Originally Posted by
Flying Mullet
Bahamut2000X summed up most of my thoughts on FFVIII nicely.
The biggest reason I don't like FFVIII is everything in it feels like a chore, from obtaining cards playing Triple Triad(which I find boring) for item refinement to drawing magic from enemies then upgrading it, ad nauseum. I have no care to explore the world and the story feels like it relies on character clichés more than developing it's own unique cast, plot and feel. If a game lacks both an interesting story and fun exploration/item discovery system, there's nothing left in the game for me.
Yes, it does have some positives, but not enough to outweigh the negatives for me.
Also, FFVIII has the distinction of being the only game in the series I haven't finished(besides FFXII, which I'm still working on).