 First Final Fantasy I played and beat. I still love it. |
| Review Date: March 10, 2010 |
| Reviewer: None of your business, USA |
| Don't know why some of these fanboys give this game such a hard time. Its epic! I can understand how some people may find Squall annoying in the begging of the game, but just give it some time and his character develops very well. Love all the characters, plots and quests. Irvine kicks rear. Got the Lionheart on Disc 2, and that is the best limit break in all the Final Fantasy's. GO LIONHEART!!!!! |
Final fantasy 8
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| Review Date: February 23, 2010 |
| Reviewer: C. Adams, Massachusetts, USA |
| I enjoyed this game a lot. I actually got it because it is one of my boyfriend's favorite final fantasy games. It was fun but the graphics weren't very good. That was expected though since it is an older game for ps1. It wasn't my favorite final fantasy game but it was still really good. |
One of the greatest and most unappreciated games of all time.
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| Review Date: February 19, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Michael Best, |
After reading countless reviews and talking to many other FF fans in person at conventions and all, I feel compelled to say this first.
To those who write off this game to worship Final Fantasy VII, as sad as it is to say, FF7 was more of a disappointment (OMG!! I must be a heathen in the world of FF Fans). While FF7 did bring about an interesting story with one of the most bad ass villains ever known, I can't understand why there was and still is so much hype that there is. The music wasn't anything special to me, and many of the playable characters seemed...well, boring. Clouds amnesia and mistaken identity was about the only real interesting thing about any of the playable characters. Also, there was only a two year difference in the games, yet why was FF7's so cheesy? But I will admit, it was a complete revelation in the franchise and managed to provide unforgettable twists in the story that many FF fans will forever remember.
Now on to what I have to say about this game. Personally, this is by far my favorite Final Fantasy title. Saying this though, I can see why others might have disliked it, I do feel it is simply a matter os perspective and in many ways, Final Fantasy VIII was a revelation in its own rights.
First of all, I can understand the complains with the characters. I myself was surprised at first of how much of a dick the main character was. Yet at the same time, part of me was relieved to take a break from the typical character that was designed so every player can like him. Squall on the other hand, was seemed to be designed for the very purpose for everyone to DISLIKE him, be it the characters in the game of the players themselves. Interesting, and a bit refreshing, though sometimes annoying to play as he was so incredibly rude. The rest of the characters were interesting in many ways in their own respect: Quistis struggling to maintain her professionalism as well as sorting out her feelings about some of the others; Zell and his need to be approved of (which many teenagers can relate to); Selphie, who plays the upbeat and loveable character (Yuffie and Rikku anyone?) who can be disturbingly violent (and scary) at times; Irvine, the cocky and flirtatious sharpshooter who has problems with pressure (another imperfect character that is easy to relate to); Edea (in my opinion, on the the most wonderful villains in the series), an evil sorceress that brings a mysticism that is hard to put a label on and that I feel too many villains lack; And Seifer, a rival that is exactly similar and opposite to Squall himself in personality and even appearance.
As for Squall himself, I had a lot of trouble liking him at first, but the more you play through the game, the more his character gradually evolves into a more likable character. Also, learning about his history, you can kind of understand his reasons for being guarded, and you realize that there is a bit more to him than being a self centered ass (though for some reason many people can ONLY see him as such (do they even pay attention to the characters?)). And ahh yes, alas there is Rinoa, the heroin who captures the heart of our protagonist and players. She herself has a few surprising twists in the story and her relationship with Squall is something that can only be described as fate as it nearly picks up where their parents left off (opps, did I say too much?).
