Final Fantasy VIII

 PlayStation
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1236 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,043 out of 1236
  2. Mixed: 119 out of 1236
  3. Negative: 74 out of 1236
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  1. AtomosFabian
    May 11, 2023
    10
    Final Fantasy VIII es una gran aventura con muchos giros y una historia increíble, la banda sonora es espectacular, cinemáticas espectaculares y el diseño artístico está impecable, un juego que te marca y guardas en tus recuerdos para toda la vida.
  2. GuiBio
    Dec 29, 2022
    10
    Nostalgic and my first JRPG, played for so many hours. It was before the great internet times.
  3. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this eighth game in the series.
  4. shydxath
    May 19, 2023
    10
    my fav final fantasy game, the story and the characters are it made me fell so clode to it that even made me cry, should play it
  5. Squallleon
    Jul 1, 2023
    10
    This is by far my fave game of all time a must play. Has a unique story with well developed characters. A deep and compelling plot. And the game play is awesome with a really good lineup of summons, limit breaks, magics and weapons. Monster designs are awesome too. And by far the best romance done in a video game. This game was so epic for me that it still holds a special place for me.This is by far my fave game of all time a must play. Has a unique story with well developed characters. A deep and compelling plot. And the game play is awesome with a really good lineup of summons, limit breaks, magics and weapons. Monster designs are awesome too. And by far the best romance done in a video game. This game was so epic for me that it still holds a special place for me. Don’t think another game will come close. I used to have hopes that versus 13 would come close but that game just took a whole new direction. This game should get a remake a well done one. That would be the day!!… Expand
  6. JerkGuy
    Oct 4, 2007
    9
    FFVIII is an awesome game, some people I have met judge it a bit too harshly because the first FF they played was VII, in my experience with FF fans, it
  7. Pauline
    May 3, 2005
    9
    I personally thought this was a great game. The setting and characters truly moved me. And the musical score was just absolutely superb. Although some of the characters didn't receive great character development, it was the two main ones that was truly great. Although there are many flaws in the game, I highly recommend it.
  8. AndrewN.
    Jul 3, 2008
    9
    The characterization in Final Fantasy 8 is incredible. In terms of storyline and setting,its one of the most sophisticated games in the series. An unforgettable epic.
  9. BryanM.
    Dec 2, 2006
    9
    This is a very good game I also like the mini game. My only problem was the graphics it looks like they tried to make it look so good but they really made it look bad.
  10. DaveW.
    Aug 25, 2007
    9
    FFVIII is ofen over shadowed by it's direct predecessor in the series. The story here is very deep and intricate compared to the vast majority of games. The world is well crafted. The only niggles that hold me back from rating this a 10 are minor issues with the difficulty pacing, possibly leading players into boss fights they do not have the braun to win in areas they cannot rectify FFVIII is ofen over shadowed by it's direct predecessor in the series. The story here is very deep and intricate compared to the vast majority of games. The world is well crafted. The only niggles that hold me back from rating this a 10 are minor issues with the difficulty pacing, possibly leading players into boss fights they do not have the braun to win in areas they cannot rectify the issue in (disc 4 first boss, exp is 1 a fight in this area, and it's easy to reach this point massivly under-powered if you're a fast player). It is also possible to max your character and GF levels out on the first disc extremely quickly by exploiting certain easy to defeat monsters in very early areas of the world map.… Expand
  11. AdamD.
    Dec 3, 2008
    9
    This game is really good, but not perfect. The story is top-notch and the cinematics are well-done. It's pretty lengthy (maybe a little too lengthy) and gets you hooked easily. The only problems are the battles and the fact that there is no voice-acting. They could have easily added voice acting and have just made the game five discs instead of four, but they felt the immense urge This game is really good, but not perfect. The story is top-notch and the cinematics are well-done. It's pretty lengthy (maybe a little too lengthy) and gets you hooked easily. The only problems are the battles and the fact that there is no voice-acting. They could have easily added voice acting and have just made the game five discs instead of four, but they felt the immense urge