Final Fantasy VIII - "collect all the hot dogs"

[Lonbilly]

So, after five years of getting to the last part of Final Fantasy VIII and never finishing it, I have begun replaying it so I can finish it but also to refresh my memory.

I'm on the beginning of Disc 3, and I really am having fun with this game, however my love I had for it way back when seems to not be as strong as it once was. I do, however, notice I'm able to move through this Final Fantasy much faster than any of the others I've played. (Excluding Lightning Returns).

Gameplay-wise, maybe it's how I have Rinoa set up, but she's pretty OP compared to all my other characters, even Squall who is practically twenty levels higher. Then again, I've always mained as Rinoa, so perhaps that's why I made her so OP, accidentally or subconsciously.

There are some issues I have with the plot, and I cannot remember if they get expanded on more or clarified later, but despite that, I am having fun with this game. Here's hoping this will encourage me to finish an more FF games that don't have the numerals X/XIII in the title. *stares awkwardly at my half-finished FFXII save file*

 

[noxy]

I'm on Disc 3 right before you jump on Lunatic Pandora to go through the time suck to Ultimecia's Castle or w/e.

I want to get all the extra GFs and ultimate weapons, but it's SO FREAKING HARD OMG. Malboro can suck it. Seriously.

That may be because I cba with the junction system. >.< IDK.

Lonbilly: Play XII. PLAY IT. It's -really- awesome, in spite of my annoyances with Vaan & Penelo.

 

[Lonbilly]

Lonbilly: Play XII. PLAY IT. It's -really- awesome, in spite of my annoyances with Vaan & Penelo.

I believe I actually got about halfway through, more or less. I just ended up not playing further because work and then Lightning Returns came out and then Persona 4 and so forth.

I'm hoping VIII will pump me up enough to go finish it, as well as VII. I'll probably end up watching wee187's playthrough of XII up to where I'm at. It's what got me to buy XII in the first place.

 

[robvandam111]

I believe I actually got about halfway through, more or less. I just ended up not playing further because work and then Lightning Returns came out and then Persona 4 and so forth.

I'm hoping VIII will pump me up enough to go finish it, as well as VII. I'll probably end up watching wee187's playthrough of XII up to where I'm at. It's what got me to buy XII in the first place.

Going to keep it simple for you. As long as you're level up a lot in XII. You can stream roll the story line. If you're a completionist for Final Fantasy games then you'll need to find help if you're interested going at the optional boss fights.

I'm on Disc 3 right before you jump on Lunatic Pandora to go through the time suck to Ultimecia's Castle or w/e.

I want to get all the extra GFs and ultimate weapons, but it's SO FREAKING HARD OMG. Malboro can suck it. Seriously.

That may be because I cba with the junction system. >.< IDK.

Lonbilly: Play XII. PLAY IT. It's -really- awesome, in spite of my annoyances with Vaan & Penelo.

Ain't that hard lol. Just patience! For the extra summons. Odin you got beat him before the time limited from an isolated building. There you'll also find the Tonberry King but you'll need to kill 20 regular Tonberrys first. Cactuar, you must kill Jumbo Cactuar. For Doomtrain you'll need special items with the Solomon ring. Bahamut is at the abandoned research facility and so on. I still can't believe that Seifer ends up killing Odin.

 

[Magnus]

Final Fantasy Ate:

 

[robvandam111]

Final Fantasy Ate:

Squall seems ready to blow up lol.

 

[Magnus]

They all do. Final Fantasy goes Honey Boo Boo

 

[Mirby]

Except Zell, who oddly manages to still look fine even as a fat guy.

Must be all the hot dogs.

 

[robvandam111]

They all do. Final Fantasy goes Honey Boo Boo

The way how I see it. Squall seems to be one that has had enough with the hot dogs. Irving is flirting with hot dogs; he thinks on with a chick. Everyone else just want to take another bite.

 

[noxy]

I know where all the GFs are and what needs to be done
to get them, I just cba to do it lol.

With the optional summons in XII, it's also just a case of leveling up enough to own them. I got all but Ultima (didn't feel like going back to where s/he is), finished all the hunts, & beat the game at just level 58 or so.

There's one esper that will block physical and magical (or just me of the 2. I can't remember), but I can't remember which

 

[Zettaflare]

Squall's Gunblade (Final Fantasy VIII) - MAN AT ARMS: REFORGED - YouTube

Squall's Gunblade-Man at arms

 

[robvandam111]

I know where all the GFs are and what needs to be done
to get them, I just cba to do it lol.

With the optional summons in XII, it's also just a case of leveling up enough to own them. I got all but Ultima (didn't feel like going back to where s/he is), finished all the hunts, & beat the game at just level 58 or so.

There's one esper that will block physical and magical (or just me of the 2. I can't remember), but I can't remember which

Fighting Ultima is a pain, I had to use two different maps to find my way around.

 

[robvandam111]

What's everyone take on Rinoa being Ultimecia? Even if Square denies it, the idea is really cool.