Filled with rich and interesting characters, some of whom purposely break free of some FF stereo types, the story itself is wonderfully character driven. Placing us in an environment that seems ancient yet futuristic, it takes us back to the fantasies of witches and sorcery which we feared and loved as children. The music is probably the best I've heard in the series, even shadowing that of FF7 with it's opening of Liberi Fatale, the first ever FF song with lyrics that is non-MIDI, providing a dark and dramatic setting, and also providing us with the love theme Eyes on Me which was second only to Suteki Da Ne. Nobuo Uematsu was simply flawless at instilling the feelings of dark mysticism and anxiety in the presence of Sorceress Edea or the calm and subtle moments shared with party members/friends. Well done!!
Now, for the game play...I have to say it was far from perfect. The Junction System was hard to figure out at first, but once you actually get a grasp of it, it's pretty simple. Though it felt odd at first, it was kind of interesting battle system that doesn't rely on MP, but the JS and seeking spells from enemies (instead of typically handing them to you on a silver platter by "achieving" them at some point in the game). Kind of puts some strategy in. It was a bit annoying at times how reliant you are on Juncioning with the Guardian Forces, but this also is meant to incorporate more strategy as you must be careful when using GFs, cause if they get knocked out, you could be in serious trouble. Interesting how it encourages yet discouraged GF use. Also the amount of random encounters can be enough to make me rip my hair out at times. Also, the parts as Laguna, Ward, and Kiros was wonderful as it providing you with new and interesting characters and providing you with priceless information of the story's background, but it was kind of annoying at how randomly you would play as them in the game, especially when something interesting is going on with the others.
Speeding up a bit now cause I know I've been writing too much, I have to agree that the ultimate villain of the game, Ultimecia was kind of a let down (Edea was soo much more bad ass). But at least it didn't revert to some of the more stereotypical versions, some former hero or knight turned bad (no to offense Sephiroth and Garland) as one of the themes of the game is the "Succession of Witches." The games cinematic were the best they have ever been which weren't outdone until FFX which were always a joy to watch.
Ultimately you'll either love or hate this game, and even more ironically, FF veterans are more likely to hate it as it tends to break away from some of the classic settings and traditions that the series has become known for. Unlike many FF's, this game is very character driven instead of relying on situation. To enjoy this game, it would be best to look past those differences and enjoy it for what it is, not hate it for what FF7 was. Then again, maybe I'm just a black sheep of FF fans as I personally didn't "love" FF7 as so many do. Anyways, I love this game as it provides a new and rich feel to the Final Fantasy Franchise. If you've actually bothered reading this review all he way through, I thank you for reading all of this and am sorry for writing too much. I welcome and comments be them agreements or criticism. |
awesome game
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| Review Date: January 25, 2010 |
| Reviewer: condok blogger, ft worth tx usa |
have been playing this game a very long time.
i'm trying to get all the cards at the moment.
very cool game |
Love it, but it's still not FF7
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| Review Date: January 2, 2010 |
| Reviewer: TiredOfBull, |
| I bought this game so that I could finish it since I never got to. In playing it I was reminded of how good FF7 was, unfortunately FF7 being a collector's items is hard to find at a realistic price so I will just have to stick with this one. The game is good, it was received undamaged and in a timely manner. I must say that I was well pleased with the service. I recommend this. |
Greatest game Ever. Most HAVE!!!
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| Review Date: December 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: E. Ryter, Anderson, SC USA |
-Prologue-
a few months ago my friends and i were discussing, what we thought was the greatest game ever.
everyone was saying this game was the greatest game of all time but since i never really started playing games until ps2 i missed out on this amazing title.
well one day my xbox 360 got the ring of death for the 3rd time so with not much money i purchased a playstation, memorycard, controller etc.... but most importantly this game, just to see on what i missed out on......
-Present-
wow i was deprived as a child for not playing this game sooner.
this game was so much fun and the story was perfect 5 stars
i recommend EVERYone to play this game.
atleast try it.
but it is VERY LONG! ( its not a bad thing )
omg its insane how long this game is. im on hour 30 and i just got to disc 2.... |
Phenomenal
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| Review Date: November 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Johnny B, Long Beach |
A phenomenal game that is still great 10 years later.
