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Story
Galbadia, Balamb and neighboring countries have lived in peace for nearly two
decades. The three military academies or gardens of the planet have successfully
trained generations of elite mercenaries. These soldiers or SeeDs take on
contracts in various regions, protecting weaker communities. Now, as this year's
graduate students of Balamb Garden prepare to take their final exam, war begins
to cast its shadow over he land.
Driven by an evil sorceress, Gallbadian forces invade neighboring countries and
threaten to spread their rule of tyranny throughout the world. A small group of
friends from Balamb Garden set out in a seemingly hopeless quest to contain the
evil spreading from Galbadia. As they plunge into adventure, a drama of epic
proportions begins to unfold. right or wrong, friend or foe, nothing seems as
clear-cut as it should be. The young SeeDs are caught up in a struggle that will
change them forever...
Review
Squaresoft has always had a surefire hit when releasing any of their
Final Fantasy titles, and Final Fantasy VIII should be no exception. The basis
of a good RPG (role-playing game) has always been the story; spectacular
graphics are secondary. Final Fantasy VIII's involved and interesting storyline
is filled with great twists, well-developed characters, suspense, and romance.
As an added bonus, the graphics are beautiful. Everything--from the low-lit jazz
club to the steam-filled railroad tunnels--is gorgeous and perfectly sets the
mood and tone of a scene.
The game mechanics are standard fare for an RPG: acquisition of items and
spells, turn-based combat, experience points earned in combat allowing advances
in levels. From exploration to battles to dialogue, Final Fantasy VIII has it
all. However, Final
Fantasy VIII falls to that great weakness of RPGs: random
battles. While necessary for advancing in levels, the battles occur with such
frequency that they can grow annoying, making for a tedious game experience. The
epic storyline spans four discs--over 40 hours of gameplay--and is based around
a mercenary cadet who finds himself caught up with an underground rebel faction.
He winds up in a plot to assassinate the sorceress who has just seized power
from the president. You could complain of limited replay value, but this gripe
is of no consequence: the game is such a satisfying experience, it doesn't
require replay. Final Fantasy VIII is easily worth both the hype and the wait.
You can't buy a much better game.
Review by John Cocking
Release Dates
Platform: Playstation
ESRB: Teen
Players: 1
Discs: 4
Media: CDROM |
October 27 1999
February 11 1999
August 31 1999 |
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