The Frustration of Final Fantasy 8

August 19, 2020

I’ve been working hard trying to get my doctoral initial assessment report finished and to the highest standard I can. However, it means that I’ve needed to use my spare, ‘relaxation’ time doing things that have nothing to do with my actual work. I’ve been spending that time exploring games in the Final Fantasy franchise I have previously overlooked. This included actually playing Final Fantasy 8.

Final Fantasy 7 will forever remain a childhood favourite, as well as something I frequently revisit now. Final Fantasy 9 is one I found a deep connection with, and appreciate more while experiencing much older Final Fantasy games. 8 was always an outlier for me. I’d tried it a few times when I was younger, but never got particularly far. Barley making it to being an actual SEED member, about an hour in if you’ve never played the game. But given that the game is on my Switch and I have an original copy, I should actually play the game.

I played the game twice in a few weeks just to complete the game once. My main problem was that I thought I could just go in and play the game like any other Final Fantasy game. The answer to that is no thanks to what Final Fantasy 8 calls, the Junction system. Trying to get to grips with it just led me to wishing I had something like Final Fantasy 7’s Materia system, or even a simple job system like in Final Fantasy 4 or 12: The Zodiac Age. To emphasis just how little I understood both the Junction system and GFs, that original save file is currently stuck at the final battle with just the Shiva, Ifrit, Quezacotl and Cerberus. I was getting pretty annoyed trying to get through the castle and continuously getting frustrated by dying repeatedly. I’d tried to avoid using guides on the first playthrough because I want it to be my first experience with the game, but at this point. I loaded a guide. Suddenly I felt like the biggest idiot.

I got to work trying to understand the Junction system, how to draw magic, the point of the cards I’d been picking up, and exactly HOW you gain other summons, known as GFs in Final Fantasy 8. I took what I’d learnt from this ‘research’, started a new game and tried once again to finish this damn thing. This save file did make it to the games ending. Was it a perfect playthrough? No, definitely not. I didn’t get all the GFs, just most of them, I didn’t get all the weapons, but I did actually see the games ending.

The first playthrough was so overshadowed by frustration, that I started seeing the games actual story as a chore. When I should have been paying attention to the dialogue, I was concentrating on “just what am I doing wrong?”. However, once I did come to terms with the systems in place, I was able to enjoy what I was actually playing. Squall Lionhart, the protagonist, was somewhat annoying at times, but it comes from his defining character aspects. That he’s closed himself off emotionally due to the loss of his ‘sister’ when they were young. Rinoa originally frustrated me, but I think the second playthrough did show the reasons why. Her sudden turn into being madly in love with Squall made more sense when considering what happened immediately before this change.

Primarily, Final Fantasy 8 is a love story surrounding plot elements relating to time travel, sorceresses and civil unrest. While the story plays out, you are treated to flashbacks to 18 years prior. The two stories both mirror and enhance one another, implying many connections between the two sets of protagonists and making their eventual meeting all the more impactful. The character of Laguna was compelling enough to be given his own spin off to the franchise, though his development is largely confined to flashback sequences and comments from other characters.

Two stand out scenes are Irving’s inability to fire a shot due to pressure and a lack of confidence, despite boasting his bravado since joining the team, and the heavily romantic scene between Squall and Rinoa on the Ragnarok. A scene that shows Squall actually letting his guard down and admitting just how much he cares for her. Jumping to his feet only to hold her close when she’s almost in tears.

The game is worth playing. But it’s one that NEEDS complete attention to every detail early on or be prepared to look through a guide. It is heavily story driven but works very well throughout.

Also, after actually playing through the game, I completely believe the ‘Squall is dead’ theory. Don’t care what the director says, I 100% think it’s true.