User reviews

I grew up on the Final Fantasy series, I remember playing the first one when I was a mere sprog and the excitement that came with each subsequent release.

By the time eight came out I was a man but my love for the franchise was as strong as ever, I perhaps wasn't ready for the epic that I was about the undertake.

At that point as good as all the previous games were nothing had come close to this masterpiece. And yes I know most people fawn all over seven, but not this guy.

The characters were so varied, so original. The plot was captivating, gripping and nothing short of an epic. The score was the best yet, it took each scene and enhanced it with memorable tracks that really helped you get into the drama before you.

The game itself, I've heard a lot of criticism. Many people say that the combat system is too simple and that using certain junctions you can become rather overpowered. Truth be told, this is kind of right but not to a game breaking point.

The combat is fluid and turn based (The way the franchise should have stayed). The enemies are plentiful as are the incredible boss encounters. The amount of side content is insane, from the excellent card game through to the additional guardian forces there are hundreds of hours of enjoyment to be had.

It has to be said I adore Final Fantasy eight and since this only one FF game has beaten it in my eyes. Gripping, powerful and near flawless it's the benchmark for rpgs that so very few come close to competing with.

The Good:

Looks great

Perfect score

Powerful story

Incredible characters

The Bad:

You can get overpowered rather easily

Very grindy in places especially for side content rewards

Acquiring 100% of cards requires some silly methods you'd never know about without a guide

Things I Learnt From This Game:

Squall > Cloud

Rinoa > Aerith

The fact that every other Final Fantasy has been re-released/remastered except eight is evidence that the world is a sentient being and ruddy hates me

Final Fantasy VIII was regarded as "flawed" by many Final Fantasy fans upon release. The truth is, they were too busy re-playing Final Fantasy VII to realise exactly what had just be created.

Final Fantasy VIII is not only my favourite game of all time, it's probably the best. To try and explain it right now is very hard, not because of a complex plot or difficult scenario: but because whatever I say will not compare to how much of a masterpiece it really is.

I will however, point out some finer points: The characters are the most in-depth, perfect and different individuals you will ever meet in a video game. They're so developed, they seem real. They interact with each other based on their feelings, and you never for a minute feel like they're video game characters. Best of all, they're likable to a point in which you wish you were part of their gang. I cannot express my "true" thoughts on how much I worship the characters of Final Fantasy VIII: it would be impossible for me to comprehend.

The music is an absolute masterpiece. It's perfect and beautifully crafted. I purchased the soundtrack, and I listen to it on shuffle everyday for a few hours. It always suits the scene or setting, or builds up tension, suspense or just plain excitement. It's awesome.

The plot is not basic. It's complex. It's amazing. It's definitely un-flawed, and people are now starting to realise exactly what's so good about the 8th chapter in the Final Fantasy saga.

If you could have one game to play forever, I strongly recommend this. It's my choice, and I complete it at least 3 times a year to ensure I never forget about it: although that's not very likely.

Overall: The greatest game of all time, without a doubt. A definitive gaming masterpiece for FF fans alike. Pure perfection. (10/10)

I've grown up wanting to play other people... to slip into their lives and see how they're different-- and similar-- to myself. I didn't actually get involved in pen-and-paper RPG's until I graduated from college, and haven't found many computer or console games that have been of any interest to me...

That is, until I played one of the Final Fantasy games. The first game I played was FFVI (which was, what, III in Japan?) and I was hooked. I loved the characters, and I was annoyed when the couples at the end didn't work out the way I wanted them to. ;) But I loved the way everything meshed together, and it wasn't simply a matter of running from point a to point b and beating up anything that got in your way.

Then I started playing FF8, and I was completely blown away. Just the opening graphics stunned me, and I hadn't even *started* the game itself yet. I haven't quite finished the game yet (I started over 'cause I got confused over an aspect of the Guardian Forces, so I got to a battle that was impossible for me to win, and I couldn't get away from it.) but I've made it through 3/4 of it, and all I can say is that I've *NEVER* seen a video game that made me cry... but this one accomplished it.

