final Fantasy VII ( ps )
Final Fantasy IX ( ps )
Final Fantasy X ( ps2 )
Final Fantasy Chronicles . . mainly for Chrono Trigger ( ps )
Chrono Cross ( ps )
Final Fantasy Anthology . . mainly for FF VI ( ps )
Xengogears ( ps )
Xengosaga ( Ps2 )
Final Fantasy X - 2 ( ps2 )
Star Ocean 3 ( ps2 )
Thanks for reading my review .
026 4 Final Fantasy VIII - - when I merely just * hear * of these 3 simple words , I attain a feeling that no terms or units in this varied universe could EVER unravel , period .
And why , you may ask ?
Oh , fear not , I'll tell ya all right .
There are just so many reasons .
* Too * many reasons , to be exactly precise in the young little war I call to be myself .
But first , before I do uncover these so-called reasons , let me just tell you HOW .
Yes , HOW .
So , to be totally honest , FF8 has touched me in SUCH A WAY that I , truth be told , probably wouldn't even BE HERE if it wasn't for such a drastic miracle to be placed gracefully upon my shoulders when I received this game , almost on accident , actually . I didn't understand it at first , as it was the primary RPG I had EVER laid eyes on ( literally - - Tomb Raider was the only game I played and * knew of * at that time . ) But as time passed by , so did my knowledge and new-found , everlasting likeness of this game that eventually changed into love with every minute that passed by in time as I'd sit on my bed and try to find my path through this game . It can be really hard at times , but don't worry ; you'll grasp the concept to everything as you continue unraveling the storyline and unique battle strategies within FF8 . There's a wondrous light to everything ! ^ _ ^ And no , I'm not talking about Kingdom Hearts , lol .
But anyway , no one will ever * truly * understand how I feel . This game is just . . .
Amazing .
Do I need to repeat that ?
I don't know about you , yes , you , the designated one who is reading this ( and thanks , by the way ) , but if you are one of those sheer haters of FF8 ( which I still don't understand why , even after reading many of those confusing reviews by these ff8 haters on this site and elsewhere ) , but do you know just how much it HURTS with each flame and criticism pointlessly aimed at this PHENOMENAL game that is ever forcefully smashed into my perception ? Well , it does , but no one will ever know just how much it STINGS me whenever my eyes lay upon one of these types of reviews . Are you getting what I'm saying ?
I've become so seriously attached to this game that it's becoming such a dangerous hazard upon my soul . Everywhere I go , every test I take , and every breath I let in , I just can't stop thinking about this game .
I really can't-and that's from the heart ( oh and I sure ain't caring if this sounds corny , but it's the utmost truth , so what the heck can I do ? )
Well , I guess that this is really becoming senseless to anyone who drastically dislikes this game for whatever dang reason , but whatever . I mean , what can I do to change one's mind ?
Absolutely nothing , so yeah . Screw what the tiny girl within me thinks . The heck can SHE do ? The girl's no God , so I guess I'll have to continue coping with this horrendous issue of mine for wonderful Square-Enix ( hey , at least they made and released FF8 ! ) to do something , ANYTHING involved with this remarkable game again . Does anyone strongly agree with me ? It's a burning pain to be alone on something as serious as this , that its becoming frightening to me-also with the fact that Square may never grant my sole wish . So sad . . .
Um , maybe I should get to my review of the game itself now ? My aimless blabbing will get me nowhere but a level of more grief , I guess , but aw screw it . I'm my own best friend , so it really is pointless to share a feeling that will stay with me for the longest eternity . Who knows , maybe my constant hoping will reach Square one day . No one can ever know the future , right ? Right . ^ _ ^ And hey , doesn't that sound kind of familiar ? ( Squall and Rin on Ragnorak in Space-hint hint . )
Well , I'd think that you'd have to understand WHY I love this game so much , as it left a scar so deep and painful within my ivory flesh , so I wouldn't want to be boring you with any of that kind of thing ( a full-developed review . ) But overall , everything , yes , EVERYTHING about this game is made of pure perfection . Yep . What more can I say ? The flaws that many people point out about this game are not existent to me whenever I play this game , and they , even if they were there ( the so-called flaws ) , they wouldn't be present if you'd give this authentic Final Fantasy game a real , honest chance . That's all there is to it . Seriously now , the more I played this game , the more I'd care less and less about things that ff8 haters like to blab about . Like what , you're thinking ? The random battles , for example . But why the heck does so many peeps hate that fact when it's done for our own dang benefits , huh ? This game has a high difficulty level , ESPECIALLY for FF beginners , so yeah , when you play the game , it would only make it easier for you when things become ruff with the enemies and what not . And isn't a mere challenge in a game what many people look for ? So yeah , that's what I mean . Give this game a chance , like I did , and you'll inevitably fall in love with this masterpiece once you reach the extraordinary ending-which is something that is worth every penny that you'd spent on this game-guaranteed , in addition to everything else about and within the fantastic depths of FF8 . Have fun ^ _ ^
So , in conclusion , I highly anticipate that this review of mine will greatly enhance the percentage of you buying this spectacular game , especially if you had read any of those ff8 - haters ' reviews . Please trust me on that fact-this game is just so special , and will forever remain that way to me , no matter what lies ahead . As to me-a shy , introverted 13 - year-old like I naturally am , Final Fantasy VIII truly is . . .
Stuff dreams are REALLY made of ^ _ ^
~ * Squall's angel * ~
027 4 Final Fantasy VIII is probably the most visually stunning Final Fantasy game to date , the most complex , and certainly the most hotly debated entry in the series . I place myself in the camp with those who think this is where the series should go .
At the heart of Final Fantasy VIII is an excellent , if slightly convoluted , story of the need to reconnect with and learn from the past . The main character Squall , and his companions , find themselves in a struggle with a childhood guardian who is , herself , controlled and influenced by an ancient force bent on world domination . It's standard fare , but through some absolutely gorgeous full motion video sequences , the story becomes very engrossing .
Game play in this Final Fantasy is somewhat awkward at first . The game uses a turn based system that I don't think was used in Final Fantasy VII . Basically , characters have status bars that fill as a battle progresses ; when they are full , the character can attack . These bars pause in their progress when characters attack or enemies attack . This caused some early frustration , as I vainly watched my characters get their butts kicked because I couldn't attack . Plus , the ideas of Special Attacks , first introduced in FFVII , does really work here . In FFVII , as characters were injured , their critical attack bars would fill until they could perform their special technique . In FFVIII , it's a . . . shoot . I'd come to depend on those critical attacks in FFVII ; no such luck in FFVIII .
Final Fantasy VIII is very much a Japanese game . The Japanese prefer incredible complexity , and many side options , in their video games . FFVIII is filled , filled , filled with them . From a somewhat interesting card game , to chasing an Alien around the planet , FFVIII has many surprises . Not the least of which was its magic system . No more purchasing or learning spells - - now you Draw them from the enemy . This method , while somewhat cool , also means you feel compelled to prolong your battles with enemies to get magic from them . Also , you have Guardian Forces . These are like Magicites from Final Fantasy III - - you use them to gain particular powers . However , these powers can include increased hit points , greater speed , and other capabilities . In typical Japanese gaming style , the subtle combination of these Guardian Forces , with your chosen weapon , and magic , can turn your characters into unbelievably power warriors , or merely slightly enhanced fighters .
And speaking of battles - - the battles here are a tad unbalanced . There are some normal enemies in the game that wreak more havoc than the final boss . I found myself glad to be in the final stretch , because the enemies got easier . The enemies here are definitely great , and the boss enemies are usually just the level of difficulty appropriate to the area in which they appear .
All in all , I found myself thrilled with the experience of the game . It ranks up there with Final Fantasy II , the game I would rank as the finest Final Fantasy game ever made . It combines unique gameplay , very good world graphics , and mind blowing FMV to create a compelling and epic story . Definitely , a classic .
030 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Somepeople are comparing Lunar to FF8 . This is ludicrous . I don't see a comparison . There are also RPG oldtimers that complain about the good old days of Final Fantasy IV and V . There are so many reasons FFVIII is the best . First the little things . The second and third characters are no longer hidden . People actually look human this time rather than freaky marionettes .
There were big changes too . No more MP . Generally I think the draw system was pretty cool even though I agree Summon spells should be skippable .
The artistic design in this game was amazing . The best of the entire series . I almost fainted at seeing the Lunar Base . The FMV of the parade in Deling City is just about as close you can get to a pagan bacchanalia . The only fault I can find is that I miss the castle type of Final Fantasy . I heard FFIX is going to be more of a medieval fantasy , so at least I have something to look forward too .
The music is amazing . You almost forget that some of the tracks are looping over and over . I can't get enough of the opening movie's music . The Carmina Burana type vocals really add a lot of mood . Character design in this game is almost as good looking as the backdrops . I miss the Blade Runner feel of Midgar , but the provencial feel of FF8 ' s towns is nice . The video sequences actually tell a story . It's like watching a silent movie , especially at the end . The finale is much more clear cut and cathartic than FF7 . The graphics are great but the story is just as good as previous games , or better .
031 4 Somepeople are comparing Lunar to FF8 . This is ludicrous . I don't see a comparison . There are also RPG oldtimers that complain about the good old days of Final Fantasy IV and V . There are so many reasons FFVIII is the best . First the little things . The second and third characters are no longer hidden . People actually look human this time rather than freaky marionettes .
There were big changes too . No more MP . Generally I think the draw system was pretty cool even though I agree Summon spells should be skippable .
The artistic design in this game was amazing . The best of the entire series . I almost fainted at seeing the Lunar Base . The FMV of the parade in Deling City is just about as close you can get to a pagan bacchanalia . The only fault I can find is that I miss the castle type of Final Fantasy . I heard FFIX is going to be more of a medieval fantasy , so at least I have something to look forward too .
The music is amazing . You almost forget that some of the tracks are looping over and over . I can't get enough of the opening movie's music . The Carmina Burana type vocals really add a lot of mood . Character design in this game is almost as good looking as the backdrops . I miss the Blade Runner feel of Midgar , but the provencial feel of FF8 ' s towns is nice . The video sequences actually tell a story . It's like watching a silent movie , especially at the end . The finale is much more clear cut and cathartic than FF7 . The graphics are great but the story is just as good as previous games , or better .
032 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I know how much pain SquareSoft has taken pain over the few past months . Final Fantasy VIII has gotten a lot of flak over the months it was released . But I'm here to tell you that , no matter what one or even a couple hundered reviews says , this is ( so far ) the ultimate Final Fantasy . FF 7 had a great story line , but all it was about was of someone trying to save the world , hero style . In FF8 , every character ( except Edea ) is a normal , intellegent human being . Their goal isn't to save the world ; but to save themselves . And the graphics . . . oh the graphics ! The graphics are just SO spetacular . If you wanna know what I mean , look at the GFs ( summons spells ) . And this also goes along with the music . . . the music is just soooo phenomonal . Also , to see what I mean , listen to the Raganok Theme , the space ( very sad ) theme , the Balamb Garden theme , and , well , many others . I know that you may think that there is just not enough action in here compared to FF7 , but this IS NOT - I'll repeat - IS NOT a Hollywood action movie . Believe me , FF8 DOES have it's shocking moments . So when you sit back and think about it , you'll realize how good the story actually is . Believe me . . . this is a must buy for all hardcore FF fans .
033 4 I know how much pain SquareSoft has taken pain over the few past months . Final Fantasy VIII has gotten a lot of flak over the months it was released . But I'm here to tell you that , no matter what one or even a couple hundered reviews says , this is ( so far ) the ultimate Final Fantasy . FF 7 had a great story line , but all it was about was of someone trying to save the world , hero style . In FF8 , every character ( except Edea ) is a normal , intellegent human being . Their goal isn't to save the world ; but to save themselves . And the graphics . . . oh the graphics ! The graphics are just SO spetacular . If you wanna know what I mean , look at the GFs ( summons spells ) . And this also goes along with the music . . . the music is just soooo phenomonal . Also , to see what I mean , listen to the Raganok Theme , the space ( very sad ) theme , the Balamb Garden theme , and , well , many others . I know that you may think that there is just not enough action in here compared to FF7 , but this IS NOT - I'll repeat - IS NOT a Hollywood action movie . Believe me , FF8 DOES have it's shocking moments . So when you sit back and think about it , you'll realize how good the story actually is . Believe me . . . this is a must buy for all hardcore FF fans .
034 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Ever since I can remember , Squaresoft has set the standard for good games no matter what the genre . This installation of Final Fantasy is , in my opinion , very hard to beat ! Each installation has come at you with characters that you can connect to on a personal and even private level that when something happens to them . . . you almost feel avengeful ! Of course . . . not every game is perfect . . I'll tell you :
Pros : 1 ) The graphics are OUTSTANDING ! The rendering on the characters is so real that you could swear it was real people running around on the screen .
2 ) The sounds and music blend effortlessly into this near regal setting of the new Final Fantasy world .
3 ) Well developed plot . No one needs to know too much . . . especially since you have to keep reminding yourself they are fictional characters . Any good story needs to leave you hanging somewhere for you to come up with your own ending and beginnings .
4 ) It's Squaresoft for god's sake ! Anything from them can ONLY be considered the best ! With the soon to be released Squaresoft movie ( Summer 2001 perhaps ) . . . it would be no wonder if they took Hollywood's job !
Cons : 1 ) The random battles . In the early FF . . . there were just enough battles to get by , but since FF6 ( FF3 in America ) . . . there have just been too many battles to even want to try anymore .
2 ) 4 discs ! C'mon people ! When anybody sees that they immediately think Oh . . . I need to set aside a friggin MONTH for this ! Great story and all . . . but couldn't you condense ?
3 ) GF's and Battle Scenes . The GF's were almost ridiculous . Too powerful in the beginning and not even scratching at the end . Should there be some sort of medium there ? And the battle scenes haven't changed at all ! We need something like your Seiken Densetsu ( Secret of Mana in America ) or your , soon to be , Chrono series ( Chrono Trigger and later Chrono Cross ) . Maybe some real-time battles . . . or maybe just a slight revision in them to keep them from being turn based . You've done it before . . . let's do it again !
4 ) Storyboard . Like I said . . . it was a fabulous plot . . . but it could have used some work . You did leave us hanging in the Laguna thing a little too much . No one knew a thing about him ! We could get at least some of Squall's to build a past . . . but we didn't get a thing about Laguna hardly ! or his friends Kiros and Ward .
While they even out . . . . Final Fantasy 8 should definately be on the to get list of every gamer out there . It's worth it !
035 4 Ever since I can remember , Squaresoft has set the standard for good games no matter what the genre . This installation of Final Fantasy is , in my opinion , very hard to beat ! Each installation has come at you with characters that you can connect to on a personal and even private level that when something happens to them . . . you almost feel avengeful ! Of course . . . not every game is perfect . . I'll tell you :
Pros : 1 ) The graphics are OUTSTANDING ! The rendering on the characters is so real that you could swear it was real people running around on the screen .
2 ) The sounds and music blend effortlessly into this near regal setting of the new Final Fantasy world .
3 ) Well developed plot . No one needs to know too much . . . especially since you have to keep reminding yourself they are fictional characters . Any good story needs to leave you hanging somewhere for you to come up with your own ending and beginnings .
4 ) It's Squaresoft for god's sake ! Anything from them can ONLY be considered the best ! With the soon to be released Squaresoft movie ( Summer 2001 perhaps ) . . . it would be no wonder if they took Hollywood's job !
Cons : 1 ) The random battles . In the early FF . . . there were just enough battles to get by , but since FF6 ( FF3 in America ) . . . there have just been too many battles to even want to try anymore .
2 ) 4 discs ! C'mon people ! When anybody sees that they immediately think Oh . . . I need to set aside a friggin MONTH for this ! Great story and all . . . but couldn't you condense ?
3 ) GF's and Battle Scenes . The GF's were almost ridiculous . Too powerful in the beginning and not even scratching at the end . Should there be some sort of medium there ? And the battle scenes haven't changed at all ! We need something like your Seiken Densetsu ( Secret of Mana in America ) or your , soon to be , Chrono series ( Chrono Trigger and later Chrono Cross ) . Maybe some real-time battles . . . or maybe just a slight revision in them to keep them from being turn based . You've done it before . . . let's do it again !
4 ) Storyboard . Like I said . . . it was a fabulous plot . . . but it could have used some work . You did leave us hanging in the Laguna thing a little too much . No one knew a thing about him ! We could get at least some of Squall's to build a past . . . but we didn't get a thing about Laguna hardly ! or his friends Kiros and Ward .
While they even out . . . . Final Fantasy 8 should definately be on the to get list of every gamer out there . It's worth it !
036 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
If there has ever been any rpg game that I completed feeling invigorated , not sluggish , it's FFVIII . The experience is a mixture of intrigue , suspense , emotion , and excitement all in one .
You begin as Squall , a pupil of Balamb Garden , which is no ordinary academy - it is in fact a mercenary-for-hire training ground , where members young and old are molded into well-educated , productive fighting machines . Eager to obtain initiation to Seed , the Garden's elite force , Squall finds himself briefed on harrowing missions he must face in order to make the grade . In constant competition with Seifer , his arch-nemesis , and new assigned comrades , going about his duties becomes harder as exterior threats rear their ugly heads in his direction . That , along with strange dreams that plague him as well as anyone in his vicinity , make for an unfolding of events that mark the connection between acquaintances , forgotten memories , and their impact on the fate of the world .
For a ten year old game , viii's graphics were almost unsurpassed for it's time . The sophisticated design and movement of player characters , both on the field and into the battles , are a far cry from the disproportionate statures of child-like character layouts we see so often in rpgs . There's definitely nothing cute intended in this game , which comes as a relief to the avid gamer . Enemies actually intimidate the player , thiers and the player character's stance and kinetics believable . FMV sequences are a step up from predecessing games , the only downside being the alteration of features and / or other details on the appearance of a character from movie sequence to sequence - for instance , the ending FMV seemed to show a different looking Squall , both in face and body , than in every other video sequence .
Music is a perfect compliment to the situations and events occurring throughout the game . Tracks migrate from field tunes reminiscent of old 80 ' s nostalgic underground alterna-hits : pangs of synthesized notes in minor keys along with couth , plucky strings , perfectly implemented to aid the player in relaxing and pondering the situations and environment around them , to fully-orchestrated , demanding overtures of a this
is it nature . I'd actually be lying if I said I didn't find this soundtrack as one of the most fitting , original , and cherished of any I've heard in / for a game before .
Gameplay-wise , viii doesn't leave you without a challenge . Like with any true rpg , anything you receive , you must first earn , either through use of GP or gaining of exp . points . It is worth mentioning that unlike with most other level-based games of the genre , there is no doubling of required exp . points for advancement to the next level . A thousand points is all that is needed to progress from one to the next . However , as new areas are explored , enemies do in fact become nearly impossible to deafeat , unless you know what you're doing . Weapon and status strength is therefore earned through the draw system .
With the draw system , any kind or number of spells ( or GF ) may be drawn , or stolen , from an enemy or boss . Every enemy carries its own spells , and with the draw function , a character may suck up a number of them into their own inventory . These spells may then be implemented into the character's stat list . Of course , in order for certain stats ( STR . , DEF . , etc . ) to be raised , a GF must be assigned to make them available . GF stands for Guardian Force , viii's version of summon creatures ( Ifrit , Shiva , Carbuncle , etc . ) . These GF may be drawn from enemies , usually bosses , or found throughout the map . Once assigned , certain stats on a character's menu become available for junction .
The junction system is also a new detail in viii . It allows for any number of drawn magics ( up to 100 ) to be slotted into a character's stat menu . Magics can be split up , switched , taken or given . The more magic spells in a slot , the higher that character's stat number will rise . This is a great point of viii ; the junctioning system allows the player to have the freedom and choice of custom designing each character's strengths and weaknesses . Eventually , with practice comes discovery of unique uses for the junctioning of GF's , and drawn magics , leading to such skills as a one-hit-kill , or invincibility against certain magics and status attacks , leading into straight-out absorption . GF's as well come with their own lists of learned abilities , which you may pick and choose in the order of which you wish them learned , thus leading to a better character-GF compatibility , as well as more open stat slots and greater strength .
As with other FF's , characters each have their own set of limit breaks , only now they greatly differ in functionality and frequency . Push-button combos , random spell inventories , and even a killer dog come into play here . Like with other FF's , these can prove critical , as this title also has an ATB-style battle system , which means battle sequences run on active time . Yes , we're talking the waiting for the bars to fill up while the three-person party stands in a line . Many players actually prefer this style of battle , however , as such a set up eliminates angle confusion , and makes for your brain to do all the work ; stategically planning out your next series of moves and sizing up your local enemies so you may junction your party accordingly . In addition to the usual explore / fight / earn , there is also another nifty sidequest involved : a card game any character leading may play with just about anyone else in the world . It becomes addictive quite fast and is a good area to collect all cards coinciding with every entity in the game , or to trade and earn good benefits .
Also , in this game , there are no weapon shops , armories , or wizards with potions . Although the item list remains the same as it has , the element of sophistication still remains true in this department as well , at least in my opinion . This is a world of busy cities , tremendous technological advancement , space travel , state-of-the-art prisons , vehicles , weapons , and high-class political systems . Therefore , your run-of-the-mill sword and shield or magic wand will not suffice . Squall's weapon , for instance , is a gunblade , a melee hybrid of a broadsword with a trigger handle . Default weapons are assigned , of course , but your only option for progression is to earn items or tools in the field and use a mechanic to upgrade your model . GP is also not a concern as far as leveling goes ; as a SeeD , a regular salary is allotted to you , recurring after a certain number of steps are taken . The amount is never set in stone , though ; the player has the option of taking written tests in their menu , which are actually quizzes on enemy strengths and weaknesses , comrade stats , and other details of character fighting styles . With or without the tests , salary , and thus your SeeD ranking , may go up or down depending on your actions .
Of course , no rpg would mean a thing were it not for the storyline . The lifeblood of your endeavors , plot is what all your hours of hard work are for . Many mistake the main point of the story as that of love , yet it is perseverance , friendship , bonding , trust , and the gaining of maturity that hold the party together in their darkest hour . Indeed , every single character has an issue which comes to the forefront in the game ; it's not just the main protagonist which hogs the stage . Although budding romance might seem the heart of the matter , it becomes a misconception to those that fully explore what the game has to offer - the sappiness and drawn-out areas equating to these themes are almost non-existent in the game . Regardless of what emotions or turmoils occur , and there are plenty , the deviation from everything that makes the title exciting and anything but trite never clouds the scene for a second . Any hint of emotion or inquisitive notions on the system don't make themselves apparent until disk 3 . Squall is in fact meant to be the personification of the degredation , abandonment , moodiness , and self-doubt many of us feel . It is only through his dropping of petty inhibitions and learning of trust , coming to terms with his past , and true comraderie that he is able to bloom as a character with humanity . In this sense , the character development proves to be the best one will ever encounter in a game of this kind . In comparison of the beginnings of the story with disk 3 - 4 , the protagonist turnaround is 180 , a grand success on account of the story's writers .
It is always sad to reach the end of the game , fight the major boss , and watch the credits roll . Although the story does leave a few strings untied , if the player truly pays attention to the storyline presented , interesting and absolutely amazing deductions can be made without the game directly stating them , which to me is another first in the genre . Not that viii has any lack of shock and awe in terms of character and plot revelations and coincidences ( ahh , fate ) . Every time I play this game , I learn something new . When I complete it yet again , I leave with a sense of something more than the pride of completing all quests , earning big money , and getting bored with instant kills . I marvel at the fact that there are people out there who make an art form out of touching whomever they can with their own innovative and ingenious sense of value , honor , and intelligence as can only be expressed in the avant-garde , original fashion of what's brought to us by today's technology . Even in the most unexpected places , answers are wrought with great citified fervor .
