Lightning Strike
11-09-2007, 03:03 PM
Final Fantasy VIII - Playstation 1 (Released 1999)
From the moment that FFVII hit the stands, it must have been known by Squaresoft (Now SquareEnix) that this game would have some critism. After FFVII, which was the most loved FF game to date, creating another was impossible. The fact that Squaresoft took the chance to bring out another FF and hoping it to do as well as its previous was a silly thought. But with the love of FF games, only magnafied with FFVII, FFVII did very well for fans were screaming for more fantasy.
Noticably, FFVII, is the most realistic for character design for a Final Fantasy, as well as some earthly features, with rental-cars, trains and flying schools. What you may say, well indeed that may not be a normal world experience, but in FFVIII, you can very much experience it. The unnamed world is very large with 5 main land masses, that are all ventured upon at different times.
Final Fantasy VIII, starts with a blur, with the opening movie confusing as anything, with flashes from a beach to a large, open, flower filled field to a battle ground, where two man battle against each other, with weapons which has never been seen. Gunblades, these wepaons are called, a cross between a gun and well a blade, the fight scene show these men fight, and after the blonde, later named Seifer, cuts the dark haired mans face, he retaliates, leaving them both with scars above their noses. This dark haired man is named Squall, and he is your main character, you wake up in the hosiptial wing of your "Garden", kind of a school that trains its students to become SeeDs, a mercenary force that helps out others for money.
After a mission with Quistis, Squalls teacher, to get a GF, Guardian Force which is FFVIIIs summon, Squall goes on another mission with Zell, a martial Artist, and Seifer. They later meet Selphie, after Seifer leaves, she uses nu chucks, and after defeating Biggs, Wedge and a large strange monster, they flee from a large robotic spider that chases them to the boats. After this they are sent on another mission, and after some events, it is found that you must assassinate the Sorceress Edea, and then save the world. (I wont spoil it)
This game features captivating FMVs, which were never seen before hand. The battle system in FFVIII, is again the random batte, where after a certain amount of steps, a battle will engage with a random enemy. Some key differences between this FF and previous titles are:
The GFs, can be used constantly and others can be recuited, the all talk and have emotions.
Magic is not obtained from the usual means, but in fact "drawn" off your foes, and they can be junctioned to you to increae abilities.
The amount of exp does not change for each level, every level needs 1000 exp, the amount recieved off enemies becomes weaker as you level though
Weapons are not bought, but upgraded with the correct items and knowledge
The "limit" system has changed, instead of a bar powering up, when a characters health is in yellow, or low, there is a radom chance that it will appear, and you may use it as many times as you wish
There is only a total of 6 main characters, and they are all recieved on the first disk
There are flashback moments in the game where you take control of 3 other characters, Laguna, Kiros and Ward, their stats are the same as the character that "take control" of them in this so called "Dream World". The game features a special new insight into the main characters mind, Squalls thoughts can sometimes be seen, this shows what he is thinking at the time, and how he feels about certain people, they are represented in brackets (such as this). This game features many different ways of travel, including the pre-mentioned rental-car, which uses fuel, trains, flying schools and space ships, it is all explained in the game.
The games graphics were exceptional for its time, and even to today, this game has a very large fanbase. Its characters are every indept, unlike other FF games, the charatcers personal stories were showed as more important than the real story itself, this got players to feel like they knew thses characters, like friends, more than animated people on the screen. Squall was also included in the much later released game of Kingdom Hearts, where his name is changed to Squall, for his own reasons. An exellent game, and loved by all, great for those that want to play a game and want to feel that it is in fact, more than a game, and those that just want to see some awesome fighting.
Score : 8.5/10
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4606/finalfantasy8ntscfrontuo5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Game Cover)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8330/seifervssquallcr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Squall and Seifers fight)
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5805/ff8battlexample2de7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Battle, Summoning of a GF can be seen, as well as the draw feature)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/7913/ffviiinavigationwv2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(This is how Squall is controlled, others in the party follow him.)
