Final Fantasy VIII

The Good
Before I played FF8, I wasn't a huge fan of RPG's. The main reason was because I felt RPG's were just too technical and difficult to get into. I'm glad that this was the first Playstation game I ever bought, since I've never stopped playing RPG's ever since.

FF8 is beautiful. From the detail in the backgrounds, to the very nice cut scenes and the strong musical score. Everything about it is sheer bliss. The thing that made it so much easier for me to enjoy the game was the easy to get into battle system. Although certain things inside the battle system take time to develop, it isn't hard to get everything started. The earlier battles help to get you into the groove of things for some of the huge battles later on through out the game.

Something that many games lack of in recent times is a lasting factor. FF8 will last a long, long time. Not only is there 4 discs to get through, but trying to collect everything will take the most out of you. The addition of a card game on the side of the main story adds a nice balance to the game, and gives you something else to do instead of the same battle after battle routine that earlier RPG's sticked too.

I have to give credit where credit is due, to the amazing soundtrack. Square are one of a handful of developers that actually take time to develop a strong soundtrack to go with the visuals, and the score here mixes songs of power, love and comedy all in one. Great.

The Bad
There are moments with the graphics that don't look all that well. Blocky textures appear sometimes, thankfully not too often.

The Bottom Line
This is the best PSX Final Fantasy. It improves the visual detail built by FF7, and the overall quality and fun is a little higher than that of FF9. It will eventually be left behind by FF10 and 11, but FF8 will always find a place in my imagination. One of Squares biggest triumphs, and don't bother to even tell me otherwise.

The Good
In 1999, SquareSoft, released Final Fantasy VIII, perhaps the most controversial incarnation of the series, as for many Final Fantasy fans it was an insult of a game. I know many FF Fans that now hate the series because of FFVIII. I did not pay the game much mind as in 1999, I did not own a PlayStation, I was far to busy playing my new Dreamcast, and my PC. It would not be until several years later until I would play the game. It is a little better than FF7, but not by much.

In FF8, you are Squall Lionheart, a rude little shit. That people are drawn to for some reason. If being antisocial is so cool, how come I am not more popular? Anyhow, you are a student at the SeeD Academy. Where the teach kids to become warriors. Not unlike Harry Potter. The games plot starts off well enough, despite a prick for a protagonist. About 5 hours or so into the game it takes a most displeasing turn. More on that later.

Also good, are the Graphics. The characters of FF8 are large and well detailed. And for the first time in the series do not change appearance in battle. The backgrounds look better than in it’s predecessor. They are more detailed, and more colorful. And often are animated. But the better graphics feel wasted on the often poor character design. Why did Square fire Yoshitaka Amano? His art used to be one of the best things about the franchise.

The Bad
On to the negative portion of my review. The opening video is just plain stupid. When Deckard wannabe, Seifer slashes down at Squall head, he would have taken his head off, not just left a little scar. Furthermore the plot quickly gets sour. Around the time you meet up with Rinoa, the love interest, that Squall seems to have contempt for. At this point you are on a train and assault it. This results in an idiotic mini-game in which you attempt to uncouple the train cars. It is very annoying. And almost resulted in me quitting the game right then and there.

I would like to say that the plot picks up, but it really never does. Often, you run around doing things, for reasons that are unclear. Many weak plot points abound. Such as why would SeeD, send children on a dangerous mission? The fate of the city rests of inexperienced youths? The plot of the two evil sorceress’ is just dumb. There is also what has to be one of the dumbest moments in video game history, when during a battle between two SeeD schools, Squall and Rinoa stop to have a chat when three feet away people are dying. Blood would splatter on Squall’s face and they would continue to chat. Furthermore the dialog is unimportant, and trite. This also almost made me quit playing the game.

The new magic system of FF8, is GF’S. This is one of worst magic systems ever conceived for a game. You equip these GF’S, and can learn skills from them as well as magic. There are no MP points in FF8, instead you must “draw” magic. No not with a pen and pad, but by sucking magic from foes and “draw points”. For instance you draw Fira, 5 times and you can use it 5 times. This makes battles incredibly tedious. And can make even the simplest battles last ten minutes. And considering you are attacked by invisible monsters every 10 seconds you spend about 75% of the game do this crap.

The GF’S also allow you to “junction”. This allows you to increase attack power, HP, etc. This system is flawed at best. For example say that you junction you attack power + 50%. Then you standard attacks even from weaker characters do about 8000-9000 HP damage, when summoning the GF only does about 4000-5000. WTF?

Limit Breaks are back and just as moronic as in FF7. This time to learn them, you must find magazines for a particular PC and have them use it. An interesting idea but a little silly. You have a limit break bar that must fill to be used, this often results in wasted Limit Breaks, and harder boss fights. Some limit breaks are interactive a nice touch, but take a little getting used to.

