FFVIII : Love It Or Hate It?

Love it or Hate it?

  • Total voters
    441
I have really read many times that this game being hated...

But after playing it, I have to say that it is one of the best games and one of the best FFs.

The plot and characters very very good and the ending was the best of all the FFs I played so far. The system is nice and original.

There is only one thing about this game which I really hated.
The GF system is too useful, so I used it too much and most of the battles were just cut-scenes. Only near the end I got tired of it and actually started using some magics.
 
I hate this game with a passion, it is a disgrace to the Final Fantasy name. It has good music though. UEMATSU YOU ARE A GOD! All of the other numbered FF's are waaaaay better. I can't say anything for XI cause I never played it, but I bet I'd like that more, too.
 
Neither, I certainly don't hate it... But the plot was lacking IMO, as was character development and depth.

The plot was simplistic and the final villain had no motivation or depth. The characters themselves lacked any serious backstory (not counting Laguna's life as part of Squall's backstory). Most of the playable characters had no reason to be there aside from the fact that they all knew each other when they were kids, and most lacked any real development.

Now I don't mean to diss the game at all, it certainly entertained me for a while. But I wouldn't give it any more than a 6 or 7 out of ten when compared to some RPG's.
 
I actually liked this game.

I liked how Squall was a very enigmatic character in a sense. He didn't show himself completely. Then little ole Rinoa comes along and takes him out of his shell.
I struggled a bit with getting to grips with the drawing system, but once i had it figured out I easily spent hours upon hours stocking up on all of the magic for all of the characters.
though i found the storyline a tad tedious and very occaisionally not easy to follow.
but all in all a good game ^^
 
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I absolutely loved the game as it was my first FF game. Having since played a number of the others I can see how the story and characters are a bit lacking however I still look back on it with fondness as it was the one that got me into the series. I would happily play through it again, and I no doubt will one day when I get through as many of the others as I can.
 
This is tricky...
I like the game but I don't like playing it. I beat it once and that was enough play for me. I much prefer to watch my Husband play. I enjoy the story just not the battles.
 
Love it. It's my first FF played so it probably gets more praise from me than deserves but it still gave the world (Well, me at least :P) Quistus and Zell whom I both love to death XD The end did get a bit dodgy though, as was the whole junction system (as a guy who relies of magic and admits it, it drove me mad) but everything else I liked :D
 
Love it. It is the pride of the FF series.
I played FFVII before it, and I was extremely disappointed with that, all the hype, while the game isn't that good. Seems like most just like that because it was their first FF or the first 3D FF, or just ride the hype-train but there is hardly any objective opinions on that game (it was my 2nd FF or so, after one of the earlier ones, but I still like VIII the best, even thought it wasn't the first I played). I was reluctant to try FFVIII after that, thinking it would be a disappointment also, but I'm glad I tried it anyways, because it is a great game.
Most "bashing" seems to be against the draw/junction system, that is too hard too understand or makes it too easy. It is just different, most don't give it a chance because they fear everything that is different (or are too dumb to understand), and "making it too easy" is a ridiculous argument, since you can just powerlevel your way through most other FF's (or most other RPG's gor that matter) to make them "too easy" as well.
It doesn't deserve the hate it gets, but that doesn't matter since it seems like 99% of the haters of FFVIII are just FFVII fanboys/girls (and those can't be trusted since they judge by nostalgia/ignorance, not objectively). FFVIII has the major downside of comming just after the hugely overrated FFVII, so most just bash it (and often any other FF) because it isn't exactly the same as "their precious".
If you eat pears all the time, you'll gonna pass if someone offers you an apple, since you don't like apples, but that doesn't mean apples are bad.
 
I love it, it was the game that got me into the series and I'm glad about that. I found using GFs all the time can get tedious. and physical attacks are weak because they rely on having magic junctioned to make them any use. Once you have a powerful spell to junction, you don't have to rely GFs and then I only used GFs for their defence. I think the junctioning system gives you more diversity between your characters than any other FF system. The only bad things are that it gets boring having to draw 100 of every new spell you encounter, and that once you junction 100 of a spell, you don't want to cast that spell because it will lower your stat.
 
