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Final Fantasy VIII 15th Anniversary Thread
- Thread starter Wazzy
- Start date
KojiKnight
Member
May be about time to double dip... I still have my FF8 copy I can just pop into a PS1 emu (sold my FF7, without regret... but I couldn't bring myself to sell FF8) but I might get it on steam for convenience.
Out of curiosity, does the PC version support the pocketstation segment of the game?
(edit) While we're at it... what's everyone's take on Squall is Dead?
Out of curiosity, does the PC version support the pocketstation segment of the game?
(edit) While we're at it... what's everyone's take on Squall is Dead?
Yes it does
KojiKnight
Member
TY, something I was always curious about messing with to the point of back in the day I contemplated importing a pocket station just for it. A few other NA games had pocketstation support as well... wonder why Sony never released it.
RedlineRonin
Member
Goddamn. Just warm and fuzzy all over...
My VIII was everyone else's VII. It was my first rpg after Super Mario RPG and maybe it was being in my early teens, but everything about this game struck a chord with me.
Loved the cast of characters. Even Squall, who is retrospectively, a bit whiny. Loved hat there were entire chunks of the game that were optional, like
. I think I had 80 plus hours into my one and only playthrough. I loved how completely game breaking the mechanics could be if you were enterprising enough.
Overall, this game is prolly the reason I have so much love for the FF series. Played VII for the first time two yrs ago and am playing VI right now. Might have skipped the whole franchise if not for this game.
Are there any solids texture/clean up mods for the pc version? Bought it on steam but would love to play a "half ass hd remaster" if I was gonna play all the way through again
My VIII was everyone else's VII. It was my first rpg after Super Mario RPG and maybe it was being in my early teens, but everything about this game struck a chord with me.
Loved the cast of characters. Even Squall, who is retrospectively, a bit whiny. Loved hat there were entire chunks of the game that were optional, like
bahamut, tonberry kind, shumi village,etc
Overall, this game is prolly the reason I have so much love for the FF series. Played VII for the first time two yrs ago and am playing VI right now. Might have skipped the whole franchise if not for this game.
Are there any solids texture/clean up mods for the pc version? Bought it on steam but would love to play a "half ass hd remaster" if I was gonna play all the way through again
Who knows, I wondered what a pocketstation was at the time myself XD.
Only found out what the pocketstation stuff was in FFVIII because my brother had the PC version.
Going to try to post something with more substance when I get a chance, but for now I'll just leave the live rendition of the opening theme doing orchestrated. I remember seeing this performed live in 2007 and being moved to tears. Sends chills down my spine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waV-9bIyl24
Best opening to a Final Fantasy game in my opinion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waV-9bIyl24
Best opening to a Final Fantasy game in my opinion.
BassForever
Member
Guess I'll be the first negative nacy
15 years of an overly convuluted plot, bad gameplay mechanics, and an overall mediocre game. For what it did right (music, triple triad) it doesn't offset the dumb it had. FF8 is in the bottom 3 mainline FF games with FF2 and original FF14.
15 years of an overly convuluted plot, bad gameplay mechanics, and an overall mediocre game. For what it did right (music, triple triad) it doesn't offset the dumb it had. FF8 is in the bottom 3 mainline FF games with FF2 and original FF14.
Not the biggest fan of FF8 or Squall, but I still jam away to that Chocobo theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xErfUvB7NI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xErfUvB7NI
KojiKnight
Member
It is possibly the best Chocobo theme... Mambo de Chocobo (FF5) might be better. FF9's wasn't too bad either. As much as FF6 is my favorite FF, Techno de Chocobo was rather lack luster in retrospect.
Aside from FF9, what modern (PS1+ era) FF game hasn't had a convoluted plot?
Magicpaint
Member
I'm not a fan. What annoys me about FFVIII is it starts amazingly well. As well as FFIV, VI and VII. It just immediately sucks you into its world. Great music, set pieces, dynamic scenarios and gorgeous FMVs - then that awful twist happens and then it all goes to shit. Blandest cast of characters in the series, but music remains top tier and worth suffering through the convoluted plot and terrible battle system. I think I checked out of the experience by mid-disc 2 and was just going through the motions.
My favourite Chocobo theme is probably Final Fantasy IV Advance's version of Black Chocobo (Samba de Chocobo!). It's amazing.
BassForever
Member
All of them? Every other FF plot and world makes more sense then FF8. It doesn't mean they're good (FF13 and FF10-2 spring to mind)
BibiMaghoo
Member
Wow, it's been 15 years? Am I that old?