037 4 If there has ever been any rpg game that I completed feeling invigorated , not sluggish , it's FFVIII . The experience is a mixture of intrigue , suspense , emotion , and excitement all in one .
You begin as Squall , a pupil of Balamb Garden , which is no ordinary academy - it is in fact a mercenary-for-hire training ground , where members young and old are molded into well-educated , productive fighting machines . Eager to obtain initiation to Seed , the Garden's elite force , Squall finds himself briefed on harrowing missions he must face in order to make the grade . In constant competition with Seifer , his arch-nemesis , and new assigned comrades , going about his duties becomes harder as exterior threats rear their ugly heads in his direction . That , along with strange dreams that plague him as well as anyone in his vicinity , make for an unfolding of events that mark the connection between acquaintances , forgotten memories , and their impact on the fate of the world .
For a ten year old game , viii's graphics were almost unsurpassed for it's time . The sophisticated design and movement of player characters , both on the field and into the battles , are a far cry from the disproportionate statures of child-like character layouts we see so often in rpgs . There's definitely nothing cute intended in this game , which comes as a relief to the avid gamer . Enemies actually intimidate the player , thiers and the player character's stance and kinetics believable . FMV sequences are a step up from predecessing games , the only downside being the alteration of features and / or other details on the appearance of a character from movie sequence to sequence - for instance , the ending FMV seemed to show a different looking Squall , both in face and body , than in every other video sequence .
Music is a perfect compliment to the situations and events occurring throughout the game . Tracks migrate from field tunes reminiscent of old 80 ' s nostalgic underground alterna-hits : pangs of synthesized notes in minor keys along with couth , plucky strings , perfectly implemented to aid the player in relaxing and pondering the situations and environment around them , to fully-orchestrated , demanding overtures of a this
is it nature . I'd actually be lying if I said I didn't find this soundtrack as one of the most fitting , original , and cherished of any I've heard in / for a game before .
Gameplay-wise , viii doesn't leave you without a challenge . Like with any true rpg , anything you receive , you must first earn , either through use of GP or gaining of exp . points . It is worth mentioning that unlike with most other level-based games of the genre , there is no doubling of required exp . points for advancement to the next level . A thousand points is all that is needed to progress from one to the next . However , as new areas are explored , enemies do in fact become nearly impossible to deafeat , unless you know what you're doing . Weapon and status strength is therefore earned through the draw system .
With the draw system , any kind or number of spells ( or GF ) may be drawn , or stolen , from an enemy or boss . Every enemy carries its own spells , and with the draw function , a character may suck up a number of them into their own inventory . These spells may then be implemented into the character's stat list . Of course , in order for certain stats ( STR . , DEF . , etc . ) to be raised , a GF must be assigned to make them available . GF stands for Guardian Force , viii's version of summon creatures ( Ifrit , Shiva , Carbuncle , etc . ) . These GF may be drawn from enemies , usually bosses , or found throughout the map . Once assigned , certain stats on a character's menu become available for junction .
The junction system is also a new detail in viii . It allows for any number of drawn magics ( up to 100 ) to be slotted into a character's stat menu . Magics can be split up , switched , taken or given . The more magic spells in a slot , the higher that character's stat number will rise . This is a great point of viii ; the junctioning system allows the player to have the freedom and choice of custom designing each character's strengths and weaknesses . Eventually , with practice comes discovery of unique uses for the junctioning of GF's , and drawn magics , leading to such skills as a one-hit-kill , or invincibility against certain magics and status attacks , leading into straight-out absorption . GF's as well come with their own lists of learned abilities , which you may pick and choose in the order of which you wish them learned , thus leading to a better character-GF compatibility , as well as more open stat slots and greater strength .
As with other FF's , characters each have their own set of limit breaks , only now they greatly differ in functionality and frequency . Push-button combos , random spell inventories , and even a killer dog come into play here . Like with other FF's , these can prove critical , as this title also has an ATB-style battle system , which means battle sequences run on active time . Yes , we're talking the waiting for the bars to fill up while the three-person party stands in a line . Many players actually prefer this style of battle , however , as such a set up eliminates angle confusion , and makes for your brain to do all the work ; stategically planning out your next series of moves and sizing up your local enemies so you may junction your party accordingly . In addition to the usual explore / fight / earn , there is also another nifty sidequest involved : a card game any character leading may play with just about anyone else in the world . It becomes addictive quite fast and is a good area to collect all cards coinciding with every entity in the game , or to trade and earn good benefits .
Also , in this game , there are no weapon shops , armories , or wizards with potions . Although the item list remains the same as it has , the element of sophistication still remains true in this department as well , at least in my opinion . This is a world of busy cities , tremendous technological advancement , space travel , state-of-the-art prisons , vehicles , weapons , and high-class political systems . Therefore , your run-of-the-mill sword and shield or magic wand will not suffice . Squall's weapon , for instance , is a gunblade , a melee hybrid of a broadsword with a trigger handle . Default weapons are assigned , of course , but your only option for progression is to earn items or tools in the field and use a mechanic to upgrade your model . GP is also not a concern as far as leveling goes ; as a SeeD , a regular salary is allotted to you , recurring after a certain number of steps are taken . The amount is never set in stone , though ; the player has the option of taking written tests in their menu , which are actually quizzes on enemy strengths and weaknesses , comrade stats , and other details of character fighting styles . With or without the tests , salary , and thus your SeeD ranking , may go up or down depending on your actions .
Of course , no rpg would mean a thing were it not for the storyline . The lifeblood of your endeavors , plot is what all your hours of hard work are for . Many mistake the main point of the story as that of love , yet it is perseverance , friendship , bonding , trust , and the gaining of maturity that hold the party together in their darkest hour . Indeed , every single character has an issue which comes to the forefront in the game ; it's not just the main protagonist which hogs the stage . Although budding romance might seem the heart of the matter , it becomes a misconception to those that fully explore what the game has to offer - the sappiness and drawn-out areas equating to these themes are almost non-existent in the game . Regardless of what emotions or turmoils occur , and there are plenty , the deviation from everything that makes the title exciting and anything but trite never clouds the scene for a second . Any hint of emotion or inquisitive notions on the system don't make themselves apparent until disk 3 . Squall is in fact meant to be the personification of the degredation , abandonment , moodiness , and self-doubt many of us feel . It is only through his dropping of petty inhibitions and learning of trust , coming to terms with his past , and true comraderie that he is able to bloom as a character with humanity . In this sense , the character development proves to be the best one will ever encounter in a game of this kind . In comparison of the beginnings of the story with disk 3 - 4 , the protagonist turnaround is 180 , a grand success on account of the story's writers .
It is always sad to reach the end of the game , fight the major boss , and watch the credits roll . Although the story does leave a few strings untied , if the player truly pays attention to the storyline presented , interesting and absolutely amazing deductions can be made without the game directly stating them , which to me is another first in the genre . Not that viii has any lack of shock and awe in terms of character and plot revelations and coincidences ( ahh , fate ) . Every time I play this game , I learn something new . When I complete it yet again , I leave with a sense of something more than the pride of completing all quests , earning big money , and getting bored with instant kills . I marvel at the fact that there are people out there who make an art form out of touching whomever they can with their own innovative and ingenious sense of value , honor , and intelligence as can only be expressed in the avant-garde , original fashion of what's brought to us by today's technology . Even in the most unexpected places , answers are wrought with great citified fervor .
038 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
If you want a great Final Fantasy , this is then the one to get . The battles can get boring after awhile , but the card games are a lot of fun . This is one of my favorite FF games . This is four discs long , and now that I have beaten it several times , I might stop playing for over a month after a couple of days because I know exactly what I must do . One disappointment about this game is that monsters are always around your level ; in an average Final Fantasy game , you must train your men a little bit before defeating tough bosses . If you had to pick an old PlayStation One game to play , let this be the one .
039 4 If you want a great Final Fantasy , this is then the one to get . The battles can get boring after awhile , but the card games are a lot of fun . This is one of my favorite FF games . This is four discs long , and now that I have beaten it several times , I might stop playing for over a month after a couple of days because I know exactly what I must do . One disappointment about this game is that monsters are always around your level ; in an average Final Fantasy game , you must train your men a little bit before defeating tough bosses . If you had to pick an old PlayStation One game to play , let this be the one .
040 4 Everyone on here likes to complain that this is not what was expected or that it did not live up to the hype , people need to understand that Square was not just gonna re-make Final Fantasy 7 when they did this game . This is by far one of the best games in the Final Fantasy series and easily one of the best all time video games . This game is fairly futuristic and even has some parts in space , I am sure that this futuristic element is one of the things that make a lot of people mad . FF8 has one of the strongest story lines of any of the games and along the way is filled with some of the most entertaining side quests to be seen in a Final Fantasy game . The GF / junction system is very affective and very useful as well . There is not quite as much depth to the characters as there is in previous games , but it is still enough to have you really feel for the characters . The game's only real downfall is the fact that it is soooooo easy to gain levels , making the game super-easy . Overall , I have absolutely nothing to complain about with this game , I think that just because people were thinking it was gonna be just like Final Fantasy 7 they complain about it's differences . Someone even went as far to say that this was a disappointment and that Final Fantasy 9 was a return to greatness , gimme a break , just shows how some people should not be listened to .
042 4 Somehow , having played as many games as I have , the experience of playing this one stands out . The love story , all the Final-Fantasy style extras like finding all the GFs , the silly fact that nearly half the game takes place in what in real-life terms would best be described as a school ; I don't know what it is , but something makes me hold this game in higher regard than any other game since Lufia I and II and Super Mario 64 .
If you are like me , you will play this game several times through , each time 50 - 100 hours or more , and you will , literally , never forget it . I've done all this , and there is still some quest involving things you can search for on the map screen that I am intrigued by and have not successfully completed .
Most RPGs engross me , lend me enjoyment , then pass from my mind within weeks after I complete them . But not this one .
I love this game .
043 4 This game is probably one of the best games I've ever played . The story , music , characters and graphics all come together to make an amazing game . A lot of people complained about the Junction system , but I think it was one of the most innovative ways for character building that I had ever seen .
I still play this game about once a year just because of the amazing story and the fact that I always discover something new everytime I play it .
Square made a masterpiece of a game and hopefully one day they will make another FF just as good .
044 4 I just recieved FFVIII as a Christmas gift and am currently in the middle of the second disc , but after beating FFVII , I'd have to admit the VIII is one step above VII . After seeing the end of VII and the final battle between Cloud and Sephiroth , I thought to myself , There's no way that any game could beat this classic ! Even Entertainment Weekly placed it at 12 in the top 100 video games of all time ( I personally think that VII should've reached the top 5 at least ) . However , when I finally began to master the Junction system of VIII , I became more excited than when I was using VII's Materia system . The gameplay of VIII is much more fun than that of VII , but the storyline is a bit weaker . Graphics and character designs are way above those of VII . From 1 to 10 , I'd give FFVII a 12 , but FFVIII sits close by at 11 .
045 4 When I finally got a playstation I was the happiest kid alive . My first game was FFVIII and I have to say that hours of pure enjoyment and sheer obsessiveness have given me a great view of this game ! Many people have said it is not as good as the other installments and I personally cannot contend that assessment because I am too young to have played and evaluated the other games . What I do know is I love this game , have grown attatched to characters , story , graphics , and gameplay ( can be overpoweringly obessive , I might warn ) . An awesome installment !
047 4 This game is the very finest piece of art you could put into your console . Amazing graphics , endearing characters , beautiful music , an incredible story - all put together into one game . So much worth my money , I'd probably buy it again . . . even if I already had ten copies of it . You just can't find another game like this ; I gave up looking a long time ago .
FFVIII follows the story of a 17 year old military cadet , named Squall , and five other mercenaries as they fight against and discover the secrets of an evil sorceress . In the process , they uncover their own pasts . The world they live in is an intriguing blend between fantasy and science fiction , where space stations and time travel meet Ruby dragons and spell-bound knights . The dialogue is so very well written , each character's personality shines through with every line of script you read . The animation is so masterfully done , each person's movements of habit are brought out - even something as subtle as sighing or blinking .
Gameplay relies on junctioning Guardian Forces to your characters ; a process many gamers stab to death because they can't understand how to use it . The game will go smoothly if you let the computer do the junctioning for the first few hours of the game , then do incremental junctioning of your own until you get the feel for it . . if you don't get it right off the bat , that is . Over all the system is incredibly useful , since you can basically make your characters invincible without the use of a GameShark .
Read the positive reviews of this game , ignore the negatives , and then buy or rent FFVIII and experience the Fantasy for yourself .
048 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I have just finished clocking the game Final Fantasy VIII ( 8 ) Now , you may think is strange , FINAL FANTASY , but the 8th one ? Well dear readers , this is just a title , the game is so cool you'll be playing it for 140 hours straight . ( This is how long it took me to beat it . ) Here is my review of it .
This game is the mother of all very cool games , I has all the basic necessities and more of a decent game , fighting , magic , humour , excitement , lots of characters , challenging and most of all , a good plot .
The game revolves around a SeeD member , ( a special forces guy ) that came from a garden , ( where they are trained ) , called Squall . His one goal in life at the moment is , not to get tied down , stay alive , and lead order-filled life . Not really a great idea of fun . But as the game progresses , and as different characters are introduced , he opens up to a certain girl , that he later has to help save the life of . It is the classic example of good Vs . evil , with Squall as the . . . . . . . . . good guy , and the evil sorceress as the bad guy , or girl as in this case it is .
It is the best game I have played in a VERY long time , and now that I have clocked it , I'll buy Final Fantasy VII and when I finish that , I'll buy Final Fantasy IX , ( 9 ) when it comes out . ( I've seen some screen shots of it , I looks awesome . )
I think that EVERYBODY should buy this game , because it is a game for everybody , I mean , this game is really for a very large audience , and every one else as well . I highly recommend this game for everyone , it will leave you hooked for hours on end .
So now that you have read this rewiew , GO AND BUY IT !
049 4 I have just finished clocking the game Final Fantasy VIII ( 8 ) Now , you may think is strange , FINAL FANTASY , but the 8th one ? Well dear readers , this is just a title , the game is so cool you'll be playing it for 140 hours straight . ( This is how long it took me to beat it . ) Here is my review of it .
This game is the mother of all very cool games , I has all the basic necessities and more of a decent game , fighting , magic , humour , excitement , lots of characters , challenging and most of all , a good plot .
The game revolves around a SeeD member , ( a special forces guy ) that came from a garden , ( where they are trained ) , called Squall . His one goal in life at the moment is , not to get tied down , stay alive , and lead order-filled life . Not really a great idea of fun . But as the game progresses , and as different characters are introduced , he opens up to a certain girl , that he later has to help save the life of . It is the classic example of good Vs . evil , with Squall as the . . . . . . . . . good guy , and the evil sorceress as the bad guy , or girl as in this case it is .
It is the best game I have played in a VERY long time , and now that I have clocked it , I'll buy Final Fantasy VII and when I finish that , I'll buy Final Fantasy IX , ( 9 ) when it comes out . ( I've seen some screen shots of it , I looks awesome . )
I think that EVERYBODY should buy this game , because it is a game for everybody , I mean , this game is really for a very large audience , and every one else as well . I highly recommend this game for everyone , it will leave you hooked for hours on end .
So now that you have read this rewiew , GO AND BUY IT !
052 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy VIII is your ticket out of real life . With it's exquisite animations ( you'd think the characters were real ! ) and plot , it is easy to find yourself drawn into the world of Squall , Rinoa , Irvine , Zell , Seifer , Selfie , and Laguna . . .
I have played both FF8 and FF7 - and though others would try to compare the two , it is not possible and most of all , not fair . FF8 ' s gameplay does follow in the same tradition of the Squaresoft Final Fantasy series . However , it breaks away from FF7 ( and it's typical life vs . death , saving the world theme ) and becomes an epic love story complete with death , time travel , magic , and loveable characters . FF8 will have you living in a movie , absorbed into another time and place .
If you liked Final Fantasy VII , I cannot guarentee that you'll like FF8 . They are two completely different games , so don't expect a repeat of the past . I welcomed the change and thought it was refreshing . Some game players may not .
On the whole , however , this game is great fun ! The romanticly routed storyline was a great change of pace from the typical shoot ' em up and save the world routine . Throughly enjoyable and entrapping . You must buy this game and let yourself be swept away to another world .
053 4 Final Fantasy VIII is your ticket out of real life . With it's exquisite animations ( you'd think the characters were real ! ) and plot , it is easy to find yourself drawn into the world of Squall , Rinoa , Irvine , Zell , Seifer , Selfie , and Laguna . . .
I have played both FF8 and FF7 - and though others would try to compare the two , it is not possible and most of all , not fair . FF8 ' s gameplay does follow in the same tradition of the Squaresoft Final Fantasy series . However , it breaks away from FF7 ( and it's typical life vs . death , saving the world theme ) and becomes an epic love story complete with death , time travel , magic , and loveable characters . FF8 will have you living in a movie , absorbed into another time and place .
If you liked Final Fantasy VII , I cannot guarentee that you'll like FF8 . They are two completely different games , so don't expect a repeat of the past . I welcomed the change and thought it was refreshing . Some game players may not .
On the whole , however , this game is great fun ! The romanticly routed storyline was a great change of pace from the typical shoot ' em up and save the world routine . Throughly enjoyable and entrapping . You must buy this game and let yourself be swept away to another world .
054 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game ROCKS ! IT's sorta confusing , but really that only helps the game get away from the bang-boom-you-are-dead-I-win type of game . This game has a great plot , well-devopepted charerters ( Like hating Seifer one minute and loving him the next . ^ _ ^ ) a kick-butt card game that personally I think they should market ( You know , like Pokemon and stuff , only better ! ) and more awesome stuff . Not having played Final Fantasy 7 , I cannot say whitch is better . But if 7 is better it must be one h * ll of a game . 13 + for viloence and swearing , also a few mature themes .
056 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I cannot believe all of the people out there bashing Final Fantasy VIII . This has got to be the greatest acheivement Square has made yet , in the way of RPGs . The graphics are simply phenomenal , the battle engine truly ingenious , and the music at least rates a B . The story , true , is a little shakey in parts , but everything else in the game make up for it . You do more stuff , go to more interesting places , and have more abilities than pretty much any other Final Fantasy game I've seen . And most importantly , THE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY LIFE-SIZED ! No more of the little block-people running around , or even the supposed comicly enlarged body parts in VII . Now , I just recently got a playstation , mainly so I could get RPGs . From everything I had heard , FFVIII was supposed to be absolutely disappointing . What a bunch of morons ! You've got these old-timer-like critics who are so stuck in the classic ways , that they can't even see the genius in the whole Draw-Junction system . And after I played VIII , I finally saw VII for the first time , and I was like , What a bunch of crap ! How could anyone possibly like that game more than VIII ? Trust me , if you're an RPG fan , and you're open to change , Final Fantasy VIII will be one of your favorite all-time games .
057 4 I cannot believe all of the people out there bashing Final Fantasy VIII . This has got to be the greatest acheivement Square has made yet , in the way of RPGs . The graphics are simply phenomenal , the battle engine truly ingenious , and the music at least rates a B . The story , true , is a little shakey in parts , but everything else in the game make up for it . You do more stuff , go to more interesting places , and have more abilities than pretty much any other Final Fantasy game I've seen . And most importantly , THE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY LIFE-SIZED ! No more of the little block-people running around , or even the supposed comicly enlarged body parts in VII . Now , I just recently got a playstation , mainly so I could get RPGs . From everything I had heard , FFVIII was supposed to be absolutely disappointing . What a bunch of morons ! You've got these old-timer-like critics who are so stuck in the classic ways , that they can't even see the genius in the whole Draw-Junction system . And after I played VIII , I finally saw VII for the first time , and I was like , What a bunch of crap ! How could anyone possibly like that game more than VIII ? Trust me , if you're an RPG fan , and you're open to change , Final Fantasy VIII will be one of your favorite all-time games .
058 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
The problem with this game is that it tries to please too many people at once . Final Fantasy fans will be delighted to see the same old battle system , wonderful storyline , high-end graphics , and memorable music . General-RPG fans will enjoy the inventive magic system ( junctioning is one of the best ideas i've seen in a long time ) , the beautiful CGI FMV , and the stunning magic graphics . However . . .
A lot of people complain about different things . Some say that this game is too hard to get into due to the complicated junction system . . . [ but ] . . . Square even made a tutorial for people . . . , which is bypassable by the veteran gamers - if it's still too hard , give it up ) . Some say that the beautiful graphics get annoying after the 500th time ( I agree , although in the case of GFs , Square tried to counter this by adding the boost system , which requires you to actually pay attention during a summon sequence ) . Yet others will say that the plot line is too confusing / too boring ( which is true in some cases , and not in others - If you're used to the relatively simple plotlines of Super Mario Bros , the Final Fantasy series is something of a shock ) .
So who's right ? Everyone is . Square made a game that tried to please too many people . I was personally relatively happy with the game , seeing as I'm both a Square and an RPG fan , and enjoyed the battles , plot advancement , and most of the extra games ( the card game is ridiculously addicting . . . i played that alone for about 10 game hours ) . However , I can see how people might hate this game - non-rpg fans will probably hate this game with a vengeance do to the slow , slow plot advancement , silly / ridiculously hard side quests , and so forth .
Which brings me to my one gripe .
Square has a lot of interesting features in this game that never get taken advantage of ( or features that are so stupid and outrightly unusable that it hurts ) . For example , the rental cars - not only are they pointless , but they cost money and use up items , too ! Second gripe : the ridiculous 3rd disk side quests . Some of these side quests are so ridiculous that without a strategy guide your chances of solving them are slim to none . Third gripe : What the heck was Square thinking when they designed the last boss ? Not only is it random , stupid , and plot-killing , but also easy , boring , and predictable .
Aside from that , it's good fun .
059 4 The problem with this game is that it tries to please too many people at once . Final Fantasy fans will be delighted to see the same old battle system , wonderful storyline , high-end graphics , and memorable music . General-RPG fans will enjoy the inventive magic system ( junctioning is one of the best ideas i've seen in a long time ) , the beautiful CGI FMV , and the stunning magic graphics . However . . .
A lot of people complain about different things . Some say that this game is too hard to get into due to the complicated junction system . . . [ but ] . . . Square even made a tutorial for people . . . , which is bypassable by the veteran gamers - if it's still too hard , give it up ) . Some say that the beautiful graphics get annoying after the 500th time ( I agree , although in the case of GFs , Square tried to counter this by adding the boost system , which requires you to actually pay attention during a summon sequence ) . Yet others will say that the plot line is too confusing / too boring ( which is true in some cases , and not in others - If you're used to the relatively simple plotlines of Super Mario Bros , the Final Fantasy series is something of a shock ) .
So who's right ? Everyone is . Square made a game that tried to please too many people . I was personally relatively happy with the game , seeing as I'm both a Square and an RPG fan , and enjoyed the battles , plot advancement , and most of the extra games ( the card game is ridiculously addicting . . . i played that alone for about 10 game hours ) . However , I can see how people might hate this game - non-rpg fans will probably hate this game with a vengeance do to the slow , slow plot advancement , silly / ridiculously hard side quests , and so forth .