not to. Instead, we get characters that aren't as emotional because everything they say is in text. They fixed that now, but come on. I would have loved this game to be voice acted. Second of all, the battles are fun, but not incredibly fun. They could have made the battles more intuitive and a lot more fun to play, making you actually want to not run whenever you have a random battle. Overall, though, this is a great game with a great story, good characters, an amazing soundtrack and satisfactory gameplay. Also, to the idiots who rate this and other games 0 out of 10, learn what makes a game bad. If you think the game is boring, it deserves a 6 out of 10, not a 0 out of 10. A 0 out of 10 is for a game that is an absolute disgrace to humanity, a game that no one enjoys and is broken in every way. As far as I am concerned, this game is not like that. Please stop being idiots and give the game a fair rating, unless you really, really, really hate it and think it is as good as Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing. Which, in that case, I would be fine with your rating. However, "boring" does not make the game a Big Rigs. Please rate fairly.… Expand
  12. theshonen8899
    Jun 21, 2011
    9
    Guardian Forces are easy to exploit but other than that, this game is the closest thing to perfection unleashed on mankind. Gameplay is fun, graphics are playable (even today), story is great and the game has the deepest, most beautiful cast of characters ever created in the world of video games. If you like RPGs, you will fall in love with FFVIII.
  13. jaga420
    Dec 4, 2010
    9
    I adore the storyline, and the graphics were a huge improvement over FF7. Honestly, FF7 gets overrated so often that FF8 falls in its shadow. It's very unfortunate. The battle system is great, but the music can get repetitive at times. My major complaint about FF8, however, is the junction system. Parts of it are good, such as the idea of having the GFs (summons) give you differentI adore the storyline, and the graphics were a huge improvement over FF7. Honestly, FF7 gets overrated so often that FF8 falls in its shadow. It's very unfortunate. The battle system is great, but the music can get repetitive at times. My major complaint about FF8, however, is the junction system. Parts of it are good, such as the idea of having the GFs (summons) give you different abilities. What I don't like about it is how you get magic abilities by drawing it from enemies to a max of 100. It can take a very long time to get the magic you want or need. That's not the worst of it: you can change your stats by equipping your magic to each stat. This makes things overly complicated, and makes it so that using magic WEAKENS YOU. It annoys me heavily because I'm usually a pretty heavy magic user. Even more annoying than that is that the last 3 bosses in the game have the ability to deplete one magic spell to 0, which absolutely cripples you. Of course, I also like it in a way because it gives some added difficulty to the last boss even if you're level 100. Which brings me to my favorite part of the game: the enemies scale to your level for once! They really need to do that with more final fantasy games.… Expand
  14. ImUnavailable
    Feb 27, 2012
    9
    I grew up with FF8. This was the game that would spark my love of gaming. Of course you probably imagine that you can't trust my review since I'll be blinded by nostalgia. However, I played this game once again recently and while it was still a fantastic experience i can now see that the game definitely stumbles on occasion. For the first two discs the story is thrilling and effectivelyI grew up with FF8. This was the game that would spark my love of gaming. Of course you probably imagine that you can't trust my review since I'll be blinded by nostalgia. However, I played this game once again recently and while it was still a fantastic experience i can now see that the game definitely stumbles on occasion. For the first two discs the story is thrilling and effectively told. After this, it becomes messy, confusing and more than a bit ridiculous (you know I'm talking about the orphanage twist). Every character except Squall and Laguna are dull and don't develop in any meaningful way. The world feels strangely small and doesn't have the personality of FF7 or FF9. Still, the combat system is excellent and deep, the story is engaging for the most part, the animation is superb for its time and the mini games are addictive. Despite my grievances, FF8 is a worthy entry in the venerable series and I look forward to playing it again.… Expand
  15. drlowdon
    Jan 6, 2020
    9
    The eighth main instalment in the long running RPG series, Final Fantasy VIII follows a group of young mercenaries, led by Squall Leonhart, as they are drawn into a conflict sparked by Ultimecia, a sorceress from the future who wishes to compress time.

