10 Years Later...

[Wolf Kanno]

Well we've just past the 10th anniversary of FFVIII being released. It debuted in Japan last February and this month debuted in North America (PAL is next month).

So let's spend a little time to reflect upon the eighth installment of our favorite series. Discuss its triumphs, failures, and what the game itself has done for the series and JRPGs in the last ten years. What are your thoughts on VIII?

[BardTard]

It's still my favorite game of all time. I love the junction system, music, characters, plot, everything. I just can't express in words my love for FF8.

[Saber]

The game in my opinion has one of the best opening FMV's. I loved how you build each character and that the enemies level up with you. Plus this is the game that started triple triad which is fun and highly addictive.

[charliepanayi]

Well it's my favourite FF game, and the opening and ending still has me hooked every time I see them. And I always love that moment when I talk to someone else who loves the game as much as I do. Can't believe it's 10 years old.

I didn't play the game until around 2002 but I do have dim memories of when the game out in the UK and adverts running on TV and in magazines. As the tagline said, 'Final Fantasy VIII. You'll get over it. One day.' I'm still waiting! XD

[Vermachtnis]

Well Dissidia made me all nostalgic. And after I finish V I'm gonna start focusing on this one. This one and II are the only one's in the first ten I haven't beaten. Which is kind of sad because I had a Save File in the final dungeon for like a year before my Memory Cards went wonky.

Anyway, I'm still not to fond of Squall. But people and there unmarked spoilers (but this game is ten years old and I spoil stuff a lot newer so I have no room to talk) kind of made me reconsider him.

One of the things I liked about this game is the money system. You get paid instead of fighting monsters and the monsters actually drop normal stuff. I also liked Selphie and Laguna.

[Kyros]

This game was completely awesome and the fmvs in it were easily the (or some of the) best ones of all ps1, which was nice too. The story was awesome, and I liked most/all of the characters too. Easily my favorite tied with VI and X

[Joethulhu]

Wow, ten years... and it's still almost as bad as XII. Before the rage, let me explain myself. When I started this game, I loved it. I could even look past the abomination that was the junction system. What I really smurfing hated was Triple Triad. I TRIED to play it, keyword being TRY. It wasn't necesary, though, so I looked over it. And then... Ultimecia came on the scene. The plot had given itself to the toilet, letting some drunk Japanese guy ruin what could have been a great, yet flawed, game. After IX's terrific story and chaaracters, I thought Square had learned from their mistakes... but... they made a X.

But that's a discussioon for a different thread. Just thought you guys would find a negative view on this game interesting.

That said, I can't help but like this game just a bit. Squall's emoness is hilarious to me at points, and to this day I will challenge Kingdom Hearts fans over his name. So, yes, I'm being a bit of a hipocrite.

[TheAbominatrix]

I enjoyed playing VIII the first time around. It isn't even close to the top of my list of favorite FF's, but it was enjoyable.

I liked a lot of the supporting cast, the world created, and a lot of the little touches, like the money system and the card game.

However, I couldn't stand the two main characters, Squall and Rinoa. The plot was alright until the whole 'omg we're all from the same orphanage' deal, though overall I thought it was a little thin.

So, meh to FFVIII. But there are a lot of worse games out there.

[Kyros]

Wow, ten years... and it's still almost as bad as XII. Before the rage, let me explain myself. When I started this game, I loved it. I could even look past the abomination that was the junction system. What I really smurfing hated was Triple Triad. I TRIED to play it, keyword being TRY. It wasn't necesary, though, so I looked over it. And then... Ultimecia came on the scene. The plot had given itself to the toilet, letting some drunk Japanese guy ruin what could have been a great, yet flawed, game. After IX's terrific story and chaaracters, I thought Square had learned from their mistakes... but... they made a X.

But that's a discussioon for a different thread. Just thought you guys would find a negative view on this game interesting.

That said, I can't help but like this game just a bit. Squall's emoness is hilarious to me at points, and to this day I will challenge Kingdom Hearts fans over his name. So, yes, I'm being a bit of a hipocrite.

