One of the BEST!

[Slothy]

everyone did have they're own skills in a way. There LIMIT BREAKS.

I don't count limit breaks as individual skills myself, since you can't use them all the time (while you can, but it makes the game so freaking easy I try to avoid it). Fact is, they all get the same spells, and if you want, you can easily give everyone the same abilities. There's little to no variation in the way you use each character unless you like to abuse Aura. I have other problems with the battle system as well that I won't bother going into (such as it not even being worth it often to use spells).

and the main villan didn't come outta no where, you would only say that if your misunderstood something in the game.

Actually, I did understand the story. I didn't mean literally come out of nowhere at the end of the game (a la Necron or Zeromus), but you spend a good chunk of the game going after Edea, only to find out she's being used by some sorcerous from the future. I didn't care much for that twist, and thought Edea would have made a more interesting villian, especially given the characters connection to her. I wouldn't have minded as much if Ultimecia had more of a connection to the characters or had been there the whole game doing things that would make me want to fight her (such as Kefka, Golbez, Sephiroth and others). It just came off as more of a she's evil, so you have to stop her sort of thing. I'm simplifying it a bit, but she just wasn't a very interesting villian for me.

Like I said earlier though, I really do like the game, even if it sounds like I'm being pretty hard on it. I do think the bad points in this game are for the most part minor, and on the whole the good points far out weigh them. I just seem to enjoy playing devils advocate (with this and a lot of other things).

Like you said though, everyone has their opinions, and I always enjoy discussing them with others.

[Christmas]

Final Fantasy VII also have characters that had all the same spells and such when you fully make the best out of them. But it is how you build your character in a way to make them different from each other.

[Slothy]

Final Fantasy VII also have characters that had all the same spells and such when you fully make the best out of them. But it is how you build your character in a way to make them different from each other.

And I whole heartidly agree that it was a problem with FF7 as well. The problem is, there's little incentive to vary your characters in either game. In 7 it's extremely easy to give each character materia that gives them every ability worth having. In FF8 I found the summons were often so much more useful than characters spells and abilities that there was little reason to use anything else. I like both battle systems to an extent, I just think they should have been balanced a little better to make it worth varying character abilities. It was too easy in both to make everyone in your party a master of everything. And if you're character can do everything, where's the incentive to limit them to a few abilities? I just prefer job/class systems that force unique characters on you. It usually leads to more variation and strategy in how I play the game, whereas FF7 & 8 both allowed me to make everyone jack of all trades with little effort.

[TurkSlayer]

Personally, I don't like VIII very much. VII/VI are tied for first on my list, followed very closely by IX and Tactics. Really, VIII isn't very high on my list. I only liked a few characters (Irvine, Quistis, Seifer and Edea are the only ones I liked at all) and the Junction system was annoying. And have to find the parts for your weapons, not to mention the magazine too? WTF?

The storyline wasn't all that appealing either.

[Rocket Edge]

Personally, I don't like VIII very much. VII/VI are tied for first on my list, followed very closely by IX and Tactics. Really, VIII isn't very high on my list. I only liked a few characters (Irvine, Quistis, Seifer and Edea are the only ones I liked at all) and the Junction system was annoying. And have to find the parts for your weapons, not to mention the magazine too? WTF?

The storyline wasn't all that appealing either.

i disagree with...meh, everything you just said

[x_Hopeless_Deviate_x]

I thought this game was pretty good.
But to me it just doesn't compare to 6...

[Christmas]

. And if you're character can do everything, where's the incentive to limit them to a few abilities? I just prefer job/class systems that force unique characters on you.

Anyway, the abilities in FF VIII is open for customize like I mention on how you build your characters.

It is not possible for a character or all character to have "Item, Magic, Recover, Treatment, Revive" and other useful abilites all in one.

The abilities system is pretty much like FF VI where everyone have the same magic but different abilities. FF VIII just let you choose which abilities you want for each characters.

Also their so called "job" is also open for customization using the junction system unless you manage to get 255 for every stats your character have which is pretty tedious....

[boys from the dwarf]

FF7s good.
FF8s better.
FF9 is pretty much the same as FF8 and i cant decide which i like better(but FF9 has the best peice of music in FF ever. go dark messenger!)
i like FF8 because its storyline is made differently to other FFs and is more love story and about the characters emotions. the FF8 characters have the best personalitys out of any game i have played. (SPOILER)the reason some may not like FF8 is it doesnt have that big impact moment like on FF7 in the north crater for the first time and figure out clouds a clone or when on FF9 in the pandamonium and the amzing converstion with garland and the "your not alone scene."which is why i sort of like FF9 better.

[Neco Arc]

FFVI and FFVII are top followed by FFVIII but only just beating FFV...

[Rusty]

Final Fantasy VIII is my favourite Final Fantasy. I just love it. Even though I really enjoy the other Final Fantasy's, VIII grabbed me like none of the others did.

I guess it just comes down to personal taste.