Yes! Another Final Fantasy! Does it live up to Final Fantasy fanatics' expectations? Hmmm...
Basically (and I mean basically) you're a member of an elite group, called SeeD, and your primary mission is to fight a powerful sorceress when the time comes. Until then, you will do other missions that your commander commands you to do. During parts of the game, you'll suddenly fall asleep and play an important character from the past (a very interesting storyline, yet confusing at times). That's really all I can say about the storyline. If I say more about it, I'll spoil it for you and you'll be really pissed!
FF8 offers a gameplay that's old yet new at the sametime. When I said old, I mean that you'll do battle (semi-active), buy items, build EXP, talk to people, go to Inns, and so on. When I said new, I mean that you'll have to deal with the "draw system", the "junction system", the "customize weapon system", the "rank system", and the "card system". Here's a short explanation of each:
"Draw System"-- Instead of having MP and learning magic, you'll have to obtain magic. You can obtain magic from either draw points you find during your journey, from enemies, or by refining it from items (made possible by GF's aka espers). It's a burden, but it's a new concept.
"Junction System"--(It's kind of complex) When you obtain a GF, you junction it to whatever character you like. This will enable your character to have "character abilities" (Mad Rush, Mug, Cover, Defend etc.), "command abilities" (Magic, Item, GF, and Draw), and "junction abilities" (HP-J, Str-J etc.). "Junction abilities" lets you raise a character's stats by simply using magic. For example, if you want to raise a character's defense against fire, just junction any fire magic to an Elemental defense stat. Junctioning a GF also enables your whole party "party abilities" (Alert, More-Find etc.) and "Menu abilities" (Haggle, F Mag RF etc.) All these abilities, however, must be learned by a GF first. It took me awhile to get used to this system!
"Customize Weapon System"-- Instead of buying weapons, you upgrade weapons by first getting items (needed to upgrade) and then going to a junk shop. For example, with some screws and magic stones, Squall's simple gunblade can be upgraded to a better gunblade called Shear Trigger.
"Card System"--(Not exactly a system) During your journey, you might want to take a break from battleing. Playing cards with someone is perfect for this occasion! This card game is quite addicting, yet frustrating at the sametime. If you lose, you'll lose at least a card and, let me tell you, it's kind of hard to get it back!
"Rank System"--Instead of getting money from winning battles, you get money periodically depending from your rank. For example, if your rank is 10, you'll get 8000 Gil periodically. You can raise your rank by either taking Tests or by doing something "great". Now getting money is alittle more realistic!
Oh! There's one more thing I need to tell you about the gameplay. When you need to travel around FF8's world, rent a car, go by train, go by ship, or anything else besides going by foot. If you go by foot, you're practically asking for a battle!
No more cute, deformed anime characters! Now, they look way more realistic! The JPEG(?) backgrounds are simply amazing! The monsters, the world, the CG sequences, the GFs, and everything else will definately astound you! Whew! Need I say more?
I'm kind of disappointed in FF8's sound/music. Sure the battle theme, the boss theme, and everything else are expectedly great, but what happened to the overworld theme? Also, what happened to the song ,that was in the demo, when you go to Dollet (your first SeeD mission)? I played through most of the game, yet I didn't hear that song! Grrrr...that song was great!
The control is the same as always, except for the running. Now you don't have to hold a button to run! However, you need to hold a button to walk. Yeah, like people who play this game really want to walk! Stupid me!
Besides the abundance of random attacks, the overworld theme, and the missing song, FF8 is really a good game to buy. Oh! DON'T RENT THIS GAME!! This game will last you probably for months since it's four discs long! Definately add this to your collection of games.
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Graphics (CG sequences,
JPEG backgrounds, the world,
characters etc.)
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Alittle too much random
attacks.
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"Booyaka!Chicken-wuss!
Heh, heh, heh!"-RJ2
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