I don't think anyone should hate the beautiful game known as Final Fantasy VIII. It is by far the best Final Fantasy there is. Well for me that is. The storyline was so beautiful and I loved every minute of it. Who hates VIII? *cough Mokken cough*
 
Hate is a little too much, but FF8 is easily one of the worst games of the series.

The storyline is compared to games like FF7 and Xenogears only mediocre, imo. I just found the love story to be annoying. The characters weren't that great either. Squall for example is the typical warrior with unclear past and anti-social disorder. I happen to know someone similiar to that...
The plot relies a bit too much on Deus Ex Machina. Prime example is the sudden appearence of the Raganarok air/space ship.

However the worst aspect of this game is the gameplay. It is plain SHIT. The junctioning system erases every difference, the characters may have in battle. They only differ in the badly integrated Limit Breaks or however they are called there. Even FF7 offers more differences between the characters. I realize there a people who like to have a clone army of characters, so they can use their fav characters, but in my opinion characters should differ in battle just like they differ in behaviour outside the battles.
What really sucks though, regardless how you look at it, is Drawing. It is plain, simple farming which makes absolutely no fun. It's just stupid to draw 10 minutes from an enemy you can beat in 2 seconds. I know there are other ways of gaining spells, like the card game, but it's just as time intensive and silly nonetheless.
Casting spells is useless, spamming GFs (whose animations can't be shortened) or just power buffing your strength stat is far more effective. Especially since you get weaker, when you cast spells.

So all in all, the story is not that good, but the gameplay really spoils the game for me. It's just forced, badly thought out and half baked and I could still beat the crap out of the person who decided to use some of Xenogear's budget for FF8.
 
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FFVIII is one of the complicated games. As in complicated I mean that it is a game that you think you can like and you try to like but in the end you just can't. The story is average, compared to others in the FF series, but the gameplay and the way that the story is set up (meaning that if you didn't play it from the beginning or missed any part you would totally be lost) is the biggest turn off. Overall I do believe that it is one game that you should, at least, try.
 
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LOL you just say it's crap or shit like that by comparing it to 7? wtf?! O_O you're just a fanboy... >.> well, i admit that the gameplay, junction and drawing magic was kinda hard to deal with when you are noob but when you have the hang of it, you can abuse it and own the game. The story is unique and i find it very interesting. I'm not that much of a fan of a lovey dovey love story, what i'm talking about is the "TC" of "Time Compresion"... It tackles the subject i'm most interested in, which is time itself. If you just play casualy then you might miss most of the story. This game is a lot more than what you think if you would really think about it, that's why i love it. For better understanding of TC, read the FAQs of Sir Bahamut and co. in gamefaqs. It's a long read but worth it.
 
ponkadolz said:
LOL you just say it's crap or shit like that by comparing it to 7? wtf?! O_O you're just a fanboy... >.> well, i admit that the gameplay, junction and drawing magic was kinda hard to deal with when you are noob but when you have the hang of it, you can abuse it and own the game. The story is unique and i find it very interesting. I'm not that much of a fan of a lovey dovey love story, what i'm talking about is the "TC" of "Time Compresion"... It tackles the subject i'm most interested in, which is time itself. If you just play casualy then you might miss most of the story. This game is a lot more than what you think if you would really think about it, that's why i love it. For better understanding of TC, read the FAQs of Sir Bahamut and co. in gamefaqs. It's a long read but worth it.
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NEVER EVER mistake me for a FF7 fanboy. I am a big FF10 fan (not fanboy) and could puke into any Sephiroth/Cloud/Vincent fanboy/girl face. However FF7 was still miles beyond FF8 and if I compared FF8 to FF10 you (or any other FF8 fanboy) would've whined about comparing it with a newer PS2 game.

So the story has some shallow, wannabe science at the end. That still doesn't make a great game. If you want deep insights into scientific topics like time, I don't recommend playing video games, let alone fantasy games.
And claiming that I am casually playing is kinda stupid too. Playing FF without paying attention to the story is pointless, imo. And in my opinion the story of FF8 is moderately exciting. However, the understanding of time, most characters and their relationships are absolutely bland.

A gameplay system that can be abused (at least so easily like in VIII) is bad, not good. I don't want to own anything in my path, I want a well thought out and balanced gameplay, which FF8 lacks.
 
over9000 said:
However, the understanding of time, ... absolutely bland.
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No one really understands the true nature of time, it's still a mystery even for many brilliant scientists. But there are many plausible theories like the FAQs of Sir Bahumut & co. in gamefaqs. It helps people understand better what time might really be.