Which brings me to my one gripe .
Square has a lot of interesting features in this game that never get taken advantage of ( or features that are so stupid and outrightly unusable that it hurts ) . For example , the rental cars - not only are they pointless , but they cost money and use up items , too ! Second gripe : the ridiculous 3rd disk side quests . Some of these side quests are so ridiculous that without a strategy guide your chances of solving them are slim to none . Third gripe : What the heck was Square thinking when they designed the last boss ? Not only is it random , stupid , and plot-killing , but also easy , boring , and predictable .
Aside from that , it's good fun .
060 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Although it seems all the rage to bash Final Fantasy VIII on the grounds of minor nuances which seem to cut against the grain of traditional fantasy RPG's , it is these particular refinements that place FF VIII in a class by itself .
The story , while maintaining a swords and sorcerers base , has ventured into the sorely neglected realm of technology based sci-fi . This has gained the game as many enemies as friends , but is like nothing ever experienced . With characters real , conflicted , and unique in their own personalities , the game never feels trite in its storytelling nor in its interactions . And the primary interaction of which I speak is the growing love affair between the Squall and Rinoa . This sort of thing has been a long time coming and entirely welcome .
The graphics and sound in the game are phenomenal . With realistically modeled characters and convincing motion captured animation set in an impeccably detailed world enhanced by integrated and overt FMV of amazing proportions , there is no equal . The realistic sound effects and sense of space combine with Nobuo Uematsu's finest score to date in terms of quality and technical presentation to round out the package . I should probably mention that the endgame is stunning in its own right .
The battle system is a godsend : simple and effective . The elimination of armor has been a major criticism , but it has alleviated a lot of unecessary adventuring just to find money to equip characters with mundane equipment . By the by , money is interestingly alloted too ; the characters earn a wage . It's not novel , but it works well . The battles are tense and driving , and the random encounters can be reduced or completely eliminated after gaining certain abilities available as early as the first disc . The Junction system is simple to use and surprisingly deep in its character customization . The game also has the most functional menu system ever devised to make all manipulations quick and painless .
It would be easy to write forever on the game . There is so much offered aesthically and philosophically in the story that can only be experienced personally . Do not put stock in the criticisms of others . Having played most other offerings , I can honestly say that one can take whatever they want from the game and consider it time well spent . I found myself pondering the characters and story long after I finished . I can't wait to try it again !
061 4 Although it seems all the rage to bash Final Fantasy VIII on the grounds of minor nuances which seem to cut against the grain of traditional fantasy RPG's , it is these particular refinements that place FF VIII in a class by itself .
The story , while maintaining a swords and sorcerers base , has ventured into the sorely neglected realm of technology based sci-fi . This has gained the game as many enemies as friends , but is like nothing ever experienced . With characters real , conflicted , and unique in their own personalities , the game never feels trite in its storytelling nor in its interactions . And the primary interaction of which I speak is the growing love affair between the Squall and Rinoa . This sort of thing has been a long time coming and entirely welcome .
The graphics and sound in the game are phenomenal . With realistically modeled characters and convincing motion captured animation set in an impeccably detailed world enhanced by integrated and overt FMV of amazing proportions , there is no equal . The realistic sound effects and sense of space combine with Nobuo Uematsu's finest score to date in terms of quality and technical presentation to round out the package . I should probably mention that the endgame is stunning in its own right .
The battle system is a godsend : simple and effective . The elimination of armor has been a major criticism , but it has alleviated a lot of unecessary adventuring just to find money to equip characters with mundane equipment . By the by , money is interestingly alloted too ; the characters earn a wage . It's not novel , but it works well . The battles are tense and driving , and the random encounters can be reduced or completely eliminated after gaining certain abilities available as early as the first disc . The Junction system is simple to use and surprisingly deep in its character customization . The game also has the most functional menu system ever devised to make all manipulations quick and painless .
It would be easy to write forever on the game . There is so much offered aesthically and philosophically in the story that can only be experienced personally . Do not put stock in the criticisms of others . Having played most other offerings , I can honestly say that one can take whatever they want from the game and consider it time well spent . I found myself pondering the characters and story long after I finished . I can't wait to try it again !
062 4 Notice the devisiveness of most of the customer reviews of this game . . . There is a reason for this ; FFVIII is a definite love / hate title . It's rare that I find anyone who says Eh , FFVIII was OK .
The ' thing ' about FFVIII is , it strays away from what RPG has meant to most videogame RPG players over the last 15 or so years . It breaks many RPG traditions , even more than FFVII did . Meanwhile , many companies are still recycling the innovations made many years ago in previous FF games . If you're new to the RPG genre and have no pre-existing bias , you would be a fool not to give this game a try . It's a must . However , if you are a long-time FF fan , you will fall into one of two catagories :
A ) Conservative - these are generally the people who hate FFVIII . They discovered the FF series with FFI or IV or VI , and to them , THAT is what an FF game has to be . . . when an FF game moves away from the earlier style and sensibility of the series ( 2D 8 or 16 bit graphics , ultra-lighthearted script , a story even a five year old with down syndrome could grasp ) , they scream bloody murder and WORST FF GAME EVER ! A DISGRACE TO THE FF NAME ! They would rather play half-baked cookie cutter RPGs like Suikoden . They know what they like and that's all they want . They would be happy to play the same games over and over and over for eternity , just change the names of the characters and slap a new title on it and they'll think they're playing something new .
B ) Progressive - we also started playing FF on the NES or SNES , but these fans are in love with not only the FF games themselves , but they also value the actual EVOLUTION , DEVELOPMENT , and GROWTH of the series . Sometimes accused of being masochistic or mindless Squaresoft fans , the truth of the matter is that over the course of many years and many games , we have seen Squaresoft time and time again show that they simply tower above the competing videogame developers . Square and their games are not perfect , but they certainly come closer to perfection than anyone else . FFVIII is no exception .
One of the best features of the game is the cast of characters , and their characterization . These are perhaps the most-fleshed out and realistic characters ever seen in an RPG . Each one has a very distinct and well-defined personality . ( And when anyone says that Squall , the lead character , has no personality , please ignore them . He does have a clear personality . . . which just so happens to be extremely low-key , calm , and cool . ) The story itself is unlike any other RPG you've ever played . Rather than the the complex and grandiose epic that was FFVII or the operatic and sweeping FFVI , FFVIII is a bit more along the lines of a mystery intertwined with a romance . Gameplay is also radically shifted from the norm . Magic spells are taken from enemies rather than learned by leveling or unlocked from items . These spells can then be attatched to a character's various stats in order to boost them . For those who love micro-management , it's heaven .
I believe FFVIII to be a true masterpiece , and I recommend it to all gamers , with the exception of bitter and closed-minded old skool ff fans .
064 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy VIII is one of my favorite video games . The characters are so life like and so are the monsters . You can turn your enemies into collectors cards wich is a unique and interesting feature in this game . It takes some getting used to at first , but then it is a rewarding and challenging game once you into it . I got stuck at a pretty much advanced stage in the game , as where I could not solve a certain challenging event . I waited for my son to come visit to help me solve that particular part of the game . When he finally came , he had brought me a new video game . I wanted to start the new game first , instead of letting him help me with Final Fantasy VIII . In that process the new game was saved over my advanced level of Final Fantasy VIII game . You can imagine how horrible I felt . Now I had to start a whole new game . It is exasperating . I hope nobody else makes the same stupid mistake I did . It's a tough game to play but also very rewarding .
066 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Of all the Final Fantasy games I've played . I'd say this is one of the finest . Although the battle sequence isn't that good . I would definetely recommend this game to anyone whos a dire fan of Final Fantasy or looking to complete a set . Although I wouldn't discourage other people from this game I would advise not to get it , if you have no previous past knoweldge of FF . The junctioning menu is a great change from the older versions of Final Fantasy . Because it allows you to customize your character very well with different GF abilities . The graphics are decent . And I absoutely love the cutscenes . ( It's a break from all that tough fighting I suppose ) Again I must say what a great storyline because since Squall joined SeeD , ( the main character ) He has been faced with many challanges . All of which contribute to a great and addictive storyline . Well , I'm not going to ruin the ending or anything like that . So I'll leave it to you . You just have to buy this game and find out for yourselves what you've been missing ! Also Best of luck to you once you get it ! : )
067 4 Of all the Final Fantasy games I've played . I'd say this is one of the finest . Although the battle sequence isn't that good . I would definetely recommend this game to anyone whos a dire fan of Final Fantasy or looking to complete a set . Although I wouldn't discourage other people from this game I would advise not to get it , if you have no previous past knoweldge of FF . The junctioning menu is a great change from the older versions of Final Fantasy . Because it allows you to customize your character very well with different GF abilities . The graphics are decent . And I absoutely love the cutscenes . ( It's a break from all that tough fighting I suppose ) Again I must say what a great storyline because since Squall joined SeeD , ( the main character ) He has been faced with many challanges . All of which contribute to a great and addictive storyline . Well , I'm not going to ruin the ending or anything like that . So I'll leave it to you . You just have to buy this game and find out for yourselves what you've been missing ! Also Best of luck to you once you get it ! : )
068 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
When I see the arguements posed by others that are calling this game lame or stupid because they don't liek or don'tunderstand the story , I almost start laughing . I've played every single Final Fantasy , on the Nintendo systems , Playstation , and all the games issued for the handhelds and I GUARANTEE that not only is this the greatest and best Final Fantasy , but the greatest and best games ever made . Don't be fooled by arguements against it since onceyou play the game you will realize they have no plausibility . Maybe some people don't like it because they realize how much better it is than Final Fantasy VII and this causes them anger . Who cares ? The game is what it is . The characters are phenomenal , the story line is so expertly woven that I might have to classify the writer as a demi-god . The graphics and music suck you in the very moment you start the game so don't have any trepidation in your decision on whether you should play this game or not .
070 4 I know that this game probably the most hotly debated Final Fanasy game ever ( just above Final Fantasy X - 2 ) . You either love it , or hate it . I have to say that it is my favorite FF game so far . I , personally , liked the pseudo-sci-fi feel of it . I found the characters memorable , the plot engrossing , and the CG scenes beautiful . Many people didn't like the GFs . They found the GF scenes to be repetitive . As true as that is , Squaresoft built into the GF Scenes the Boost ability . This kept the repetitiveness of the scenes down . Other's didn't like the draw system . That is their personal preference . Finding the spells instead of leveling up to them or buying them helped you judge the level and weakness of the enemy you were fighting . I know that some people didn't like the gameplay , however , to be totally honest , most RPGs ( including the beloved Final Fantasy VII ) don't have terrific gameplay . The lack of tremendous gameplay doesn't bother me too much . In my opinion , the crux of this issue is the story . That's one of the main reasons why I play RPGs , and this is a great example of an epic that's been enjoyable , and will still be so for years to come . This is not a Final Fantasy game for everyone because so much differed between Final Fantasy VIII and the traditions of the old series . As such , this refractor separates people into two classes : those who love it , and those who hate it . Both have their points and arguments , but no amount of arguing will change those views . I happen to fall into the first category .
071 4 It has been a while since I last completed this game , perhaps over two years , but even to this day I love it . It can still be addicting even though I have beaten it at least 4 times , and mastered the whole thing at least twice . I think what stands out with this game are the characters . Most games just develop ordinary backrounds for characters but don't really emphasize them , but with this game , the story almost IS the characters . . . it basically revolves around their life , how they met , how they are related to Laguna and his friends , and stuff of that sort . I have played and beaten almost all of the Final Fantasy's ( save a few of the Japanese ones and the PS2 ones ) , but this game really stands out and is possibly the greatest in my opinion . FF6 and FF7 are also very good , along with 4 and the first one . I just can't find a flaw here . . . the love story is fantastic , you will really get into Squall and Rinoas relationship together . I also think Squall is a very interesting character , as others have said , you will want to get into his mind and find out what makes him tick . When i first played this game I thought it was horrible , but I gave it another chance and it really grew on me . If you are looking for more of a Mario RPG style game , or Final Fantasy 9 style game , you will be disappointed . If you can accept an RPG with the story revolving around something some sort of love story , this is for you , but I can assure you this is not your typical Final Fantasy . The sound is also fantastic , and doesn't repeat the same tunes over and over too often like some other games ( Xenogears ) . The graphics aren't bad either . Blah . . . just get it .
072 4 FF8 is a complete masterpiece . The junction system was awesome , and the gf abilities was cool too . And I love the fact that enemies level up while your characters do . I hear people saying stuff like the junction system is horrible or the gf's are the whole game , nothing exciting well , it does revolve round your GF's , and the junction system is confusing , but if you actually KNOW WHAT you're doing , your GF's will powerful and summoned easier , your junction system will get you maximum stats . And some people were dissapointed with the SeeD ranking , and how your salry was determined , well the tests you take are pretty tough , but if you see how many yes or nos there are , and for each question , your rank will go up higher , and higher , you just have to have alot of patience . Trust me on this , this game is a masterpiece .
073 4 Welp i bought this game back in 1999 when it first came out i thought it might be cool . It was the first final fantasy i ever played.DONT BUY THIS IF U ARE NEW TO FINAL FANTASY GAMES ! ! ! It will be extremly confusing.FF9 should be your first . It took me all of 3 months to relize u could set new abilities or even use GF ` s . Mabye im just slow ? ? The characters are great i like Selphie and Irvine the best . Selphie is a relly cute girl that is a kook . Irvine is a sharpshooter who trys to hard with the ladys . You play as squall a guy with a Leave me alone ! ! attitude . HE is a member of a mersinary group called SEED . Working for Balamb garden.of course he falls in love with a girl in the game ( dont they all ? ) and he acts like he only thinks of her as a client . A thing about this game is that your characters dont learn abilities your GFs ( aeons eidlions ) do.That was a little weird . The GFs will be your main attack wave weapons dont do much neither does magic . And another thing i recall another person saying this that the story has a great flaw . YEAH RIGHT like your whole party lived in the same orphanage when they were little happin to forget all about it and alll meet up years later on the same mission WHATEVER . They should have thought of a little more reality on that part but it is a Fantasy . But overall this was a good game you should buy it if u like final fantasys .
076 4 This game truly is an experience . The much lauded Final Fantasy VII pales in comparison to this masterpiece . Some fans may disagree with me , saying But Aeris dies ! , as if that makes the game good . Any-who , the characters , story , gameplay , sound , graphics , FMVs are all jaw-dropping , even now , almost 4 years later . Despite all the icing on the cake , it is the story and the detailed cast of characters that make this game great . I was nearly in tears at the end of the game , the story was just that darn good . Square , please make a remake of this game on PS2 like you're doing with FF7 . ( Which doesn't deserve a remake )
078 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
First i have to say i have NEVER played a final fantasy game before . I've played RPG but never final fantasy . My friend recommended the final fantasy series so i bought a bunch and the only one i was really drawn into was ff8 because of the stunning cinematic graphics ( with the emotions and expressions on the characters clearly seen ) and memorable music and the cool junctioning attack features as well as the ability to laze around while the stunning GF's do the work for me . It's FAR from boring . It was very exciting going on all those missions ( battling and escaping 5 times from XATM machine monster at Dollet , confirming the codes while trying to not be caught on the roof of a train , etc ) and controlling the floating ship and then controlling the swift fast easily more maneuvarable flying ship . I thought how the story evolved was quite enjoyable , too . Squall , the cold , uncaring , reluctant leader who didn't want to get involve with anyone ( because he feared being alone ) gradually through Rinoa evolves into a caring person . The Squall / Rinoa story is the main story interspersed at times with the rambunctious but sometimes dimwitted hero Laguna whose sequences in gameplay affect the main story line .
i thought ff8 was as a lot of people said , HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE . You can control whether you run into a monster every second or not by learning certain abilities .
GF's ( or Guardian Forces ) are junctioned to characters and they can be invaluable in serving to take any hits from your opponents as well as attacking your opponents massively . Their only drawback is that they take time to summon unless the compatibility is high .
The attack system in ff8 is appealing since it's multi-faceted . In addition to the GF's , there are 4 important aspects to the game : 1 ) the junction system / drawing magic , 2 ) individual character limit breaks , 3 ) the Triple Triad card playing game and 4 ) Ability points . All of these have a huge effect on the game . It's not just a matter of how many monsters did you beat or how many times you've fought that monster . Most RPG games rely on you levelling up which doesn't do much good here since the opposing monsters level up also .
I have to say something about magic , too . In a lot of games , magic is just spells that you throw onto your opponents or that you use for yourself like a wizard throwing magic , but here , in ff8 , magic is not just spells that you use against monsters or that you use to heal yourself . Magics are your shield and sword as you junction them to your stats to make your characters and GF's more powerful .
As far as abilities , you have to learn the abilities first before you can junction them using the menu screen controls , but once you have them , those abilities make a weak character's attributes SO MUCH MORE powerful .
You can control the speed of the game . Don't like that the GF's take so long to summon and slow the game down ? You can level up quickly to acquire the rarer items by using your powerful limit breaks , especially in combination with junctioning lots of magics to your stats and junctioning learned abilities .
Playing the Triple triad card game is a nice slow but restful and patient way of going from one battle to the next which allow you to acquire rare items and items for refining to magic .
The story is kind of tedious and boring and cheesy with Laguna mooning over Julia and Rayne , but the story moves right along and enters the gaming mode almost seamlessly . There were a lot of other side quests like encountering Pupu the alien , Shumi Village sidequest , the Card games , acquiring Quistis ' blue magic items ( and some of her blue magic is quite powerful ) , the Laguna side story ( which affects the main story ) that I never got bored from the game . I think I have played it over a dozen times already ! Just its replay value is worth the money ! !
079 4 First i have to say i have NEVER played a final fantasy game before . I've played RPG but never final fantasy . My friend recommended the final fantasy series so i bought a bunch and the only one i was really drawn into was ff8 because of the stunning cinematic graphics ( with the emotions and expressions on the characters clearly seen ) and memorable music and the cool junctioning attack features as well as the ability to laze around while the stunning GF's do the work for me . It's FAR from boring . It was very exciting going on all those missions ( battling and escaping 5 times from XATM machine monster at Dollet , confirming the codes while trying to not be caught on the roof of a train , etc ) and controlling the floating ship and then controlling the swift fast easily more maneuvarable flying ship . I thought how the story evolved was quite enjoyable , too . Squall , the cold , uncaring , reluctant leader who didn't want to get involve with anyone ( because he feared being alone ) gradually through Rinoa evolves into a caring person . The Squall / Rinoa story is the main story interspersed at times with the rambunctious but sometimes dimwitted hero Laguna whose sequences in gameplay affect the main story line .
i thought ff8 was as a lot of people said , HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE . You can control whether you run into a monster every second or not by learning certain abilities .
GF's ( or Guardian Forces ) are junctioned to characters and they can be invaluable in serving to take any hits from your opponents as well as attacking your opponents massively . Their only drawback is that they take time to summon unless the compatibility is high .
The attack system in ff8 is appealing since it's multi-faceted . In addition to the GF's , there are 4 important aspects to the game : 1 ) the junction system / drawing magic , 2 ) individual character limit breaks , 3 ) the Triple Triad card playing game and 4 ) Ability points . All of these have a huge effect on the game . It's not just a matter of how many monsters did you beat or how many times you've fought that monster . Most RPG games rely on you levelling up which doesn't do much good here since the opposing monsters level up also .
I have to say something about magic , too . In a lot of games , magic is just spells that you throw onto your opponents or that you use for yourself like a wizard throwing magic , but here , in ff8 , magic is not just spells that you use against monsters or that you use to heal yourself . Magics are your shield and sword as you junction them to your stats to make your characters and GF's more powerful .
As far as abilities , you have to learn the abilities first before you can junction them using the menu screen controls , but once you have them , those abilities make a weak character's attributes SO MUCH MORE powerful .
You can control the speed of the game . Don't like that the GF's take so long to summon and slow the game down ? You can level up quickly to acquire the rarer items by using your powerful limit breaks , especially in combination with junctioning lots of magics to your stats and junctioning learned abilities .
Playing the Triple triad card game is a nice slow but restful and patient way of going from one battle to the next which allow you to acquire rare items and items for refining to magic .
The story is kind of tedious and boring and cheesy with Laguna mooning over Julia and Rayne , but the story moves right along and enters the gaming mode almost seamlessly . There were a lot of other side quests like encountering Pupu the alien , Shumi Village sidequest , the Card games , acquiring Quistis ' blue magic items ( and some of her blue magic is quite powerful ) , the Laguna side story ( which affects the main story ) that I never got bored from the game . I think I have played it over a dozen times already ! Just its replay value is worth the money ! !
080 4 Ok , I know a lot of people don't like FF8 compared to FF7 . I loved both of them , but 8 is my favorite . The graphics , of course , are simply amazing ( this is from SquareSoft , after all ! ) , and I loved the music . I know it grated on some people's nerves , but I loved the Balamb Garden theme . It was so peaceful . It made me want to live there . . . : ) The characters are very cool . I loved the love story between Squall and Rinoa . I actually had tears in my eyes at a couple of points in the game . The interactions between the characters leaves you feeling like you've made new friends who you're sorry to see go when the game is done .
The junction system is not that hard . . . honest ! I really don't understand what the big deal is about it . Sure , materia was EASY , but the junction system lets you customize your characters in so many ways ! I love it , and there IS an auto-junction feature for those who don't want to mess with it . . .
When all is said and done , this is the best game I've ever played , and I think anyone can enjoy it if they will let themselves get out of the medival-themed RPG rut .
081 4 My , how times change . Just twenty years ago the epitome of video entertainment consisted of manipulating a yellow blob around a crude maze , gobbling smaller blobs for points . The goal was simple , the play addictive - - truly , a ` game ' to be enjoyed by almost anyone . Many moons later we have the same type of game , albeit with far better graphics and sound , but the concept is very similar : run around a maze , blasting enemies for points . Pac-man , meet Quake - - under the cosmetic differences , my how they look the same .
But times _ have _ changed , and so has video entertainment-or games , if you will . And the eighth episode of SquareSoft's popular Final Fantasy series has raised the bar yet again for this interactive pastime . One really has to give massive credit to the producers for introducing the element of romance into a media glutted with non-plot shoot ` em ups and simulators . But then , SquareSoft has never been conventional ; with every further chapter they seek to push the envelope , resulting in extraordinary achievement and , consequently , the danger that the final product might not seamlessly gel together as it should .
Such is the case here . Final Fantasy 8 arrived on these shores with so much expectation and hype that the actual result of the game itself was destined for mixed feelings of awe , confusion , and disappointment . The quality of the presentation could not be denied , but these same innovations also highlighted certain flaws that another year of tinkering could have rectified .
The central , and dominate , of FF8 would be the budding love between Squall Lionheart and Rinoa Heartly . Other plot-tangents and themes abound : rivalry , war , dark sorcery , time compression , abandonment issues , the lust for power : but romance remains at its core . SquareSoft has done a fine job with this theme , giving these two characters individual quirks and a powerful pathos that in the end brings a tear to the eye and a catch to the throat . The cold calculations of zeros and ones inspire actual human _ emotion _ , feeling beyond cerebral enjoyment . FF8 was a risk worth taking , and a risk that succeeds .
The good :
1 . The Graphics - The visuals of Final Fantasy 8 are , in a word , stunning . The gorgeous FMV sequences pushed the PSX to the limits of its capability , and though the in-game graphics may suffer in comparison , they are quite good in themselves , thanks in large part to the design ( see below ) .