I look at the game as an outsider to the industry... I hate the fighting games where you do nothing but face off against an opponent in the ring. I see no point to them. The run-around-with-big-guns-and-blow-things-up games do nothing for me either. I like the games that are more like puzzles and that make you think about what you're doing (like Tetris, Mah Jong, things like that). However, FF8 gets the highest rating I can give a game, because I find it fascinating and beautifully made. Others who have played bazillions of other games find things wrong with FF8 left and right, because it's different from what they're used to... Since I went into it with an open mind of sorts, however, all I can see is the overpowering beauty and emotion of the characters, animation, and design.

Nearly 6 years ago, I got FF8 as my 1999 Christmas present, because I saw a review giving it 95/100 - the magazine is still in my room. I have completed FF7, and I love that as much, but 8 is something that I love beyond measure. The characters, the story, the beautiful locations from Winhill to Esthar... the word masterpiece has never been so strong.

The music is astonishing - Liberi Fatali is as haunting as it is awesome, and Eyes On Me is the most beautiful love song I have ever heard. The 'camera shots' are perfect - unlike in FF10/FF10-2 (which I love too, don't get me wrong) instead of the close-ups/cuts, they chose to have to whole scene and stay that way - if you look, there are hardly any cuts, and it adds to the real feeling of being there.

Again, the locations feel like my second homes to me now. Balamb Garden is the school I always wanted to attend. Timber is so sweet and quaint that it's cool. If I ever become a multi-millionaire, I will build a replica of Winhill and live there, it's enough to make me cry. And Esthar is amazing, incredible.

Of course, the Gameplay is essential, and utterly complex and powerful, challenging and fun. Very deep and pure, complementing the story perfectly.

The set pieces are brilliant - the SeeD exam, the Garden war, the Space sequences, the Lunatic Pandora... and Ultimecia's Castle gives me chills whenever I see it.

Final Fantasy 8 goes beyond gaming, and becomes your life. My hat is off.

Final Fantasy VIII is the apex of fantasy RPGs. Not only does it take place in a world we can believe and understand (a somewhat futuristic world that is fairly peaceful but still militarized), but it features characters we can feel akin to, for the first real time in the FF Series. These characters are very real; they have problems, ambitions and fears. They love and hate. They experience real hope and true despair. Final Fantasy VIII is truly the last great love story of the 20th Century... a story for the ages.

Squaresoft's (now Square-Enix) highly anticipated "Final Fantasy VIII" released in February of 1999 in Japan, and later in September 1999 for the United States and Europe. It got mixed reviews, but one thing is for certain, it definitely was a starting map for the way games are done today.

The first time I played this game, I was totally blown away. It's also become one of my most treasured and beloved games of all time. The romantic and emotional storytelling the game presents is superb, and will definitely leave its mark on you forever. This game is so incredible, that you might actually break into tears at the end.

Telling the story of lone wolf Squall Leonhart, who is looking forward to joining an elite military organization named SeeD. His life takes a drastic change when he meets the warm-hearted and gentle Rinoa Heartilly. However, this developing friendship is attacked when an evil sorceress named Edea gets involved into the lives of The World, with her own plans that could shift the balance of power everywhere. SeeD is dispatched to eliminate her, which is where Final Fantasy VIII begins.

Featuring music by the astonishing and refreshing Nobou Uematsu, which will simply blow you out of your shoes. Adding to the game's soundtrack is Faye Wong's "Eyes On Me", which holds a special place in my heart and is the song which got me into Faye's music. An underrated Final Fantasy game, in which deserves a big round of applause. Two big thumbs up.

Squall Leonhart, a courageous young man, who gets his training skills at the Balamb Garden. Because of his lack of trust in anyone, Squall isolates himself from everyone in the Garden. His excellent fighting skills soon makes him a SeeD, an organization who goes against the sorceress, who soon comes into the picture and tries to destory and take over the world. Now it's up to Squall and his new friends to try to stop the sorceress from destroying the world. Yet that's not all - soon Squall learns the meaning of true friendship and surprisingly - LOVE. And who is Laguna Loire and Ellone?

Joining Squall in his great adventure are:

- Quistis Trepe - the SeeD instructor who, like Squall, suffers from loneliness, and becomes an older-sister figure to Squall and the other SeeDs

- Zell Dincht - a fun-loving SeeD who loves wild and risky adventures, and is one of the best fighters in the Balamb Garden.

- Selphie Tilmitt - a SeeD with a cheerful, spunky, and bouyant attitude who also has great fighting skills like Squall and Zell.

