Final Fantasy VIII Review - The Weird One That Still Holds Up

Final Fantasy VIII doesn't show up on many "best FF game" lists. You'll see VII, X, and VI dominate those conversations, and honestly? That makes sense. But here's the thing: after replaying it in 2026, I think VIII deserves way more credit than it gets.

The Game Nobody Expected

When you look at the most beloved Final Fantasy games, they usually excel at obvious things—amazing stories, memorable characters, revolutionary graphics. Final Fantasy VIII is different. It's messy, confusing, and sometimes frustrating. But it's also one of the most unique entries in a nearly 40-year-old series.

This game throws sci-fi worlds, space stations, time travel, and fever-dream sequences at you while completely reinventing how RPG systems work. Some of it works brilliantly. Some of it... doesn't. Let me explain.

That Opening Still Hits Different

The moment you start a new game, you're treated to one of the best intro cutscenes in Final Fantasy history. Even though the 2019 remaster didn't update the FMV footage, it still looks impressive. You see this intense sword fight between two characters, magic flying everywhere, and you immediately get a sense of the world.

Then the game properly starts. You play as Squall, a moody teenager attending Balamb Garden—basically a military academy. Why is it called a "Garden"? I've been playing this for 25 years and still don't know. Don't worry about it.

The first disc (or first several hours if you're playing the remaster) is genuinely engaging. You complete training, take an exam, get promoted to an elite mercenary group called SeeD, and get sent on your first real mission. The pacing is tight, the mystery is compelling, and it ends on a cliffhanger that makes you want to immediately continue.

Then disc two happens. This is where the story goes completely off the rails. It doesn't become bad necessarily, but it turns into this convoluted mess of plot holes and weird coincidences that require some serious mental gymnastics to follow. It has good moments scattered throughout, but you're constantly thinking "wait, what?" until the final boss.

The Characters Take Forever to Like

Let's talk about the cast, because they're... rough at first.

Squall is your stereotypical edgy 90's protagonist. He's got a scar across his face, constantly thinks dark internal monologues, and believes he can only depend on himself because of childhood trauma. Reading his thoughts gets old fast.
Zell is a martial artist who whines constantly and needs reassurance from everyone. He's annoying.
Selphie is the optimistic one, which honestly makes her the most tolerable early on. She's a positive force when everyone else is being dramatic.
Quistis is your former instructor who has weird boundary issues with Squall. It makes sense later in the story, but early on it's pretty cringe-worthy.
Irvine shows up and immediately starts hitting on all the female characters before focusing entirely on Selphie. In 2026, this behavior feels... yikes.
Rinoa is spoiled, naive, and childish when you first meet her. She eventually becomes Squall's love interest, which takes some getting used to.

Here's the weird part though: by the end of the game, you'll probably love all of them. They grow on you. Each character has development, and their relationships with each other become genuinely endearing. You just have to get through the rough first 10-15 hours.

The side characters are fine. Nothing special. And the main villain is... well, I'm sure you've seen better villains in other games.

The Battle System: Brilliant and Broken

Combat uses the Active Time Battle system like previous Final Fantasy games. It works well. Squall has an interactive attack where you press R1 when his gunblade connects for extra damage. You can set it to auto if the timing is tricky.

Unfortunately, no other character gets this treatment, even though their attacks look like they were designed for it.

Each character has a Limit Break that activates when their health gets low. This is where the game breaks completely. With proper setup, you can have 2000+ HP and still be in "critical" range to spam Limit Breaks. It's absurdly overpowered and makes battles way too easy if you abuse it.

Junctioning: The System Everyone Argues About

This is FF8's most controversial feature. Instead of traditional leveling mattering much, you equip creatures called Guardian Forces (GFs) that let you "junction" magic to your stats.

Here's how it works: You draw magic from enemies or find it elsewhere. Instead of casting spells, you attach that magic to stats like Strength, HP, or Speed. The more powerful the magic and the more you have (max 100), the bigger the stat boost.

The good: This creates unique builds and makes leveling less important. You can beat the game at low levels if you junction properly.
The bad: Enemies level up with you, so that level 5 bug becomes a level 70 bug later. With good junctioning, you become overpowered regardless of level. Also, you're actively discouraged from using magic in battle because you want to keep it for stat boosts. For a series known for epic spells, this feels wrong.

The system is complicated for newcomers and easily exploitable for veterans. You can spend hours drawing magic from enemies, converting cards, and modifying items instead of actually playing the game. It's tedious.

I appreciate that it's unique, but it needs better balance.

Triple Triad: The Best Part of the Game

Forget everything I just said about junctioning being controversial. Triple Triad is Final Fantasy VIII's greatest achievement.

It's a card game introduced early on, and it's incredibly addictive. The basic rules are simple: you and an opponent place cards on a 3x3 grid. Cards have numbers on each side. If your card's number is higher than your opponent's adjacent card, you flip theirs to your side. Most cards at the end wins.

As you travel to different regions, new rules get added. Things get complex fast, and pulling rules from one area into another creates wild combinations.

Collecting cards is rewarding. High-level cards can be converted into game-breaking items. This mini-game rivals Gwent from The Witcher or Queens Blood from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in terms of quality.

There are also hidden side quests throughout the game with cool backstories and nice rewards. In a world where modern games put quest markers everywhere, the mystery and exploration feel refreshing.

The Technical Stuff Holds Up

The 2019 remaster runs well on PS4 and modern systems. The pre-rendered backgrounds still look decent, and the FMV cutscenes remain impressive despite being over 20 years old. The soundtrack is phenomenal—some of the best music in the series.

The main story takes about 40 hours. With side content, you're looking at 60+ hours easily.

So... Is It Worth Playing in 2026?

Final Fantasy VIII is deeply flawed. The story becomes a convoluted mess. The characters start off annoying. The junctioning system is either too complex or too exploitable depending on who you ask.

But it's also special.

It tried something different. It took risks. The sci-fi setting, the school atmosphere, the dream sequences, the time travel—it's all weird and ambitious. Triple Triad alone is worth the price of admission. And once the characters grow on you, they really stick with you.

If you've never played it, go in with realistic expectations. This isn't VII or X. It's the experimental middle child of the series that does its own thing regardless of whether you approve.

If you can accept its quirks and rough edges, you'll find a solid 40-hour RPG with entertaining gameplay, oddball characters, excellent side content, and technical achievements that still hold up.

It's not perfect. It's not even close. But it's unique, memorable, and worth experiencing.

Rating: 9/10 - Flawed brilliance that deserves more respect.

Play it if: You want something different from the usual Final Fantasy formula.

Skip it if: Story inconsistencies and complex systems frustrate you.