First, the logistics. The price that Amazon offers is competitive and shipping was very quick. The only reason this game got 4/5 stars is that Disc 4 for some reason is not recognized by my PS3. Now this is a known issue with FF8 but some have reported that with the original 60GB PS3 (which I have), this isn't an issue. Oh well.
Back to the game, the story is amazing. Gameplay is great. I know there are plenty of critics of the junction system out there but I feel it's a very innovative system. More than that, it provides incredible flexibility. Just go to any of the numerous FF8 boards which are still active a decade after the game came out and people are coming up with ever-inventive ways to play the game: normally, no junction, no level, power-up style, etc.. etc...
Triple Triad also has to be one of the greatest side games implemented into a RPG. Fun by itself and by linking it up with Card Mod, Square has provided significant incentive to partake in this game.
Extremely happy with my purchase. I fully intend to pick up the PSN version when it comes out as well (2 months and counting.....) so I can finish Disc 4. |
FFVIII
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| Review Date: November 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. Szarka, Hawaii |
| This game is great. I love the music and the battles. My fav. part about this game is the leveling up. It only takes 1000 exp to gain a level. no more 25,574 exp to get to level 70. The magic in this game is cool too. you draw it from the monsters and can use it off of them as well. The plot is interesting and there's a lot of cool extra stuff as well. |
amazing
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| Review Date: October 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: R. Wright, |
| its a older game but i have just as much fun now as i did when it first came out |
Love it
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| Review Date: October 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: D. D., USA |
Love the style of the game and if your a final fantasy fan, this had better be in your collection or your not a fan. :p
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Must-play rpg
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| Review Date: September 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ed Carroll, |
| if you missed out on this game back in 1999 then you gotta buy this game. fantastic story, unique junction system and Squall the badass! what more could you want? if you like rpg's or final fantasy in general, buy it. |
Good and underrated
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| Review Date: August 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: M. Schoenborn, |
I don't really understand why some people absolutely hate this game and being an RPG fan myself, I thought it was quite good. Yes there ARE a few things about it I didn't like, but it didn't really ruin the game for me.
Pros: -Good music, it sets the mood quite well.
-Story is deep and takes a few twists here and there and its downright cool
-Cut scenes, FF7 had good cut scenes, but this game seems to have polished them even more and some of them just kick ass
- Junction system, while FF7 had the materia system, FF8 had the junction system. At first it may seem a bit complex, but its quite good once you get hang of it.
- Limit breaks, dear lord this game has some of the best I have ever seen! Ranging from awesome combos, to using enemy attacks, this is one of the stronger points of the game.
Cons: While there were some good things there are also a few things that I didn't like.
-Characters, this is a weird one, maybe not even a con, since some of the characters are hit-and-miss. Zell, I personally liked, some of the others were kinda shallow, but the big one everyone talks about is Squall and how he's the biggest emo in the face of videogaming. Part of that is true. Squall is the brooding hero type and is sort of meant to be kind of depressing, but it does seem to be a little excessive at times. However, it does fit the story quite well.
- Random battles, the seemed to happen too often. Its hard to find a balance of not too many battles, and just enough so you don't have to spend 5 hours leveling up.
- Magic, this was a downer for me since I've played previous games. While it is nice to get the spell when you find it(meaning you can get super powerful ones in certain spots), it's also its downfall. You only get a small amount of each spell from the draw point and you have to wait until it restocks, then go back and get some more. While there are abilities you can get from GF's to refine magic from items, its still better to have MP and just learn it.
- Animation, the GF animations kick ass, but get repetitive after awhile, but they deal out massive damage so you kinda need them.
That's about the main points that I wanted to cover. If you've come off from FF7, this game may come off as a bit of a disappointment, but still, its a good game. |
Awesome Game
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| Review Date: August 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Brian "Andrea" Davis, England |
| This is the best PS1 game I have ever played. I have spent over 100 hundred hours playing FF8. The graphics are good the game play is great. This might be an old game now and there are games with better graphics but this is still my all timie favorite game. |
Great Game, Fast Service.. One Problem...
