Fainaru fantajî VIII

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.

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.

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 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