- Irvine Kinneas - a ladies man originally from Galabia Garden (Balamb Garden's rival Garden), and sharpshooter who soon has a thing for Selphie, yet secretly has a sensitive and caring nature.

- Rinoa Heartilly - the princess of the Timber Owls, an anti-government orginazation who calls for the Seeds for help, who at first had a brief fling with Balamb Garden bully, Seifer Almasy, but soon falls helplessly in love with Seifer's arch rival, Squall.

All I can say about this game is "WOW!"

Can you believe the life-like graphics and animation on this game? Some say that "Final Fantasy VIII" is the weakest of the sagas (because of it's storyline), but I loved the storyline! The storyline is mostly, I think, based on life...explaining how a gifted lonewolf like Squall could learn to open up to his friends and the girl of his dreams especially. This story a long life lesson for all loners who feel isolated, and Squall's personality is an important part in the story and how his attitude changes, is even more important.

As you read the dialogue, you can easily see what each of the characters are feeling...whether it's love (i.e. Squall and Rinoa), fear, courage, hopefulness (i.e. Zell and Quistis), sorrow, or happiness (i.e. Irvine and Selphie).

Not to mention, the dialogue can also be pretty hilarious. Seifer's comment on Zell and Squall for example:

"This is great! I have a chicken-wuss and a guy who just reached puberty in my squad!"

"Final Fantasy VIII" is the first FF game I ever played, but on the other hand, it's very easy to. A LOT easier than "Final Fantasy VII". I even beat the Omega Weapon, which is the toughest monster on the game. Plus, the plot and storyline isn't as difficult as the 7th.

Final Fantasy VIII has the best animation and kind of crosses over into new technology for video games and even Japanese Animation! :)

TIPS: **Squall and Zell are the strongest fighters in the game** and **Squall, Zell, and Rinoa have the best limit breaks** And DON'T FORGET to get **AURA** magic, and DO NOT spend it all in one battle - or you'll be SORRY!!!!

Final Fantasy VIII (1999) has always been a polarizing game. It's narrative style and game play mechanics were so different from previous entries in the series that it was bound to be a matter of taste with hardcore fans. However, I feel this title, the series' black sheep (okay, until XIII), is among the best RPGs ever created.

The junctioning system is not perfect; yes, drawing magic can be tedious. But I think the system on the whole is a neat way to customize characters. With some more reworking, the junction and draw system could be amazing. I also liked the way summons were utilized as something other than glorified spells.

Though many seem to despise him, I think Squall Leonhart may be the best written FF protagonist. His psychology and worldview sync well with his back story and the game's themes of the need for companionship and love. The other characters in the party are all fascinating in their own ways and grow in complexity, though sadly a few are not given as much development as they should have been.

The love story of Squall and Rinoa, while maybe not "the last great love story of the 20th century," is sweet and effective. A little cheesy at times, but that's part of what makes them an appealing couple.

Of course, there are flaws. The narrative gets convoluted toward the end. There is a certain plot twist that is never fleshed out enough and comes off as trite. The draw system gets tedious. The gun blade is a silly concept, sure. Still, nothing is ever perfect, even great art, which I firmly believe this game to be, mock me for it or no.

There's so much more I could praise: the soundtrack, the world-building, the stunning (for 1999) FMV sequences, and the Triple Triad mini game. The story and rich characterization of the protagonist alone make FFVIII a game in desperate need of re-evaluation.

I believe that everyone can't describe the excitement when they beat Ultimecia. Lost , lonely ,sad , together ,the most romantic kiss .The picture we will never forget .

This is the most classic game in my memory , FF8 tells us, People can never be alone and alive, We need friendship , we need to trust , we need love.Even if someone like Squall meets a lively and lovely girl like Rinoa , he will become afraid of loneliness .

Eyes On Me I don't know how long I will listen , maybe forever? I want to know , what do you feel when you listen to this old song? If someone asks me what RPG game is worth a try , I will definitely not hesitate to answer Final Fantasy 8 . Yes, because I really love this game very much.

First of all, I love FF series and I really liked FF8. But there are some major problems that I'll like to date.

The Magic System - Have you ever thought that in a FF game you will use Magic as items? Well, in FF8 the magic system is called DRAW and the magics are represented as units, not MP.

