[PapaWarlock]

Game Title: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Role Playing Game
Platform: PSP/PS3
ESRB Rating: Teen
Developer: Square
Publisher: Square-Enix (re-released on PSN)

Release Date: December 17, 2009
Overall Score:
Review Author: PapaWarlock

Recently Square-Enix re-released Final Fantasy VIII on the Playstation Network. It is playable on either the PS3 or the PSP as a PS1 Classic title. I have played about 98% of the game on my PSP 2000 but I did some file swapping between it and my PS3 80g (BC Model) and had no problems running the game on either of my systems. For those who might be wondering, yes I am MVP Papawarlock on the Playstation forums.


Possible Problems: Now, while I have not personally experienced any problems playing FFVIII, I have seen other posters who have had a few problems running FFVIII. I decided to add this section to my review so that you can be aware of possible problems. The main problem I have seen people complain about is the game freezing or locking during combat or a cut scene. The PS3 and the PSP both run at a faster speed than the PS1 did. Some games benefit from using the option "Disc Load Speed: Fast", however Final Fantasy VIII does not. (This can be changed in the Other Settings option using your Home/PS key.) Keeping the Disc-Load Speed set to normal should resolve most cases of Freeze/Lock or broken/jagged cutscenes.

Another problem I have seen mentioned is failure to save. Whether you are using your PSP or your PS3, you need to make sure you have created an Internal PS1 Memory Card and assigned it to a slot. On the PSP, after loading FFVIII, hit the Home/PS button to pull up a menu. Use the Memory Card Utility to create an internal card and assign it to a slot. The PS3 has a Memory Card Utility as well. I have been able to successfully transfer my old PS1 FFVIII file to my PS3 and then to my PSP without any problems. My old PS1 save file works on my PSP (you will be prompted to convert the file to one that the PSP will recognize) I have also transferred from my PSP to my PS3, play for a few hours, save and transfer the file back to my PSP without any glitches.

Finally the only other suggestion I can make is for you to check your system's firmware and use the current Official Firmware. I do not have a PSPGo, PSP 1000 or 3000 model so I can not say for certain if the firmware can be an issue.

Graphics: 7.75/10 (Retro rating 9/10) Honestly this is the hardest aspect of a review that I have. I have given 2 graphics ratings. The first is how it compares to other PSP games in it's class but as this game is also 11 years old, I have given it a retro rating as well. For a game that is 11 years old, I feel that the cutscene graphics have aged quite well and the actual gameplay graphics are still good (although I can't say those have aged quite as well). Compared to many PS1 games, Final Fantasy VIII was one of the best looking titles that came out over the 11 year life span of the PS1. As I played through FFVIII, I could not believe how well the cutscenes still look.

It's hard to accurately judge how something has aged over the years. For those gamers who are more forgiving on the graphics front will enjoy some of the best PS1 cutscenes ever. However, if you are a gamer who prefers only the latest and greatest graphics then I'm afraid you will not like these.

Gameplay: 7.5/10 This area of the game was also hard to accurately judge. First off the gameplay concept was far different than any other Final Fantasy title (before or even after). It could be boring, it could be frustrating, but ultimately I feel that it is one of the more satisfying challenges I have faced. There were ultimately 2 radically different gameplay elements to Final Fantasy VIII: The Draw System and obtaining Gil (the currency of the Final Fantasy franchise.)

Draw System. Love it or hate it, early in the game it is the only way to obtain magic. Magic must be drawn from your opponent(s) and either stocked (held in a magic inventory) or cast directly. However you must have the Draw ability set to draw and stock (or instant cast) magic from an opponent. Magic can be stocked up to 100, and only 32 different magics can be held on one character. The main focus to Magic stock is to be junctioned to a character's stats (str, hp, spd, spr, hit, evade, vit, mag). Magic can also be junctioned for Elemental Attack/Defense or Status Attack/Defense. Each magic impacts a character's stats differently. Curaga will net you a larger HP boost than Cure would. Triple can impact speed more than Double. Damage spells tend to junction better to stats like Hit and Mag, whereas Curative spells junction better to HP, Spr and Vit. Junction spells like Blizagga to add Ice to Elemental Attack or Elemental Defense (possibly even absorbing damage like a cure). Junction spells like Death, Blind or Bio to Status Attack or to provide Status Defense against these status ailments.