Also in FF8, you DO NOT WEAR ANY ARMOUR, this is very dumb. And instead of buying new weapons, you upgrade them, this in if it self would not be so bad if you did not have to find the materials, first. What kind of merchant makes you bring them the materials? That as if when you buy a house the carpenters make you bring them the lumber. Also making weapons is sorta like MacGyver, a turtle shell + a rock + a feather = a new sword…huh? Also the weapons are all lame. From “gun blades” to giant nunchaku?

The Graphics, while good, are often ruined by atrocious character. Take a look at Selphie, and Irving, and you will see what I mean. The monster designs are also bad.

The music is horrible. It just plain sucks. None of the music is memorable or often not even fitting the moment. It is God awful. And there is still not voice acting….WTF?

The Bottom Line
Overall, even many Final Fantasy gamers hate this one. But who knows others may like. As many non-FF fans do like the game. But there are so many better PS RPGS, I cannot recommend this one.

The Good
First let us mention game's preferences, as they're all just plain marvelous. Game comes on five CDs (I'm, of course, refering to PC version), one is just for installation, so basically, there are only four to play along with. As for the graphic and animations, they're breathtaking, and I think I'm really falling for that japanese creations (let's get one thing straight, though... I don't like anime like 2D, I'm a pure fan of 3D animations, hehe, exceptions can be games with animations like 'Outlaws' or 'Lands of Lore'). After playing this game, I'm trully sorry SquareSoft haven't put more of their games through the process of transporting them to PC platforms.

The story puts you in role of Squall Leonhart, not so friendly and sociable guy, due to past circumstances, who ended in a military school for mercenaries. Your only worthy opponent is Seifer Almasy, who cares a bit more about his ego and a dream to become sorceress' knight then anything else, and is pretty determined to keep away everyone that tries to prevent that (it is him who gave you that scar in the intro animation, just soon enough for you to do the same present for him, hehe). However, your fighting teacher is a hot babe that everyone enjoys her presence, but no matter, you always seem to keep distance... that is, until you first saw your falling star. Is it possible to catch a falling star? Well, you're just about to find out that as you play along :)

This is my first Final Fantasy game I even played, and no matter how people claim this one has a bit tougher controls and whole thing to settle along, it's possible to master everything just as you play along, as you can always refer to ingame help and mentor. Fighting is definitely not turn-based (those who claims it is are wrong), but you speed and ability to strike depends in a certain time limit (if you have higher levels, you'll be faster, etc.) so that could trick those who think it's turn-based. It is definitely real-time, as even when you're choosing what to do and how to strike, enemy won't just watching you calmly.

Game uses just a keyboard, without a mouse, and you're moving your character(s) very similar to those in 'Alone in the Dark' games, only way faster and smoother. In many occasions you'll be given to choose with whom to play and/or do a certain mission, and the experience will go to the characters with you play at the moment. However, magic can only be used if you assigned a certain GF (Guardian Force) to your character, so you'll have to switch that from time to time... actually, quite a lot. Characters are all well designed, animated, and have a story of their own, but that story just happens to connect all of ya (which you'll uncover more once you play the game).

Animations in the game (excluding intro and ending animation) only consists of sound, and the music (which is probably midi) is on its own, so I must admit music is greatly composed to suit in every situation when played along with a piece of any animation at the given moment. Nobuo Uematsu is surely now on my top list of game composers :)

The Bad
Nada! Not a single thing! I only hope SquareSoft will stop doing so much game for consoles and concentrate their future more towards PC. I mean, first, graphic on PC is waaay better then on some silly Playstation which can only be used for games, second, how can you guys even play games on that silly thing instead of keyboard? Third, I'd really like to see some games like 'Parasite Eve' and newer 'Final Fantasy' games for PC. I know, it needs to be taken care of wether it will pay off the transportation to PC, but so far, I'm sure that both games, Final Fantasy VII & VIII were accepted on PC equally as on Playstation. I hope even more. If not, then something's wrong with the population on this planet, I'll sayeth :)

The Bottom Line
Hey, trust me one this one, you don't have to be a Final Fantasy fan to like this game. I wasn't... but be prepared to become one once you try it, hehe. That's the price of playing it, I guess, hehe. Beside the great story, wonderful animations, amazing character motions, really creative effects, speechless and breathtaking music soundtrack, there's at lest a reason to get this game for PC instead of PSX, since you'll enjoy more with better graphic and everything. Not to mention how prices for consoles are so much higher then for PC (which is still a mystery to me). You shouldn't say no to this game if there's any adventure, action, rpg, fantasy, sci-fi or love spirit in you. Trust me on this one :) Yeah right, as if you should listen to this review, anyway, lol!