Final Fantasy VIII - "collect all the hot dogs"

[Lonbilly]

I feel flipped on my criticism for this game, compared to everyone else's. The demo for FFVIII is technically the first FF I ever played, though I didn't touch this installment until after X & X-2 (though I never beat the game until I restarted it and marathoned it in 2014/2015).

While this game pumped out one of my favorite characters in the series ever (Rinoa), as well as one of the best beginning arcs in the series (Disc 1), everything pretty much falls apart after the beginning of Disc 2 for me. There's a lot of great mythology and backstory that is explored, and so much fantastic music and boss battles, but I hated how it turned into the Rinoa & Squall love show. The romance in FFX is one of my favorite aspects of that game, so it's not even that VIII had a romance but moreso how it was written. By the end of the game, Squall did everything only for Rinoa, only fought for Rinoa, and actually went from being a complete loner to being completely co-dependent. The only other person he expresses some sort of feelings for is his sister.

Zell, Selphie, Quistis and Irvine all take a back seat once we have the whole giant "Selphie's Big Mission" arc in the main story. Sure, we have the orphanage reveal and visit Selphie's school, but never once did it feel like this cast was growing together and getting really huge moments together passed a certain point in Disc 2 (imo). I wanted to see them all get super cool, awesome moments and grow together like the cast of FFXIII (which is one of my personal favorite casts from the franchise), as well as see Squall grow to trust everyone around him and even become good friends with Zell. But his development is completely linked to Rinoa and Rinoa only.

We get some great Laguna flashbacks and exploration of a team there, but the team in VIII never really felt like a team to me.

That being said, I actually adore the Junction system and the GFs. Could it have been better developed? Of course. But overall, I found the gameplay to be some of the most fun for me in the game passed Disc 1. I liked how you had to be careful with overleveling due to enemies scaling with you, and therefore making it more important to grow the GFs and garner better magic moreso than traditionally level up.

But I mean, everyone has their own likes and dislikes. I think FFVIII would benefit greatly from a remake in its story department, seeing as how everyone felt like they were just... there passed a certain point. The way I rank the series (of titles I have played) is FFXII and FFIV tied at the top, FFX, FFXIII and FFV tied together at the next rank, and then FFVIII. I'm barely making my way through VII again in an attempt to finally finish it, and I haven't played II, VI, IX or FFXV. FFIII and FFI are my least favorites and tbh games I don't ever plan on revisiting by choice in the franchise.

 

[Elysium]

I would love a remake of VIII actually, especially one that made the GF animations optional. That alone would've improved the gameplay immensely, lol. Plus, I love the voices they've given Squall and Seifer in the KH franchise, and would like to hear a voiced FF.

Squall, Seifer, and Quistis were always my favorite characters, but I think Rinoa and Irvine are the only ones I didn't really care for. I feel about Rinoa the same way I do about Aerith and Penelo (and Kairi). The characters often come across very forced to me in their attempts to create a romance and it's hard for me to like them. I prefer Garnet, and Yuna, just f.e. of female characters in a romance that don't bother me. I think part of it is that the former three are just so pushy and clingy right off the bat. I mean, Penelo seems to have no other story relevance to me at all outside of being Vaan's plus 1.

 

[Magnus]

I don't disagree with that either. Both VIII and IX could use some more character development for the good guys, at least. I was far more invested in Laguna's relationship with Kiros, Ward and Ellone, or the sorceresses, than anything related to Irvine, Zell or Selphie. Just like I was more invested in the colourful villains of IX than characters like Freya and Amarant. VII simply does not have this problem, which is part of the reason why I think it's the better game out of the three. Even the two optional characters have fairly compelling backgrounds and/or motives for joining. And all the NPC's are also good. It's a world full of broken people and it's conveyed so well for its time.

So yeah, I'm hoping both VIII and IX gets the same remake treatment as VII later down the road. Although I hope they're not directed by Nomura.

 

[Pokie]

I'd argue the ones who think VI and IX are the best tend to be more elitist.

Usually found that ones who think that VI, IX and XII are the best are pretty elitist. I love VI and IX, but the fandom can treat people as "lower ", if you disagree with them.

Though, not keen on the XII fandom the most, because I got bullied by somebody online because I said that said that XII has "a weak storyline ".

About the Junction debate, yeah it can be broken, though you have a choice or not on whether to break it, like with most games.

 

[Magnus]

Yeah. I personally think XII is one of the best games in the series, but I'm not surprised to find out that some of the people who like it also look down on people who like games like VIII or X. Although I think this might change due to the HD remaster, which I think has done wonders for the game's reputation. It's no longer just beloved by a select few.

I think what these three games have in common, other than all being directed by Ito, is that they lack the anime influences of VII, VIII, X and XIII. So I think it also boils down to a lot of people just looking down on JRPG's with an obvious anime flair, even if it's not a generic one.

VIII was also the start of Nomura's "belts and buckles" phase. I think that also played a big part in why the game didn't jive with some people. I personally think VIII has some of the most colourful and gorgeous backdrops of the entire series, rivalled only by the scenery of Spira.

 

[Datomix]

I just want a PS4 port of 8 and 9 like what they did with 7 so I can actually play them

I really wish that FF1-9 PS4 Port rumour was actually true .

 

[Magnus]

They need to fix the PS4 port of VII first. It has the same BGM bug as FFX/X-2 HD had (ie music restarts after battles).

 

[Noir]

I'd love a remake of VIII and all, but even a port would be great! And I agree. I will say right now that Seifer and Squall's voices in Kingdom Hearts are great, and I'd love to hear them come back for any form of remake. But until then, I'm just gonna call everyone chicken wuss passive aggressively.

 

[Pokie]

A remake of Final Fantasy VIII would be so wonderful ! Though, it would be so long away; and they might do FF VI first instead due to it's popularity.