However, as you obtain Guardian Forces and level their abilities, obtaining Magic becomes far easier. Between GF abilities such as Card Mod, F-Mag Ref (Fire Magic Refine), Mid-Mag Ref (Refine Mid level Magic from Low Level Magic) and High-Mag Ref, it becomes quite easy to boost that magic supply. The various items that the mobs drop (like Wizard Stone, **bleep**atrice Pinion, Mystery Fluid) and the cards you've collected can be turned into a wide variety of magics, without that time consuming Draw process.

Casting Magic requires you to equip the Magic ability to the character you want to be able to cast. If you cast a magic you have junctioned to an ability, the ability gradually weakens. However you can Draw magic from a monster and directly cast it without impacting your magic stock. I've found that magic cast in this fashion tends to be a tad weaker in effect.

Gil. In FFVIII you are a Mercenary and thus are subject to regular paychecks depending on your rank. You do not get Gil from fighting Monsters or Bosses. Early in the game (with lower SeeD rankings) this can make it somewhat difficult to buy Recovery Medicines and what not. However you don't have to buy armor or accessories to equip on your characters and weapon upgrading is somewhat limited, which negates what used to be somewhat costly in the past.

Guardian Forces. These are your Avatars, Eidolons, Summons or homies. Whatever you want to call them, they are usually your best source of damage, especially early in the game before you have access to higher spells for junctioning. The more a GF likes your Character, the faster they will arrive to help your party. The more you summon them, the more they like you. There are 16 Guardian Forces you can equip to your characters. Each one has different abilities and junction stats that can help you out. Choosing which stat boosts or abilities can be a challenge at times, as most of them are highly useful (HP/Mag/Spr/Spd/Vit/Eva boosts ranging from +20% to +80%, Mug, Encounter Half, Encounter None, Haggle, Call Shop, etc...) There are 2 GF's that can be found that will only occasionally show up. You can not equip or summon them directly. Odin and Phoenix. I do believe the Luck stat can raise these chances.

Story: 8/10 Many years ago when I first played FFVIII, I felt the characters and the story both were kind of bland. I didn't like Squall because he was too much like I was at the time. Years later I found myself enjoying him and most of the other characters far more than I did the first time. While he still reminds me of how I used to be, I now understand both myself and Squall much better. One of the biggest complaints I have seen over the years about Squall is that many find him to be Emotionless. (Not to be confused with Emo) As the game and story both unfold, you learn more about why he holds his emotions tightly within. Anyone who's ever been hurt enough will understand him better than those who have not.

It's hard to go into too much detail about the story of FFVIII without giving away too many spoilers. For me, I felt the story was as much about coming of age (or maturing) as it was about stopping the cliched Evil Sorceress Chick bent on World Domination. Final Fantasy VIII is also one of the few FF titles with more than a simple minor romantic subplot. Usually fans of FFVIII consider it to be one of the better romantic plot RPGs out there. If you don't like characters that start off immature or 'emotionless', or if you aren't fond of Romantic subplots then you will not enjoy FFVIII's story line. It all connects as the story unfolds. In my opinion FFVIII is worth playing simply for the story line, if nothing else.

Replayability: Moderate to High. Final Fantasy is a series that generally has (what I call) timed replayability. I will often replay an older Final Fantasy title every year or two, but rarely more often than that. With the introduction of the Triple Triad Card Game, you can easily find yourself playing the card game for hours. The Card game serves 2 purposes. The main purpose to collecting cards is so that you can Refine them into Items to upgrade your weapons with or to convert into various Magics or GF abilities. The secondary purpose to the Triple Triad is simply to pass time. It can be frustrating at times as the rules can and will change as you go into new areas and challenge the NPCs to play. The first time I played it many years ago, it was utterly useless and annoying. Now I find it to be somewhat addictive. I think I've spent the better part of 15 hours or so simply playing the card game. There are 16 summonable Guardian Forces to obtain and a limited number of weapon upgrades. I will be adding FFVIII into my cycle of classic title replays.

Final Thoughts: Final Fantasy VIII is one of those games that people either love or hate, with few in the middle. Many fans of the series enjoy the ease in which you can jump into them with minimal learning. FFVIII is easy to get into, but if you're not willing to invest the time and effort into learning and developing your characters, you will find it, difficult. FFVIII is (in my opinion) the hardest installment of the series, yet one of the most fulfilling titles I've ever played. In a series that strives to be different with every new installment, FFVIII goes beyond that. It is a unique experience. Every challenge has it's reward. The harder the challenge, the better the reward. If you don't like a great challenge, then FFVIII is not your game. But if you love a challenge. If you want to 'earn' your rewards then FFVIII is definitely worth the effort of playing.