Loved the game, still do. It was not what I wanted coming out of 7 - my first and favorite FF - but damn they still did a good job. I know people say it's silly because you can break the game easily, but as a kid in secondary school with no internet, that wasn't my experience of the game. Drawing was not the annoyance for me that other people seem to have, although if you are going for a hundred draws it can take a time.
For me, the template used to make 7 -9 is the perfect FF design. I would dearly love a new game that used this format.
Loved the game, still do. It was not what I wanted coming out of 7 - my first and favorite FF - but damn they still did a good job. I know people say it's silly because you can break the game easily, but as a kid in secondary school with no internet, that wasn't my experience of the game. Drawing was not the annoyance for me that other people seem to have, although if you are going for a hundred draws it can take a time.
For me, the template used to make 7 -9 is the perfect FF design. I would dearly love a new game that used this format.
At least I think we can all agree that FFX-2's Chocobo Theme is the worst.
Some really amazing town themes, too. Under Her Control is so funky.
Terra_Ex
Member
Great thread Wazzy, hard to believe its been so long since I first played... Myself, I loved the game, still do, but especially when it first came out, just one of those right place, right time games for me at that point in my life. Incredible soundtrack, my personal favourite FF romance and a great ending. It was my second FF iirc and I was somewhat disappointed at the lack of a Gold Saucer type side area with a bunch of distractions / Chocobo racing & breeding (wasn't familiar with how the FF series was set up at the time) but Triple Triad more than made up for it.There are some tweaks and improvements I'd like to see made and the game would probably benefit from a fresh localisation from what I've read but I'm looking forward to replaying (and rebuying for the third tie) this for the first time in years on Steam soon.
Martial Law is still the best track in this game. I bought the soundtrack soon after the game came out and would go to sleep while listening to Disc 2.
Seven Force
Banned
Even with all of it's flaws, VIII still reigns supreme as my favorite FF game. Absolutely love the world crafted in the game, and the soundtracks as noted by many already, is stellar.
VIII also has by far, my favorite Bahamut design in the series.
Co-signed.
VIII also has by far, my favorite Bahamut design in the series.
Co-signed.
sixteen-bit
Member
I remember liking the tunes in this game.
It was so weird my first time playing through it. I understood the basics of the Junction System, but I also had to deal with my previous knowledge from other RPGs that levelling up was good.Despite the ease of breaking the Junction System, one of my top three FF of all time. It just has a something that resonates with me. It felt more 'magical' and 'fantasy' than 7 despite having the same type of world.
Triple Traid is also the greatest minigame ever
As such, the game was rather challenging the entire time, which I liked. I don't have a problem breaking a game after beating it once though, but playing through normally (without drawing 100 of every magic every time you see an enemy, like getting 300 Doubles from Elvoret/Biggs/Wedge/whatever) was a good time.
I've still been meaning to do a low-level run at some point.
Dark_castle
Junior Member
Fuck the haters, I love FFVIII. It has its flaws, quite a number of them, but I fell in love with the setting, the world, the art direction, the fantastic music, Doomtrain and Diablos summons, Triple Triad, Junction system, the exciting story pacing and cutscenes and Laguna's sections are great and heart warming. His chemistry with Kiros, Ward, Raine(?) and Ellone are nicely done.
The Praiseworthy
Member
Best Gaming world and art direction EVER <3
They nailed the atmosphere and the music of that world SO GOOD, 15 years later and I still wish I could live there
They nailed the atmosphere and the music of that world SO GOOD, 15 years later and I still wish I could live there
BibiMaghoo
Member
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
I love this game with all my heart.
It was also a pretty astonishing piece of work for its time, I remember being stunned by its scope and quality (particularly the CG) when I first played it. FFVII has more content, but a lot of it is quite rough around the edges, whereas FFVIII is much more polished in all regards. As a dev I just looked at it and thought, "Ok Square, you win."
It was also a pretty astonishing piece of work for its time, I remember being stunned by its scope and quality (particularly the CG) when I first played it. FFVII has more content, but a lot of it is quite rough around the edges, whereas FFVIII is much more polished in all regards. As a dev I just looked at it and thought, "Ok Square, you win."
Mashin Haters
Member
currently playing through this my first time. i already know im not playing the combat right. I know theirs a better way than just spamming GFs, because that is not fun.
any tips?
any tips?