 

[robvandam111]

Not sure if this is ok but here it goes. This woman completes me.....<3

She also discussed her favorite Final Fantasy game in her Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything):
“I started with Final Fantasy VIII. Not a lot of people like VIII because they usually start with FF VII. But I started with VIII because I'm a girl and I fell for the love story. My favorite character...that's a tough one... is Quistis. The one with the whip. I like her.”
“And my favorite GF [Guardian Force], you know when they summon the GF, is Shiva. She's my favorite. Then I do the boost, as well, so I get more damage [in battle]. I love Final Fantasyand Kingdom Hearts. I finished all of Kingdom Hearts with no GameShark.”

Epicstream

 

[Magnus]

I'm not usually interested in watching let's plays, but this one is amazing. It's totally blind, so you get to hear him react to all of the madness that happens in this game for the first time. His commentary is often really funny and he lucks out all the time. I mean, really... he constantly forgets things and re-learns them and despite a clumsy playstyle he just randomly stumbles upon all the secrets and missable stuff in the game as well as defeats powerful bosses on his first try without knowing how he did it lol!

Here's the playlist for those who are interested:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMiRl9MF7bqi5L3rngn7pDO58tMEPog0H

 

[Noir]

It always does bum me out to hear people give VIII flack. It's reasonable enough, because hey, opinions. But I always do get a lot of bother from people when I tell them I enjoyed VIII, and even more scrutiny whenever I tell them I enjoyed VIII more than VII. Which I guess is fine, because that's the fan favourite, I guess.

For me though, VIII was my first entry into the Final Fantasy series. I remember being so incredibly wowed by the visuals of the game during cutscenes. I mean sure, the graphics aren't exactly great outside of it - but my god, compared to VII, they were a marvel. They were more like Metal Gear Solid in presentation, really. But those cutscenes were incredible. The music was incredible. And in all honesty, I really liked the characters, which I feel is a common complaint. There was even the draw system, but I didn't really mind that either. It may not be my favourite Final Fantasy, sure, but it definitely is one I still treasure to this day.

Also Triple Triad.

 

[Magnus]

I find that most of the people who hate on VIII are bigger fans of IX than VII. I mean, VIII seems like the natural progression from VIII just like VII was from VI. The one thing that always makes me roll my eyes though is when fans of IX think everyone having forgotten being from the same orphanage is one of the worst moments in FF history while not a peep is said about the giant elephant in the room that is the final boss of IX. That one literally came out of nowhere. At least there is actually a backstory to why the world of VIII is full of orphaned children and orphanages.

 

[Pokie]

I find that most of the people who hate on VIII are bigger fans of IX than VII. I mean, VIII seems like the natural progression from VIII just like VII was from VI. The one thing that always makes me roll my eyes though is when fans of IX think everyone having forgotten being from the same orphanage is one of the worst moments in FF history while not a peep is said about the giant elephant in the room that is the final boss of IX. That one literally came out of nowhere. At least there is actually a backstory to why the world of VIII is full of orphaned children and orphanages.

Not to mention Irvine hints about the orphanage past by refusing to shoot Edea. While there's no hints whatsoever when it comes to the final boss of IX.

Irvine says that he refuses to shoot because of "too much pressure ", but he's a trained sharpshooter., who mentions countless times how rough his job is. Plus him bringing up that he was adopted by Edea at the time, could've got him in serious danger. He had to lie about why he just couldn't shoot his "mum ", otherwise he could've been seen as siding with " The Sorceress".

Meanwhile the final boss of IX, just appears, because he just does.

 

[Elysium]

As a FF fan whose favorite is IX, the only thing I don't like about VIII is the gameplay. I like/love most of the characters and the story doesn't bother me. But I don't really dislike any of the FF's, now that I think of it? I have preferences, naturally, and I generally am bored by the early games, but I like the series as a whole. XIII's another one like VIII where I like the characters/story, but hate the gameplay.

I couldn't tell you much about the FF fandom, but I'd assume it was VII fans that are the snobs? VII seems to be one of those games where, because it's so popular, its fans don't have much interest in or use for any other FFs that aren't in the VII franchise.

 

[Magnus]

I'd argue the ones who think VI and IX are the best tend to be more elitist. VII is obviously the most popular one, but that's also part why having it as your favourite usually doesn't sit well with those people. Too predictable. Of course, I'm not saying everyone who likes the aforementioned games are elitist, just that the ones who are the most elitist tend to like either of those two games the most. You see far more people who like IX bash VIII than vice versa. Which is why I wanted to point out the giant elephant in the room (final boss of IX), because most people don't.

I think complaining about the broken gameplay in VIII is legit. Scaling enemy levels ruins it and having to constantly draw magic can get tiresome even if it's a neat concept. I'd like to think that I am able to see the good and band in every game and so I don't really feel like it's "weird" to prefer one game over another. Although I also think some games get far too little credit, VIII being one of them.

There is a lot of cool backstory about the sorceress war, Laguna etc which many people just dismiss by saying the game is one big awful "time travel plot". Which it's really not. Something tells me a lot of people just never bothered to pay attention to the plot while playing and they only remember the surface level content. It's always hard to explain things using time travel and multiple dimensions, but the gist of it is that the events of the game were always going to happen, and that no amount of messing with time itself would change the inevitable outcome. The theme of the game is not love, but fate. Liberi fatali means the fated children.

Also, the sorceress war is such a cool backstory too. It even explains why people have to "draw" magic and why it isn't innate to the people living on that planet.