Review: Squall and Rinoa Woos and Wows Players

By Genesis Oquendo

The launch of Final Fantasy VIII—on February 11, 1999– broke a multitude of

precedents established by its predecessors in the Final Fantasy Franchise (FFI-VII). The most notable were the unique character design, setting, and mechanics that set a new standard for RPGs. Despite being labeled the “black sheep” of the franchise, it introduced an emotionally rich story within the high-tech confines of "Balamb Garden" rather than the classic medieval fantasy setting normally depicted, tackling primary themes of self-discovery, relationships, and responsibility.

Gameplay/ Mechanics

Typically, the gameplay combat mechanic known as the “Junction System” brought or drove players away. The game replaced the standard JRPG format highlighted in Final Fantasy VII, the highest-profiting and game changing Final Fantasy Game, that allowed for the ability to increase status, use items, wear equipment, cast magic, etc.

The distinctive “Junction System” present in FFVIII revolves around the characters in your party equipping Guardian Forces (replacing the use of summons). Instead of traditionally leveling up characters through experience, the player must draw magic from enemies and assign it to raise stats like vitality, strength, and damage. While the system is innovative and unique in the sense that the player can curate an extensive collection of abilities, it strongly discourages the use of magic spells for in-game combat.

Final Fantasy VIII also features distinct “Limit Breaks”— a powerful character-specific attack—that appears when a character’s health is below 25%.

Additionally, Final Fantasy VIII features a card mini game known as Triple Triad that gained its own fanbase. To play, the player must have five cards in their collection and follow the rules strategically depending on the game’s region.

Story & Narrative

Final Fantasy VIII follows the protagonist Squall Leonhart, a cadet of the military organization called SeeD. Having just recovered from an injury by a rival, Squall successfully becomes a licensed SeeD member but sets to embark on a mandatory mission with his members: Zell Dincht and Selphie TiIlmitt. They meet Rinoa involved in a political resistance group called the Forest Owls and befriend her. Their journey gets them caught up in a complex narrative involving political rivalry, time compression, hidden societies, and a powerful sorceress from another timeline "Ultimecia."

The story is rich with emotional depth due to the fact it explores themes of love, destiny, family, and fate. Throughout the game, the player is reminded of the significance of Squall and Rinoa’s relationship through their theme playing in the background, the characters’ changing dynamics, and sudden flashbacks. Additionally, Squall Leonhart’s “façade” of being stoic slowly breaks down throughout the game and gathers up to this “convoluted” notion that Squall does care for his friends.

Sound & music

Nobuo Uematsu the composer for most of the Final Fantasy series, composed the soundtrack for Final Fantasy VIII. The entire soundtrack includes a unique blend of orchestral and rock influences that perfectly reflect the game’s tones, settings, and designs. It is by far the most memorable “mechanic” to the entire series. The infamous parade cutscene plays homage to Michael Jackson by using the choreography from Thriller. Despite the broad scope of the soundtrack, the most notable track was Eyes on Me by Faye Wong.

"Eyes On Me" sung by Faye Wong, and composed by Nobuo Uematsu, is the main theme song of Final Fantasy VIII: its central melody is heard twinkling throughout the other tracks like "Julia" and "My Mind." It plays a crucial role in the plot, specifically regarding the development of Squall and Rinoa romance, as it plays whenever Squall and Rinoa share a subtle romantic scene. The song itself, upon its release in Japan, consecutively placed number one on the Oricon Western Singles Chart for 19 weeks, sold more than 500 thousand copies, and was the first song in video game history to win an award at the 14th Annual Japan Gold.

Final Rating:

10/10!