DiipuSurotu
Banned
Please add this to the OP:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/197343-final-fantasy-viii/68548821
This is a full translation of the development staff interviews included in the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania guide. That's 14 printed pages worth of content. The Ultimania guide was released in Japan in 1999 and these interviews were not translated in English until 2013 (the in-universe info in the OP was translated, but not these developer interviews). I have specifically collected many other Ultimania guides that contain development staff interviews never translated in English, neither by Square nor by fans. It's a shame I don't speak Japanese.
http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/197343-final-fantasy-viii/68548821
This is a full translation of the development staff interviews included in the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania guide. That's 14 printed pages worth of content. The Ultimania guide was released in Japan in 1999 and these interviews were not translated in English until 2013 (the in-universe info in the OP was translated, but not these developer interviews). I have specifically collected many other Ultimania guides that contain development staff interviews never translated in English, neither by Square nor by fans. It's a shame I don't speak Japanese.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
I was 9,
Still my favorite of the series.
leave Squall with medium to low health
Limit break.
Still my favorite of the series.
Junction your characters,
leave Squall with medium to low health
Limit break.
ShogunDarius
Member
Shivers down my spine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcJa5AOMoG0
Omegasquash
Member
Taken for what it is, it was a fun play through once. I felt a little let down by the lack of character development and things just legit left unsaid. There was little resolution to lots of what went on in that story.
The gameplay though...that was baller. I had lots of fun with basically each fight, plotting out how to do things properly to maximize character growth. And I recall my mouth being agape when Squall rocked a limit break on Bahamut. 'Dat boss specific animation. That just felt quality.
The gameplay though...that was baller. I had lots of fun with basically each fight, plotting out how to do things properly to maximize character growth. And I recall my mouth being agape when Squall rocked a limit break on Bahamut. 'Dat boss specific animation. That just felt quality.
legacyzero
Banned
Still the best damn Final Fantasy ever made.
<3<3<3
People keep wanting a FF7 remake.. PFFT. Gimme VIII.
<3<3<3
People keep wanting a FF7 remake.. PFFT. Gimme VIII.
Clear
CliffyB's Cock Holster
Equip GF's according to what stats they allow magic to be junctioned to, then fill out those stats with as much magic as you can. Typically the first time I enter a new area with new enemies the first couple of battles are all about drawing off whatever magic they have repeatedly until each char is capped off. Its a bit slow, but once you get it done it puts you way ahead of the curve difficulty-wise and allows you to scythe through enemies with just physical attacks.
GF summoning is only for bosses, you should rarely need them. If you want mega-powerful magic use Quistis' Blue spells, as something like degenerator will one-shot any non boss enemy in the game (bar Tonberries) at any level.
The junction system is basically infinitely exploitable, so just fiddle about with it until you find an overpowered combo you like. There's a huge amount of things to do especially once the GF abilities start coming into play (Card/Ammo refining etc.).
Ganondorfo
Junior Member
Great tribute, I miss when Final Fantasy was the biggest thing in the gaming industry. Also why do only popular games get anniversary threads and games like for example Vandal Hearts 2 dont.
Even if you hated the gameplay and story, the soundtrack was worth what you paid and more
people that hate on this game are fucking plebs
game owned. sucked that north america never even got access to the full game though. (no pocketstation)
music was great....fmvs were par/nice for the time....story was good/interesting
cast was the biggest weakness and even that isnt bad at all
game owned. sucked that north america never even got access to the full game though. (no pocketstation)
music was great....fmvs were par/nice for the time....story was good/interesting
cast was the biggest weakness and even that isnt bad at all
DrROBschiz
Member
I barely remember a lot of this game since I only played it once
Probably one of the worst games mechanically (next to FF2)
Liked the world/Graphics. Was a nice visual step up from 7.
Story/Characters were all over the place. Triple Triad rocked.
If ever a game would benefit from a MOD/Romhack I would nominate this one
Probably one of the worst games mechanically (next to FF2)
Liked the world/Graphics. Was a nice visual step up from 7.
Story/Characters were all over the place. Triple Triad rocked.
If ever a game would benefit from a MOD/Romhack I would nominate this one
U n i o n 0015
Member
Thought this game was pretty good. Actually has one of the more satisfying FF endings. There's no ambiguity with it and I like that.
The seamless transition from gameplay to cutscene still amazes me. I need to pick this up for my Vita!
The seamless transition from gameplay to cutscene still amazes me. I need to pick this up for my Vita!
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