    Often compared unfavourably to Final Fantasy VII, which many would still consider the best in the series, this is a fantastic game in    The eighth main instalment in the long running RPG series, Final Fantasy VIII follows a group of young mercenaries, led by Squall Leonhart, as they are drawn into a conflict sparked by Ultimecia, a sorceress from the future who wishes to compress time.

    Often compared unfavourably to Final Fantasy VII, which many would still consider the best in the series, this is a fantastic game in its own right. Anyone that isn’t a fan of these old school JRPGs will still be put off by the usual random encounters but with it’s deep combat, epic story, endless secrets to discover and (what were at the time) fantastic graphics this remains one of the best in the genre to this day.    … Expand
  16. SnowDay
    Jan 9, 2015
    9
    Easily one of the most perfect RPGs I have ever played. An enthralling story and epic characters like Squall Leonhart and Edea Kramer make the game more than memorable on the obsession scale.
  17. BasilZero
    Jul 26, 2016
    9
    Game: Final Fantasy VIII
    Genre: RPG
    Publisher/Developer: Squareenix/Squaresoft System: Playstation (PSX) Total Score: 88/100 Value Score: 8.8/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 7/10 • Graphics: 8/10 • Sound: 9/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 6/10 • Player Value: 8/10 Pros +Great story, setting and characters +Unique battle system that    Game: Final Fantasy VIII
    Genre: RPG
    Publisher/Developer: Squareenix/Squaresoft
    System: Playstation (PSX)
    Total Score: 88/100
    Value Score: 8.8/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 7/10
    • Graphics: 8/10
    • Sound: 9/10
    • Music: 10/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 6/10
    • Player Value: 8/10

    Pros
    +Great story, setting and characters
    +Unique battle system that brings forth challenge/difficulty that still makes it fun to play without getting frustrated
    +A Card battling mini game which can be played against different characters throughout the game

    Cons
    -Junction system may make people not want to use magic spells so to a certain extent takes away one aspect that many people love about the FF series
    -Quick Time Events (QTEs) which can be annoying at a few points in the game
    -Some cutscenes are done with the in-game sprites/visual which makes it look out of place
    -Enemies scale in level depending on party lv average
    -You upgrade equipment by trading items which can at times be annoying to find and end up being fetch quests
    -You have to complete certain conditions or do a multiple answer test to increase your ranking to make money/gil instead of the traditional fight enemies and win money method    … Expand
  18. FantasyFanatic
    May 6, 2012
    9
    This is my favorite Final Fantasy game on the PS1 and is far more accomplished than Final Fantasy VII. The story and characters are fantastic, The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard in a Final Fantasy game, the battle system feels far more advanced (in a good way) than Final Fantasy VII the Junction system is a bit complicated but in my opinion it is one of the best systems becauseThis is my favorite Final Fantasy game on the PS1 and is far more accomplished than Final Fantasy VII. The story and characters are fantastic, The soundtrack is one of the best I have heard in a Final Fantasy game, the battle system feels far more advanced (in a good way) than Final Fantasy VII the Junction system is a bit complicated but in my opinion it is one of the best systems because the character customization options offered by the Junction system are huge. The ability system feels very similar to Final Fantasy VI seeing that you have to equip the Summons to get the abilities. however the game is by no means flawless even though it's much better than FF7 it does have a couple of issues: Stocking magic spells can be a big chore, the SeeD rank system should have been removed because it get's a bit erratic at times seeing that your SeeD rank randomly increases and decreases so your better off selling items you don't need because you get alot more money doing that, there are a couple of other small niggles but it's not enough to ruin the game. Even though it's not perfect it is still an awesome and memorable RPG experience that you shouldn't miss out on.… Expand
  19. moonman1994
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    Final Fantasy VIII is a good game. One of the reasons that it is good is that it's a lot different from other Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy VIII manages to include Science Fiction aspects as well as a great fantasy story that fans of the Final Fantasy series have come to love. The battle system is nothing special but the very unique story makes up for the flaws that this game has.
  20. SwitSwat
    Nov 9, 2014
    9
    The three PS1 FF games are all amazing. I would consider this one the worst out of those 3, though... And no, it's not because of the Junction System. Overall, the story was pretty weird and the battles didn't feel as fun as it did in the previous game, FF VII... And a lot of the characters are ----- towards each other. Nevertheless, it's a great game and any FF fan or anyone who wants toThe three PS1 FF games are all amazing. I would consider this one the worst out of those 3, though... And no, it's not because of the Junction System. Overall, the story was pretty weird and the battles didn't feel as fun as it did in the previous game, FF VII... And a lot of the characters are ----- towards each other. Nevertheless, it's a great game and any FF fan or anyone who wants to try FF should definitely pick this one up sometime.… Expand
  21. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue: GREAT.
  22. DarkFlamesZM
    Feb 14, 2013
    9
    The story is pretty straight-forward. Unlike other FF games, there is no real good and/or evil. There are just two sides. It had many plotholes, sure, but it was entertaining... until disc 4... then the story really began to hurt my head. Anyway, get an emulator or a PS and give this game a shot, it's worth your time!
  23. darkgriever
    May 26, 2014
    9
    not a perfect game i should admit...but i don´t know the story just capture me i simpy love the progression of squall( i identify with him a LOT) and just love the way Rinoa is...my favorite RPG of all times n_n
  24. crimsondoor
    Jul 15, 2016
    9
    I know this game divided people because of the combat system but at least it tried to be original. My point is people didn't like this game because of the system but because of the art style, pre-rendered animations, music and story.