The Money - Salary? Where have you seen salary in a FF game? There are no more money from monsters and chest. Now you gain salary.

The Experience - Now, to pass a level, you must accumulate 1000 EXP points. Only 1000. If you are in level 34 and want to pass to level 35, gain only 1000 EXP. Even if you are in level 96.

But in general, the game is great. It has very good graphics and CG animations. Also, let's hope that in FF9, we won't gain salary.

When I first played through this particular Final Fantasy game, I enjoyed it a good deal, but at the same time there were aspects that disappointed me about this one. However, over the years, this one has become better and better...especially when one compares it to Final Fantasy XII and XIII. The story and game play crushes those two games, so while they look prettier, this one is by far a more enjoyable gaming experience. The graphics are not all that bad either, as it looks a lot better than the beloved part VII of the series as this one was designed solely for the Sony Playstation, while part VII was initially being designed for the Nintendo 64. The leveling in this game though, does take some getting used and there are aspects of the story that could be improved on, this one is still miles ahead of the previous two Final Fantasy games I have played (XII and XIII).

The story has a young mercenary named Squall beginning his final training to become a full fledged member of the mercenary group SEED. He is joined by a man named Seifer and Zell and later on by Selphie. They join a conflict already in progress and Squall along with Zell and Selphie are promoted to full fledged SEED members and are soon tasked with their first mission, to aid a small rebel group against the Galbaldian army. This group is led by a girl named Rinoa whom Squall meets earlier at a ball, and soon the two begin quarreling constantly. However, a very dangerous threat looms on the horizon as the Sorceress Edea seems to be gaining in power and envisions a world of death. Squall soon learns the true nature of SEED, to combat the sorceress, and soon he and his childhood friends will try to stop this threat and the even darker threat looming in the future.

This FF is different in that fighting monsters and leveling up is not necessarily the way to go. One soon finds out that when the characters level up, so do the monsters. Instead, one must learn to junction magic to increase their stats. This FF also features probably the least diversified cast of characters in any FF game. Sure they are all cool, but they are also all the same age and there are no cats riding moogles or rat knights that are featured in the previous and next games. There are other quirks that make this one a bit unique, and overall they do work.

So this one is a very good Final Fantasy game. I enjoy part VII better overall; however, I do have to admit I like the ending to this one better because they actually show you what has happened to your group. The group of characters could have been a bit more unique, but while they are all human, they are still different in their own way. The story is pretty good and while the villain in this does not have nearly the presence of Sephiroth, she does make a much tougher final boss! And finally, this game features one of the best things ever in limit breaks. The previous game had its version and the next one has its own, but this one was by far the most awesome! Take your HP low and proceed to destroy your foes!

I guess I would best be able to start by saying that I am a computer user and therefore do not own a playstation. The last game console I bought was the original NES. Since then, all computer. I play the others through emulators mainly. I have played the demo for the computer for FF8 but also have played and am currently playing the playstation version through Bleem! the playstation emulator. So I have played the game enough to have a full opinion.

For starters, I am a strong fan of RPGs. Especially the Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior series(which I wish was still up against FF. Imagine where these RPG titles would be.). I have played all of the FF games. My suggestions to those reading are to ignore the bad reviews and at least try the demo before judging. This game was designed for the open minded, hard core gamers. You may notice there are more good reviews than bad. The game is mainly attacked do to it's change and story. First off, I do think it has a very sound story and was put together quite well in all categories.After all, if we all remember, Cloud wasn't exactly an emotional character. My most favorite features of all though, are those in which are changed. Salary for example. I never could understand either how weird blobs and monsters had gold. The main one attacked though is the Junction system and draw points. Think of it this way:

The large majority of RPGs you play are pretty much the same thing. Buy weapons, get spells through leveling, raise levels, increase mana and HP. If you want all of that, there is still 100s of those including the FF series in which has these features. I personally wouldn't be able to stand RPG after RPG, especially at the level FF is at, to be the same everytime. Now comes along FF8. As expected, Amazing graphics and FMV, characters with fingers, cool weapons. Of course though, there are downfalls with the game like all games have. For example, do to no chests, gold from monsters, and buying weapons, it does become more difficult to get the right spells and weapons. But there is the key of what makes the change good. A challenge for all the die hard RPG gamers that is based on a different system. Truthfully I think the largest downfall to the game is the inability to skip the Guardian Force's movies. Since they are used 50x more than the Summon Materia in FF7, the movies get annoying quicker. I rate the game 7 stars *******

