Final Fantasy VIII: Remembering the Orphan

[Sheikah]

You guys could easily save yourselves a lot of time and simply agree to disagree.

 

It's not like these kind of arguments ever reach a proper conclusion.

 

We should really close the forum, because no one ever changes their mind about anything and everyone believes their own thing.

[McMad]

We should really close the forum, because no one ever changes their mind about anything and everyone believes their own thing.

 

Hear, hear.

[Nolan]

We should really close the forum, because no one ever changes their mind about anything and everyone believes their own thing.

 

To be honest, the first time I played the game I couldn't care about the characters, and hardly noticed the development and change. While I can see these things now, I still don't particularly like the characters and do not like the game.

[Hero-of-Time]

Reading Sheikah's comments reminds me why I rate this game as one of my top 5 games ever!

 

Squall will always be THE man when it comes to FF games, the only ones who come close to his awesomeness are Auron ( FFX ) and Zack ( FFVII:CC ) I can't wait for Dissidia to arrive on the PSP so I can once again get in control of Squall and beat the hell out of the competition, especially Cloud.

[Pit-Jr]

I played this so long ago from beginning to end but i barely remember anything about it other than having the hots for Quistis and spamming her Degenerator Limit Break.

[killer kirby]

Norg in the basement floor was the main funder...have you forgotten what happened in this game? :p Just seems like you used a few random points to discredit what is a very good story.

But it was still pointless, it was like they need to make the game feel bigger then it was.

 

I'd rather an RPG try with a story than just make a predictable fairytale story. You can definitely say the overall feel of most FF games differs greatly (traditional, futuristic, half rich/half ghetto), but not for DQ.

lol, "well told". So if the story is shit, but well told, that's ok? :P

Face it, it's just a nice bit of fairytale charm with a mute main character. They don't break boundaries, but they're fun.

 

Dragon Quest III, Dragon Quest V and Dragon Quest VII have a good laugh at your point there.

Shit Dragon Quest VII was full of greatness, over 100 hours of it as well, every town, every character you met were great. You always remembered who they were. The main story was blended into over 16 other small stories and issues. Only other game that had that kind of awesomeness was Zelda MM (Mute character lol)

 

 

 

Totally wrong...Rinoa constantly pestered him with advances which subconsciously affected Squall...upon her becoming unconscious Squall realises what he truly wants, and what may have been snatched away from him should he not act. Squall starts out by piggybacking her across the really long bridge by FH, accompanying her to outer space, and then turning her in to the authorities. Finally, he manages to shake off his stupidity to go and rescue her. It's not as if that split second where he chooses to rescue her is where he switched DIRECTLY from emo to loving person. He had clearly been showing signs of change initially due to guilt from when she went unconscious. He was always deeply contemplating past events where he shunned her by her bedsit when she was in a coma and those contemplations preceded the events of his personality change.

That's the other problem I had, I remember near the end of the game, where they all talked about the past, well, what the hell was up with the talk about GF's were the main reason as to why they lost their memory?

It was at that time when I was almost thinking I have had enough.

 

 

Sheer nonsense...with a mute character you have no room for development, and it's a common sign of a game with a weak story

How a character is supposed to be interesting when they don't even talk is beyond me. I guess...you can find their clothing or facial features interesting? Don't expect to hear what they really think, because they're not allowed to do that.A mute character works for games where people don't care about the story. People aren't buying DQ or Zelda for the story. If they were, they'd be terribly disappointed.

Oh I beg to differ.

I could easily name a whole amount of games that have great protagonists that keep their mouth shut. with a kick ass story that is far greater then most final fantasy games.

 

 

 

And funny that, a woman for many men is a purpose in life to live for - if you've never seen or read the anime/mange Clannad I suggest you do so, because it's awesome. Now if you argued that a tuna sandwhich or a level up caused a character to change from not seeing much point in life to having a purpose then I'd agree with you. But clearly this is more important.

 

 

 

Laguna was a cocky dick. Laguna's personality was TRANSPLANTED onto Zidane in FFIX, but it seemed to work better for him because he was a street urchin who, in all fairness, was allowed to be like that. Squall was a dick - a dick to everyone else. Which actually made him pretty cool, because it's fun to watch someone nonchalantly brush away others who all seem to think he's awesome. It's like a sort of modesty. But then he became not a dick, sorta. So it's all ok.

Shit, thats perhas why I like FF IX

 

 

Didn't who die? I guess you mean Seifer, but that was really obviously explained. The only non-explained part was what the hell was happening in the ending with Squall and losing his way, in that it never actually explained it in text within the game. But only people taking things absolutely literally would ever have a problem with VIII's story. Really.

That was one of them, but like I said it trully felt like the story was really all over the place. It was as if the people of Square got wasted from the success of FF VII that they realized when they woke up that it was only a couple of months until the release of FFVIII so they had to rush through everything.

