Fainaru fantajî VIII

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.

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.

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.

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 (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.