Final Fantasy VIII

[MamoruUsagi]

I used to be a fan of this game, but now I love romance and drama and I love soap operas.

[Busaiku Chama]

Final Fantasy IX is the most underrated one, in my opinion. I thought that was/still is the best in the series.
It is kind of like Final Fantasy IV in a way yeah, but a bit too much on the drama.

[Swann]

I was a huge fan of VIII. I didn't really play video games when I started college but I use to watch a floormate play VII and was impressed. Later a saw an impressive trailer to VIII playing before a some movie (first video game trailer I had ever seen playing at movie theatre). That decided it. When VIII came out on the PC I bought it and played it through from start to finish. Yeah, I only remember bits and pieces of it but VIII was my first complete final fantasy experience and in some ways it will always remain my favorite.

[AnimePlus]

I really love Final Fantasy VIII, it was the first RPG I ever played. The setting was what really made me love this game, I mean it's so cool. The whole environment is very realistic and believable, but everyone says FFVII is better for some reason. I'll take Squall over Cloud any day!

[Nemuru]

I like the setting of FFVIII and the game play made it fun and challenging. Out of all the FF series I played FFVIII is my most favourite.

[Mcdonalds]

out of all the modern Final fantasies, i guess this was the most disappointing of them all. This was the only FF that i had to take a break from because i got fed up. I didn't like the draw system and i didn't like the way monsters lvled along with you. i also found the story fairly weak although graphically it was a beautiful game for its time.

[AnimePlus]

Originally Posted by Mcdonalds

out of all the modern Final fantasies, i guess this was the most disappointing of them all. This was the only FF that i had to take a break from because i got fed up. I didn't like the draw system and i didn't like the way monsters lvled along with you. i also found the story fairly weak although graphically it was a beautiful game for its time.

I'll agree with you on most of your points besides the story being weak, I found it quite interesting personally especially more so than even FFVII. However, the battle system was definitely flawed and boring.

[MasafumiGotoh]

The game was brilliant for one thing: Triple Triad Card Game. Other than that I think the game was ok. I thought FF9 was worst.

[Maceart]

FF9 had a strong story and a pretty thought out challanging final boss. Too bad FF9 had a horrible card game compared to FF8's. Final Fantasy 8 had too much haxxor limit breaks. Zell, Selphie, Rinoa, and Squall all can deal over 100,000 damage themselves. That's way too much.

[Ending]

@ Maceart

Only with power-players. I finished the game without coming even near such numbers.

Couldn't bugger to go through it for the second time, that sick love-story being too thick for me and aaaall those mandatory, so-very-scripted events got on my nerves way too much. Not to mention all those ûber-long summons and their animations... It's one of those games you play once and then forget.

[Circular Logic]

FFVIII would have been a great game if the story didn't SUCK.

It had my favourite battle system out of all the FF games though...

[shikamarufoo]

I loved FFVIII, not as much as FFVII, but ffviii had a pretty good story and lots of fun side quests. Also the way the monsters levels up with you did work for final fantasy viii.

Even though I liked it, I felt as though it was a game that I could not play through twice becasue of things you had to do, and they weren't very fun...kinda like how Wirhe described it. IMO it is the most underated Final Fantasy that I've played.

[Eclipze]

FF VIII is the ONLY final fantasy game out of the modern ones that I didnt even go past disc 1.

The draw system to me...is absolutely stupid. Say, while you are engaging a boss monster. In regular FF's, you have the healer/mage casting magic while your knights/theifs/archers engage the beast. But in FF VIII, you actually have to spend time drawing magic/GFs from the boss (especially those extreemly powerful or rare ones).

And who would had imagined this...you cant use your most powerful magics(Ultima, quake) because you are using them as freaking equipments....oh wow, lets all go melee! -_-". If you DO use them, you have to draw them to full again, otherwise your stats would weaken.

Summoning GFs? Yea sure, provided if you dont care if you were to get any exp at all. The lvling system is debatable, some say its challenging that monsters lvl up with you, but to me its irritating.

Ah yes, even more ridiculous...I was able to get Zell's ultimte weapon (last weapon to say the least) on disc 1. Really, how is that actually reasonable? Yes, the weapon itself might be quite useless (its the equiping of magic via GFs that increase your attack significantly), but still doesnt change the fact that I still got it. Through card modding no less.

At the end of the day, FF VIII just becomes an all-out melee game, unless you consider casting of inferior spells over the powerful ones that are being used as equipments as *magic*.


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As for underrated series, would be FF IX. Of course, its my first FF game, which I completed and love (hence pobably some first-time bias-ness), but still a great series.

Card game aside (I'm never really a fan of card minigames in any type of games), the side quest was pretty neat, in particular the chocobo breeding one. Ok, not really breeding, but I like the treasure hunt aspect, especially with all the hidden treasures around the world map.

Storywise, I rate it above FF X. Alot more twists in the story, and the character interactions were meaningful. Overall, a more believable story, from the prospect of a fantasy world.

One thing that it suffers from (other than the mentioned card game) would be the trance. They dont exceed 9999 damage, nor are they particularly useful (plus the fact that you cant save it for futre battles as they disappear once the battle is over). Using Grand Lether(sp?) was no different from using Theivery, which deals 9999 damage (regardless of being silenced or mini-ed).

Oh, and of course, Vivi's most powerful spell also gives a challenge. Unless all your party members have pumice or the pieces, they will take damage from Doomsday. Of course, I must mention: you cant get them other than from finding the pumice itself or stealing from Osman(sp?), which is arguably hard since it has the ability to use Doomsday, which equals to death of the entire party. Since you cant get them from any other monster, its really challenging to use the skill.