 

To be honest, FFVIII IS better then FFX if that makes you feel better

But they should go back to that game Square and remake it and try and polish up the story and make everything less...messy.

 

And on a Nomura note....

[Sheikah]

Just wondering--is anyone excited at the almost inevitable release of this on the PSN Store? It's out on both the JP and US stores now, so it'll probably come here too. I have the actual discs, but it's nice that people who don't have the game anymore can get the chance to play this classic again.

[killer kirby]

Just wondering--is anyone excited at the almost inevitable release of this on the PSN Store? It's out on both the JP and US stores now, so it'll probably come here too. I have the actual discs, but it's nice that people who don't have the game anymore can get the chance to play this classic again.

 

I thought this was out already :S

 

Ah well, I should mention that I was going through the games I have yet to complete, one of them being this game. And well, I haven't played the game since the PS2 was out. So during that long cycle I had to play that God awful game known as Final Fantasy X. So it's thanks to shitiness like X that made me enjoy VIII a bit more. So now I will say these things...

 

Negatives

-Story still sucks and makes me laugh at it more at how someone could write this, reminds me of Twilight writing.

-Characters same as above.

-The Plot holes in it are ridiculous.

-Ending is just and if anyone is serious about the ending...poor you.

-4th disk not allowing me to go anywhere but only the last dungeon pisses me off.

 

Positives

+ Music is top notch especially the last dungeon and last boss fight

+ Junction skill not as bad as I originally thought it would be.

+ It's got an overworld (Yes this is a plus, overworlds to me still give me a feel of adventure and since they are going away now in more RPG's I give them credit)

+Laguna and gang made the story a bit better...wait...it's the only thing that made the story better.

 

In the end I would give this a 4/10...I finished it, but I do not think I will ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER go back to play it again, just so many other better games out there to play. But I will say this now...THIS GAME IS BETTER THEN FINAL FANTASY X

[Sheikah]

I'm not sure why you're reiterating the points you've already been making again and again in this topic. What I find interesting is that you knock the ending for this game, despite stating that you haven't completed it. Credibility slash there.

 

Sounds like a very bare bones review (especially given what you were ranting about before). It's mostly just FFVII fanboys who couldn't accept that a game had changed so much in one sequel (and for the better, IMO). It was a bold step to move towards realistic themes such as love...which some people just couldn't fathom. Common negative reasons given are usually "don't understand junctioning", "I don't get to level up like I have in every Final Fantasy previously" (yawn), "Villain only appears at the end of the game" (not true, Ultimecia, for all intents and purposes, was Edea, just with a different appearance), "Huge plot holes" (which people never elaborate on; besides the glaring unlikeliness of all coming from the same orphanage, no one ever bothers to point any others out, or how these completely ruin the game for them).

 

And as for poor characters - Squall continuously tops polls alongside Cloud and Sephiroth. Naturally, other characters have less signficance, as with just about all other FF games. He's interesting and his character has a lot of progression, and I think people really took notice of that.

 

Also, you can get the Ragnarok for Disc 4 provided you do some sidequesting, so you can then go to some places.

 

4/10 is just a ridiculous score, though. I can hardly take your review seriously. Even with your problems with the ending and the fact that junctioning required some mental exercise besides smacking monsters on the head continuously with a sword to cause character progression, I can't see how you'd place it below a 7. It's a remarkable game, with a tremendous amount of effort put into by (the then) Squaresoft. Judging fairly for the time it was released, it excelled in terms of visuals, sound, gameplay, longevity (particularly sidequests) and the depth of the script.

 

You sound like a bit of a FF purist snob, who particularly likes one or two FF games and rates everything else 2-4/10 for massive impact (e.g. FFX, which was also a game I wouldn't place below 7/10). FFX was a good bit of fun, and overall a good game. Sure it was linear, and in many places a lot like a movie, but the was a hell of a lot of sidequesting and the characters were developed (aside from Kimahri). I think you need to stop looking for FFVII number two, or whatever previous FF game you hold in such high regard, and realise that many of these FF games are great in their own right, albeit different in many ways.

[McMad]

Hey, remember when Seifer sliced Odin in half?

 

That was crazy.

[chairdriver]

Why the FFX hate?

[killer kirby]

I'm not sure why you're reiterating the points you've already been making again and again in this topic. What I find interesting is that you knock the ending for this game, despite stating that you haven't completed it. Credibility slash there.

I stated that I was going through the games I have yet to complete, I only ever give a score to a game I have completed. Hence, I have COMPLETED THIS GAME. Sorry if I didn't mention that before.

