Final Fantasy VIII

.

Final Fantasy VIII

Title

Final Fantasy VIII

Developer

Square

Publisher

PlayStation

Director

Yoshinori Kitase

Producer

Shinji Hashimoto

Artists

Yusuke Naora
Tetsuya Nomura

Writers

Kazushige Nojima

Composer

Nobuo Uematsu

Series

Final Fantasy

Platforms

PlayStation

Release

February 11, 1999

Genres

turn based role-playing

Mode

single-player

Final Fantasy VIII is a turn based role-playing game by Square. It is the eighth installment of the Final Fantasy series and was directed by Yoshinori Kitase.

Synopsis

FINAL FANTSY VIII - The journey of a lifetime

A member of an elite military team, Squall is forced into a conflict beyond imagination. To survive, he must contend with a desperate rival, a powerful sorceress and his own mysterious dreams.

— Description of 'Final Fantasy VIII' on the back of the PS1 release (EU)

Setting

The world consists of five big landmasses. Esthar, the largest one and covering most of the eastern side. Galbadia, the second-largest, lies to the west. Trabia is the northernmost landmass and an arctic region. Balamb lies in the middle and is the smallest region. The rest is small and mostly desolate and is unnamed. Many of the protagonists are part of a "SeeD", an elite military force based in a futuristic installments called "Gardens".

Story

The Repulic of Galbadia invades the Dollet Dukedom who hires SeeD, who ustilises this mission as a final exam for its cadets. Squall, Seifer and Zell are grouped together, but Seifer abandons the group halfway and is replaced by Selphie. All three pass their exams. Squall meets Rinoa at the graduation party, and is later assigned with Zell and Selphie to help Rinoa's resistance in Galbadian-occupied Timber. It is revealed that the Sorceress Edea is behind Galbadia's recent hostilities. Squall and his comrades are tasked to assassinate Edea. They learn that Seifer has joined her as second-in-command. Edea survives the assassination attempt and detains the party.

After the party escapes the prison, Edea destroys Trabia Gardens and prepares to strike Balamb Gardens. Selphie delays the attack while Squall and his team activates Balamb Garden's mobility defensive system. It crashes into the dock's of Fisherman's Horizon. While it is repaired, Galbadia invades the town and searches for "Ellone". Before leaving she reveals that she has been trying to alter the past by sending Squall and his team into flashbacks 17 years prior. Ellone escapes to Esthar.

Squall is named SeeD's new leader by Headmaster Cid. He also learns that he, his comrades Seifer and Ellone were all raised in an orphanage run by Edea, but they suffered from amnesia. Cid and Edea then have established Garden and SeeD primarily to defeat corrupt sorceresses. The forces of Balamb Garden than defeat the Galbadian Army lead by Seifer, and they also defeat Edea. It is revealed that Edea is only a host for Ultimecia who planned to use Ellone to achieve time compression. She then transfers her powers to Rinoa. Squall travels to Esthar to find Ellone.

Rinoa is treated on Edea's space station, where Ultimecia uses her to free Adel from on orbital prison, which is then send to crash into the planet. Ultimecia abandons Rinoa as her host in space, where Squall rescues her. They return to the planet on a starship and learn that Ellone is captured by Galbadia. The party meet Laguna, the president of Esthar, who reveals Dr. Odine's plan to allow Ultimecia to cast time compression on their terms so that Ellone can send SeeD into Ultimecia's time period.

At Lunatic's Pandora, Squall's team defeat Seifer, rescues Ellone and kills Adel. Ultimecia then possess Rinoa and starts casting time compression. Ellone sends Squall's team into Ultimecia's era, where she is defeated before time compression can be fully achieved.

After travelling to the past and inciting the creation of Gardens and SeeD, Squall returns to the present as time decompresses.

References in Final Fantasy XIV

Legacy

• The server Trabia referred to the continent with the same name.

A Realm Reborn

• Zell Dinch's tattoo is available in Character Creation.
• Triple Triad originates in Final Fantasy VIII.
• The Garlean Empires main infantry weapon is a variant of a Gunblade, which was first introduces in Final Fantasy VIII.
• Tonberry King of The Wanderer's Palace is based on the boss from Final Fantasy VIII.
• Diabolos in The Lost City of Amdapor and it's entrance is based on the boss from Final Fantasy VIII.
• The Level 2 Phys. Ranged Limit Break is called Desperado.

Music References

Original Theme	Theme
Shuffle or Boogie	Shuffle or Boogie

Heavensward

• The Leonhart Attire is based on Squalls character in Final Fantasy VIII.

Shadowbringers

• Gunbreaker and it's arms are heavily based on Squall and Seifer, using a different model than the Garlean Imperial army.
  • Many abilities are based on abilites from Squall or Seifer.
• Quetzalcoatl's appearance in Akadaemia Anyder is based on the appearance from Final Fantasy VIII.
• The Eden raid series have several references from Final Fantasy VIII:
  • The first Sin Eater, Eden, is based on the Guardian Force Eden in Final Fantasy VIII.
  • Eden Prime uses Eternal Breath, which is a recreation from it's summon animation from Final Fantasy VIII.
  • Fatebreaker in Eden's Promise: Anamorphosis is a reference to Griever.
  • Gaia's design is based on Ultimecia, and combines aspects of Squall, Rinoa and Laguna.
    • When reawakened as Loghrif she seeks to create a timeless world.
    • In Eden's Promise: Eternity (Savage) she uses Time Compression.
  • The finale resembles the ending of Final Fantasy VIII, where Squall is rescued by Rinoa.

Music References

Original Theme	Theme
Blue Fields	Blue Fields
Force Your Way	Force Your Way
Ami
Don't Be Afraid	Don't Be Afraid
The Legendary Beast	The Legendary Beast
The Extreme	The Extreme
Shuffle or Boogie	Shuffle or Boogie (Shadowbringers)

Endwalker

• The Ragnarok in Labyrinthos is a reference to the space travelling airship in Final Fantasy VIII.

Dawntrail

• The appearance of Doomtrain from Hell on Rails is based on Doomtrain from Final Fantasy VIII.

Images

• 
  Cover for EU release
• 
  Back of CD for EU release