2 . The Music - In my opinion , Nobuo Uematsu's finest and most inspired work yet . The location songs are subtle and beautiful , such as the melancholic chimes of balamb garden , the resonating ` Blue Fields ' overworld theme , and the acoustic strumming that echoes and shimmers through a seaside town . The opera strains of ` Liberi Fatali ' and ` Fithos ' give import to characters and theme , and the orchestration of the Ending Theme is truly magnificent .
3 . The Design - Fantastic . From the clean , futuristic architecture of balamb garden , the engrossingly melodramatic summons , and the cool character renditions ( such as Squall's cyberpunk gunslinger look ) , this is the finest design output from SquareSoft yet .
The flawed :
1 . Lack of Character Development - Unfortunately , the emphasis on Squall and Rinoa leaves the other characters out in the cold . Irvine , Selphie and Quistis receive no further development past the first disc , making each a bland cipher , with nothing to differentiate between them other than limit-break status . A shame , really , for it would not have been all that difficult to include sidequests / situations in order to booster their importance as done in ff7 / ff6 .
2 . Ambiguous Plot / Ambiguous Villain - The plot gets rather slow in the third disc , the conflict ambiguous at best , thus , the tension lost . This is due in part to the lack of a concrete villain . Kefka ( ff6 ) and Sepheroth ( ff7 ) were great villains because , through repeated interaction , they grew into a monstrous status , deserving to be dispatched by the end . The Edea / Adel / Ultimecia quandary is a shadowy threat , and the weak link to an otherwise strong storyline . However , the last battle is an incredible experience , well worth the overall effort .
3 . Linear Play - This is standard in any FF game , and only becomes an annoyance in replay . Not as bad as ff9 , either .
4 . Battle System - The draw / summon system has received its share of praise and criticism . I agree with the latter , finding it tedious and boring . Funny thing is , you don't have to use it - - one can just limit-break their way to victory . But by any method you choose , FF8 is a very easy game , though the standard plot convolutions guarantee 30 + hours of playtime .
Despite these flaws , I cannot give Final Fantasy 8 less than five stars because 1 ) it pushes the envelope , a good thing in any form of media , and 2 ) I enjoyed playing the entire game two times over . FF8 is a worthy addition to the Final Fantasy library . . . bring on FF10 !
082 4 I am a hardcore Final Fantasy gamer . I personaly loved the grapics . In other FF games the charcters were shot and disfiguared . I also loved the CG's and the FM。's .
I realy have to talk about the junction command . when first start the game the junctioning is hard , BUT it gets easier as you go along . THIS WILL BE THE HARDEST GAME EVER WITHOUT IT ! !
Enough rambling , I'll cut to the chase . Grapics : * * * * * Sound : * * * * * ( I loved Eyes on Me ) Control : * * * * * Replay Value : * * * * * And Last But deffinatly Not Least ; Story : * * * * *
083 4 People who played this game either loved it or hated it . People give up on this one too much , and the end is the best part . This is my personal favorite in the series ( although I just started 9 . . . ) . I like the futuristic theme to it , and I like having to think about what's going on instead of just taking what is said and leaving it at that . I like the story very much , and I was amazed at the ending . This is one of the best games I have ever played ( my all-time favorite either Xenogears or Final Fantasy Tactics ) . I liked the direction they were going in , but it's obvious that many people don't . The only suggestion I can make is that you rent it . . . . If you like what you play when you have it rented , chances are you'll like all of it . . . . . just DON'T GIVE UP in the middle of the game ! This game is more sci-fi than any other FF games , and less fantasy . It is also very emotionally heavy . If it sounds like something you would like , then by all means rent it . It's one of the best rpg's out there today , and very original .
085 4 Once again Squaresoft has created a game of epic proportions . I have been an avid Final Fantasy player from the beginning of its playstation release , and this by far is the best game graphics wise . No longer are the charactets tiny polygonal people . The plot , like FF7 , is full of twists and turns , and MANY suprises . Also , gameplay and cutscenes are smartly combined to form a stunning masterpiece . Buy this game now !
086 4 Just when you think it can't get any better . . . Square soft realeses this . With arguably the best story ( A STORY ? ! ? YAY ! ) ever in a game , and in most movies unfotrunately , FF8 takes the series to new heights . Magic Points ( MPs ) are history now , with a mere number taking the place of how many times you can cast spells . This added to the necessity of having GFs ( Guardian Forces ; you'll figure it out . ) in order to perform magic , Money is automatically given to you , you have to MAKE your weapons from enemy monster body parts ( no entrails , please ) and the story ( there it is again ) along with the huge cast , make this a must-buy . The characters grow on you to the point of you throwing down your controller and screaming at the T.V . , KISS HER , YOU IDIOT ! . Get this game or I will come to your house and make fun of you . Ok , maybe I won't do THAT . : - )
087 4 So some of you might not think the game so cool but I like it alot . I remember buying it on a friday night , I wasn't a big fan of video games or anything , I never finished a game before this one . When I came home that night , I placed the discs near my dusty old game system ( playstation - - as I said I wasn't into gaming business before - - ) and I waited until the next evening to try it . When I saw the beginning movie I went like this - - - - - - - - - - ( * o * ) and the look on my face when I finished the game was even wilder . The graphics , the movies , the story . . . . everything was amazing . So cool . It's even the first game that I finished without any help ( so I did finish my brother's Zelda64 once , but I made my brother fight a couple of bosses , finish a couple of stages - - - so I lack gaming skills ) . But Final Fantasy VIII is so special . Now I'm on the look out for the next squaresoft release . I actually stand in the shop with a baseball glove awaiting to catch the next game .
088 4 I bought this game thinking that it was going to be the best game ever . Gone are the cartoon and deformed bodys of Cloud and co . and with new graphics which are absolutly amazing , but really it's just characters moving on an oil painting background . I'd seen screenshots and heard various new systems and controls about the game and differences from it's predecesor . The graphics are fantastic , gameplay exceptional and the storyline is also quite good . The addition of renting a car along with the staying in hotels are present and give the game a realistic feel . You can pick up various magazines around the world with different info in them . The game is a worthy challenge for any gamer and there are plenty of secrets to uncover and GF's to find aswell as non-ability GF's and cards to collect . There are plenty of hard bosses including the formidable Ultima and Omega weapons , the latter providing an exceptionally hard challenge indeed . The story is spread over four discs and you get sucked in and addicted easily . It is a fantastic effort by Squaresoft . You've probably by now heard all the great stuff about the game from other reviewers . However , I , and some of my mates , feel that this game dosn't have the same atmosphere as Final Fantasy VII . First of all , there are only six characters and all are met in the first disc which takes away the oppurtunity to explore and discover secret characters ( like Yuffie Vincent in FFVII ) . Also , all the characters are humans whereas in FFVII you had a dog , a mog and other characters who all had different backgrounds unlike the characters in FFVIII who are all SeeD's , except Rinoa . Some might say that the draw system is better and in a way it is , as is junctioning magic . However , you don't manage to pick up new abilities like you did with the materia such as final attack and mime etc . FFVII drew me in more and I was more tempted to play it that with this one . The atmosphere of Wutai , the slums , the forgotten city , Cosmo Canyon and the Icicle area are gone and you have to deal with second rate places such as Shumi Village and Edea's house . Esthar , Deling , Dollet and Balamb keep the interesting adventure feel up for a while but Timber , Winhill and the previously mentioned places let the side down . Midgar was massive . You spent about 2 - 4 hours in there at the start of FFVII yet you most you really need to spend in anyone place in this game is about an hour . There is no new armour to buy or any accessories to obtain in crates hidden in caves and the sub quests are very little rewarding . There is no more raising , breeding and racing the chocobos . The card game is an excellent and well thought up addition but there are no other sub games such as bike chases and snow boarding . Overall , this game is one of the best games ever . I suppose it's just a matter of opinion . Some people will prefer FFVII and some will prefer FFVIII . I have given this title 5 stars but it's more of a case of FFVII getting 5 stars and FFVIII getting 4.7 stars . Compared to the rest of the video games out there , this just blows away the competiton . But I don't think that the gameplay is quite up to the standard of Final Fantasy VII . Fans'll love it though .
089 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I just skimmed through some of the many reviews of this game , and most people seem to agree on a few points at least , namely that the graphics and soundtrack are excellent , and while some didn't think the story lived up to the standard set by FF7 , most seemed to find it worthwhile . I agree . Enough said .
Now for the points of contention . Some felt that the system of drawing magic and using Guardian Forces to be tedious . Yes , at times , it is tedious , but I found it no more so than the usual random battles of RPGs that are usually necessary in order to level up . At least it was something different , something a bit unique that I'd never seen done before . I think it could have been made better if characters had been able to draw more units of magic per round - - in the double digits , perhaps . But honestly , I didn't mind it as much as some did . I was very interested in Squall and the other characters just for themselves , and the mysterious hints in the flashback sequences as to the relationships among Squall , Rinoa , Laguna , Raine , and Julia made it even more intriguing . I have a degree in literature , and I never expect this type of subtlety and development in the story presented in a mere video game . It was beautifully done .
The one thing I truly didn't like was the SeeD exams . Ugh ! This isn't school . . . who wants to take a bunch of true / false tests ? However , the strategy guide I used gave the answers to these tests , and I'm sure the answers are also available on the web for those who dislike the mix of academia and gaming as much as I do .
Finally , many people seemed to find the mini-games in FF8 somewhat disappointing compared to the chocobo racing and snowboarding of FF7 . Personally , I loved the card game so much that I even went out and collected the entire set of the real-life counterparts published by Bandai in Japan . Sometimes I load a saved game just to have the pleasure of playing cards . The card game , along with the SeeD tests , make FF8 more intellectually challenging than FF7 . It's not just about coordination and reflexes ( which aren't my gaming strengths ) , and I can see how that would be less appealing to some people .
If , based on my review and the reviews of others , you don't think FF8 is completely your bag , but you'd like to experience it for its good qualities , then I suggest you get a GameShark and make good use of the cheat codes out there . You can relish the story , the music , and the graphics while skipping all of the tedious stuff , and I think it would be worth your money to do so .
090 4 I just skimmed through some of the many reviews of this game , and most people seem to agree on a few points at least , namely that the graphics and soundtrack are excellent , and while some didn't think the story lived up to the standard set by FF7 , most seemed to find it worthwhile . I agree . Enough said .
Now for the points of contention . Some felt that the system of drawing magic and using Guardian Forces to be tedious . Yes , at times , it is tedious , but I found it no more so than the usual random battles of RPGs that are usually necessary in order to level up . At least it was something different , something a bit unique that I'd never seen done before . I think it could have been made better if characters had been able to draw more units of magic per round - - in the double digits , perhaps . But honestly , I didn't mind it as much as some did . I was very interested in Squall and the other characters just for themselves , and the mysterious hints in the flashback sequences as to the relationships among Squall , Rinoa , Laguna , Raine , and Julia made it even more intriguing . I have a degree in literature , and I never expect this type of subtlety and development in the story presented in a mere video game . It was beautifully done .
The one thing I truly didn't like was the SeeD exams . Ugh ! This isn't school . . . who wants to take a bunch of true / false tests ? However , the strategy guide I used gave the answers to these tests , and I'm sure the answers are also available on the web for those who dislike the mix of academia and gaming as much as I do .
Finally , many people seemed to find the mini-games in FF8 somewhat disappointing compared to the chocobo racing and snowboarding of FF7 . Personally , I loved the card game so much that I even went out and collected the entire set of the real-life counterparts published by Bandai in Japan . Sometimes I load a saved game just to have the pleasure of playing cards . The card game , along with the SeeD tests , make FF8 more intellectually challenging than FF7 . It's not just about coordination and reflexes ( which aren't my gaming strengths ) , and I can see how that would be less appealing to some people .
If , based on my review and the reviews of others , you don't think FF8 is completely your bag , but you'd like to experience it for its good qualities , then I suggest you get a GameShark and make good use of the cheat codes out there . You can relish the story , the music , and the graphics while skipping all of the tedious stuff , and I think it would be worth your money to do so .
091 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Alright , if you're reading this review , you're probably considering buying the game . Actually , you're probably like me and ALREADY bought the game and are just seeing what other people thought of it . I don't really care . Just so long as you're reading . The fact is , a lot of people have played and reviewed this game and most of them fall into one of four catagories - 1 ) People who say they have played every FF out there and that this is the absolute best 2 ) People who say they have played every FF out there and that this is the absolute worst 3 ) People who say this game stinks because you can't move your people at all in the fights 4 ) People who can't get over how good the graphics are
The truth is , none of these people are entirely right . You just can't look at it as being simply better or worse than FF3 ( US ) or FF7 .
Let's start with the graphics and sound . Easy here - technology evolves , graphics improve . It's a natural process . As for sound , this is the first FF to have some recorded music in it as opposed to synthesized . Technology on the up again . But with great power comes even greater responsibility - now Square has the obligation to create mood . There is a definite mood to this game - its just not as romantic as it set out to be . Its also more decidedly upbeat ( everyone is your friend ) than FF3 or FF7 ' s . As for the two main songs , Fithos Lusec and Eyes On Me , they fit in great , but much the rest of the soundtrack doesn't compare to 3 or 7 ' s .
As for plot , first let me start out by saying how glad I am that for once I get to be on the side of a large organization instead of working against it . I'm also glad for more focus on relationships . And actually planning some kidnappings and assassinations is cool . But it all comes off sort of uneven in the end . At Disc 3 , the plot turns around and a new villian come into play out of nowhere . That's not a plot twist - that's deux ex machina , sort of . There is no strong villian character present throughout , and you never get to confront the real villian until the last fight .
As for characters , FF3 had the best characters ever and Square will never top that . Sorry . But this game has some pretty good ones , too . They always are . Zell is the best this time around . But for some reason you won't get to name a lot of ' em . . .
One more thing done right - the card games . Finally - something worth collecting in a game . A far cry from Zelda64 ' s worthless Skulltulla tokens .
Anyway , the bottom line - its a good game . All Final Fantasys ( - ies ? ) are . It's definitely worth a play . But still , I'd reccommend buying FF7 and even Anthology ( FF III - well , VI in Anthology and in Japan - is my personal favorite FF ever ) first . But you don't care , because you already bought this game , didn't you ?
092 4 Alright , if you're reading this review , you're probably considering buying the game . Actually , you're probably like me and ALREADY bought the game and are just seeing what other people thought of it . I don't really care . Just so long as you're reading . The fact is , a lot of people have played and reviewed this game and most of them fall into one of four catagories - 1 ) People who say they have played every FF out there and that this is the absolute best 2 ) People who say they have played every FF out there and that this is the absolute worst 3 ) People who say this game stinks because you can't move your people at all in the fights 4 ) People who can't get over how good the graphics are
The truth is , none of these people are entirely right . You just can't look at it as being simply better or worse than FF3 ( US ) or FF7 .
Let's start with the graphics and sound . Easy here - technology evolves , graphics improve . It's a natural process . As for sound , this is the first FF to have some recorded music in it as opposed to synthesized . Technology on the up again . But with great power comes even greater responsibility - now Square has the obligation to create mood . There is a definite mood to this game - its just not as romantic as it set out to be . Its also more decidedly upbeat ( everyone is your friend ) than FF3 or FF7 ' s . As for the two main songs , Fithos Lusec and Eyes On Me , they fit in great , but much the rest of the soundtrack doesn't compare to 3 or 7 ' s .
As for plot , first let me start out by saying how glad I am that for once I get to be on the side of a large organization instead of working against it . I'm also glad for more focus on relationships . And actually planning some kidnappings and assassinations is cool . But it all comes off sort of uneven in the end . At Disc 3 , the plot turns around and a new villian come into play out of nowhere . That's not a plot twist - that's deux ex machina , sort of . There is no strong villian character present throughout , and you never get to confront the real villian until the last fight .
As for characters , FF3 had the best characters ever and Square will never top that . Sorry . But this game has some pretty good ones , too . They always are . Zell is the best this time around . But for some reason you won't get to name a lot of ' em . . .
One more thing done right - the card games . Finally - something worth collecting in a game . A far cry from Zelda64 ' s worthless Skulltulla tokens .
Anyway , the bottom line - its a good game . All Final Fantasys ( - ies ? ) are . It's definitely worth a play . But still , I'd reccommend buying FF7 and even Anthology ( FF III - well , VI in Anthology and in Japan - is my personal favorite FF ever ) first . But you don't care , because you already bought this game , didn't you ?
093 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Another great RPG from the RPG king-Squaresoft . Final Fantasy VIII follows a tradition of great role-playing games , and in its very own way , stands out from the rest .
Pros : Very good characters Music and graphics are Hollywood quality A great story
Cons : Nothing
I highly recommend any RPG fan to get this game , and I'm sure most of them already did .
094 4 Another great RPG from the RPG king-Squaresoft . Final Fantasy VIII follows a tradition of great role-playing games , and in its very own way , stands out from the rest .
Pros : Very good characters Music and graphics are Hollywood quality A great story
Cons : Nothing
I highly recommend any RPG fan to get this game , and I'm sure most of them already did .
095 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Man , this game is the bomb ! I love it and I couldn't stop playing it . This is one of the BEST games Square has ever made . All the characters ' animation has really improved since the Final Fantasy VII . Squaure has really outdone themselves in graphic this time . I really recommend you buying it . It's worth every single penny I paid for .
097 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I am called a Final Fantasy virgin by my friends , who introduced me to the series , because I started with FFVIII before ever having played any FF games before . I was completely amazedby this game . The graphics are breath-taking and the storyline is so gripping you can't stop playing the game because you can't wait to see what happens next . While watching the ending , after beating the game , I was in tears . When a game grabs a hold of your soul and you feel you know the characters and endure all of their hardships , that is the sign of a very awesome game . My friend , who is a FF vetern , told me that I was spoiled and was introduced to the human-like features the characters have , which is the first time Squaresoft didn't use Japanimation , which I discovered was used in FF7 , which I just purchased , and all the other FF games . Even after beating this game , I can barely keep myself from trying it again . Also the music is awesome , I have mp3s of all the music from this game . They're genuine masterpieces . And for all you girl gamers out there , the guys in this game a really cute . Even if they are computer generated . But my point is , this game is wonderful for anyone , the story and characters and take even the toughest guy and he'll be crying at the end of this game . The story is so powerful . And not just the end but the game play itself can leave you on the edge of your seat , in tears , or even in a daze . I have a limit of 1,000 words , but I have not even begun to describe this wonderful game and I can never thank my friends enough for introducing me to it .
098 4 I am called a Final Fantasy virgin by my friends , who introduced me to the series , because I started with FFVIII before ever having played any FF games before . I was completely amazedby this game . The graphics are breath-taking and the storyline is so gripping you can't stop playing the game because you can't wait to see what happens next . While watching the ending , after beating the game , I was in tears . When a game grabs a hold of your soul and you feel you know the characters and endure all of their hardships , that is the sign of a very awesome game . My friend , who is a FF vetern , told me that I was spoiled and was introduced to the human-like features the characters have , which is the first time Squaresoft didn't use Japanimation , which I discovered was used in FF7 , which I just purchased , and all the other FF games . Even after beating this game , I can barely keep myself from trying it again . Also the music is awesome , I have mp3s of all the music from this game . They're genuine masterpieces . And for all you girl gamers out there , the guys in this game a really cute . Even if they are computer generated . But my point is , this game is wonderful for anyone , the story and characters and take even the toughest guy and he'll be crying at the end of this game . The story is so powerful . And not just the end but the game play itself can leave you on the edge of your seat , in tears , or even in a daze . I have a limit of 1,000 words , but I have not even begun to describe this wonderful game and I can never thank my friends enough for introducing me to it .
099 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy VIII is an Role Playing Game . Final Fantasy8 has great little mini movies and great graphics . The backround scenery are super graphics which are very great graphics . The gameplay is like Pokémon but much more complicated . It has an OK storyline but not as good as Final Fantasy 7 . It has some swear words in it so its not for little kids . You can get this for Playstation or computer and no matter what kind of gamer are you should have Final Fantasy 8 .
101 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy VIII is an awesome game that has four discs of action and adventure . This game is like a movie complete with an exelent storyline . In some parts it switches between video and RPG without me hardly noticing . Exelent graphics , storyline , and Improved battle mode from Final Fantasy VII , Final Fantasy VIII gets 5 stars , My favorite game of the year !
103 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
FF8 is a real cool game i liked it . i don't like rpg's that much but i liked FF8 . the only bad thing is it gets confusing at some parts in the game , but except for that it is a blast ! with great graphics and a pretty good plot . so i give this game a 4 , if you dont like rpg's give this game a try .
104 4 FF8 is a real cool game i liked it . i don't like rpg's that much but i liked FF8 . the only bad thing is it gets confusing at some parts in the game , but except for that it is a blast ! with great graphics and a pretty good plot . so i give this game a 4 , if you dont like rpg's give this game a try .
105 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Looking up from my joypad I saw the time was 2 : 00 am.Time for bed , I thought to myself , just another 5 minutes play.The next time I peeled my eyes from the screen the clock showed as 3 : 00 am . Oh well I thought just another 5 minutes . That is how addictive this game is.If the player spends the first frustrating half hour of this game patiently working out its complex ( yet eventually simple ) game system they will find themselves as helplessly hooked as I . The game unfolds like a story in a book rather than a game , following the SeeD , Squall leonhart and co through adventures in battle , love , time and space . The game improves both in its graphics and story over its predecesors as well as its new command system ( the junction system ) . The junction system may prove dificult at first , however once mastered you will wonder how it could have ever caused you a problem . The guarian forces ( creatures you summon ) will cause graphical explosions the like which have not been seen outside big budget Hollywood movies . The game characters themselves will also evoke emmosions that you thought you could never feel for a video game character . In all tihs game will keep you up all night with its storyline , will cause your jaw to drop with its graphical effects and will cause tears to roll down your cheeks as you watch and co's lives unfold in front of you . P.S . It'll also leave your life feeling empty when you eventually finish it ( It took me 99 hours ) so much that you will have to do it all again
107 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
i'll make this short , FFVIII is a great game . I'v read some of the reviews about people saying FFVIII Is not a ture Final Fantasy game.Well , I Agree But sometimes its better to get away from all of the mid-evil stuff and get into more futureistic setting . Buy this game now , but buy FFVII first , sorry this went on longer than i said .
108 4 i'll make this short , FFVIII is a great game . I'v read some of the reviews about people saying FFVIII Is not a ture Final Fantasy game.Well , I Agree But sometimes its better to get away from all of the mid-evil stuff and get into more futureistic setting . Buy this game now , but buy FFVII first , sorry this went on longer than i said .
109 4 I own final fantasy 1,2,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,10 - 2 , and tactics and i have to say that FF8 is my favorite one because i love the stroy ( dont know why others hate it i think it was magnificent ) , the Charicters and The battles were amazing.when i finally complted my collection i was going to play them in order ( tactics would be last ) after beating 1,2,4 i was so exited to get to 8 i skipped 5,6,7 and played 8 ( after beating 8 i continued playing in order . Ok back to the game its awsome great music , story , charicters , battles i highly recomand this game to all who play video games ! P.S i am on 7 in my qiust to beat all FF's in order Final Fantasy 8 rocks !
110 4 And , unfortunately , those words have rarely been more true than with this game . While the graphics are incredible , the music good , and the story - on the surface - interesting , the game suffers from a few weak points .
Primarily , the three lead characters ( all of whom are playable , if only for a brief time ) are insufferably annoying . One of them is desperately in need of heavy-duty therapy ( or just pulling his head out of his self-pity ) , his rival ( only playable for a short time ) is arrogant , and their shared love interest , while at first just a little ditzy , is definitely not a very nice person , when you stop and think about what she does in the game .