 

Sounds like a very bare bones review (especially given what you were ranting about before). It's mostly just FFVII fanboys who couldn't accept that a game had changed so much in one sequel (and for the better, IMO). It was a bold step to move towards realistic themes such as love...which some people just couldn't fathom.

FFVII I would only ever give a 5/10, it's a very generic RPG, FFV I have given a 6/10 and FFIV and FFVI I have given a 9/10

 

 

Common negative reasons given are usually "don't understand junctioning", "I don't get to level up like I have in every Final Fantasy previously" (yawn)

Umm...didn't you see me give a plus to the Junction system, I know how to use it. I beat the game at a very low lvl in fact, since it's easier to beat the game on a lower lvl then on a higher lvl.

 

"Villain only appears at the end of the game" (not true, Ultimecia, for all intents and purposes, was Edea, just with a different appearance), "Huge plot holes" (which people never elaborate on; besides the glaring unlikeliness of all coming from the same orphanage, no one ever bothers to point any others out, or how these completely ruin the game for them).

Elena having the gift of making people go back in time as other characters, ok, now how did she get that ability? I know Rinoa is a sorceress, was she given that like at the end of disk 2? Or was she born with it? I might have lost the talkings about that.

And NORG...Oh fuck... I AM TEH ONE THAT GAVE CID MONEY NOW PISSED OFF..*after fight* URGH YOU MAKE ME SAD I HIDE NOW NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.

That bit I was like WTF!? first of all how did a fat man get so much money? and why now? that shit still confuses me.

And also with Elena saying how sending people back does fuck all in the end...well...thats dandy.

 

And as for poor characters - Squall continuously tops polls alongside Cloud and Sephiroth.

Thats fantastic, compare Squall to the weakest characters in the Final Fantasy series, whats next? compare Squall to Tidus, now even that would be sad on Squalls defense.

 

Naturally, other characters have less signficance, as with just about all other FF games. He's interesting and his character has a lot of progression, and I think people really took notice of that.

Of course people picked it up, shit, reminds me of Tales Of the Abyss with Luke how he just decides to change halfway through the game it was incredible and the only thing I could think about was Squall because thats like Squall, one scene where Rinoa goes to sleep and he changes a side of the coin just like that, I found it ammusing and laughable, I am sure other people thought it was touching

 

Also, you can get the Ragnarok for Disc 4 provided you do some sidequesting, so you can then go to some places.

The only way you can go shopping in a game is if you use your GF who has learnt a technique that allows you to go to a store, it was a pain grinding for them to learn that move just so I can update the weapons.

 

4/10 is just a ridiculous score, though. I can hardly take your review seriously.

I don't give games high scores, I declare 5/10 as the average it can be, Final Fantasy VIII is JUST below average in my mind.

 

Even with your problems with the ending

Which sucks, which is sad since the last boss and the last dungeon really started to make me believe that the team behind the game finally woke up, only to realize that at the end, it was the same shit I saw at the beginning.

 

 

and the fact that junctioning required some mental exercise besides smacking monsters on the head continuously with a sword to cause character progression.

As I said before I did not fight many enemies, I just used junctioning to ass rape all the bosses on a low lvl. I know how to use it.

 

I can't see how you'd place it below a 7. It's a remarkable game, with a tremendous amount of effort put into by (the then) Squaresoft.

The only thing remarkable about the game was the music and the Laguna team and the last dungeon and boss, the rest was like watching an anime full of filler episodes.

 

Judging fairly for the time it was released, it excelled in terms of visuals, sound, gameplay, longevity (particularly sidequests) and the depth of the script.

The bolded bits I agree on but the rest....

Sidequests, if you can call them that are just a bunch of different ways of getting more GF's. Only ones I remember that weren't like that were...

 

Shumi Village

Obel Lake

Winhill: Vase Pieces

 

 

You sound like a bit of a FF purist snob, who particularly likes one or two FF games and rates everything else

Umm, I really love Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy Tactics.

So I like 6 out of the...other 6 FF games? If I only liked those 1 or 2 I wouldn't kick up a stink on how I knew that Final Fantasy would never be as great like it used to be.

 

 

2-4/10 for massive impact (e.g. FFX, which was also a game I wouldn't place below 7/10). FFX was a good bit of fun, and overall a good game. Sure it was linear, and in many places a lot like a movie, but the was a hell of a lot of sidequesting and the characters were developed (aside from Kimahri).

Final Fantasy X is like Kingdom hearts, both look great and fantastic, only to play them...Yeah, they were tear jerkers all right, made me cry because I wanted to rip my eyes out and ears from the shit that came out of them both. I score games with 5/10 being average. If it's an average game I give it a 5, if I think it's worst...it's below 5/10, only Final Fantasy games that have made it below 5/10 is none other then Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X, both done by team Kitase funny enough.