From the moment that FFVII hit the stands, it must have been known by Squaresoft (Now SquareEnix) that this game would have some critism. After FFVII, which was the most loved FF game to date, creating another was impossible. The fact that Squaresoft took the chance to bring out another FF and hoping it to do as well as its previous was a silly thought. But with the love of FF games, only magnafied with FFVII, FFVII did very well for fans were screaming for more fantasy.
Noticably, FFVII, is the most realistic for character design for a Final Fantasy, as well as some earthly features, with rental-cars, trains and flying schools. What you may say, well indeed that may not be a normal world experience, but in FFVIII, you can very much experience it. The unnamed world is very large with 5 main land masses, that are all ventured upon at different times.
Final Fantasy VIII, starts with a blur, with the opening movie confusing as anything, with flashes from a beach to a large, open, flower filled field to a battle ground, where two man battle against each other, with weapons which has never been seen. Gunblades, these wepaons are called, a cross between a gun and well a blade, the fight scene show these men fight, and after the blonde, later named Seifer, cuts the dark haired mans face, he retaliates, leaving them both with scars above their noses. This dark haired man is named Squall, and he is your main character, you wake up in the hosiptial wing of your "Garden", kind of a school that trains its students to become SeeDs, a mercenary force that helps out others for money.
After a mission with Quistis, Squalls teacher, to get a GF, Guardian Force which is FFVIIIs summon, Squall goes on another mission with Zell, a martial Artist, and Seifer. They later meet Selphie, after Seifer leaves, she uses nu chucks, and after defeating Biggs, Wedge and a large strange monster, they flee from a large robotic spider that chases them to the boats. After this they are sent on another mission, and after some events, it is found that you must assassinate the Sorceress Edea, and then save the world. (I wont spoil it)
This game features captivating FMVs, which were never seen before hand. The battle system in FFVIII, is again the random batte, where after a certain amount of steps, a battle will engage with a random enemy. Some key differences between this FF and previous titles are:
The GFs, can be used constantly and others can be recuited, the all talk and have emotions.
Magic is not obtained from the usual means, but in fact "drawn" off your foes, and they can be junctioned to you to increae abilities.
The amount of exp does not change for each level, every level needs 1000 exp, the amount recieved off enemies becomes weaker as you level though
Weapons are not bought, but upgraded with the correct items and knowledge
The "limit" system has changed, instead of a bar powering up, when a characters health is in yellow, or low, there is a radom chance that it will appear, and you may use it as many times as you wish
There is only a total of 6 main characters, and they are all recieved on the first disk
There are flashback moments in the game where you take control of 3 other characters, Laguna, Kiros and Ward, their stats are the same as the character that "take control" of them in this so called "Dream World". The game features a special new insight into the main characters mind, Squalls thoughts can sometimes be seen, this shows what he is thinking at the time, and how he feels about certain people, they are represented in brackets (such as this). This game features many different ways of travel, including the pre-mentioned rental-car, which uses fuel, trains, flying schools and space ships, it is all explained in the game.
The games graphics were exceptional for its time, and even to today, this game has a very large fanbase. Its characters are every indept, unlike other FF games, the charatcers personal stories were showed as more important than the real story itself, this got players to feel like they knew thses characters, like friends, more than animated people on the screen. Squall was also included in the much later released game of Kingdom Hearts, where his name is changed to Squall, for his own reasons. An exellent game, and loved by all, great for those that want to play a game and want to feel that it is in fact, more than a game, and those that just want to see some awesome fighting.
Score : 8.5/10
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/4606/finalfantasy8ntscfrontuo5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Game Cover)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8330/seifervssquallcr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Squall and Seifers fight)
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5805/ff8battlexample2de7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(Battle, Summoning of a GF can be seen, as well as the draw feature)
http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/7913/ffviiinavigationwv2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
(This is how Squall is controlled, others in the party follow him.)