I would agree with you when it comes to the gameplay, but calling me an ff fanboy and you are not? All I can say is: ....O_O
 
Please refrain from that sort of talk in here. I don't mind a casual debate, but there's no reason for either of you to be calling each other "fanboy" as it's obviously an insulting thing to say to one when they enjoy a game while the other doesn't. If it continues I'll delete your posts and you'll receive an infraction. This goes for both of you. Thank you and carry on.
 
ponkadolz said:
No one really understands the true nature of time, it's still a mystery even for many brilliant scientists. But there are many plausible theories like the FAQs of Sir Bahumut & co. in gamefaqs. It helps people understand better what time might really be.
Click to expand...

If you are into this, fine. I took a look at this FAQ you mentioned and I just thought: Oh gawd, tl;dr. Now I may be an uneducated jerk, but it makes me no fun to read loooong interpretations of something. You can interpret just anything and this ability makes no game or whatsoever. However the story in the end is just some time traveling mixed with some transcendental entity (whoever gets the Anime reference, will receive a cookie) possessing others.​

So it all comes again to the personal opinion thingy. You think the time thing in the story was good and deep, while I don't.
 
Like any Doctor Who fan should tell you, you should take each game on it's own merits as they are all different.

I love VIII, as I really got into the whole time compression plot. I found the characters were fun (and damn, Quistis and Selphie:woot:, as well as Squall and Irvine = pwnage), and the whole junction system felt refreshing (from someone who couldn't get into the Materia system of VII anyways).

Nobuo Uematsu surpasses himself with the soundtrack. Without doubt, this, IX and VI are his finest works for me, unable to pick an outright favourite. When the opening of Liberi Fatali hits, you know its a classic. "The stage is set" also is arguably his finest piece on the game. The GFs also gave a whole lot of importance to the party with extra support abilities, and proved to be quite formidable bosses in some instances too.

Final Fantasy VIII: love it. This and IX are the best in the series for me. :P
 
Please note that the following is just my opinion! ^__^

To be honest, VIII's my all time favourite FF game. Firstly, I'm a sucker for love stories... Always have been and probably always will be. Therefore, obviously I was going to get sucked into VIII very quickly.

Secondly, I prefer the junction system over materia, jobs and the sphere grid because... Well... I had more fun with it. I found it a far more enjoyable, entertaining and customizable system, only equalled in my opinion by the job system in FF Tactics (PSX one). It, to me, gave a fun challenge of how to prepare for fights.

Then there's the GFs. I'll never forget when I watched and boosted Eden for the first time. I was in awe... Of course I'd seen Knight of the Round and all that before, but was just so much more in my eyes. All of them were. And to date, I haven't seen a summon I liked more the Eden. If that had been on PS2 or PS3 I think I would have fainted. :P

Then there's the more embarrasing reason as to why I love it so much...

In real life I am very much like Squall at the start of the game when it comes to interacting with people... I'm pathetic at it, being honest. So... I always viewed Rinoa as exactly the kind of person I would want to meet in real life. ^_^;;

I always preferred her to Tifa or Aeris, which got me a lot of stick from the FF7 die hard fans around my area (as did my preference of VIII over VII) and still does get me stick online.... Oh well. xD

She seemed a better mixed that most of the love interests... For example, in my opinion Rosa was to stereotypical. Tifa was too aggressive (although close to being a good mix). Aeris was just... well... I found her ignorant at times, boring at others... Garnet was cool, but too cunfusing and confused (and weak) at times...

Rinoa just seemed to have a normal level of ignorance that you'd find in any person, a normal level of mental strength, a normal attitude you'd see in a lot of people around her age (or at least, I did) and looked amazing. :P

(Don't worry... I won't do a fanboy squeal :P)
 
The reason I didn't vote, was because I don't actually hate it, but I don't believe that it is a great game either. I was really dissapointed when I played it, because it was overshadowed by FF 7 so much, and It couldn't live up the expectations in my personal beliefs. But, saying that much, It's still part of the FF series, and I find myself playing it atleast once a year, just to play it. It's fun. It's a good game, but it doesn't have that greatness feel to it like FF 7 9 or 10 have.
 
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