Ok, better stop praising FF IX in a FF VIII thread.

[Nemuru]

Well the Draw- system in FFVIII was abit different but it wasn't bad, once you were able to drawn max spell your stats were going to be good. since draw was based on INT/MAG (forgot what stats) it was easy drawing 8-10 spell per time, even the rare spell didn't take long. You didn't even need to level in final fantasy 8 if you knew the system well.
Create spell from item through mug/steal or combine spell.

AS for FFIX it reminded me of old-style RPG with the simple and basic attack, skill, magic. Note grand leathal hit 3 time so it was 9999 x3.

The only main problem I had with some FF series would be their insane limit break/overdrive in the 7 and 10 series. Which made the boss cry in one turn. FFXIII had reasonable limited break since more of it was based on luck it wasn't so fully controlled like in 7 and 10.

[Archuka]

Originally Posted by Eclipze

The draw system to me...is absolutely stupid. Say, while you are engaging a boss monster. In regular FF's, you have the healer/mage casting magic while your knights/theifs/archers engage the beast. But in FF VIII, you actually have to spend time drawing magic/GFs from the boss (especially those extreemly powerful or rare ones).

This is so true. I think my first battle outside Balamb garden took around 20 minutes because I was drawing magic over and over and over to get my stats full.

And who would had imagined this...you cant use your most powerful magics(Ultima, quake) because you are using them as freaking equipments....oh wow, lets all go melee! -_-". If you DO use them, you have to draw them to full again, otherwise your stats would weaken.

I so hated this! I didn't cast much else than lower level cures and utility spells because of this. The most powerful damage and healing spells were always junctioned so I didn't want to cast them.

Summoning GFs? Yea sure, provided if you dont care if you were to get any exp at all. The lvling system is debatable, some say its challenging that monsters lvl up with you, but to me its irritating.

I leveled up too much and the normal mob HP started to scale at an insane rate. Normal fights with L95+ characters took around 15 minutes unless you fled. They actually had several times more HP than bosses.

As for underrated series, would be FF IX. Of course, its my first FF game, which I completed and love (hence pobably some first-time bias-ness), but still a great series.

I agree. FFIX is the most underrated FF game. It's not my favourite (VII is), but I think it was pretty damn good compared to what most people think.

[Circular Logic]

Originally Posted by Nemuru

The only main problem I had with some FF series would be their insane limit break/overdrive in the 7 and 10 series. Which made the boss cry in one turn. FFXIII had reasonable limited break since more of it was based on luck it wasn't so fully controlled like in 7 and 10.

I don't know... Squall's Lionheart was SICK. Wishing Star was also SICK. Hyper shot was somewhat broken...

I defeated Omega Weapon with absolutely no problem because of Lion Heart. Seriously, 3 hits and he's dead.

[Rurik]

FFVIII is Very good but the problem with it is that everybody had high expectations for it after the Final Fantasy VII boom, this caused that almost everybody found this game mediocre or average at best. IMO, Final Fantasy VI (III in USA) is the Best of the Final Fantasy series

The Story was not that bad, but I really detested the Principal character and the type of weapon he used A sort of Sword/Gun thing, Just because I didn’t find appealing this character I lost interest in playing it, also the Main villain was nothing compared to Sephiroth. This FF is the only in the series I have not finished, But One thing that I remember most about this game was the Intro, This and the FF X Intro are the best IMO.

FFIX was pretty cool, I love the story a lot, the principal character was a little strange with his tail and stuff, but other than that, the game was pretty good.

I should mention that FF Tactics is also a heck of Game with a good script that didn’t make much sound.

[Eclipze]

Originally Posted by Uchiha_Rurik

The Story was not that bad, but I really detested the Principal character and the type of weapon he used A sort of Sword/Gun thing, Just because I didn’t find appealing this character I lost interest in playing it, also the Main villain was nothing compared to Sephiroth. This FF is the only in the series I have not finished, But One thing that I remember most about this game was the Intro, This and the FF X Intro are the best IMO.

I agree, the story was decent/good, but the gameplay really fails, for me.

Magic lost its purpose, combat was bland (melee or turn monster into a card to prevent lvling), summons long and boring (pressing suqare to boost the GF wasnt all that exciting, especially with a turbo controller), monotonous character [combat]characteristics (anyone can use magic effectively, anyone can do alots of melee damage, anyone can steal/mug if your GF has the skill).

I dont see excitement in that.

[Abbott]

Originally Posted by Maceart

FF9 had a strong story and a pretty thought out challanging final boss. Too bad FF9 had a horrible card game compared to FF8's. Final Fantasy 8 had too much haxxor limit breaks. Zell, Selphie, Rinoa, and Squall all can deal over 100,000 damage themselves. That's way too much.

Point being as you get stronger enemies get stronger too. Levelling up and doing damage only meant that the enemies were a higher level, had more health and did more damage too.

[monster]

Originally Posted by Abbott

Point being as you get stronger enemies get stronger too. Levelling up and doing damage only meant that the enemies were a higher level, had more health and did more damage too.

Once you get past a certain level though, it doesn't really matter anymore what level the enemy's at. By the time I got to the third disc, any combination of my characters could defeat just about anybody they throw at me. The limit breaks are just too powerful, especially angel wing. That Rinoa is so useful. And even if magics are needed for stats, the GFs more than made up for it. Plus, there's invincibility items, how cheap is that?