 

I think you need to stop looking for FFVII number two, or whatever previous FF game you hold in such high regard, and realise that many of these FF games are great in their own right, albeit different in many ways.

 

I loooooooooooove how you keep talking about me loving FFVII It's an average game I said, a very typical RPG.

 

Hey, remember when Seifer sliced Odin in half?

 

That was crazy.

 

Yeah that was funny I thought when Odin died, but the sad thing was that Gilgemesh sucked more then Odin, I mean aren't they supposed to be better then before? Guess not

 

Why the FFX hate?

Besides, the shitty story, the shitty characters, the shitty battle system, the shitty bad guys, the shitty world, the shitty side quests and games and the average music. There isn't much hate besides them

Edited January 17, 2010 by killer kirby

[McMad]

*reads Killer Kirby's post*

 

This is why I hate the internet.

[chairdriver]

Besides, the shitty story, the shitty characters, the shitty battle system, the shitty bad guys, the shitty world, the shitty side quests and games and the average music. There isn't much hate besides them

 

 

It's ambiguous who plays which role.

[Sheikah]

 

Elena having the gift of making people go back in time as other characters, ok, now how did she get that ability? I know Rinoa is a sorceress, was she given that like at the end of disk 2? Or was she born with it? I might have lost the talkings about that.

And NORG...Oh fuck... I AM TEH ONE THAT GAVE CID MONEY NOW PISSED OFF..*after fight* URGH YOU MAKE ME SAD I HIDE NOW NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.

That bit I was like WTF!? first of all how did a fat man get so much money? and why now? that shit still confuses me.

And also with Elena saying how sending people back does fuck all in the end...well...thats dandy.

I'm not seeing any plotholes there. Merely things that you wanted answers for but never got.

 

I think it's funny how you question how a fat man could make a lot of money. Because all rich people in the world are all super thin.

 

Just remember that Squall's change of heart was triggered by Rinoa's possibly fatal condition, which is no small thing and pretty damn believable. The game also had a hell of a lot of sidequests for its time, and GFs definitely count. Considering GFs often equalled new abilities, and different abilities, they were quite a big deal.

 

 

Far too much FFX hate and little explanation as to why it all sucked. I think it's weird that you knocked one of the most fluid battle systems there has ever been to a FF game. There was no pile up of commands; you executed a command and they acted. It was grand.

[Nicktendo]

Anyone who hates FFVIII has no life.

[Oxigen_Waste]

I passionately hate FFVII, passionately love FFVI, passionately think X is getting much more hate than it should just because it isn't what people were expecting and I passionately believe all Final Fantasy games besides VI are a waste of precious time which could and should be spent playing Chrono Trigger. Again. And again. And again.

[Nolan]

My problems with X is the removal of the overworld and the linearity. Characters were also pretty annoying.

 

I basically agree with Killer Kirby's points on FFVIII, except that I don't really remember any plotholes in general. That could just be poor memory or a true lack of plotholes.

[Jon]

9 was always my favourite, because the graphics were lovely to look at.

 

This is it. I suppose I liked Zidane too because he was quite confident and arrogant and wasn't prone to emo like rants after every FMV. I also deeply hated the Junctioning system in FFVIII, perhaps as it was so different to the Materia used in FFVII, which I loved.

Edited January 17, 2010 by Jon

[chairdriver]

I quite liked the junctioning system.

 

The first time couple of times I played, it wasn't broken in the slightest, because I junctioned joke magic to joke slots, rather than exploit the obvious loop-hole and putting Curaga on HP and Death on Strength etc etc.

 

Realistically, Square should just remake FFVI in 3-D, instead of pursuing shite.

[Hero-of-Time]

Realistically, Square should just remake FFVI in 3-D, instead of pursuing shite.

 

Im quite surprised they haven't done it yet given its a huge fan favourite. I never really liked it much myself, I thought it was alright but nothing special. I hated Kefka though, thought he was a terrible badguy, he was as camp as Butlins.

[darksnowman]

Whoa, killer kirby's passion about Final Fantasy is as high octane as ever.

 

Personally, I find it hard to really hate any of the series. Each entry is different to the last which is what makes it all such a treat to me- you have a general idea of what you are gonna get, but S-E like to continually add elements in to spice it up.

 

I never really liked it much myself, I thought it was alright but nothing special.

 

You, out.

[McMad]

As someone who has not played VI can someone please explain to me why it is the saving grace of the series?

[chairdriver]

As someone who has not played VI can someone please explain to me why it is the saving grace of the series?

 

Because the characters and general world/story stunned.

 

Plus it felt like the first "real game" of the series, rather than generic RPG (for me anyway).

[Sheikah]

Yeah, I would say VI was the beginning of the modern comprehensive FF-style titles we are used to. And the story was much improved (moved away from crystals for a bloody start).