    Art style: Not exactly futuristic, not exactly steampunk, not exactly fantasy, but it's beautiful and unforgettable. There hasn't been another fantasy game    I know this game divided people because of the combat system but at least it tried to be original. My point is people didn't like this game because of the system but because of the art style, pre-rendered animations, music and story.

    Art style: Not exactly futuristic, not exactly steampunk, not exactly fantasy, but it's beautiful and unforgettable. There hasn't been another fantasy game with such unique art style since FF8.

    Animations: Far ahead of its time but I bet everyone has already watched the OP and cutscenes so I don't need to mention that. I strongly feel that the lack of voice in cutscenes is a blessing because voice would break the immersion IMO.

    Music: Nobuo Uematasu. Need to say more? "Eyes On Me" is also the best theme song in the history of video game.

    Story: Again, this divided a lot of people because the story is more sci-fi than fantasy, but I am an open-minded person and I like how unique it is. It also goes from mind-twisting to one of the most satisfying endings in video game history :)    … Expand
  25. Kiatoto
    Dec 27, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Oh boy, This game... I remember back when I was young.
    When I was 3 my first game was FFVII and FFVIII, what Can I say about this childhood experience? Great! I love this game and everything about it. But, as a great game it does have some flaws.
    1. The Junction is very confusing, but at the mean time you'll get used to it.
    2) the Magic, since I played VII alot, this magic system and the draw system, is too easy, but hey that's my opinion.
    3)You need at least 1,000 exp to go to the next level, it's easy, but it's a pain if you need to level up the weak ones.
    4)once it's done it's done.

    But other than that, This is Impressive, and a Amazing RPG game, the story line is beautiful, and added some romance into it. The game is long as hell and you'll be playing it for at least 100-200 hours to beat it. And the Graphics are amazing for a PS1.Defentely an Amazing game, but VII is 35% better than VIII.    … Expand
  26. KingDevil999
    Feb 19, 2017
    9
    The final fantasy with the protagonist i like the most, Squall is one of the best protagonists in the final fantasy series, he is way better than Tidus, better than Zidane(still like Zidane a lot) in a way and pretty much equal to cloud, the party is also memorable whoever i think if there were more humanoid characters like VII and IX would have been better, but still an epic story withThe final fantasy with the protagonist i like the most, Squall is one of the best protagonists in the final fantasy series, he is way better than Tidus, better than Zidane(still like Zidane a lot) in a way and pretty much equal to cloud, the party is also memorable whoever i think if there were more humanoid characters like VII and IX would have been better, but still an epic story with many memorable moments, one of the gems of the PS1 era, i personally think the two characters that fell flat were Rinoa and Seifer, Rinoa could have been an better heroine and Seifer is an boring character that i don't know why he is in the story to tell the truth, if you like classic JRPGS and Sci-fi with military settings, this is your game.
    Also want to thanks square for actually removing the supposed ''love triangle'' that was originally meant to be in the game, it would only bring the story down, wouldn't help at all and likely be boring to watch    … Expand
  27. Wolfie1987
    Mar 24, 2014
    9
    Squall isn't a likeable protagonist at all, the magic system is super boring (drawing/casting is easily the worst magic system ever created), the cast is a mixed bag. The music, atmosphere, mini games, & satisfaction (if you do the cards into items/no level up strategy) more than make up for it though. Honestly it's my favourite PSX Final Fantasy.
  28. Lord_V
    May 17, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy VIII is my favorite Final Fantasy game of them all. VII is second best and VIII is just little better.

    Squall Leonhart is my favorite main character in whole series. He is lone wolf who uses Gunblade, weapon that is very cool looking, just like it's wielder. Squall is character that is distant, but there is real story behind him and he changes during the story that is actually very deep, complicated and really interesting.