Play it with your mind open. (Not Literally)

Final Fantasy VIII is in my opinion a terrible RPG. It has horrible gameplay mechanics that make it into an unnecessary grind and routinely interupts gameplay to make players micromanage magic stocks in boring menus to upgrade character stats, an atrocious mess of a story full of ridiculous melodrama, astronomical coincidences and too much teenage angst that lacks proper flow and structure. The characters are rather bland and don't have much personality. The romance, which is unfortunately the center piece of this game often taking precedence over the plot and most characters getting development, is entirely contrived and unnatural seeming. The lead character Squall is a rather cliche emo jerk who generally has nothing particularly interesting or funny to say if he ever says anything out loud rather than thinking it compared to other Final Fantasy protagonists like Cloud, Zidane and Tidus. His dialogue is straight up meme worthy at times(the famous line "whatever " comes to mind when thinking about the typical dialogue from Squall) He's a stiff bore who's not that fun and is abrasive to his friends and coworkers. I simply don't understand how anyone can say this game is actually good. It feels really disappointing to have gone from 6 and 7 to a game a poor as 8. Fortunately, 9 and 10 were better than this dismal trainwreck.

While some might bemoan the lack of traditional RPG cliches in FFVIII, I applaud the designers for taking this game one step higher. Gone are the stupid-looking cartoon characters that ruined much of FFVII for me - instead, we have well-rounded, interesting characters. This is almost more a movie (or perhaps mini-series) than a game, perhaps. But I felt rewarded by an entertaining and interesting story, interesting places to visit, and last but not least, beautifully rendered graphics. If this is the future of RPGs, then bring it on.

Having the best soundtracks of all Final Fantasy games, this game really takes us high.Its story is reasonable and thrilling.Regarding its RPG elements,they are simple and interesting:Drawing magics from enemies and place them onto your characters's statistics.Characters are not that remarkable, but that's not a problem since the game focuses on their friendship and Squall and Rinoa's love.

Four Cds filled with action scenes and remarkable soundtracks.It's far better than FF 13 which is tooo long and has less things to be done.For each CD there's a marvellous end that will undoubtedly make you claim to know what will happen next.

This is not a boring game as some says, it does deserve to be played.Buy on PS store or burn a CD for PS1/PS2.Its opening scene is breathtaking, the best opening for game I've ever seen.

This review may be something of a controversy for those who read it and are familiar with the iconic trilogy of "Final Fantasy" games released on the Sony Playstation between 1997-2000. (Entries VII, VIII and IX) Simply because of the nostalgic love many people have for its immediate predecessor, "Final Fantasy VII." But in honor of my 100th review this year (my first time reaching such a number of reviews in only one year), I am going to give my honest opinion on "Final Fantasy VIII", my personal favorite of the trilogy. And it is a game that I feel, more-or-less, still holds up over a decade after its initial release.

Centering on a theme of love, "Final Fantasy VIII" is arguably a quantum-leap forward over the prior entry in many ways, bringing forth vastly improved graphics, sound and interactivity.

The story focuses on our lead hero, Squall Leonhart, a lone-wolf teen-aged cadet at the military academy Balamb Garden. Haunted by his past, and unwilling (or perhaps afraid) to put his trust in others, Squall may seem callous, but is actually a rich, deep character. Together with his former instructor Quistis, hot-headed fellow student Zell and spunky school-girl Selphie, Squall is at first sent on several missions by the academy, before being drawn into a much deeper conflict and storyline.

Sent with his team by the academy headmaster to help a small resistance group, Squall encounters Rinoa, the other lead character in the story. And throughout the tale, both Squall and Rinoa are pulled towards each other as they slowly fall in love. But the treacheries of the world, including the rise to power of an evil Sorceress and the betrayal of Squall's rival Seifer, may not only tear apart Squall and Rinoa, but may lead to the destruction of the known world.

