Yeah... VII and VIII have been battling for game supremacy in my head for a long time, but where some of VII's most epic moments were early in the game, unfortunately VIII suffers from some severe pacing issues early on. Deling City Sewers. D-District prison. The world map run around because even on my 4th play through I forget to go directly to the train station on the way to Deling City.

Do yourself a favor, play through at LEAST the battle between the gardens before you give up on this one.