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| Review Date: August 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: a7xgemini, VA |
| I was very satisfied about ordering this product. It arrived quickly and was cheaper. I only have one issue with the service though; I bought two of them and both were Greatest Hits versions but the display is clearly the black label. Kind of false advertising but I guess its ok. Thanks for the fast service though. |
one of my favorite games and at a great price
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| Review Date: August 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Derek A. Smith, Bloomington, IN USA |
| the final fantasy series is my favorite game series always a great story line and always fun |
Final Fantasy VIII
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| Review Date: August 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: James Donohue, |
Final Fantasy VII wowed almost all fans of the series with its cutting edge FMVs and rich art direction and characters... so on. Square decided to go in a completely new direction by making the storylines more adult and no I don't mean Squall cuts heads off. I mean romance and boring grown up stuff that is hard to appreciate for a 9 year old. FF8 was also when the characters began to look more effeminate and have "emo problems" more often. Final fantasy VIII tried to create an innovative battle system which adds as much customization as one could ever hope for. This is a 70+ hour game, but it demands a second playthrough because the customization involved with the junction battle system is so complex it can't be completely understood until at least 30-50 hours. This is a little bit of a con, but the game can still be easily beaten even if you don't make an attack character from level 1. The game offers an automatic sorting system for first time players or impatient types that changes all of your magic spells that are junctioned to certain attributes. This makes it easier to know and sort out what's important as well as give you an idea of what magic to obtain for what character, but if you want to tweek you attack character or defense character you can change one attribute and leave the rest the way it was.
One thing that will probably turn people away is the draw system. Most final fantasy games assign a magic person or you assign magic abilities that are infinite. In VIII, you have to draw them multiple times from specific enemies who have certain spells. This seems clunky at first, but adds a lot of possible strategy to the game that's rarely seen. This is taken even further because the strength of the magic that is junctioned to your attributes varies depending on how much of that spell you have stockpiled. You will have to rethink how important those curagas are when they keep you at 9999 max health. You will either love it or hate it, but if you love it then it will be one of the most fun ATB RPGs you have ever played.
So objectively the gameplay is great. Sadly, the story and characters aren't. YES, the graphics and art direction are superb. That's always a given with the final fantasy series, but they focused way to much on the romance part of the story. This results in every character being extremely underdeveloped except for the protagonist. Even the woman in the love story is very 2-D in terms of final fantasy characters. The love story seemed force too and that's even if you compare it to average chick flicks. There are a few scenes with the other characters trying to arrange perfect moments between the two characters when there should be no reason. It gets unimaginable sometimes. Also, they tried to hard to create the next super evil villain that would succeed Sephiroth. I'll admit that the title song of the game "liberi fatali" is good and unique enough to compete with "one winged angel", but the characters saying that the castle they're at is really really really creepy or saying that the villain is a sorceress who uses FEAR as a weapon was overdoing it. Sometimes just letting the events and actions speak for themselves is better. That's what made the better FF stories so good. The storyline does have it's fair share of moments, but considering that it's 70+ hours of story they should've put more story into it rather than making it seem like a really long build up intro with plot twists and a rushed ending slapped on. I could of course go on even further, but I don't want to reveal too many spoliers or bore you with endless ranting. In my opinion, FFVIII's storyline is possibly one of the worst in the series. That's almost saying a lot, but not really because Final Fantasy storylines always have something to offer. The world is very unique and interesting enough to last at least one playthrough. Sort of like Matrix 2. You might like it, but I'm giving my brutally honest opinion. If you are into final fantasy or RPGs in general, you should pick this up. You get a lot of bank for your buck especially with the $20 price. |
Final Fantasy VIII
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| Review Date: August 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Laura Stinehart, Lillian, AL USA |
| I lost this game a long time ago and thanks to Amazon, I now have it again. I love this game!! |
He plays it a lot
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| Review Date: July 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tucson Mom, Tucson |
| 10 y.o. seems to play it quite a bit. I know it would be better if it had been a game for PS II. But he hasn't even been through it all the way and started it in January (now July). He seems to like final fantasy in general though. |
Great Game, Classic!