I'm confused about this. Do you mean you didnt like the junction system b/c it was too good, and why didnt you like triple triad? At least this game had a good card game instead of the crap IX had. You could actually get good stuff from it too. I'm pretty sure IX was the mistake with its horrific card game, dumb cast, terrible excuse for an extra boss, pushover final battle, and a random bs final boss that came from Zidane's liquid diarrhea. =/

[charliepanayi]

Both you FFVIII and FFIX haters are all mad! Two best games in the series right there.

I never get it when people label Squall as 'emo' - what does that even mean? He's very introspective and sometimes quite cold towards people. But the emo labelling seems to suggest he whines a lot and does nothing to help his situation, when in fact he is nothing like that at all (for the record, the same thing applies to Cloud as well,another 'emo' character supposedly). Squall's best quality is he always trys to get things done, even though he may be silently bitching about it. So the game dwells on his inner thoughts a lot, but I liked that.

I think FFVIII is certainly the Marmite (as in 'love it or hate it') game of the series, and in a way that endears me to it even more. Whatever people's opinions on it though, I do think that it was given a rather difficult (if not impossible) task in having to follow up FFVII. You suspect however FFVIII had turned out, it was always likely to be divisive

[Depression Moon]

I love VIII a lot. It did things differently with it's currency system and it's junction system which I don't midn or think I really ever abused. The game had a touching sotry, but some characters like in many FFs could have been expanded on. The history or Quistis, Selphie, Zell, Irvine, and Ultimecia could have been expanded upon. Even Kiros, Ward, and Adel some.

If the game did all that though it would have been nearly perfect. I'll have to try it again in the near future because I actually never completed my last playthrough. I had died against Ultimecia's last form and we all know how long a grueling that battle can be so I said smurf it!

[-kuri-]

Aah...this game holds so many good memories for me. Man, it was my first Final Fantasy. I remember when I was watching a friend of mine play it and i was like, "this is awesome!" Completely changed my view of Final Fantasy forever.

I loved a lot of things about the game such as the junction system, the characters, and how everything looked in the game. It wasn't your typical hero story set in a middle ages-esce time. But like some people have said, now that i've played it a few times, they could have expanded on the storyline a little bit.

At first, I hated the triple triad game. Completely hated it. But after taking some time and actually understanding how the game works, one of my favorite mini games ever. Got all of the cards in there.

Sadly, I have yet to beat Omega weapon. I hate Omega with a passion. -_- Its a good challenge though.

[Jiro]

I think FFVIII is certainly the Marmite (as in 'love it or hate it') game of the series, and in a way that endears me to it even more.

What is this marmite business get that crap out of here.


It's not my favourite Final Fantasy, but I enjoyed the game quite immensely. It was actually the first one I ever bought. Every game is going to have its flaws, it's just whether or not you can look past them and enjoy the good bits. I can safely say that FFVIII is my kinda Vegemite, and I once ate 10 pieces of vegemite toast for breakfast

[LunarWeaver]

I feel so smurfing old right now.

[Joethulhu]

"Emo" is a term that really defines a genre of music, but is used to describe a depressed and anti-social person. Hence, Squall. Cloud wasn't emo, he was just a whiner. And Kyros, I agree about the final boss, but nothing else; however, let me clarify on junctioning and Triple Triad. Junctioning WORKS, it was just a really stupid idea. All I had to do was hit the Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell to stock up on Ultimas and Curagas, and Ultimecia - all three, no, four forms - went down in, oh, ten minutes. In IX YA HAD TA' TRAAAAAAAAIN. Sorry.
As for Triple Triad, I just didn't get it. Recently, I downloaded the Triad emulator from this site and tried to learn it. I can play it - I just don't like it. Tetra Master was far less complicated, easier to learn, and as much fun - to me, at least - as Triad is to VIII fans.
Anyway, Kyros, I am also guessing - just assuming here, correct me if I'm wrong - that you haven't played many older FF's. Maybe VI, but I'm talking I - III and V, IV excluded because it was the real precursor to the PS1 FF's; and if you did play them, you didn't like them much. Correct? If I'm wrong, please correct me here. But if you liked them, I think you would like IX more.
For now, though, let's agree to dissagree and let others express their opinions on this... not THAT bad, but not good, game.