Final Fantasy VIII

released on Jan 25, 2000

A port of Final Fantasy VIII

The PC version of Final Fantasy VIII was released with several alterations, some of which still linger in later versions.


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Nostalgia review!

A tragically underrated game that was forced to follow-up the meteoric arrival of a once-in-a-generation megahit.

As one of those rare gamers that missed the aforementioned predecessor, entering into the Final Fantasy universe through FFVIII was nothing less than transformative. Prior to this game, I had no concept of what the scope of video games could promise and deliver. The characters were angsty, funny, gritty, silly, and ultimately felt more real than any other game I'd played before this. My impressionable pre-teen brain was left reeling at the seemingly impossible depths into which the game plunged. I'll never forget the feelings of that first time I was prompted to "PLEASE INSERT DISC 2."

I won't say it's the perfect game, and after nearly 25 years of gaming experience since, it certainly has its flaws. That said, I simply cannot understate the impact this game had on my life. It's not hyperbolic to say that this game is largely the reason I became a game designer and continue to see this medium as the ultimate way to experience media.

People like to shit on this one and rightfully so, but it does have some of the best action setpieces and music of the entire series.

Edea Kramer is the best FF character.

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melhor trilha sonora de todos os tempos

While kind of a mess in a number of areas, the game is funny at least. It has soured with time for me but still glad I played it.

[Spoiler Free]:
It's quite sad, how a game so innovative ended up becoming so underrated.
Keep in mind that word-to-mouth decides most of the gaming Zeitgeist - play the game and form your own opinion.

Final Fantasy 2 was also an easy target for ridicule: it strayed from the formula, but boasted an especially good story compared to RPGs of its time. Final Fantasy II would introduce a characterization of its main characters and returning side characters for the first time, which would later become the biggest part of its formula.

And that's exactly what Final Fantasy VIII does, it innovates too much after its most successful commercial entry: Final Fantasy VII, which sold over 14 million copies worldwide. Players were disappointed with the lack of consistency in the newer entry, and the many freedoms that the developers took to rejuvenate the franchise.

Squall gets a lot of hate for being cold and sullen, but it's mostly overlooked that most of his infamous "Whatever" moments are thought out and not spoken. There are very few times where Squall really comes off as unreasonably rude. Whatsmore, his iconic catchphrase sprouts from a shoddy localization job. Early in the game, he still lends a hand to people preparing concerts at Balamb Garden, even lending an ear to the hot-dog lady. In hindsight, the player is given dialogue choices for most of Squall's feedback to his surrounding - the player decides how likeable he is. While the main cast is not your usual happy-go-lucky and shallow protagonist typical of the JRPG trope, any sensible human would find at least a few of them relatable to some degree.

The Junction system is a little complicated but the game progressively tutorializes the game's in-depth mechanics throughout the first missions. Later in the game, a Refine system allows you to craft a lot of the needed magic with relatively common items. Bosses in Final Fantasy 8 have mechanics way more in-depth than anything ever seen in previous Final Fantasy games, this is made instantly noticeable as soon as you enter the SEED field exam and face the X-ATM092, which can be defeated, but also avoided as it chases you throughout the island's shore.

This game has a Pocket Monster aspect in which a character can collect weakened monsters using the "Card" battle command. These cards can then be used in a mini-game called "Triple Triad", one of the best mini-games in the series. This original card game contains every monster found in the game, serving both as a bestiary as well as a collectible card game. Extra cards can later be exchanged for usable items, doubling as a mechanic for the main game.

Final Fantasy VIII definitely has the best soundtrack of any Final Fantasy game and some of the best graphics on the Playstation, there are some really seamless transitions between the game world and FMV sequences as well, and the whole game has a massive sense of scale and attention to environmental detail. Its opening "Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec" remains the most impressive FMV I've seen in a game so far.

All in all, Final Fantasy VIII remains one of the most complex and feature-heavy games in the series. Unfortunately, made a victim of its predecessor's success and the retro-revisionism of web 1.0 forums and fansites.