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| Review Date: June 20, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Adam Schubert Crill, Fort Worth, TX |
| This game is so much fun I had to play it again. I beat it when it first came out ten years ago, but I had forgotten how great the junctioning system works. Great game worth the price for any FF fan. |
Honest and Worth It
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| Review Date: June 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: H. Khachadoorian, |
| This product is a fantastic game that one can easily get addicted to (depending on what genre you like). It arrived on time and in better condition than I had expected. |
Pretty Good!
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| Review Date: May 28, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Joseph Mckinney, USA |
| This game is pretty good, and is very different from previous Final Fantasies. The equipment system from previous games is almost completely gone, and has been dwarfed by the new magic and summon systems. It's tricky (and somewhat difficult) when you first start out, but it gets easier. The storyline can be a bit confusing though, which can take away from the fun. Some features are missing from the PSOne version too which also takes away from the fun, but a cheat device can easily fix that problem. It's still fun though, despite its shortcomings. |
Futuristic/Science Fiction/Nirvana
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| Review Date: May 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: ZDubvice, seattle, wa USA |
I recently started this game from the beginning with a friend, and i have got to say this is the best RPG out there. Blasphemy you say? with the exception of the final fantasy series every rpg nowadays has become cartoony. I don't know about you, but i hate anime, whenever i see the cover of a game with a cartoon looking character i cringe. Thats why i hate xbox 360's rpg catalog. If you want a COOL game, and what i mean by cool is an mature complex story then get this game. If you want a stupid child's game; have fun with games like eternal sonata (360).
Battle System- 5 stars Classic old turn based strategy with a hint of slot based turn system.
Junctioning system- Cool unique system that lets you max out your stats early in the game (disc 3 of 4) but takes a LOT of time.
Story- One of the most complex stories i have played in an RPG aside from xenogears (i know i said i hated the anime...i really got annoyed of the cut scenes).
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In the spirit of The Simpsons: Best. Game. Ever. (one of them at least)
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| Review Date: April 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K. Dinicola, Orange County, CA |
Final Fantasies are amazing games in nearly all respects (the newer ones developed by Square Enix being the exceptions). When Squaresoft was the creator, it successfully and undeniably created worlds and stories that are unforgettable and classic. Final Fantasy VIII is just one example of its creations, and it possesses a plot unlike any game found on today's 3rd generation consoles. Second perhaps only to its successor (though most would argue its predecessor), the game weaves a plot of action, intrigue, good and evil, humor, and mystery in a fashion only Squaresoft could provide. Though its story includes a little bit of everything, VIII is first and foremost a love story. In my opinion it is even more so of a love story than VII, and perhaps equally as much as the next in the series, IX.
The main criticism aimed at VIII over the years has been that its "Junctioning" system is too complicated and takes too long to learn. I say that although this is true, the system provides the player far more freedom in the capabilities of the characters. The game is definitely not one for impatient gamers who don't want to bother putting in the time to fully understand the beauty of the Junction system, or who do not want to sit through its incredibly long and satisfying plot/story.
With graphics arguably the best in its time, gameplay better than most of the RPGs thrown carelessly out of developing studios today, an actual tangible, gripping storyline with characters that are lovable and funny, and the reputation of one of the greatest series ever created to back it up, Final Fantasy VIII is a classic RPG that will undoubtedly survive the test of time, and perhaps can only be outdone by its successor (IX). |
Hours of Fun
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| Review Date: April 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Eric D. Grosscup, |
| This game will give hours of fun and enjoyment. You can explore a large world with interesting characters and storyline or take a break from adventuring to play the fun mini-card game Triple Triad. An excellent addition to the FF series. Plays well on PS1, PS2, and PS3. Only 4 stars because there are a lot of special items and spells that can be missed if you are not careful, but, there is still (as of 2009) an active online community to help with trouble spots. |
One of the best RPGs I've ever played.