Graphics/Visuals- 10/10 For their time, these were among the finest graphics available on a console title. From highly detailed pre-rendered backgrounds, to characters far less blocky than prior 3D entries, to some arguably movie-quality pre-rendered FMV sequences, the visuals of this game were marvelous. Although they haven't aged well, the design is still remarkable even today. For their time, the graphics/visuals were a perfect 10.

Sound/Music- 10/10 As was the case for the previous entry, there is no real voice-over work to speak of, and outsides of battles, sound effects are very limited. However, the sound effects presented are much more true-to-life, and less "cartoonish" than in VII. Also, the score by Nobuo Uematsu is remarkable, touching, and gorgeous. It was one of the first video game scores to sound as good as a Hollywood soundtrack.

Control- 10/10 There isn't much to say when it comes to the control category. The game is controlled through simple navigation over maps and through (fairly) simplistic menu-navigation. And it's simple, concise and to the point, so the controls are pretty much ideal.

Story- 8/10 The story is the one category where I cannot give this game a perfect score. And it is for the same fundamental reason I listed in my review for "Final Fantasy VII"- inconsistencies and leaps within the tone and style of the storytelling. While the story and characters are very compelling (I personally found Squall a far more compelling character than Cloud), there are many points where the story takes leaps in terms of logic and tone. (Without spoiling anything, there are some major twists and turns that seem pointless and out of left field.) However, despite it's faults, the tale is still compelling and memorable, and it is a good story over all.

Overall, though, to me this game is a perfect 10. I don't know exactly why, but this game is just compelling, fun and all-in-all, a vast improvement over the already fantastic previous entry.

I'm giving "Final Fantasy VIII" a perfect 10.

Many people did not like this game. Why, you ask? Because it pushes the boundaries of the fantasy genre. In most fantasy stories you will find a hero driven to save the world simply because he can. Final Fantasy 8 is about a hero who saves the world because 1. It's his job, and 2. He has to save the love of his life. I find this most intriguing. The game is full of little love triangles, as there would be in any adolescent group of friends. I speak from experience, being a member of said group. Sure, love is mentioned in other RPGs as well, but they rarely follow up on it. This is a game that portrays humanity accurately. We have many driving forces, but none so strong as love. People disliked this game for it's honesty. But I find this game incredible in it's honesty. Love it, or hate it, this game will not be forgotten.

This is the second best game ever only beaten by Final Fantasy VII me and my brother disagree now again he thinks that Final Fantasy VII is the best game ever which I agree with on some points but, the ending for this game is the best.

I downloaded the end because I still have not got there yet im at the first battle for the 4th disc.

The main story is about war surround by a love story between Rinoa and Squall (Rinoa has the best outfit in the game) Seifer is also a good character. the good thing about this game is that there are more female characters the Final Fantasy VII and the baddies are woman (Seifer is not classed as a bad guy because he redeems himself at the end of the game)

The FMV sequences are a lot more advanced than Final Fantasy VII and the detail is much greater. The end sequence looks like the best in the game and I own Final Fantasy IX and I am half way throgh disc one of four and I have found this one of the more boring games the FMV's are even better than this game but there is no story.

Squall reminds you of Cloud and Rinoa reminds you of Aeris because of the way they are to each other and you can tell that they are desined to be together. I think that Seplhie and Irvine should end up together and that Seifer and Quistis should end up together and then Zell could end up with the girl that like him from the library which is a side storyline which is good and gives you the chance to get to know more about the characters and what they like.

Another good scene is the dance after Squall passes his final exam to get into SEED. He dances with Rinoa and is terrible until he looks into her eyes which is quite sweet. The look she gives one couple who bump into them when they dance is funny.

Laguna and Raine have a very short but sweet relationship and you feel sorry for him in the end sequence because he still misses her a lot and they were married and are the parents of Squall.

So to sum up Final Fantasy VII and VIII are by far the best RPG games ever made and they beat each other in different ways this game wins by FMV sequences and the love story that ends happy unlike Cloud and Aeris. The ending is the one of the best parts of the game and quite long and you feel sorry for Squall when you see him cry and Rinoa cries when she sees him. But the very last scene of the game sees the two of them finally sharing a loving kiss and you get to see Seifer laugh and Edea happy with Cid and the rest of the gang having a laugh with each other and Zell stuffing his face full of food and ends up choking and having to be saved by Selphie and Quistis.