As a secondary concern , having played all the FF games , I have to say that this is not the best story of the bunch . Or the best game , for that matter . SquareSoft would have been * much * better off focusing on their ' save the world ' plot in FF8 , rather than the love story ( which would have been better used in FF7 , frankly ) . For a better example of a good SquareSoft game , go for FF9 , or even FFX . Both of which feature a focal love story that's actually fairly well done , as well as the more standard ' save the world ' plot Final Fantasy is known for .
111 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Ok , first of all , I want everyone out there to know that I have FF Anthology , and I have FF7 . FF8should not be compared to FF7 . They are two different games , with two completely different types of plot . First of all , The theme of FF7 ' s plot is life , while FF8 focuses on love . so , whereas FF7 would revolve around all of the characters lives , and pasts , FF8 revolves around 2 people , who are in love . Their storylines just cannot be compared . Both are great . Also , I'm not sure if any of you out there have noticed , but Square has not kept the magic , and summons system the same for any games . Every one is original . I personally like the materia system , but thats just me . The junctioning system I think is is better in terms of the way you raise stats . Also , the GF's are awesome . plain and symple . If you take traits from FF3 ' s espers , and FF7 ' s summons , you get Gf's . a lot of people have complained about the storyline in FF8 , mainly , that it is two boring , and that FF7 ' s was much better . Well FF7 was a much darker game . People died , and Sephiroth , ( who , by the way , is probably the coolest video game , or even movie bad guy ever ) is trying to take over the world . In FF8 , There is the mystery of Laguna , Kiros , and Ward , the relationship between Ellone , and Squall , the background of the three sorceresses , and the love between Rinoa and Squall . They are both intriguing and interesting , with FF7 ' s just being the more dark of the two . Also , the music in FF7 and 8 is incredible . The score in both ranges from stirring melodies , to heart-pounding marches , to sweet , sad symphonies . I'm not embarrassed to say that I felt tears coming in parts of FF7 and 8 . I have the soundtrack for both . Another main difference between FF7 and 8 are the other characters . In FF7 , each character , ( including Yuffie and Vincent ) had their own little part of the story , giving you a feel for what the characters are like , and where they come from . In FF8 , there is less of that , but you no less are drawn to the characters by their actions , emotions and thoughts . In short , FF7 is more direct , while FF8 is more subtle . I think the last real main difference between 7 and 8 are the mini games . In FF7 , there were many mini games , especially at the gold saucer . much more than in FF8 . However , FF8 mini game , the triple triad card game , is fun , addicting , and can be played at any time . the game is cleverly woven throughout the game , making for a much deeper and involved mini game . The graphics are better in FF8 , there is no doubt . the FMV is incredible , beautiful , and helps the story immensely . However , the graphics for FF7 are no slouch . the lush backgrounds , and flashy magic is still there . At any rate , the graphics don't make the game .
The bottom line , is that FF8 cannot be compared to FF7 , or 6,5 , or any of them . In my personal opinion , 7 and 8 are the best of the bunch , with 6 a very VERY close second . Both FF7 and 8 are classics , greaat games , and are redifining the RPG genre . They both are incredible games , each with their own story , graphics , music , magic system , and charm . The final word : just stop nit picking , and enjoy both games .
112 4 Ok , first of all , I want everyone out there to know that I have FF Anthology , and I have FF7 . FF8should not be compared to FF7 . They are two different games , with two completely different types of plot . First of all , The theme of FF7 ' s plot is life , while FF8 focuses on love . so , whereas FF7 would revolve around all of the characters lives , and pasts , FF8 revolves around 2 people , who are in love . Their storylines just cannot be compared . Both are great . Also , I'm not sure if any of you out there have noticed , but Square has not kept the magic , and summons system the same for any games . Every one is original . I personally like the materia system , but thats just me . The junctioning system I think is is better in terms of the way you raise stats . Also , the GF's are awesome . plain and symple . If you take traits from FF3 ' s espers , and FF7 ' s summons , you get Gf's . a lot of people have complained about the storyline in FF8 , mainly , that it is two boring , and that FF7 ' s was much better . Well FF7 was a much darker game . People died , and Sephiroth , ( who , by the way , is probably the coolest video game , or even movie bad guy ever ) is trying to take over the world . In FF8 , There is the mystery of Laguna , Kiros , and Ward , the relationship between Ellone , and Squall , the background of the three sorceresses , and the love between Rinoa and Squall . They are both intriguing and interesting , with FF7 ' s just being the more dark of the two . Also , the music in FF7 and 8 is incredible . The score in both ranges from stirring melodies , to heart-pounding marches , to sweet , sad symphonies . I'm not embarrassed to say that I felt tears coming in parts of FF7 and 8 . I have the soundtrack for both . Another main difference between FF7 and 8 are the other characters . In FF7 , each character , ( including Yuffie and Vincent ) had their own little part of the story , giving you a feel for what the characters are like , and where they come from . In FF8 , there is less of that , but you no less are drawn to the characters by their actions , emotions and thoughts . In short , FF7 is more direct , while FF8 is more subtle . I think the last real main difference between 7 and 8 are the mini games . In FF7 , there were many mini games , especially at the gold saucer . much more than in FF8 . However , FF8 mini game , the triple triad card game , is fun , addicting , and can be played at any time . the game is cleverly woven throughout the game , making for a much deeper and involved mini game . The graphics are better in FF8 , there is no doubt . the FMV is incredible , beautiful , and helps the story immensely . However , the graphics for FF7 are no slouch . the lush backgrounds , and flashy magic is still there . At any rate , the graphics don't make the game .
The bottom line , is that FF8 cannot be compared to FF7 , or 6,5 , or any of them . In my personal opinion , 7 and 8 are the best of the bunch , with 6 a very VERY close second . Both FF7 and 8 are classics , greaat games , and are redifining the RPG genre . They both are incredible games , each with their own story , graphics , music , magic system , and charm . The final word : just stop nit picking , and enjoy both games .
113 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
All I have to say is I LOVE IT . & quot
117 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Having played and enjoyed FFVII tremedously , I was waiting quite impatiently for this one to come out . I wasn't disappointed . FFVIII beats every game I have ever played in terms of CGI scenes and overall graphics . The intro and ballroom dance scene , in particular , are spectacular . It's nice to see normal looking characters for a change . I'd rate the new draw and junction system as better than the materia / mp system . It does take a little getting used to , though . A drawback to the new system is the heavy reliance on GF's , especially early in the game . I'd rather more magic and weapon usefulness in battle . The plot is as good as any RPG ( they are just video games , not movies ) . And the music is good , not too repititive or annoying . Overall , this is an excellent game and I still enjoy playing it .
118 4 Having played and enjoyed FFVII tremedously , I was waiting quite impatiently for this one to come out . I wasn't disappointed . FFVIII beats every game I have ever played in terms of CGI scenes and overall graphics . The intro and ballroom dance scene , in particular , are spectacular . It's nice to see normal looking characters for a change . I'd rate the new draw and junction system as better than the materia / mp system . It does take a little getting used to , though . A drawback to the new system is the heavy reliance on GF's , especially early in the game . I'd rather more magic and weapon usefulness in battle . The plot is as good as any RPG ( they are just video games , not movies ) . And the music is good , not too repititive or annoying . Overall , this is an excellent game and I still enjoy playing it .
119 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
After reading countless reviews and talking to many other FF fans in person at conventions and all , I feel compelled to say this first .
To those who write off this game to worship Final Fantasy VII , as sad as it is to say , FF7 was more of a disappointment ( OMG ! ! I must be a heathen in the world of FF Fans ) . While FF7 did bring about an interesting story with one of the most bad ass villains ever known , I can't understand why there was and still is so much hype that there is . The music wasn't anything special to me , and many of the playable characters seemed . . . well , boring . Clouds amnesia and mistaken identity was about the only real interesting thing about any of the playable characters . Also , there was only a two year difference in the games , yet why was FF7 ' s so cheesy ? But I will admit , it was a complete revelation in the franchise and managed to provide unforgettable twists in the story that many FF fans will forever remember .
Now on to what I have to say about this game . Personally , this is by far my favorite Final Fantasy title . Saying this though , I can see why others might have disliked it , I do feel it is simply a matter os perspective and in many ways , Final Fantasy VIII was a revelation in its own rights .
First of all , I can understand the complains with the characters . I myself was surprised at first of how much of a dick the main character was . Yet at the same time , part of me was relieved to take a break from the typical character that was designed so every player can like him . Squall on the other hand , was seemed to be designed for the very purpose for everyone to DISLIKE him , be it the characters in the game of the players themselves . Interesting , and a bit refreshing , though sometimes annoying to play as he was so incredibly rude . The rest of the characters were interesting in many ways in their own respect : Quistis struggling to maintain her professionalism as well as sorting out her feelings about some of the others ; Zell and his need to be approved of ( which many teenagers can relate to ) ; Selphie , who plays the upbeat and loveable character ( Yuffie and Rikku anyone ? ) who can be disturbingly violent ( and scary ) at times ; Irvine , the cocky and flirtatious sharpshooter who has problems with pressure ( another imperfect character that is easy to relate to ) ; Edea ( in my opinion , on the the most wonderful villains in the series ) , an evil sorceress that brings a mysticism that is hard to put a label on and that I feel too many villains lack ; And Seifer , a rival that is exactly similar and opposite to Squall himself in personality and even appearance .
As for Squall himself , I had a lot of trouble liking him at first , but the more you play through the game , the more his character gradually evolves into a more likable character . Also , learning about his history , you can kind of understand his reasons for being guarded , and you realize that there is a bit more to him than being a self centered ass ( though for some reason many people can ONLY see him as such ( do they even pay attention to the characters ? ) ) . And ahh yes , alas there is Rinoa , the heroin who captures the heart of our protagonist and players . She herself has a few surprising twists in the story and her relationship with Squall is something that can only be described as fate as it nearly picks up where their parents left off ( opps , did I say too much ? ) .
Filled with rich and interesting characters , some of whom purposely break free of some FF stereo types , the story itself is wonderfully character driven . Placing us in an environment that seems ancient yet futuristic , it takes us back to the fantasies of witches and sorcery which we feared and loved as children . The music is probably the best I've heard in the series , even shadowing that of FF7 with it's opening of Liberi Fatale , the first ever FF song with lyrics that is non-MIDI , providing a dark and dramatic setting , and also providing us with the love theme Eyes on Me which was second only to Suteki Da Ne . Nobuo Uematsu was simply flawless at instilling the feelings of dark mysticism and anxiety in the presence of Sorceress Edea or the calm and subtle moments shared with party members / friends . Well done ! !
Now , for the game play . . . I have to say it was far from perfect . The Junction System was hard to figure out at first , but once you actually get a grasp of it , it's pretty simple . Though it felt odd at first , it was kind of interesting battle system that doesn't rely on MP , but the JS and seeking spells from enemies ( instead of typically handing them to you on a silver platter by achieving them at some point in the game ) . Kind of puts some strategy in . It was a bit annoying at times how reliant you are on Juncioning with the Guardian Forces , but this also is meant to incorporate more strategy as you must be careful when using GFs , cause if they get knocked out , you could be in serious trouble . Interesting how it encourages yet discouraged GF use . Also the amount of random encounters can be enough to make me rip my hair out at times . Also , the parts as Laguna , Ward , and Kiros was wonderful as it providing you with new and interesting characters and providing you with priceless information of the story's background , but it was kind of annoying at how randomly you would play as them in the game , especially when something interesting is going on with the others .
Speeding up a bit now cause I know I've been writing too much , I have to agree that the ultimate villain of the game , Ultimecia was kind of a let down ( Edea was soo much more bad ass ) . But at least it didn't revert to some of the more stereotypical versions , some former hero or knight turned bad ( no to offense Sephiroth and Garland ) as one of the themes of the game is the Succession of Witches . The games cinematic were the best they have ever been which weren't outdone until FFX which were always a joy to watch .
Ultimately you'll either love or hate this game , and even more ironically , FF veterans are more likely to hate it as it tends to break away from some of the classic settings and traditions that the series has become known for . Unlike many FF's , this game is very character driven instead of relying on situation . To enjoy this game , it would be best to look past those differences and enjoy it for what it is , not hate it for what FF7 was . Then again , maybe I'm just a black sheep of FF fans as I personally didn't love FF7 as so many do . Anyways , I love this game as it provides a new and rich feel to the Final Fantasy Franchise . If you've actually bothered reading this review all he way through , I thank you for reading all of this and am sorry for writing too much . I welcome and comments be them agreements or criticism .
120 4 After reading countless reviews and talking to many other FF fans in person at conventions and all , I feel compelled to say this first .
To those who write off this game to worship Final Fantasy VII , as sad as it is to say , FF7 was more of a disappointment ( OMG ! ! I must be a heathen in the world of FF Fans ) . While FF7 did bring about an interesting story with one of the most bad ass villains ever known , I can't understand why there was and still is so much hype that there is . The music wasn't anything special to me , and many of the playable characters seemed . . . well , boring . Clouds amnesia and mistaken identity was about the only real interesting thing about any of the playable characters . Also , there was only a two year difference in the games , yet why was FF7 ' s so cheesy ? But I will admit , it was a complete revelation in the franchise and managed to provide unforgettable twists in the story that many FF fans will forever remember .
Now on to what I have to say about this game . Personally , this is by far my favorite Final Fantasy title . Saying this though , I can see why others might have disliked it , I do feel it is simply a matter os perspective and in many ways , Final Fantasy VIII was a revelation in its own rights .
First of all , I can understand the complains with the characters . I myself was surprised at first of how much of a dick the main character was . Yet at the same time , part of me was relieved to take a break from the typical character that was designed so every player can like him . Squall on the other hand , was seemed to be designed for the very purpose for everyone to DISLIKE him , be it the characters in the game of the players themselves . Interesting , and a bit refreshing , though sometimes annoying to play as he was so incredibly rude . The rest of the characters were interesting in many ways in their own respect : Quistis struggling to maintain her professionalism as well as sorting out her feelings about some of the others ; Zell and his need to be approved of ( which many teenagers can relate to ) ; Selphie , who plays the upbeat and loveable character ( Yuffie and Rikku anyone ? ) who can be disturbingly violent ( and scary ) at times ; Irvine , the cocky and flirtatious sharpshooter who has problems with pressure ( another imperfect character that is easy to relate to ) ; Edea ( in my opinion , on the the most wonderful villains in the series ) , an evil sorceress that brings a mysticism that is hard to put a label on and that I feel too many villains lack ; And Seifer , a rival that is exactly similar and opposite to Squall himself in personality and even appearance .
As for Squall himself , I had a lot of trouble liking him at first , but the more you play through the game , the more his character gradually evolves into a more likable character . Also , learning about his history , you can kind of understand his reasons for being guarded , and you realize that there is a bit more to him than being a self centered ass ( though for some reason many people can ONLY see him as such ( do they even pay attention to the characters ? ) ) . And ahh yes , alas there is Rinoa , the heroin who captures the heart of our protagonist and players . She herself has a few surprising twists in the story and her relationship with Squall is something that can only be described as fate as it nearly picks up where their parents left off ( opps , did I say too much ? ) .
Filled with rich and interesting characters , some of whom purposely break free of some FF stereo types , the story itself is wonderfully character driven . Placing us in an environment that seems ancient yet futuristic , it takes us back to the fantasies of witches and sorcery which we feared and loved as children . The music is probably the best I've heard in the series , even shadowing that of FF7 with it's opening of Liberi Fatale , the first ever FF song with lyrics that is non-MIDI , providing a dark and dramatic setting , and also providing us with the love theme Eyes on Me which was second only to Suteki Da Ne . Nobuo Uematsu was simply flawless at instilling the feelings of dark mysticism and anxiety in the presence of Sorceress Edea or the calm and subtle moments shared with party members / friends . Well done ! !
Now , for the game play . . . I have to say it was far from perfect . The Junction System was hard to figure out at first , but once you actually get a grasp of it , it's pretty simple . Though it felt odd at first , it was kind of interesting battle system that doesn't rely on MP , but the JS and seeking spells from enemies ( instead of typically handing them to you on a silver platter by achieving them at some point in the game ) . Kind of puts some strategy in . It was a bit annoying at times how reliant you are on Juncioning with the Guardian Forces , but this also is meant to incorporate more strategy as you must be careful when using GFs , cause if they get knocked out , you could be in serious trouble . Interesting how it encourages yet discouraged GF use . Also the amount of random encounters can be enough to make me rip my hair out at times . Also , the parts as Laguna , Ward , and Kiros was wonderful as it providing you with new and interesting characters and providing you with priceless information of the story's background , but it was kind of annoying at how randomly you would play as them in the game , especially when something interesting is going on with the others .
Speeding up a bit now cause I know I've been writing too much , I have to agree that the ultimate villain of the game , Ultimecia was kind of a let down ( Edea was soo much more bad ass ) . But at least it didn't revert to some of the more stereotypical versions , some former hero or knight turned bad ( no to offense Sephiroth and Garland ) as one of the themes of the game is the Succession of Witches . The games cinematic were the best they have ever been which weren't outdone until FFX which were always a joy to watch .
Ultimately you'll either love or hate this game , and even more ironically , FF veterans are more likely to hate it as it tends to break away from some of the classic settings and traditions that the series has become known for . Unlike many FF's , this game is very character driven instead of relying on situation . To enjoy this game , it would be best to look past those differences and enjoy it for what it is , not hate it for what FF7 was . Then again , maybe I'm just a black sheep of FF fans as I personally didn't love FF7 as so many do . Anyways , I love this game as it provides a new and rich feel to the Final Fantasy Franchise . If you've actually bothered reading this review all he way through , I thank you for reading all of this and am sorry for writing too much . I welcome and comments be them agreements or criticism .
121 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This may be a bit late but I just felt like putting it up after replaying this game on my PS3 , the real reason most negative comments are from FF7 players is mainly because of things like the Junctioning system which takes some thinking to get it down the right way . When people say things like some parts are to hard or to easy it comes down to how smart you set up your junctioning system and alot of FF7 fanboys dont understand it and never use it throughout the whole game and rely on nothing but GFs to kill their enemies since they dont get they can Junction abilities to make Squall very powerfull and annilate enemies with a few hits , the game is actually very easy If you junction abilities the right way and you dont need money to progress really you get huge amounts of money you never use and really FF7 players dont understand the story either . . . lol I must admit its a bit complex but FF7 fans just say the story is horrible instead of figuring it out . I think FF7 players who really flame this game were hoping for something a little easier for them to understand and because they dont get all they do is just flame it.The story is actually quite beautiful away from the plot of Ultimicia . 5stars over all for the story . 4 stars for fun took one star out just because its sometimes hard to figure out your objective and spend time running back and forth from places if you arent listening to the dialogue it may take you awhile to figure out how to progress the story since nothing gives you hints on what to do .
By the way the game works perfect on the first PS3s released 40gigs and 60s I have no idea about the newer cheaper PS3s .
122 4 This may be a bit late but I just felt like putting it up after replaying this game on my PS3 , the real reason most negative comments are from FF7 players is mainly because of things like the Junctioning system which takes some thinking to get it down the right way . When people say things like some parts are to hard or to easy it comes down to how smart you set up your junctioning system and alot of FF7 fanboys dont understand it and never use it throughout the whole game and rely on nothing but GFs to kill their enemies since they dont get they can Junction abilities to make Squall very powerfull and annilate enemies with a few hits , the game is actually very easy If you junction abilities the right way and you dont need money to progress really you get huge amounts of money you never use and really FF7 players dont understand the story either . . . lol I must admit its a bit complex but FF7 fans just say the story is horrible instead of figuring it out . I think FF7 players who really flame this game were hoping for something a little easier for them to understand and because they dont get all they do is just flame it.The story is actually quite beautiful away from the plot of Ultimicia . 5stars over all for the story . 4 stars for fun took one star out just because its sometimes hard to figure out your objective and spend time running back and forth from places if you arent listening to the dialogue it may take you awhile to figure out how to progress the story since nothing gives you hints on what to do .
By the way the game works perfect on the first PS3s released 40gigs and 60s I have no idea about the newer cheaper PS3s .
123 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
STORY -
You play as Squall Leonhart , who is part of an elite military faction known as SeeD . SeeD members work for those who they are contracted to in order to collect funds . Squall is attempting to pass his SeeD exam with careful guidance from his instructor Quistis Trepe . He meets several other students along the way , some of which are Zell Dincht ( a lively martial artist ) and Selphie Tilmitt ( a cheerful nunchaku-wielding girl ) . Squall's ultimate rival , Seifer Almasy , accompanies them on the exam as well . After passing , Squall is assigned to work with a rebel group whose leader is Rinoa Heartilly , a beautiful and bright young woman . What starts as an average mission turns into a complicated and tangled web of love and deceit as Squall begins to question his values and the values of SeeD .
BATTLE SYSTEM -
As with previous Final Fantasy titles , fights are turn-based . Random encounters will occur as you walk around the world map . Each character on screen will be allowed a move every few seconds ( including your enemies ) making for fast-paced and enjoyable battles . During these battles , allies can choose from several different options . The basic function is Attack , which allows you to strike the opponent to inflict damage . Another option is Magic , which enables you to cast either offensive or curative spells . Draw is a somewhat unique feature . In Final Fantasy VIII , magic spells are not gained through leveling up or any other such process . Magic can be ` drawn ' from enemies and stocked like items . The number of spells you have will decrease by 1 with each use . GF is also a useful command . FFVIII features GFs , or Guardian Forces , which can be summoned at any time in battle . They deal massive ( usually elemental ) damage to enemies and carry their own health bars . GFs level up through gaining AP at the end of a battle , and new abilities can be attached to your characters through the junctioning of GFs . The allies in your party each have their own unique abilities and weapons that can be upgraded and changed throughout the course of the game . The job system from previous games is virtually nonexistent , but each character has their own attributes which make up for the absence of the class system . After battle , characters will gain a certain amount of experience that allows them to gain levels . The battle system hasn't been changed enough to be unfamiliar to older players , but allows new FF fans to pick the system up easily . After a while , battles will become a test of strategy rather than pure strength , and even grinding is fairly enjoyable with enough varied options .
GAMEPLAY -
To be honest , there isn't much gameplay outside of the constant battles . While Squall is wandering around the world map , he will be periodically attacked by various monsters , making for slow progress while traveling on foot . In towns and dungeons , you may move from one area to another simply by reaching the end of the screen . Whenever this occurs , however , the screen must slowly fade out and then in again , which may annoy more impatient players . Another thing which bothered me while walking around cities was the complete absence of any map screen . I found this irritating to deal with , especially when exploring more expansive locales such as Deling City . The towns , however , only serve as rest stops before larger and more epic fights . FFVIII is basically a string of encounters laced together with a giant world map to traverse and a rich plot to unravel . There are many vehicles that can be acquired or rented to make your way across said map , including cars , trains , boats , and the ever-present airship . As with many other Final Fantasy titles , jumping is nonexistent unless you are so prompted to do so . Despite the fact that the world map lacks much in the way of sightseeing , it does its job of providing the player with the feeling that they are traveling through a land larger than expected . I don't have any qualms with the controls , as they are basically limited to rotating the analog stick and pressing ` x ' . As with almost every other Final Fantasy game , there are a number of sidequests to complete as well as a strangely addictive card game by the name of Triple Triad . There are an amazing amount of regional rules to consider when playing , ranging from reasonable to extremely frustrating ( such as the ridiculous ` random ' rule ) . The gameplay satisfies and the cutscenes are , to say the least , beautiful . It's good , old-fashioned RPG excellence .