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| Review Date: April 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Karoline Zao, |
| This game is really amazing. It is a thrilling story that you can play over and over again. It is really a love story filled with a lot of action, so if you don't like love stories... watch out. It has complex characters and really intense situations. The junction system is something you just have to get used to; it's bad at first, but it gets a lot better. The graphics aren't wonderful, but it is worth it to get this game, anyways. The opening is simply amazing and really hypes you up for the whole story. There are a lot of unexpected twists that I would have never guessed at the beginning, so you definitely won't be bored. It's worth the money, and the game really isn't that expensive on Amazon, so go for it. If you don't like it, you can probably sell it back for the same price you payed(or for more) somewhere since it is such a popular game. So why not try it out? |
great game
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| Review Date: March 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Knutty McAwesomepants, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, P.O. box 8675309 |
| amazing graphics, amazing story; very few bad things can be said about this game. i played this game years ago and it still is in the front of my mind. buy it, you won't regret it. |
Great RPG
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| Review Date: March 6, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Brian Speakman, Huntington Beach, CA USA, North America, Earth, Sol System, Alpha Quadrant, Milky Way Galaxy |
| I've been a fan of the Final Fantasy series for years, starting with VII. I now own I, II, VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2 and XII. And of all those, FInal Fantasy VIII has to be my favorite. The plot, including the complex relationships between the characters, is addictive. When I first got it, I used all my free time for several weeks on the game. I'd recommend this game to anyone who is interested in any of the following: RPG's, Final Fantasy, terrific graphics for the 1990's or well designed characters. |
Really NICE!
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| Review Date: March 5, 2009 |
| Reviewer: K.P., NY, USA |
It was a great game.
*I loved the story
*the card game was cool
*The summons looked nice (and they made the battle faster)
*Just the right amount of instructions were given
*The graphic (for it's type of game[ps1]) were really good |
very intersting
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| Review Date: March 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Ali Yazdanshenas, |
| all i have to say is that this game was great and i give it 10/10 |
REALLY REALLY GOOD!
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| Review Date: February 25, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Russell Vitrano III, TP, IL |
I loved this game right off the bat, the first time I played it. It has a really good beginning, awesome music, and graphicx that are a step up from Final Fantasy 7 (tho FF7 was a HUGE step up from the previous games). So here's what I have to say about the game:
--It is a long game. You don't need to do everything, obviously, but 60-70 hours is not an unrealistic expectation
--The story is a little confusing because there's a lot of time-travel talk about people going to the future to stop a sorceress who goes into the past, possesses another person from the characters' present, and... yeah. But it's good. Also it's a good love story if you ask me--it's right up there with the stories of FF9 and FF10.
--You don't use MP. Instead, you "draw" magic (and occasionally summon monsters) from enemies.
--Yes, the summon scenes are long--but that's because the game is giving you the chance to "boost" the monster's attack. (I think you hold Select and rapidly press Square, watch the box in the corner, and stop when there's an x in the box)--but don't quote me on that.
--There are a lot of random battles and they do get a little annoying after awhile.
--The boss fight music is AWESOME! Actually, all the music in this game is awesome. Except sometimes the regular fight music. I've found myself stopping playing the game just to hum along with the music. Not a good strategy for a boss fight, :-P but it seriously is that good.
--The characters are pretty well done; their costumes are neat and not too outrageous, and there's a pretty good level of humor throughout the story too, even during the end scenes. So if you have never played this game, I seriously suggest you give it a try. Thank you for reading this.
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