What more can I say, the title should say it all. It is going to be good as they can be as soon as you see the final fantasy brand, you can be guaranteed a good game. But VIII is more than a good game, if it was a movie, it would be the best movie, a T.V. show, the best T.V. show and the best computer game. Don't get me wrong it has it faults ( watching the G.F. sequences up to 12 times trying to beat a particularly hard boss is SO boring, but I know a lot about final fantasy, and this is much better than anyone would usually say. Ignore people who may put it down and see for yourself. I felt genuine emotion during the game, and although RPG may tend to have limited life-span, i.e. once you've finished it with every item, you don't comeback. FFVIII breaks the rule. I genuinely felt for Squall, Rinoa and his friends, and there is nothing that can beat this game. Miss it at your own risk!

Final Fantasy VIII is even more of a departure from the traditional Final Fantasys than the previous entry. Focusing on a core of young heroes, the narrative is allowed to be constructed in a way that showcases the struggles young men and women face as they come into adulthood.

The cast of Final Fantasy VIII are unique within the series, all of the main six are all teens within only a year apart in age. The modern and academia tone established early on is really refreshing from the gloomy and depressing Midgar that opened Final Fantasy VII. The main cast and even NPCs function within school factions: Loners, cliques, the administrators, and characters behave accordingly. The main character often vocalizes his internal frustrations and commentary regarding all manner of situations, making him to be believable as a character. We get to witness events that radically change the main character, as well as the other members, into more rounded and importantly "real" characters. The other playable and secondary characters also carry weight and bear meaning into the story.

While I enjoy the first half of Final Fantasy VIII's story, the second half of the game overcomplicates the narrative. Given the elements that were already present in Final Fantasy VIII's lore up until the point, it seems like an unnecessary inclusion; or it was the intended endpoint that they had little concept of reaching. While the story does suffer immensely from narrative haphazardness, the lead character literally carries the burden and emotional weight of the story, so while the events are jumbled, the emotional strength is still poignant until the game's conclusion.

Where Final Fantasy VIII struggles is the mechanics regarding gameplay. The junction system is an expanded Esper equip from Final Fantasy VI, but taken to a degree that actually dissuades the player from utilizing spells outright. The junction system runs COUNTER to the design of the game, where enemy levels scale to that of the player party; meaning you can junction in significantly higher powers without the need of scaling level, making battles insanely trivial.

Triple Triad is perhaps the best side content in a videogame. As stated before it is very easy to break the gameplay, and Triple Triad not only provides fantastical rewards for playing, but can be done so extremely early in the game. The other side content also serves to enrich the overall lore and story of the game, with only a few exceptions that are arbitrary filler that is also easily missed.

In context of its primary core of characters, Final Fantasy VIII is relatable to the experiences of a youth struggling to make sense of the world as it's forced upon them. The card game is fun to use as a means of breaking the gameplay apart. But it's shortcomings and really haphazard second half make it an experience I couldn't recommend more than once.

The story focuses on a group of Garden (Military Academy) students, who become SeeDs. Their mission is to protect the world from an evil sorceress, Edea. Along the way, the team made up of 17 year olds (Squall Leonhart, Rinoa Heartilly, Irvine Kinneas, Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht, and Quistis Trepe) must now fight against former classmates Seifer Almasy, the sorceresses Adel and Ultimecia, and find themselves going back in time in dream-like states, as a mysterious man named Laguna Loire. Who Laguna is the entire point of the game. So I won't tell you...

Final Fantasy VIII is, what I think, is one of the best RPG games ever. The Full Motion Videos in the game are so detailed and clear that they look almost real. The characters all have they're own personalities that separate them from each other. I personally think that the main character, Squall Leonhart, is very attractive, but the others aren't ugly either. :) The Junctioning System was, at first, pretty confusing...but you get used to it fast. With four discs full of missions, long lost memories, enemies, and new cities, you're definitely going to be entertained. Parts of the dialogue will make you cry, laugh, get confused or frustrated, and especially wonder. I would highly recommend this game if you love RPG games. I can almost assure you that as soon as you start playing this game, you'll be hooked.

Final Fantasy VIII was, in my opinion, one of the best Final Fantasys to date. The graphics were great, plot line was interesting, system of play was better than any one FF I have played, Characters were interesting, and the entire game played out like a movie. If you crave an action RPG this is the game to play.