VISUALS , CHARACTERS and CHARM -
Those of you who are used to being spoiled by more recent RPGs such as Kingdom Hearts or Persona 3 won't find much eye candy here . The cutscenes , as mentioned before , are obviously impressive , but the rest of the game fails to deliver . In-game graphics are decidedly less detailed . As this was Square's first adventurous leap into character models that looked realistic , I'm willing to forgive a few of their more obvious flaws . To be honest , the characters are just . . . ugly . I can find no other word to describe them . From a distance , they're indistinct blobs , and when viewed up close , they don't appear to have much detail on their clothing or their faces . I can accept this to a certain extent , but I've noticed that the backgrounds themselves are usually much more appealing than Squall himself . The settings appear to be well designed and the environments are interesting . Yet , there's something distinctly wrong with piloting a mass of pixels around landscapes which , quite frankly , make me feel as though they deserve something better . On the other hand , character dialogue is well-written and there is significant development of Squall's personality throughout the game , as well as changes in character relationships .
OVERALL -
I'll admit , I have a soft spot for Final Fantasy VIII , since it happened to be the first one of the series I've picked up . Since then I've played a multitude of RPGs , each with their own merits and flaws . But when all is said and done , the simplicity and familiarity of FFVIII gets me every time . If you enjoy beautiful cutscenes , well-characterized party members and expansive world maps , pick this one up .
124 4 STORY -
You play as Squall Leonhart , who is part of an elite military faction known as SeeD . SeeD members work for those who they are contracted to in order to collect funds . Squall is attempting to pass his SeeD exam with careful guidance from his instructor Quistis Trepe . He meets several other students along the way , some of which are Zell Dincht ( a lively martial artist ) and Selphie Tilmitt ( a cheerful nunchaku-wielding girl ) . Squall's ultimate rival , Seifer Almasy , accompanies them on the exam as well . After passing , Squall is assigned to work with a rebel group whose leader is Rinoa Heartilly , a beautiful and bright young woman . What starts as an average mission turns into a complicated and tangled web of love and deceit as Squall begins to question his values and the values of SeeD .
BATTLE SYSTEM -
As with previous Final Fantasy titles , fights are turn-based . Random encounters will occur as you walk around the world map . Each character on screen will be allowed a move every few seconds ( including your enemies ) making for fast-paced and enjoyable battles . During these battles , allies can choose from several different options . The basic function is Attack , which allows you to strike the opponent to inflict damage . Another option is Magic , which enables you to cast either offensive or curative spells . Draw is a somewhat unique feature . In Final Fantasy VIII , magic spells are not gained through leveling up or any other such process . Magic can be ` drawn ' from enemies and stocked like items . The number of spells you have will decrease by 1 with each use . GF is also a useful command . FFVIII features GFs , or Guardian Forces , which can be summoned at any time in battle . They deal massive ( usually elemental ) damage to enemies and carry their own health bars . GFs level up through gaining AP at the end of a battle , and new abilities can be attached to your characters through the junctioning of GFs . The allies in your party each have their own unique abilities and weapons that can be upgraded and changed throughout the course of the game . The job system from previous games is virtually nonexistent , but each character has their own attributes which make up for the absence of the class system . After battle , characters will gain a certain amount of experience that allows them to gain levels . The battle system hasn't been changed enough to be unfamiliar to older players , but allows new FF fans to pick the system up easily . After a while , battles will become a test of strategy rather than pure strength , and even grinding is fairly enjoyable with enough varied options .
GAMEPLAY -
To be honest , there isn't much gameplay outside of the constant battles . While Squall is wandering around the world map , he will be periodically attacked by various monsters , making for slow progress while traveling on foot . In towns and dungeons , you may move from one area to another simply by reaching the end of the screen . Whenever this occurs , however , the screen must slowly fade out and then in again , which may annoy more impatient players . Another thing which bothered me while walking around cities was the complete absence of any map screen . I found this irritating to deal with , especially when exploring more expansive locales such as Deling City . The towns , however , only serve as rest stops before larger and more epic fights . FFVIII is basically a string of encounters laced together with a giant world map to traverse and a rich plot to unravel . There are many vehicles that can be acquired or rented to make your way across said map , including cars , trains , boats , and the ever-present airship . As with many other Final Fantasy titles , jumping is nonexistent unless you are so prompted to do so . Despite the fact that the world map lacks much in the way of sightseeing , it does its job of providing the player with the feeling that they are traveling through a land larger than expected . I don't have any qualms with the controls , as they are basically limited to rotating the analog stick and pressing ` x ' . As with almost every other Final Fantasy game , there are a number of sidequests to complete as well as a strangely addictive card game by the name of Triple Triad . There are an amazing amount of regional rules to consider when playing , ranging from reasonable to extremely frustrating ( such as the ridiculous ` random ' rule ) . The gameplay satisfies and the cutscenes are , to say the least , beautiful . It's good , old-fashioned RPG excellence .
VISUALS , CHARACTERS and CHARM -
Those of you who are used to being spoiled by more recent RPGs such as Kingdom Hearts or Persona 3 won't find much eye candy here . The cutscenes , as mentioned before , are obviously impressive , but the rest of the game fails to deliver . In-game graphics are decidedly less detailed . As this was Square's first adventurous leap into character models that looked realistic , I'm willing to forgive a few of their more obvious flaws . To be honest , the characters are just . . . ugly . I can find no other word to describe them . From a distance , they're indistinct blobs , and when viewed up close , they don't appear to have much detail on their clothing or their faces . I can accept this to a certain extent , but I've noticed that the backgrounds themselves are usually much more appealing than Squall himself . The settings appear to be well designed and the environments are interesting . Yet , there's something distinctly wrong with piloting a mass of pixels around landscapes which , quite frankly , make me feel as though they deserve something better . On the other hand , character dialogue is well-written and there is significant development of Squall's personality throughout the game , as well as changes in character relationships .
OVERALL -
I'll admit , I have a soft spot for Final Fantasy VIII , since it happened to be the first one of the series I've picked up . Since then I've played a multitude of RPGs , each with their own merits and flaws . But when all is said and done , the simplicity and familiarity of FFVIII gets me every time . If you enjoy beautiful cutscenes , well-characterized party members and expansive world maps , pick this one up .
125 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Not many games have ever made me as excited as the Final Fantasy series and FF8 is one of the best . Engaging stories , beautiful cutscenes , lovable characters .
Based in a modern-esque fantasy . The game has trains and airships , along with great beasts and magic . A wonderful tale and great surprises await this game .
126 4 Not many games have ever made me as excited as the Final Fantasy series and FF8 is one of the best . Engaging stories , beautiful cutscenes , lovable characters .
Based in a modern-esque fantasy . The game has trains and airships , along with great beasts and magic . A wonderful tale and great surprises await this game .
127 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
THIS is the definitive Final Fantasy game and I don't care what Final Fantasy 7 fans have to say about it . It has better graphics , better gameplay , better story , and more interesting characters ( sorry Cloud ) . The fact that I beat FF8 twice and never got past either disc 2 or 3 ( it's been too long since I played for me to remember ) on FF7 has very little to do with my opinion of it . I enjoyed playing FF7 but I enjoyed FF8 10 times as much . If you like realistically drawn characters rather than anime-type characters you will like this game's graphics . I would recommend finding either an official strategy guide or a well done fan made version if you want to find all the hidden items and side quests as these are quite useful and fun to find to boot . Excellent game .
128 4 THIS is the definitive Final Fantasy game and I don't care what Final Fantasy 7 fans have to say about it . It has better graphics , better gameplay , better story , and more interesting characters ( sorry Cloud ) . The fact that I beat FF8 twice and never got past either disc 2 or 3 ( it's been too long since I played for me to remember ) on FF7 has very little to do with my opinion of it . I enjoyed playing FF7 but I enjoyed FF8 10 times as much . If you like realistically drawn characters rather than anime-type characters you will like this game's graphics . I would recommend finding either an official strategy guide or a well done fan made version if you want to find all the hidden items and side quests as these are quite useful and fun to find to boot . Excellent game .
129 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Bought this for my wife , and she of course loves it . But I am finding myself playing more and more now as well . An excellent game !
131 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Okay , so there are tons of reviews on FFVIII with intense hatred and love on both ends of the spectrum . So , what to do if your indesicive about purchasing this game ? Here are some simple facts .
Whether or not you enjoy this game will hinge on the fact that you A ) Like Squall Leonhart B ) Enjoy sci-fi based RPG as opposed to strict High Fantasy and finally C ) Have the patience to understand the Draw / Junction system .
I loved this game very much because all three points were never an issue with me . There were some weaknesses of the game but most just come from scripting and plot . The primary one being a Lone Wolf Introvert leading an entire team of high spirited extroverts . That would drive anyone up the wall though . I think many people didn't like Squall because they knew someone like him in real life . The only other real plot weakness is that the major big bad villans ( Edea , Adel and Ultimecia ) seem to take a complete backseat to all of Squall's personal problems ( getting to know Rinoa , learning more about his family ) I'd rather have more of a balance between the two plot forces but that's about it .
The Draw / Junction system which powers up the PC's requires a lot more thought than the other systems that FF is used to but if you can remember what stats are used for ( like Vit for defense and Spr for Magic Defense ) it will go a lot smoother .
If you like RPG's like Xenosaga , or Phantasy Star or even Knights of the Old Republic then by all means get this in your collection . . . just keep in mind the points I made before .
132 4 Okay , so there are tons of reviews on FFVIII with intense hatred and love on both ends of the spectrum . So , what to do if your indesicive about purchasing this game ? Here are some simple facts .
Whether or not you enjoy this game will hinge on the fact that you A ) Like Squall Leonhart B ) Enjoy sci-fi based RPG as opposed to strict High Fantasy and finally C ) Have the patience to understand the Draw / Junction system .
I loved this game very much because all three points were never an issue with me . There were some weaknesses of the game but most just come from scripting and plot . The primary one being a Lone Wolf Introvert leading an entire team of high spirited extroverts . That would drive anyone up the wall though . I think many people didn't like Squall because they knew someone like him in real life . The only other real plot weakness is that the major big bad villans ( Edea , Adel and Ultimecia ) seem to take a complete backseat to all of Squall's personal problems ( getting to know Rinoa , learning more about his family ) I'd rather have more of a balance between the two plot forces but that's about it .
The Draw / Junction system which powers up the PC's requires a lot more thought than the other systems that FF is used to but if you can remember what stats are used for ( like Vit for defense and Spr for Magic Defense ) it will go a lot smoother .
If you like RPG's like Xenosaga , or Phantasy Star or even Knights of the Old Republic then by all means get this in your collection . . . just keep in mind the points I made before .
133 4 Amazon Verified Purchase
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This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I have all the Final Fantasy Games except for VIII . I just never got around to getting it . I purchased VIII two months ago and I have currently beat it . I though it was well worth playing . The storyline was great . Each charcter brought something spectacular to the game . I never put it down . The ending alone was worth it . 10 of 10 for the best story and gfs .
Trinity
134 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I have all the Final Fantasy Games except for VIII . I just never got around to getting it . I purchased VIII two months ago and I have currently beat it . I though it was well worth playing . The storyline was great . Each charcter brought something spectacular to the game . I never put it down . The ending alone was worth it . 10 of 10 for the best story and gfs .
Trinity
135 4 I have all the Final Fantasy Games except for VIII . I just never got around to getting it . I purchased VIII two months ago and I have currently beat it . I though it was well worth playing . The storyline was great . Each charcter brought something spectacular to the game . I never put it down . The ending alone was worth it . 10 of 10 for the best story and gfs .
Trinity
136 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
The storyline is wonderful , but some of the characters are a tad annoying . The battle system is awesome imo , with stats based around junction to guardian forces ( gf's ) and Majic drawn from monsters or ' draw points ' to be junctioned ( bonded ) to your stats . You are able to choose the abilities your gf's will learn based on the priorities you have set for yourself , wich makes gameplay easier based on ones own particular preference . Drawing gf's from some boss monsters allows you more alleyways for improvement . With an open and completely explorable world , as happens in most final fantasy games , And the storyline wich is set but still leaves room for an active immagination FF8 is definitely better than some people have given it credit for .
137 4 The storyline is wonderful , but some of the characters are a tad annoying . The battle system is awesome imo , with stats based around junction to guardian forces ( gf's ) and Majic drawn from monsters or ' draw points ' to be junctioned ( bonded ) to your stats . You are able to choose the abilities your gf's will learn based on the priorities you have set for yourself , wich makes gameplay easier based on ones own particular preference . Drawing gf's from some boss monsters allows you more alleyways for improvement . With an open and completely explorable world , as happens in most final fantasy games , And the storyline wich is set but still leaves room for an active immagination FF8 is definitely better than some people have given it credit for .
138 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This is arguably the best Final Fantasy out there . Square decided to ditch super deformed characters , and instead created characters that looked extremely life-like ( for the PS1 ) . This helps the player to better related to the characters .
The story is excellent , engaging , and very unpredictable ( for the most part ) . The battle system is very fun and the summons are incredible .
If you are a fan of RPGs or FF , then you should at least play this game if you don't buy .
139 4 This is arguably the best Final Fantasy out there . Square decided to ditch super deformed characters , and instead created characters that looked extremely life-like ( for the PS1 ) . This helps the player to better related to the characters .
The story is excellent , engaging , and very unpredictable ( for the most part ) . The battle system is very fun and the summons are incredible .
If you are a fan of RPGs or FF , then you should at least play this game if you don't buy .
141 4 i loved this game . while it's true , it's not as good as VII , that is an unfair comparison , as VII was a milestone . now , back to VIII .
Story : the story is good ; passable , but not brilliant . certainly not the games strong point , but it does have it's moments , and further expands upon the love story element touched on in VII . the story progression is rather refreshing , as it is more character driven than event driven when compared to other games in the series . the personalities of the main characters are fleshed out rather well , and you learn what motivates them to do what they do . there are no secret characters to obtain ( other than by use of a cheat device ) , but this keeps the narative running at a steady clip . though not as endearing a story as some , it still provides a decent adventure .
Gameplay : this is where the game really shines . the character customization is deep , making full use of the GF ( Guardian Forces , this game's summons ) and Magic systems . the game forgoes the MP system in favor of requiring you to draw ( or absorb ) your magic from enemies and draw points , which are then stocked in your magic menu , like items . 100 can be stocked for each kind , and your magic can be junctioned to your stats for increases in your HP , Atk , etc . , provided your junctioned GF has that ability available .
GFs can be summoned into battle , and have their own HP . when a GF is summoned , a time bar appears , similar to your active time bar , that depletes at a speed that is directly tied to your compatabilty with the GF you're summoning . once the bar empties , the GF appears and attacks your foe . the higher your compatability , the less time it will take for your GF to appear . the compatability can be increased by using your GF in battle or using certain items .
some have complained about the Draw system , but once you get further into the game and aquire the required abilities , you can synthesize almost anything you need from items you pick up along the way , from magic and potions to items that enhance your stats .
the money system has also changed . instead of earning money in battles , you earn a salary based on your SeeD ranking , which you can increase by performing certain action throughout gameplay and by taking the SeeD Ranking tests at Balamb Garden .
Graphics : i won't rate this since it's a PSone game , but they are good for their time period .
Audio : superb , as always . sound effects and sountrack are standard squaresoft quality .
142 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
So many people have given their opinions about this game - the great , the good , and the horrible - that there's very little else to say . Even so , it wouldn't be right if I didn't put in a good word for my personal favorite video game of all time , and with my history of playing video games , it really means somehting to call one game my absolute favorite .
Before you skip to the next review or scoff because I'm claiming this game to be my favorite , I'd like you to notice that I didn't call it the best game I've ever played . I'll admit that there have been other games which were seemingly flawless , but for some reason , this particular game has held fast in my heart ever since I first placed the disc in my PSX .
I'll take a moment to point out some of the less than great aspects of this game first .
- The Junction System is as bad as everbody says it is . There's just not much to say in its defense . I'm sure there are those people who love it , but for me it was a hassle to use and very confusing . I've gone through the game more than twice now and I still don't fully understand what in the world I'm doing . Not only that , but you have to rearrange your junctioning for each character according to what you're going to fight and who is in your party at the time . Maybe that doesn't sound so bad , but it's definitely one feature I could do without .
- The Draw System was an interesting way to get magic , but often I was faced with the problem of either never finding a draw spot with the spells I wanted or the fact that I was too preoccupied fighting a monster and healing my party members to actually draw anything , and even when I did get some spells , it was never enough or of the type I wanted .
- WAY too many random battles . At some points it was so ridiculous that I couldn't get five steps without running into battle after battle .
Of course , those aren't the only drawbacks people find in the game , but they're the only ones I really had a problem with .
Now , the reasons why I love this game more than any other :
- The Characters . I don't understand how a person can play a Final Fantasy game from beginning to finish and not end up liking at least some of the characters they've spent so much time focusing on and following through the storyline . They're lovable characters with good and bad parts of the personality , just like someone you would meet in real life , and in Final Fantasy VIII , like all FF games , you get such a deep analysis of each character , that it's near impossibe to not sympathize with each one on some level or another . Yes , there are characters that annoy me to no end , in this game and in other FF games , but that doesn't mean I don't like them . They've all contributed to the story and game as a whole and it's hard not to be at least a little fond of them .
- The Settings in this game are stunning . I'm not talking about just the graphics , those are beyond beautiful and don't need further elaboration . What I'm talking about are the towns and places . The world in Final Fantasy VIII is just gorgeous . From the futuristic looking city of Esthar all the way to the quiet , old-styled village of Winhill , these places are designed and detailed extremely well . A rather large amount European influence can be noticed in the places around the world of FF8 once you know what to look for , and yet every single place is different with it's own culture .
- The Story . This has to be the one thing of the game that has the most influence over whether you either hate it with a passion or love it beyond belief . In my case , it only added to the large number of reasons why I like this game so much . Yes , it's your basic ' save the world ' storyline , but combined with the memorable characters and the lovely world it all takes place in , it grows to much more than simply following the hero and defeating the bad guy . Twists in the plot reveal themselves everywhere and it's hard to know who and what you can trust in this game . When even your own party members can be corrupted and used against you , it's impossible to know just what might happen . And in the midst of a confusing and corrupted war , a love story blooms and we are given even more insight as to just how well developed this game is .
Regardless of the bad points to this game and despite all the other games that I may grow fond of , this one game , Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite and I doubt it'll ever stop being my favorite . It's impressed me greatly and I'll always have a soft spot for it .
One ting I would like to point out about Final Fantasy games , before I finish this review , is that they are stand-alone games and they should be looked at as seperate , stand-alone games . It's true that some aspects of this game weren't as good as other FF games , some people hate the story and the characters in comparision to , let's say , Final Fantasy VII . But the fact is that this game has absolutely nothing to do with FF7 and just because a person likes that game more , doesn't mean that this game sucks . It isn't necesary for people to bad mouth this game just to prove they like another game better . It's one thing to dislike this game for its own flaws , it's another thing to dislike this game for not being exactly like a game you like better .
In the end , though , it's all a matter of opinion , and all in all , this game wasn't as bad as everybody likes to say it is . I've given my input , take what you will from it and make your own decision . Hopefully , you'll like Final Fantasy VIII as much as I do , and if not , I wish you luck in finding another game you do like . : )
143 4 So many people have given their opinions about this game - the great , the good , and the horrible - that there's very little else to say . Even so , it wouldn't be right if I didn't put in a good word for my personal favorite video game of all time , and with my history of playing video games , it really means somehting to call one game my absolute favorite .
Before you skip to the next review or scoff because I'm claiming this game to be my favorite , I'd like you to notice that I didn't call it the best game I've ever played . I'll admit that there have been other games which were seemingly flawless , but for some reason , this particular game has held fast in my heart ever since I first placed the disc in my PSX .
I'll take a moment to point out some of the less than great aspects of this game first .
- The Junction System is as bad as everbody says it is . There's just not much to say in its defense . I'm sure there are those people who love it , but for me it was a hassle to use and very confusing . I've gone through the game more than twice now and I still don't fully understand what in the world I'm doing . Not only that , but you have to rearrange your junctioning for each character according to what you're going to fight and who is in your party at the time . Maybe that doesn't sound so bad , but it's definitely one feature I could do without .
- The Draw System was an interesting way to get magic , but often I was faced with the problem of either never finding a draw spot with the spells I wanted or the fact that I was too preoccupied fighting a monster and healing my party members to actually draw anything , and even when I did get some spells , it was never enough or of the type I wanted .
- WAY too many random battles . At some points it was so ridiculous that I couldn't get five steps without running into battle after battle .
Of course , those aren't the only drawbacks people find in the game , but they're the only ones I really had a problem with .
Now , the reasons why I love this game more than any other :
- The Characters . I don't understand how a person can play a Final Fantasy game from beginning to finish and not end up liking at least some of the characters they've spent so much time focusing on and following through the storyline . They're lovable characters with good and bad parts of the personality , just like someone you would meet in real life , and in Final Fantasy VIII , like all FF games , you get such a deep analysis of each character , that it's near impossibe to not sympathize with each one on some level or another . Yes , there are characters that annoy me to no end , in this game and in other FF games , but that doesn't mean I don't like them . They've all contributed to the story and game as a whole and it's hard not to be at least a little fond of them .
- The Settings in this game are stunning . I'm not talking about just the graphics , those are beyond beautiful and don't need further elaboration . What I'm talking about are the towns and places . The world in Final Fantasy VIII is just gorgeous . From the futuristic looking city of Esthar all the way to the quiet , old-styled village of Winhill , these places are designed and detailed extremely well . A rather large amount European influence can be noticed in the places around the world of FF8 once you know what to look for , and yet every single place is different with it's own culture .
- The Story . This has to be the one thing of the game that has the most influence over whether you either hate it with a passion or love it beyond belief . In my case , it only added to the large number of reasons why I like this game so much . Yes , it's your basic ' save the world ' storyline , but combined with the memorable characters and the lovely world it all takes place in , it grows to much more than simply following the hero and defeating the bad guy . Twists in the plot reveal themselves everywhere and it's hard to know who and what you can trust in this game . When even your own party members can be corrupted and used against you , it's impossible to know just what might happen . And in the midst of a confusing and corrupted war , a love story blooms and we are given even more insight as to just how well developed this game is .
Regardless of the bad points to this game and despite all the other games that I may grow fond of , this one game , Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite and I doubt it'll ever stop being my favorite . It's impressed me greatly and I'll always have a soft spot for it .
One ting I would like to point out about Final Fantasy games , before I finish this review , is that they are stand-alone games and they should be looked at as seperate , stand-alone games . It's true that some aspects of this game weren't as good as other FF games , some people hate the story and the characters in comparision to , let's say , Final Fantasy VII . But the fact is that this game has absolutely nothing to do with FF7 and just because a person likes that game more , doesn't mean that this game sucks . It isn't necesary for people to bad mouth this game just to prove they like another game better . It's one thing to dislike this game for its own flaws , it's another thing to dislike this game for not being exactly like a game you like better .
In the end , though , it's all a matter of opinion , and all in all , this game wasn't as bad as everybody likes to say it is . I've given my input , take what you will from it and make your own decision . Hopefully , you'll like Final Fantasy VIII as much as I do , and if not , I wish you luck in finding another game you do like . : )
144 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
It was the first final fantasy that i ever played and it was a success , I got addicted to FF's , played 4,5 and 10 . . . sorry for those who think 7 is the best , sincerely i dont know .
It's true that Squall has a miserable attitute , and it takes long to become stronger if u dont know the PLACE . If u want to beat the game in less than 60 hours , get all the GF's and still become so strong to be OMEGA WEAPON u have to go to the near to hell island or dragons island cuz its the best place . U can level up , in almos every battle and its importanto to get the Malboro tentacles for the Doomstrain . It is a good experience , i liked it . u'll be proud of urself if u manage to beat Ultimecia four stages in less than 20 min . . . big advice dont use ur GF in combat , only in the beginning , they'll never become as strong as squall or Zell can be , those u played know about it , when u start disc 4 against ADEL u have to attack ONLY HER and fast . . . hope its helpfull
145 4 It was the first final fantasy that i ever played and it was a success , I got addicted to FF's , played 4,5 and 10 . . . sorry for those who think 7 is the best , sincerely i dont know .
It's true that Squall has a miserable attitute , and it takes long to become stronger if u dont know the PLACE . If u want to beat the game in less than 60 hours , get all the GF's and still become so strong to be OMEGA WEAPON u have to go to the near to hell island or dragons island cuz its the best place . U can level up , in almos every battle and its importanto to get the Malboro tentacles for the Doomstrain . It is a good experience , i liked it . u'll be proud of urself if u manage to beat Ultimecia four stages in less than 20 min . . . big advice dont use ur GF in combat , only in the beginning , they'll never become as strong as squall or Zell can be , those u played know about it , when u start disc 4 against ADEL u have to attack ONLY HER and fast . . . hope its helpfull
150 4 A friend had warned me away from this game , so for years I hesitated getting it . Now I am glad I picked up .
It definitely has its faults . 1 ) too much teen angst . 2 ) it is too often unclear as to where you need to go next , with an inability to distinguish what is simply scenery and what is a pathway for you to use . Also , the characters are not equal ; Zell and Irvine are nowhere near as good as Zell , Quintis , or Rinoa . Plus , you don't get the rush of saving the world that you do with other FF games .
But it is still a step up from FF7 . The animation for characters and GFs are far better . Not having to use MPs and instead drawing magic gives the player more fun with magic . The Limit Breaks give each character their own flavor . You will definitely feel that you've earned your victory over the final boss , with the final fight being neither too easy nor too difficult .
151 4 Don't be deceived . Final Fantasy VIII is a masterpiece of the series . From it's epic setting , emotional development and interesting cast , the story is fantastic . ( It's true , the other characters could have had more development but you do understand their personalities ) The gameplay is fine - junctioning is quite innovative and not at all cumbersome . And since you're going to want all you characters to have GFs , and they come with the item command , there's really no problem there . As for the draw system , don't overdo it and you won't get tired of it . The combination of magic , physical attacks ( including Squall's gunblade which can have it's damage increased by pushing the button at the right time ) , summons ( which are length so you can boost them ) , and limit breaks is a pretty classic combination but doesn't get old . This is my second favorite Final Fantasy game next to FFVI . In my opinion , this is much better than FF IX which was just a stale rip-off of VI .
153 4 Three years ago i stepped into my local gaming store and bought a game . Final Fantasy VIII to be exact . I had no idea how it played , what the characters were like : the only referance was a glowing 10 / 10 report of the game in a magazine . Little did I know that this weighty four disc set would consume 250 + hours of my life , over a three-year period .
The movie-esque FMV intro took me a fantastic fantasy world filled with mercenaries , monsters , evil and some good guys for good measure . The story , characters places and feel of the game are second to none . It seems so real and so epic .
The game can be frustrating for pick up and play gamers . Example , in my first play of this game in my first save file I got completely stuck before a boss early in the game . I seethed and started a new game but this time i built the characters up from the start and beat the boss easily .
The game will need a few restarts before you can appreciate it though , the overly complicated equip menus can only be used effectively after a few games but the experience is all the richer for it .
Also , the sound ( no speech acccepted ) is mind blowing . Moody orchestral pieces , jingly surfie tunes and many others are used perfectly and sound great .
All in all , a game that is a few years old ( And much cheaper ) delivers fun and satisfaction the FF series ' prediscessors and the new ones cannot match . A great bargain and a fantastic game , on all counts .
154 4 My first RPG was Final Fantasy IX , and I love it ! ! ! So then I said I should give a hand to the others , and got VIII , well , not dissapointed as is hard to beat FFIX , but sure was really amusing and enjoyed this battle system , not compared to the simplicity of the , but plot was fun and kept me there for 60 hours the first time , so not bad considering that the plot was so good that the first 15 hours we're in a row ! ! ! ! !
156 4 THIS GAME RULES ! FF8 has stunning RPG cinemas and sets around the theme of love . There are 8 characters - 2 temporary , 6 permanent . 1 of the temporary characters begins good and turns evil , while the other is the other way around . The characters are Squall , a lonely hearted teen who tries to stay away from the crowd , Zell , a fool-hardy and martial arts loving guy , Selphie , a clumsy and childish 17 year old , Quistis , an instructor and mercenarie who knows Squall inside and out , Irvine , a guy who takes the cake when it comes to going after girls , Rinoa , a teen who is part of an anti-government resistence faction while her father is a general in the opposing army , Seifer , part of Balamb Garden's disciplinary commitee along with followers Fujin and Raijin ( who are NOT twins ) , and last but not least , Evil Sorceress Edea , who hates the mercenary force of SeeD . The RPG cinemas are stunning as well as the storyline . Good job , Squaresoft !
157 4 To be completely honest , I really liked this game , but there were just too many things that kept me from enjoying this game on the same level as other Final Fantasy titles .
Pros :
- Excellent characterization . I couldn't get over the focus on character development .
- Great ambiance . The pre-rendered scenes , music , and sound were all done beautifully .
- Graphics . They were the best of the time .
- Liberi Fatali . The introductory cinema alone is worth at least renting the game .
Cons :
- The storyline . Starts off great , leaving you wanting more , but only deteriorates as it moves on to the third and fourth discs .
- The Junction System . Whoever thought of this needs to be shot . It makes the whole concept behind battling quite tedious .
- Summoning and spells . Sure , Square's known for the drama , but sheesh . . . I think they overdid the effects this time .
- Too much of a focus on love . Sure , it's been a staple of Square games , but it was focused on too much in this one .
158 4 The title says it all when it comes to what I think about the game really . As someone who has played all the FF games ( apart from 9 and 10 ) I really have to say this is one of if not the best . The only Final Fantasy I've played so far that can even hold a candle to this one is FF7 , which I also refer to as one of the best . Out of 7 and 8 however I really can't pick the best one of the two for the simple reason that they are both very good and have their good and bad points ( mostly good ) to them . FF8 has the most replay value and I find it a little more fun over the others though . I think all the things you can do , game length , and how open the world is are some great aspects of the game . The only thing I really don't like about it is how mind numbing and very frustrating a couple of the side quests can be . A little of how the game is setup isn't all that great compared to FF7 too but some of the way it is is a lot better I think . So , like I said it has it's good and bad points but all and all it is a really great game and if you haven't tried it and are into games ( RPGs especially ) you really need to try it out . Just remember it's going to take awhile to beat , 40 to 100 hours ( it all depends ) !
159 4 Without a doubt , the characters in this game are the most realistic . Whoever writes that they are too cheesy or corny has not lived in the real word ( even though I'm solitary and introverted , I was able to realize that ) . The way Square made each character's behaviour was enough to make me love the game , though the graphics weren't my favorite . As these chars are teenagers , NOT adults , the way that they act is completely natural for people whose method of emotions has not evolved into that of an adult ( duh ) . The whole prodigy thing was a bit much , but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the game .
Also , the distinction of behaviour between the adults and the children and teenagers is superb . Square really put a lot of emotional study into this game , and it shows . The characters in this game are the most human I have seen for a long time . Also , the originality of the plot must be why many people hate it ; they want the same old ( hint on OLD ) characters that have ALWAYS appeared in FF titles , the plot to be the same , and the characters to all be dragoons or black mages . Sorry to burst your bubble , but this game is ORIGINAL ( aside from its title ) . It breaks away , it is unorthodox , but that is quite all right when you look at the alternative ( FFIX , which is basically a universal plot with no real good original ideas , and Square ' made up ' for it with cramming tons of stuff from the other 8 games into the scene . . . it sucked ) . My opinion ? Buy it , every penny is worth it . Unless you don't like originality . Then you should have stopped reading this review and started to send me hatemail after the first few sentences .
160 4 I really enjoyed this game , but only after I finally figured out how to use the basics of it . To give you a slight back round , this was the second Final Fantasy I have every played with Final Fantasy 9 being the first . Many agree it is the most user friendly when it came to setting up magic , defense spells and weapons effects . In Final Fantasy 8 , this is a very long and drawn out process which takes up much of the first quarter of the first game disc ( It does have game play durring this long drudge so hang in there ) .
Game play is good , seems to have good control as well as smooth graphics , but I agree with the editor that the battles are quite frequent and sometimes sinister .
For those who have played the card game in final fantasy 9 , fear not its in here to , but in my opinion I feel its not as good , infact I couldn't win a single hand . The thing I hated most was almost every town had its own rules and then some towns used rules from many towns at once . To confusing for me but some people I hear really got the hang of it .
Story line is incredibly intersting and you do feel like you literally have been with them in person . At times you want to ring your hands around the lead character , Squalls ' neck .
The pay off is great if you can make it past the first 2 discs , the game really does take off even tho you may want to throw it out the window at times : )
165 4 I recently finished playing Final Fantasy VIII and was amazed by everything the game offered . It had a great story , excellent graphics , and good battle sequences . Many people say that you could not relate to the characters and that Squall was too unfeeling , but I disagree . They are realistic . How would you act if put in the same situation ? FF8 is the greatest looking game released on the Playstation . The characters looked real and the backgrounds were detailed . The in-game cut sequences were breathtaking . One downfall to FF8 is the sound . But this does not take away much from the game and shouldn't influence your decision on purchasing it . If you are looking for an engrosing story and have some time on your hands , you should purchase FF8 . It does take a while to complete , with around 40 hours of game play , but it is well worth it . Happy gaming : )
167 4 I have read several reviews stating how the game was to overly complicated and too focused on graphics and not story . I have been playing RPGs for 16 years and I simply love this game . I was hooked to this game the minute I got it . The story will draw you in and wont be able to put it down . The storyline developes very well . The graphics are gorgeous and the cutscenes are jaw dropping . The absorb ability that is in place of magic takes bit of getting used to and confused me through the first part of the game . But once getting the hang of it , it works pretty well . With interesting characters and non-stop action , I highly suggest this to any person who had doubts of this game before . just as good as IX ( ( I still firmly belive Final Fantasy III on SNES is the best in the series = ) ) ) This game warrants a purchase !
168 4 This was the one of the most amazing videogames I have ever played . It gets your attestion from the very beginning with a stunning movie . The story is not like any other old-fashioned RPG . It is a school setting and characters are very unique . Though the junction system is hard to get used to , you will see how challenging it is . You must have a broad knowledge about magic , items , and the abilities of Gardian Forces . Playing earlier FF games will be pretty helpful . What you have to do before the last boss is to get as many strong migics and useful abilities as possible . You don't need to build up your characters . You can create magics from items you obtain from monsters . If you don't receive exp pt , enermies will stay in low levels so it will be fairly easy to beat them . Movies are simply amazing . And it will be a shame if you don't see the ending movie . . .
171 4 I anticipated Final Fantasy VIII for so many months before I got the opportunity to play it.When I finally got my hands on it I didn't put it down until I had spent 73 hours and a 11 minutes completely building my characters and finding the right spells and limit breaks to finish the game.It was truly the masterpiece I had been waiting for .
Like any masterpiece though it had it's downfalls too it.There were several plotholes involving characters such as Squall , Rinoa , Seifer , and Irvine , but overall I enjoyed the game very much .
While most other RPG's had a love story in with them , this one had it's story focus on love.Love was what ended up driving the story in the end.This I felt was done very well , in showing how one man's love for a woman could drive him to all ends of the world to be by her side.I don't want to give away much of the story , but here's what it starts as . . .
Squall Leonhart has spent most of his life in Garden working to become a SeeD and the day of his SeeD test has finally arrived . So Squall , along with Seifer Almasy and Zell Dincht are sent on a missoin to the city of Dollett across the city to invade the communicatinos tower to find out what the country of Galbadia is doing trying to infiltrate the tower themselves .
The story is a bit slow and you have to really stick with it through the first disc to get into ti but it's worth it . One other difference in the game is how characters are presented.In previous FF games the characters were usually presented to have a lot of backstory to them to give them a reason to be in the struggle they were against.In this version most of the characters have the same reason to be there-they are SeeD's.But the difference is I felt that there as much more character development then i previous FF's.In other words the characters overcame their inner flaws to become something else .
The new magic system required you to draw magic out of enemies and store it yourself for use later.You were also able to Junction magic to different stats in order to build your character up.While junctioning is innovative and had a nice fresh feel to it , it was too complicated early in the game and by the time the end of the game is here , it's too easy to make you're characters into God's ( my characters as a matter of fact , actually healed themsleves whenever they inflicted physical damage at the end of the game ) .
The music is top notch , arguably the best music ever in an RPG . The theme song Eyes on Me is a very memorable tune that will catch your ear and steal your heart .
The graphics are the best I've ever seen on the PSX format and the FM。's are even better .
In conclusion FFVIII is a top notch RPG that is worth getting into and trying without a doubt , but leaves more to be satisfied then FFVII did .
172 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I saw the commercials for this game and thought wow , this looks great . I got the game , and thought it was great . However , there are far to many random encounters , there are no mini games , except for the poorly thought out Card Game . As far as the Junctioning system goes , it's far to confusing , but I eventually got the hang of it , at about the 2nd disc ! A lot of the Side Quests are extremely hard , and upgrading weapons is ridiculous ! The Limit Breaks , are really cool , and get the character more involved , than in 7 . Lion Heart , is just a wannabe Omnislash . The story line is interesting , funny and not at all sad . This game is only for people with alot of patients , because sometimes it take's forever to beat a boss . Disc 4 was easy for me , after I got everyone to level 100 , all G.F . ' s to level 100 , etc . The biggest problem is that you never meet the final boss till the final battle . COme to think of it , you never even hear of her till disc 3 . Overall , I think every RPGer should try the game though most that played and beat 7 , will not think it's too hot .
174 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Ok , I am the classic teenage girl who thinks video games are stupid because my brothers play them too often . They say the same about my reading but that didn't change how I though about their gaming . Then suddenly I was stuck in the car on a road trip with two brothers , a Playstation and a new video game that they were psyched about . The graphics were the first thing that sparked my interest . I love computer animation and the animation in FF8 just blew me out of the water . Then I started to pay attention to the story line and learning how to fight . I even got to the point that I told my brothers that they couldn't play without me around ! I loved every minute of watching them play and as soon as they had finished their game I began my own . I have maxed out all of my characters in my first game and have almost finished a second go round . I have been sucked into the world of RPG's . I am also very close to the end of another good game Xenogears and am very eager to buy the new games like Vagrant Story and Legend of the Dragoon . And so , this is a review from someone who hasn't always loved video games but is recommending this one to you . I enjoyed final Fantasy VIII and if you have any imagination and a little extra time I am sure you will too .
175 4 Ok , I am the classic teenage girl who thinks video games are stupid because my brothers play them too often . They say the same about my reading but that didn't change how I though about their gaming . Then suddenly I was stuck in the car on a road trip with two brothers , a Playstation and a new video game that they were psyched about . The graphics were the first thing that sparked my interest . I love computer animation and the animation in FF8 just blew me out of the water . Then I started to pay attention to the story line and learning how to fight . I even got to the point that I told my brothers that they couldn't play without me around ! I loved every minute of watching them play and as soon as they had finished their game I began my own . I have maxed out all of my characters in my first game and have almost finished a second go round . I have been sucked into the world of RPG's . I am also very close to the end of another good game Xenogears and am very eager to buy the new games like Vagrant Story and Legend of the Dragoon . And so , this is a review from someone who hasn't always loved video games but is recommending this one to you . I enjoyed final Fantasy VIII and if you have any imagination and a little extra time I am sure you will too .
176 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I love RPG , and this is my favorite ! The story is so cleverly thought out and interesting that I think they could make it into a movie or something . The characters all have personalities ( Squall's a loner , Zell's loud , Selphie's a lovable ditz , etc . ) and their sometimes friendly , sometimes not-so-friendly dialogue to each other really helps the game . The animation is great , and not just the short clips that look like they could be from a computer generated movie . The gestures , and romantic pauses ( like when Quistis takes Squall to the secret training area ) really make you forget that you're playing a video game .
However , I found this game to be difficult , or maybe that's just become I'm not a Pro Playstationer ( ? ) . It's a very long game ; 4 discs long , to be exact , and don't even bother playing if you don't have a memory card . There were many times when I wasn't sure what to do ( that's why , kids , you read the dialogue ) and I might have gotten stuck there if I didn't have a Walk-Through book .
All in all , though , this is a great game , and I definitely want to check out the other Final Fantasy games !
177 4 I love RPG , and this is my favorite ! The story is so cleverly thought out and interesting that I think they could make it into a movie or something . The characters all have personalities ( Squall's a loner , Zell's loud , Selphie's a lovable ditz , etc . ) and their sometimes friendly , sometimes not-so-friendly dialogue to each other really helps the game . The animation is great , and not just the short clips that look like they could be from a computer generated movie . The gestures , and romantic pauses ( like when Quistis takes Squall to the secret training area ) really make you forget that you're playing a video game .
However , I found this game to be difficult , or maybe that's just become I'm not a Pro Playstationer ( ? ) . It's a very long game ; 4 discs long , to be exact , and don't even bother playing if you don't have a memory card . There were many times when I wasn't sure what to do ( that's why , kids , you read the dialogue ) and I might have gotten stuck there if I didn't have a Walk-Through book .
All in all , though , this is a great game , and I definitely want to check out the other Final Fantasy games !
178 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This one of the most impressive games for Playstation on the market.The graghics are absolutly incredible.The music is irritating at first , but grows on the gamer surprizingly fast.The gameplay is somewhat repetitive ( mainly in cambat mode ) but is still highly enjoyable.With its 4 discs , it should keep even a fast gamer busy for quite awhile .
180 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Okay , now before I start , this game is on my top five list for best games ever , though only ranked number three on my top Final Fantasy list . That said , I'd like to continue about I bought Final Fantasy VIII the day after it came out - September 10th . I was so excited ! I unwraped the packaging and got right to playing it . Though as I played it , I noticed that it seemed a bit . . . off . Well , less of off and more of just different . I've always been a fan of Final Fantasy , and I am still an advocate of FF8 .
But still there were some problems that I've found with it . The entire Disc 1 seemed extremely tedious - overall , I don't think that Disc 1 contributed as much to the story line as the first two hours of Disc 3 . Actually , I began to loose interest half way through Disc 1 , and nearly stopped playing it . But I continued , and realized what a wonderful game this was . It started to get really good at the end of Disc 1 . The story line is worthy of shakespear indeed , but not quite as deep as FF7 . In FF7 , the depth of the story line ran to the core , which questioned the very existance of a character . In FF8 , it's simply just stuff that happens . You're not really second guessing yourself about the story line . Though that is not a bad thing , just a different thing .
All of the characters were wonderful , though Zell got on my nerves at times . Though the only bad thing I can thing I can say about the characters is ULTIMECIA . Here is one kink in the story line that you'd wish never happened . You see , in FF8 , you never know who the bad guy is . First you hate Seifer's guts , but then you realize he's just a pawn of Edea . Then you start hating her guts . But then she turns out the be good , and it's really an evil sorcerous from the future controling the sorcerouses of the past . Huh ? I think that this twist in the plot was not only unnessesary , but it took away something from the game . There was no deep evil character who had such a reason to be evil , you almost understood him / her . No , it's just some weirdo that you just met who you could care less about . Not cool , Zeus . Not cool .
And finally , I think that there could have been more development of the Time-compressed world . Though I'm pretty put off by the fact that FOR SOME REASON you can't visit any towns , I think that making the final disc not have the option to do anything other than train your party / fight Ultimicia was a HUGE mistake on Square's part . Oh , and a great ending sequence . I think I broke a tear for some reason during it . . . But other than a few problems with the villians , the first and the last disc , and the basic story telling style , this is a great game . I suggest it for any video game / final fantasy fan , though I suggest that a new comer to Final Fantasy / RPGs should play either FF6 or FF7 before playing this game . You have to be ' broken in ' to Final Fantasy before playing this game .
181 4 Okay , now before I start , this game is on my top five list for best games ever , though only ranked number three on my top Final Fantasy list . That said , I'd like to continue about I bought Final Fantasy VIII the day after it came out - September 10th . I was so excited ! I unwraped the packaging and got right to playing it . Though as I played it , I noticed that it seemed a bit . . . off . Well , less of off and more of just different . I've always been a fan of Final Fantasy , and I am still an advocate of FF8 .
But still there were some problems that I've found with it . The entire Disc 1 seemed extremely tedious - overall , I don't think that Disc 1 contributed as much to the story line as the first two hours of Disc 3 . Actually , I began to loose interest half way through Disc 1 , and nearly stopped playing it . But I continued , and realized what a wonderful game this was . It started to get really good at the end of Disc 1 . The story line is worthy of shakespear indeed , but not quite as deep as FF7 . In FF7 , the depth of the story line ran to the core , which questioned the very existance of a character . In FF8 , it's simply just stuff that happens . You're not really second guessing yourself about the story line . Though that is not a bad thing , just a different thing .
All of the characters were wonderful , though Zell got on my nerves at times . Though the only bad thing I can thing I can say about the characters is ULTIMECIA . Here is one kink in the story line that you'd wish never happened . You see , in FF8 , you never know who the bad guy is . First you hate Seifer's guts , but then you realize he's just a pawn of Edea . Then you start hating her guts . But then she turns out the be good , and it's really an evil sorcerous from the future controling the sorcerouses of the past . Huh ? I think that this twist in the plot was not only unnessesary , but it took away something from the game . There was no deep evil character who had such a reason to be evil , you almost understood him / her . No , it's just some weirdo that you just met who you could care less about . Not cool , Zeus . Not cool .
And finally , I think that there could have been more development of the Time-compressed world . Though I'm pretty put off by the fact that FOR SOME REASON you can't visit any towns , I think that making the final disc not have the option to do anything other than train your party / fight Ultimicia was a HUGE mistake on Square's part . Oh , and a great ending sequence . I think I broke a tear for some reason during it . . . But other than a few problems with the villians , the first and the last disc , and the basic story telling style , this is a great game . I suggest it for any video game / final fantasy fan , though I suggest that a new comer to Final Fantasy / RPGs should play either FF6 or FF7 before playing this game . You have to be ' broken in ' to Final Fantasy before playing this game .
184 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game is astonishing.Final Fantasy Eight is the best game Ihave ever played since The Legend Of Zelda : Ocarina Of Time.From thetime you start this game you get captivated from how real eveything is . From the characters personalities to the storyline its awsome.You laugh at the things they say , think about what they say , and can even relate to how they are feeling.Its pretty close to reality in ways I guess.I'm a frequent gamer and if you maybe to than you know how much this game has been criticized.Vetrens of the FF series have criticized this game too.Some people say that the storyline ( was bad ) becuase it is based around love , that the only decent thing was the graphics and all the other things they say about this game . I read this article back in October after the September release here in the States that if you dont like love storys than this game isnt for you.I guess I would have to agree with the article.The storyline is based around love , and rivalry.I encourage you to get this game and try it out yourself.This game is pretty much the reason I bought my Playstation . You will be amazed by just the prolog because it captivates you so much and is just a rush to see . It really is one of the best games I personally think is out there if not the best . You will be amazed at what Squaresoft has done , and you will appreciate your imagination alot more.So get the game and find out for yourself what this game is really about . Go on your own opinion and you decide for yourself if you want to get this game . I can just give you my own opinion to help you decide . END
185 4 This game is astonishing.Final Fantasy Eight is the best game Ihave ever played since The Legend Of Zelda : Ocarina Of Time.From thetime you start this game you get captivated from how real eveything is . From the characters personalities to the storyline its awsome.You laugh at the things they say , think about what they say , and can even relate to how they are feeling.Its pretty close to reality in ways I guess.I'm a frequent gamer and if you maybe to than you know how much this game has been criticized.Vetrens of the FF series have criticized this game too.Some people say that the storyline ( was bad ) becuase it is based around love , that the only decent thing was the graphics and all the other things they say about this game . I read this article back in October after the September release here in the States that if you dont like love storys than this game isnt for you.I guess I would have to agree with the article.The storyline is based around love , and rivalry.I encourage you to get this game and try it out yourself.This game is pretty much the reason I bought my Playstation . You will be amazed by just the prolog because it captivates you so much and is just a rush to see . It really is one of the best games I personally think is out there if not the best . You will be amazed at what Squaresoft has done , and you will appreciate your imagination alot more.So get the game and find out for yourself what this game is really about . Go on your own opinion and you decide for yourself if you want to get this game . I can just give you my own opinion to help you decide . END
186 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I feel that this is the best final fantasy out their . Square really improved on the storyline and charecter development . Squall is definatly not a hollow character ff7 ' s cloud is . The story revolves around love , and not destory the evil one who is trying to destory the planet . That plotline is not the main theme , it is kind of a subplot , love is the main plot . all the charecters act with human emotion , their is kind of love triangle in ff7 but its never really explored , leaving u kind of unsatified . I like the fact in 8 that u really don't know what is really going on until the third disc . the main enemy is good , but not the best in the series , kefka is . i like the junction system a lot , its better than materia , and drawing magic is better than mp . ff8 definatly has the most statagy of any of the ff games . it offers challeging enemies like omega weopon and those friken malbros , their not as challeging as ruby and emerald from 7 , but worth fighting , the overall world in ff8 is overall the most complex , cities and towns are huge compared to the other final fantasies , the card game is fun , its definatly a valuable part of the game , espcially near the end , people say the death of aeris in ff7 is the greatest moment in rpg history , i'd have to dissagree , i think the ragnorok moment is the greatest , nuff said
188 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
When I first bought the FFVIII game I had high hopes about it ; I already have FFVII and it seemed to me that the big mistakes made by Square where the design of the characters and their moves . In fact , that changed in FFVIII . The characters are beautifull now ! But the lack of good character design in FFVII made the player pay attention to the storyline and that was brilliant . In FFVIII you have a more simple storyline , yet more fun . FFVII was very interesting to follow but it wasn't fun at all , in fact it was more like . . . . drama ! But in FFVIII that was overcome . Although the storyline is interesting and even dense , it isn't the drama of FFVII . The music is not as good as the graphics but you can hear it without having a heart attack . The gameplay is pure Squaresoft . Buy this game and enjoy it ! And just don't listen to anyone who says that FFVIII isn't the best ever . . .
189 4 When I first bought the FFVIII game I had high hopes about it ; I already have FFVII and it seemed to me that the big mistakes made by Square where the design of the characters and their moves . In fact , that changed in FFVIII . The characters are beautifull now ! But the lack of good character design in FFVII made the player pay attention to the storyline and that was brilliant . In FFVIII you have a more simple storyline , yet more fun . FFVII was very interesting to follow but it wasn't fun at all , in fact it was more like . . . . drama ! But in FFVIII that was overcome . Although the storyline is interesting and even dense , it isn't the drama of FFVII . The music is not as good as the graphics but you can hear it without having a heart attack . The gameplay is pure Squaresoft . Buy this game and enjoy it ! And just don't listen to anyone who says that FFVIII isn't the best ever . . .
190 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game is fantastic , much better than any other previous versions but I think Squaresoft has lost some of the fun simplifying the game by changing the Materias System for the Junction System , trying to lure more players to the RPG World . Also they should put some more Wepons like Emerald , Ruby and Diamond Weapons just to make the game a quite bit more challenger and intrigue , at least I didn't stop playing Final Fantasy VII till I finally beat both Ruby and Emerald Weapons . Getting back to the spot , the game is awesome in all aspects ; Stunning Graphics , Sounds , Gameplay and Storyline kicking butts worldwide ! If you don't want to stay back you can't waste this opportunity , buy it here and now !
191 4 This game is fantastic , much better than any other previous versions but I think Squaresoft has lost some of the fun simplifying the game by changing the Materias System for the Junction System , trying to lure more players to the RPG World . Also they should put some more Wepons like Emerald , Ruby and Diamond Weapons just to make the game a quite bit more challenger and intrigue , at least I didn't stop playing Final Fantasy VII till I finally beat both Ruby and Emerald Weapons . Getting back to the spot , the game is awesome in all aspects ; Stunning Graphics , Sounds , Gameplay and Storyline kicking butts worldwide ! If you don't want to stay back you can't waste this opportunity , buy it here and now !
192 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
After watching the beggining scene you feel that you want more . This game is on my top five list because of how good the graphics are . It is also a great story and is challenging to your brain and hand eye coordinetion . The only thing that is not good about this game is the junctioning system . It causes you to exchange eguipment with going through a menu . It is very annoying having to do it every boss but it is worth it . Overal this is a great game and to fully understand it you must have reading abilities . All of my friend have the game and have beaten it with strategy guides it is hard but it is very possible to beat it with a strategy guide .
194 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I'm pretty new to rpg's , and I enjoyed this one . The plotline is decent , although in some scenes you see some really crappy scripting , and things seem to clunck around all badly . If you get stuck in a puzzle , use a guide . It's not worth the headache .
But there are great things too , like some of the missions , and super romantic moments . There are also some great - really funny lines scattered about . You have to pay attention though
The battles are breath takingly beautiful . Take a second and marvel at the animation . Character customization is nice if you have 80 spare hours on your hands . Take my advice : Limit breaks are square's equivalent to Final fantasy 6 ' s skills .
195 4 I'm pretty new to rpg's , and I enjoyed this one . The plotline is decent , although in some scenes you see some really crappy scripting , and things seem to clunck around all badly . If you get stuck in a puzzle , use a guide . It's not worth the headache .
But there are great things too , like some of the missions , and super romantic moments . There are also some great - really funny lines scattered about . You have to pay attention though
The battles are breath takingly beautiful . Take a second and marvel at the animation . Character customization is nice if you have 80 spare hours on your hands . Take my advice : Limit breaks are square's equivalent to Final fantasy 6 ' s skills .
196 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final Fantasy 8 is a terrific game . I was never a big fan of RPG's until I played FF7 . Final Fantasy 7 is one of the greatest , if not the greates RPG of them all . Final Fantasy 7 left some pretty big shoes to fill and FF8 does a great job of filling them . Let me start by telling you that the graphics are completely awesome . The best graphics I've ever seen in a game . The Story line is so beautiful and with so many plot twists that you will just be hooked on the game , and you won't let go until you've learned the character's secrets and past . Another great thing about this game is the 40hrs of gameplay . You will get so involved with the characters that it will be almost sad to see them go at the end . This game is a work of art , a masterpiece . I recommend this game to anyone who loves beautiful graphics with perfect detail , anyone who loves a good story with mystery and deception and betrayal , or to anyone who just loves a great game .
197 4 Final Fantasy 8 is a terrific game . I was never a big fan of RPG's until I played FF7 . Final Fantasy 7 is one of the greatest , if not the greates RPG of them all . Final Fantasy 7 left some pretty big shoes to fill and FF8 does a great job of filling them . Let me start by telling you that the graphics are completely awesome . The best graphics I've ever seen in a game . The Story line is so beautiful and with so many plot twists that you will just be hooked on the game , and you won't let go until you've learned the character's secrets and past . Another great thing about this game is the 40hrs of gameplay . You will get so involved with the characters that it will be almost sad to see them go at the end . This game is a work of art , a masterpiece . I recommend this game to anyone who loves beautiful graphics with perfect detail , anyone who loves a good story with mystery and deception and betrayal , or to anyone who just loves a great game .
198 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
this game is totally the best ! Its one of those stradgy games that has an interesting plot ! It flips from the real life to Squall's dream world to where he turns into Laguna . Althou this game is powerful if your the only one playing . I've caught myself playing it and ending up getting into it soo much that i think ive lost my life when I die . But you have to pay attention . Even if you think you know whats going to happen . I highly recomend that ppls over the age of 13 play it cuz its soo intense .
200 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
My expectations of FFVIII were great and were exceeded when I finished the game . It has great graphics , which improve with every Final Fantasy that I've played , and the characters have a realism that I can relate to , compared to other RPG's that you forget the characters the second you turn the game off . For a split second you feel like these characters really exist , like your next door neighbors or something . The plot is engaging and straight to the point , which let me enjoy the fight scenes a little more and kept me playing more as well . When I was playing VII It took me a couple of weeks and a second time around the controller to figure out the story . I don't know about anyone else but it was quite a waste of time ; FFVIII alleviates that mess with a linear , engaging plot , and you can go on with your life when the game is done . The music is good ( the music in VII is better ) , but the cinematics and real-life acton scenes are what make this game excellent ( the scene at the end of Disc 2 where Squall fights the troooper off that mini-jet-propulsion-thing to save Rinoa and head for Galbadia Garden is especially cool ! ) The ending is one of the best in a long time ; it brought the whole story to a close.All in all , it is a game that is well made , well-planned and I enjoyed playing it immensely !
201 4 My expectations of FFVIII were great and were exceeded when I finished the game . It has great graphics , which improve with every Final Fantasy that I've played , and the characters have a realism that I can relate to , compared to other RPG's that you forget the characters the second you turn the game off . For a split second you feel like these characters really exist , like your next door neighbors or something . The plot is engaging and straight to the point , which let me enjoy the fight scenes a little more and kept me playing more as well . When I was playing VII It took me a couple of weeks and a second time around the controller to figure out the story . I don't know about anyone else but it was quite a waste of time ; FFVIII alleviates that mess with a linear , engaging plot , and you can go on with your life when the game is done . The music is good ( the music in VII is better ) , but the cinematics and real-life acton scenes are what make this game excellent ( the scene at the end of Disc 2 where Squall fights the troooper off that mini-jet-propulsion-thing to save Rinoa and head for Galbadia Garden is especially cool ! ) The ending is one of the best in a long time ; it brought the whole story to a close.All in all , it is a game that is well made , well-planned and I enjoyed playing it immensely !
202 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Final fantsy eight is a good game for young teenagers younger kids I think would get board . Final fantasy has mild bad words such as damn . Even if the the words may be a litle bad I think it's the best Playstation game bypassing Final Fantasy 7 . If battles make you board the game is not very good for you because you use your sword and magic to cut through the enemy's . The plot is also very good . I also think it has amzing grafics . It is the reason I got playstation .
204 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game is awesome . The moment I turned on the game I was hooked . The graphics are totally awesome , the characters are well-developed , there is actually a storyline for once , and Edea is the coolest villian ever ! Okay , well , she's not really a villian , but I'm not gonna spoil it for you . A word of advice for newbies though , if you have a short-attention span don't play this game . It's super long ( spans FOUR discs ! ) and you'll be sitting in front of the TV for hours and hours on end .
206 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game is one of the best games I HAVE EVER PLAYED ! Seriosly I could not put the controller down . I had never been so addicted in my life . And how can people say The only thing good is the graphics because I thought it had a great storyline , deep characters , great junctioning system ( trust me you get the hang of it in no time ) , overall great everything ! So no matter what people say don't let them discourage you into buying this game , get your own opinion of it first . And if your still a little uneasy about buying it rent it first and see how YOU like it ! ( trust me when I say you will most likely be addicted the second you turn it on ) . I remember I was sad when I first beat the game because it was so good and I thought about the game and the ending for like 2 weeks ! ( In fact I still think about it ) . And it is really fun to play it over again because there are so many secrets and things that you miss the first time . I hope this was helpful to you and all I can say is SEE FOR YOURSELF before anyone can discourage you with any negative comments !
208 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Why does everyone down FF8 ? It's by far the best game Squaresoft ever made , and the best of the FF series . It's got more than an hour of FM。's . I beat all 4 discs , and I thought it was great . It just is ! It's well worth 50.00 for 4 discs of play ! FF7 was much worse . I ducked out after a little bit . It was really bad ! FF8 tops off all of the series , with constantly amazing graphics , a wonderfully complex story , with many miniplots that all add up in the end , with play in 2 different worlds ! I find it hard to understand why anyone could find anything wrong with FF8 . The GF feature constantly brings in good graphics , and the junctioning is cool . What's up with people who down this game ?
210 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I gave this game a for for one reason . See , I rented this game , and I saw the opening animation . I decided to buy it pretty early on . I eagerly played the game , loving the great story , awsome characters , and everything you could possibly think of . I played through 3 straight discs , and then , at the beginning of disc 4 , ( Adel ) I could never get past . I tried a million times to beat Adel and still can't , and what ticks me off is this . I asked a fellow rpg fan about it , ( who also was stuck here at one point ) and she said Oh , your level's not high enough . You'll have to start over . Well you can imagine how I felt there . I went through three discs , and now I just can't cut it . Well anyway , the game is great ; I highly recommend it , but just remember to LEVEL UP !
( by the way ) I really think this game is better than FFVII .
211 4 I gave this game a for for one reason . See , I rented this game , and I saw the opening animation . I decided to buy it pretty early on . I eagerly played the game , loving the great story , awsome characters , and everything you could possibly think of . I played through 3 straight discs , and then , at the beginning of disc 4 , ( Adel ) I could never get past . I tried a million times to beat Adel and still can't , and what ticks me off is this . I asked a fellow rpg fan about it , ( who also was stuck here at one point ) and she said Oh , your level's not high enough . You'll have to start over . Well you can imagine how I felt there . I went through three discs , and now I just can't cut it . Well anyway , the game is great ; I highly recommend it , but just remember to LEVEL UP !
( by the way ) I really think this game is better than FFVII .
212 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
If you do not like this game you are missing out on a lot of fun and you do not have a life ! This game is won of the greatest games ever created . The story line was good ( not as good as FF7 ) and the graphics were very good . This game is a must have .
213 4 If you do not like this game you are missing out on a lot of fun and you do not have a life ! This game is won of the greatest games ever created . The story line was good ( not as good as FF7 ) and the graphics were very good . This game is a must have .
214 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game has everything I expected and more . The graphics are mind boggling , the analog control is exceptional , and aside from the kinda slow story , its perfect . I believe that once you get use to the junction system it's the best system ever . It's so much fun to find spells that make your character better . It's like christmas all the time ! I believe this 4 - disc blowout is years beyond any Playstation or N64 game ever created .
216 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
Being a fairly big playstation fan , and haveing many games for it , I found Final Fantasy VIII to be one of the best . The graphics are amazing with nearly perfect backgrounds , but the characters are the only downfall . They seem to be somewhat boxy compared to the rest of the game , but don't let this disuade you . The fighting scenes are amazing , and the story line thrilling . This is a must have for any RPG fanatic !
220 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
I really like this game . The characters are more rounded than any other I've ever seen in any game . The graphics are stunning . The flow from FMV to game and back again is flawless . However , the storyline is not the greatest . It gets monotinous after a couple discs . If you want a better storyline , play FFVII . But for great graphics and truly awesome characters , buy Final Fantasy 8 .
221 4 I really like this game . The characters are more rounded than any other I've ever seen in any game . The graphics are stunning . The flow from FMV to game and back again is flawless . However , the storyline is not the greatest . It gets monotinous after a couple discs . If you want a better storyline , play FFVII . But for great graphics and truly awesome characters , buy Final Fantasy 8 .
222 4 This review is from :
Final Fantasy VIII ( Video Game )
This game should have been far better than it is . It's huge , beautiful , engrossing , and easily worth the price of admission . But it is truely flawed , continuing down the same spiral that FFIII and FFVII started . First , like the previous two games , your characters are virtually indistinguishable when in battle : What they are equipped with matters , not their individual skills . Second , the lead characters act far too juvenile . Nineteen-year-old elite military cadets acting like 7th-graders just seems out of place . Third , the game is far too linear . Before disk two , you can rarely deviate from a predetermined course , and not until the end of disk three can you truely explore most of the game . Fourth , the game ' balance ' is not particularly well-executed . Guardian forces are too powerful at the beginning of the game , and too weak at the end . Magic is almost exclusively used for major bosses . A better design would encourage a mix of strategies to defeat different enemies . What worries me most , however , are the dirty little details that I feel Square is starting to miss . Things like hour-plus sequences with no opportunity to save . Things like the near-impossibility of ridding an area of a card-game rule . Things like not being able to draw Pandemona from Fujin the second time you fight her if you missed it the first . . . . ( this one really annoyed me ! ) . I feel that Square is working too much on making awesome graphic interludes and not spending enough time tweaking the play of the game itself . All that , and I still think it's a good game . Go figure .
223 4 This game should have been far better than it is . It's huge , beautiful , engrossing , and easily worth the price of admission . But it is truely flawed , continuing down the same spiral that FFIII and FFVII started . First , like the previous two games , your characters are virtually indistinguishable when in battle : What they are equipped with matters , not their individual skills . Second , the lead characters act far too juvenile . Nineteen-year-old elite military cadets acting like 7th-graders just seems out of place . Third , the game is far too linear . Before disk two , you can rarely deviate from a predetermined course , and not until the end of disk three can you truely explore most of the game . Fourth , the game ' balance ' is not particularly well-executed . Guardian forces are too powerful at the beginning of the game , and too weak at the end . Magic is almost exclusively used for major bosses . A better design would encourage a mix of strategies to defeat different enemies . What worries me most , however , are the dirty little details that I feel Square is starting to miss . Things like hour-plus sequences with no opportunity to save . Things like the near-impossibility of ridding an area of a card-game rule . Things like not being able to draw Pandemona from Fujin the second time you fight her if you missed it the first . . . . ( this one really annoyed me ! ) . I feel that Square is working too much on making awesome graphic interludes and not spending enough time tweaking the play of the game itself . All that , and I still think it's a good game . Go figure .
226 4 This is hands-down my favorite Final Fantasy game , from the original on the NES to X - 2 International , including the Japan-only releases . I loved ( almost ) all of them , and gladly give them all 5 stars . Final Fantasy VIII just had a few more of the qualities I consider ideal in a game .
The story was good , if somewhat light in comparison to the more complex Final Fantasy VII , but the characterization in VIII is what really stood out . The hero was someone I could actually identify with in many respects - an anti-hero , Clint Eastwood type rather than the white-hat , John Wayne type . He was never cartoony , full of throw-away dialogue , or unrealistic . Like in all great epics , he is confronted with conflict , undergoes a catharsis , and changes in a believable way .
The other characters were good in that they all had distinct roles within the story and , thus , personalities . There was no time in which dialogue was interchangeable between characters - something I can't say about this game's predecessors . Of the bunch , only Zell came close to being too goofy ( though he was great in a battle ) .
The graphical presentation was outstanding , and not just in the cutscenes . The CG sequences are amazing , but I thought the in-game rendering was a good move for the series . Gone are the distorted , cartoony characters . Now , we have human-shaped leads , who retain their form and proportions in any screen ( town , world map , battle , etc ) . This fits well with the darker tone of much of the game over its previous installments ( barring some parts of VII , which could have benefitted from character designs on the map more like those used in battle ) .
The sound and music in this game were , as usual , outstanding . Uematsu Nobuo , composer for Final Fantasy since the original NES game , is at his usual best . This was the first Final Fantasy to have a theme song , complete with English-language vocals . Using this melody as a common thread through much of the in-game music , the soundtrack became more like a film's than in any previous games . ( Incidentally , this was originally intended in Final Fantasy VII also , but changed at the last minute ) . This is one of only two games for which I have bought a sound-track ( the other being Xenogears ) , and it was well worth the money .
While it is true that most role-playing games , Final Fantasy not excepted , have a central love story , I was unusually glad to see this one . Since this , unlike usual , was not a strong theme in VII , I no longer felt it to be a cookie-cutter plot device going into VIII . Furthermore , as a character , Rinoa also changes , undergoes a catharsis , as Squall does . By the end , they are both very different people - more adult . It was a touching and effective , if not entirely original , theme .
For me , the battle system is one of the best in any RPG throughout history , but this reflects my long-standing style of play . I always , even when a game clearly intends you to do things differently , shun magic and special abilities in favor of cold steel combat . When I play , spells , techniques , and the like are used only on very difficult bosses , if ever . So the system here , where magic is far more useful for tweaking and augmenting your bodily strengths than for using directly , is ideal to me . I also liked the draw system , and the fact that , as augmentations to your statistics , the magic doesn't run out or wear off .
As for the little extras that are the icing on the cake , I loved the pay system . Unlike in other games where monsters and villains leave behind cash , the characters in Final Fantasy VIII get a regular paycheck , based upon rank , from their host institution , Balamb Garden . The strongest extra , though , was the card game . It was a relatively new idea , easy to learn , and fun to play - far more so than the card game found in Final Fantasy IX . For the first time , I actually enjoyed tracking down all the cards , and they also were worth tracking down since you could convert them into some incredibly useful items ( if you could bear to part with the rarest after working oh-so-hard to get them ) . Finally , I was also extremely pleased with the final boss ( es ) . Even at level 100 ( which is not so difficult to attain ) , all the GFs , including the hidden ones , augmented abilities , and the best equipment , there is still some challenge . Partly , this is introduced by a certain random element in a few of the boss's stages . With all the best of everything , it's certainly not likely you'll lose , but you do still have to pay attention and work at the battle .
In short , this is one of my favorite games of all time , and it's one of the best . The dialogue and characterization were strong , the battle system was quite fun , the graphics and sound were outstanding , and the story was very good . I suppose the real test of a game is whether the player is reluctant to leave the world presented to him / her . In this case , I wanted in the worst way to stay on for further adventures .
228 4 I'll keep this short . Final Fantasy 8 has , to date , the best storyline of the series . It's driven not by CG cinema scenes or by random battles but by its endearing characters and genuine emotion . Each part of the plot fits together , and the resolution at the end of the game is a perfect example of awesome story telling . The plights of Squall , Rinoa , and Zell are all seamlessly woven into one big story .
Unfortunately , the gameplay is as dull as an RPG can get , and the deep junction system pales in comparison to FF7 ' s well-done materia system . The game also forces you to fight way too many random battles and rely too heavily on your summons ( GFs ) , so that each battle becomes more of a movie than a part of the game . Weak .
230 4 Man ! when I first heard about this game I was so happy ! for one reason I loved the FF Series and have played almost everyone ! This one truely stands out as one of the best and Diffrent ones ! Great Graphics , Sound , Control , and Fun Factor ! And now with it's new low price anyone can own it ! Now I just can't wait for FFXI for PSX and FFX and IX for PS2 : - ) So do yourself a favor and buy this game ! you will not leave your House for about 2 to 3 Months .