    What comes to other playable characters, there is not very many of them, but it is just right. This is story of elite unit, there can't be too many of them. Every character is really different to others. Quistis is Blue mage that uses enemy skills in limit. Zell is fighter and his limit requires fast fingers. Irvine is gunner who has huge variety of different ammo which to choose and Selphie is the one that requires some luck.
    Then there is Rinoa, who is the kind, social and loving person, real opposite to Squall. Their lovestory is actually interesting and as playable character Rinoa and her dog Angelo, are well made.
    Squall is best, no doubt. Renzokuken is real monster slayer, especially with Lion Heart.

    Enemies are at first pretty unappealing. Seifer is not really interesting nor well made character and Edea is pretty cliche witch character. But when story stars to progress, real villain, Ultimecia appears and she, is much, much, better.
    Sure she is not as good as Sephiroth (best FF villain ever made) was in FFVII, but she is well made and interesting character. With Griever, she is even better and finale with her, is epic.

    Guardian Forces are big thing this time. There huge amount of them and each is well made. Some look little weird, but they work and are different.
    It is complicated to explain the whole junction system, but it works really well. At first it may be complicated, but once you understand it, it gives much to do in this large game. GF:s are spread in many places and whole world is large as life. There is so much to do and find. There is so many side activities that it gives easily 100 hours if not more to play.

    Final Fantasy VIII is game that gives you small chances to shape few events. Time to time, you choose how you react to certain situations. These are nice additions to main story. I really enjoy the story time after time.
    Sure you have to do a lot to progress and few sections might feel pretty hard, but when you understand junction system, you have upper hand. Guardian Forces also give a lot of variety and so does the bosses. There is many very cool bosses and many very hard ones too.

    Those flaws in the game are some that feel really irritating, but you can live with them.
    One thing I really despise, is the Draw system. It is not fun and takes easily a lot of time. That is one thing that should have been though few times over.
    Other problem is the fact that this is one of those games where you can easily miss items. GF:s are some things that can be missed if you are not careful. Also, if you start final section (Disc 4), you can't visit every location anymore.

    Final Fantasy VIII is great game. It has interesting story, well made main character and even better than average main villain. Gameplay is well made and world has a lot in it. There is few stupid moments and some irritating features but as whole, Final Fantasy 8, is my favorite FF game of all time.

    + Squall Leonhart
    + Story
    + Gameplay
    + Amount of things to do
    + Guardian Forces

    - Draw
    - Missable things
    - Disc 4 restricts many areas

    95/100

    Masterpiece    … Expand
  29. EpicLadySponge
    Apr 24, 2016
    9
    It's games like these you have to keep looking aware of and because this is the first game I gave a Final Fantasy game a score that's not a 10, it's going to be different but this is unique like the other installments subsequent to this game.
  30. ThecriticGoD
    Mar 15, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Definetely an amazing game that everyone should play if they like RPG's just a bit. The world, the music, the combat system, the side-quests and minigames, it's impossible not to have fun with this game. The graphics are also extremely good considering it's a 1999 game.

    However there's a little let-down compared to FF7. Good storylines should have a good beginning, a good development and a good ending. I feel the beginning is extremely good, learning about the gardens, that form seeds to finish with sorceress... The development is great too, specially when your story starts to get mixed with Laguna's one, seifer becoming the sorceress' knight, a lot of good stuff going on, but the ending? I feel at some point they did not know what to do with the beautiful world and story they had created and someone thought about the time compression thing, ultimecia and stuff and it's that moment when you can't help but feel that this legendary game you've been playing for hours is starting to get a bit uninteresting/boring/vague. Luckily, by that time you only play for 3-4 more hours until it finishes with a beautiful and unforgettable final cutscene.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PS1 Game of 1999
1
#1 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1999
3
#3 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1999

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
  1. GMR Magazine
    90
    Things were more "real" this time around. [Feb 2003, p.97]
  2. Gamestyle
    80
    Unfortunately while the game is graphically superior to FFVII, in terms of setting, story and controls it lags way behind.
    Read full review
  3. Absolute Playstation
    98
    Spanning four discs, this is a massive RPG. You can try and skate through it in 50 hours but can easily spend over a 100 hours playing if you decide to take on all of the side games, collect all of the Cards and experience all there is to experience from this game.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »