Do you feel VIII has the weakest cast of characters of the PS1 Generation?

[Wolf Kanno]

This game is often criticized for focusing too much on a few characters and leaving the rest of the cast out of focus especially compared to VII and IX which did better jobs of giving every character a moment to shine in the plot, so do you agree that VIII may have dropped the ball on developing the overall cast or do you feel its cast is wonderful and haters need to stop hatin' cause VIII is just as good if not better with its cast of characters over VII and IX.

[Ergroilnin]

The game is weakest period.

But yeah cast sucks I don't find even one character likable not to mention as you said half of the team didn't even have really time to shine...

[metagloria]

Couldn't disagree more. Awesome cast, well developed.

[Psychotic]

It depends how you look at it. If you're just going to consider the main party then yeah, the other four were left out. That I can say "the other four" and you will all know who I mean speaks volumes. However, look at the development and rounding Laguna, Seifer and Edea all got.

[Mo-Nercy]

The logo of the game made it pretty clear who's going to get top billing. Squall and Rinoa were identified right from the start to be the main characters with the rest of them being the supporting cast. I think it plays out better that way.

It's not like each of the characters don't get their little moments anyway. They do delve into each of the other characters at various points of the story:
Selphie - Missile Base, Trabia
Irvine - trying to shoot Edea, basketball court at Trabia
Zell - smurfing up at Timber TV Station, assuming command after Squall goes to space
Quistis - Training Centre and... okay, maybe not all the characters.

Cait Sith and Amarant were pretty much dead weight story-wise in VII and IX anyway. I don't think VIII should be singled out here for this.

[Quindiana Jones]

Squall, Rinoa, the punchy one, and the dominatrix.

I genuinely never knew there were any other characters until the post above.

[arenzi]

Nope and I'm actually glad I didn't dislike any of the characters. Can't say the same for some of the other games.

[Pumpkin]

I thought it had a strong cast. I think VII had the weakest cast, but that's very personal opinion because I just didn't really like or identify with any of them. On the other hand, I liked most of VIII's cast and found them a joy to play

[Uchu]

I actually like the cast in FFVIII. I feel they all have distinct personalities and you get a chance to see that as they interact with other people in the world, even if it is subtle.

[Dat Matt]

I didn't really feel much for the characters in this game, but they we're bad.

[Cloudane]

I was going to say "oh god no, XII wins that crown by a million miles" but I missed the "PS1 generation" bit

Out of the 3 of them then yeah. I'd say it had the weakest characters (though IX's weren't that far behind) but I still thought they were good characters compared to say XII and actually rather enjoyed the game and story.

[Ayen]

Not really. Not every game is going to be like VI in giving every character equal footing, and they honestly shouldn't try. Some times a support character is just that, a support character. Zell, Sephie, Irvine, and Quistic do their jobs just fine and stick out all the same.

[maybee]

No

Final Fantasy VII on the other hand


I only really felt for Tifa and Nanaki, and sometimes Cloud when he stopped being a douchebag.

[Forsaken Lover]

Anybody who didn't feel for Barret is probably just racist

Probably racist against Yuffie too.

And Vincent.


FFVIII's cast is awful, just awful. Thinking only of the main cast here of course but even the good non-party characters the game has it squanders. Look what happened to Seifer. Of the main party, Rinoa was the one I liked the most along with Selphie but even then they utterly failed with them.

Rinoa: I still have a fractured relationship with my father but let's forget about that.i have a boyfriend now and can start chucking out babies and that's what life is really all about.

[Rin Heartilly]

I loved FFVIII's cast, I feel like most of them had problems that were more relatable compared to other main FF casts.

Almost every FF game focuses primarily on certain characters than most over the whole main cast.
FFIV: Cecil, Kain, Rydia
FFV: Bartz, Faris (cant remember too well)
FFVI: Mainly Terra, Locke and Celes but most main characters were quite developed
FFVII: Cloud, Tifa, Sephiroth, Aeris
FFVIII: Squall, Rinoa, Edea, Seifer
FFIX: Zidane, Garnet, Steiner, Kuja, Vivi
etc...