Current Events > Does FF8 get any better?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm at the second Garden, after leaving Timber. Both the combat and dialog are really, really bad. Triple Triad is ok now that I've got the hang of it and some decent cards, but that's not gonna be enough to pull me through the whole game.

Does the story actually get going at some point? Does combat ever evolve past "farm full stacks of new magic when you encounter it, junction new magic if beneficial, then basic attack single target fights and summon GFs for multi-target ones"?
---

You already played the best parts of the game tbh, it doesnt get any better

---

Might not be a game suited to you.

---

Not really. The plot gets dumber

---

Depends on what aspect you enjoy.

Story? ROFL no
Gameplay? It's pretty hard to avoid becoming OP unless you're playing a difficulty mod, so probably not.
Side quests? Yeah there's actually a good amount
Music? Fuck yeah

it ONLY gets better

---

Ilishe posted...

Might not be a game suited to you.

Yeah. This is maybe the third or fourth time I've tried playing it over the years, and this is the furthest I've ever gotten.

It's too bad, because I generally enjoy the patchwork of FF games I've played, and JRPGs in general. But the magic system in this one is just... really, really bad. I can appreciate them trying something different, but it turns every fight into a chore - either dink away with relatively weak basic attacks, burn magic that you then have to replenish by drawing, or just casually nuke everything with GFs that take forever to cast.
---

It's easier to abuse limit breaks to end everything. Refine tents or whatever else into curaga spells and junction those to your HP.

---

Corrupt_Power posted...

Yeah. This is maybe the third or fourth time I've tried playing it over the years, and this is the furthest I've ever gotten.

It's too bad, because I generally enjoy the patchwork of FF games I've played, and JRPGs in general. But the magic system in this one is just... really, really bad. I can appreciate them trying something different, but it turns every fight into a chore - either dink away with relatively weak basic attacks, burn magic that you then have to replenish by drawing, or just casually nuke everything with GFs that take forever to cast.

You're doing it wrong, then. Basic attack is the strongest combat option by a fair margin other than some of the limit breaks. You just junction 100 copies of a powerful magic to attack, like Quake or Tornado.

GF are novelties, besides one you haven't gotten yet, which can apply Meltdown among other things.

The story is very good, but you have to take the time to think about and process it. The problem I see people have with the story is that they make snap judgements on disc 2 instead of completing the game. Reaching the ending is required to make sense of the plot.

---

I mean, you can really break the game buy refining cards into magic that you can't draw until way later.

---

Gfs also act as a shield, though

I had Squall buffed up to do dark side and regular attacks but I got bored of drawing powerful magic to buff other characters, so I ended up spamming gfs with everyone but Squall

---

As far as I'm concerned the music is the only aspect of them game I'd say is incredibly good. Everything else is meh or just bad.

Thank you, finally someone else admits the plot is terrible

Nope.

JoeThe12th posted...

Thank you, finally someone else admits the plot is terrible

lolwhat? Even FF fans hate FF8.

It's getting one of them to admit that FF7's writing is uniquely terrible that's a real accomplishment.
---

I'd imagine a translation that included This Guy Are Sick and the r-word would be considered uniquely terrible, sure.

If you not playing the card game and do the queen card game side quest then the game sucks.

---

Ilishe posted...

Might not be a game suited to you.

Not every one is refined enough for FF8. Sometimes, especially western gamers, just don't have the brain power to appreciate FF8.

Maybe Minecraft or Fortnite are more your speed?

Dingydang166 posted...

Not everyone is refined enough for FF8. Sometimes people, especially western gamers, just don't have the brain power to appreciate FF8.

As if it requires brain work to play this dumb game.

---

Corrupt_Power posted...

farm full stacks of new magic when you encounter it

That is your biggest mistake right there. Learn the GF abilities to refine magic from cards/items and it will cut down on the battles.

---

Veggeta X posted...

As if it requires brain work to play this dumb game.

Did I say play? No, I said appreciate. You fucking western gamers I swear.

I'll also point to the FF8 story explanation FAQ, it's a great read but of course save it for after you finish the game.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/197343-final-fantasy-viii/faqs/34215


---

Dingydang166 posted...

Did I say play? No, I said appreciate. You fucking western gamers I swear.

As if this game is worth appreciating with or without any brain work.

---

Ilishe posted...

You're doing it wrong, then. Basic attack is the strongest combat option by a fair margin other than some of the limit breaks. You just junction 100 copies of a powerful magic to attack, like Quake or Tornado.

So distill the combat even further down to just spamming basic attack. Just rapidly press A throughout the entire fight. You realize that's not fun either, right?
---

Diddydang is trolling

---

I'd drop the game if you didn't like it by now.

---

Corrupt_Power posted...

So distill the combat even further down to just spamming basic attack. Just rapidly press A throughout the entire fight. You realize that's not fun either, right?

Well you have to press R1 right when Squall attacks to do more damage.

---

Ilishe posted...

The story is very good, but you have to take the time to think about and process it. The problem I see people have with the story is that they make snap judgements on disc 2 instead of completing the game. Reaching the ending is required to make sense of the plot.

Those are sensible suggestions, but this is CE. :|

---

Corrupt_Power posted...

So distill the combat even further down to just spamming basic attack. Just rapidly press A throughout the entire fight. You realize that's not fun either, right?

Tbf that's most jrpg battle systems
---

andri_g posted...

Those are sensible suggestions, but this is CE. :|

You gotta stop the "You have to use your brain to appreciate it" narrative with this game. It's not as deep as you want to believe.

---

Veggeta X posted...

It's not as deep as you want to believe.

It's not a question of "believe" or not. This is CE: a place where people come to fling poop, set fires, and watch things burn (not necessarily in that order...).

---

I recommend looking up how to get Squall's ultimate weapon early on and play the game with that. Makes it a lot more fun.

---

andri_g posted...

It's not a question of "believe" or not. This is CE: a place where people come to fling poop, set fires, and watch things burn (not necessarily in that order...).

We can have an understanding of a complex situation when it is needed. Sadly FF8 is not one of those situations.

---

ThunderTrain posted...

I recommend looking up how to get Squall's ultimate weapon early on and play the game with that. Makes it a lot more fun.

I've never tried this so I dunno how easy this is but getting Tornadoes early on is hella easy to get OP.

• Get T Mag RF, Card and Card Mod from Quezacotl (Farm beach monsters on Balamb. They give 6AP easy)
• Beat Ifrit for his card and Card a few Bombs in the Fire Cavern where you beat Ifrit
• Get Queen of Card to spread Trade All rule
• Use Ifrit and Bomb card to pwn people
• Collect Abyss Worm cards
• Refine them into Windmill
• Refine Windmill into Tornadoes
• GGEZ

---

Veggeta X posted...

I've never tried this so I dunno how easy this is

Its relatively quick and with the new versions having fast forward its even faster

---

Veggeta X posted...

We can have an understanding of a complex situation when it is needed.

Sadly FF8 is not one of those situations.

Sadly, only one of these statements is true. Sad... but true.

---

Corrupt_Power posted...

So distill the combat even further down to just spamming basic attack. Just rapidly press A throughout the entire fight. You realize that's not fun either, right?

I'm not sure what you're expecting from this game. FF8 isn't about random battles.

---

ff8 isn't about quality writing, characters, plot, gameplay, random battles, enjoyable time or a worthwhile story
but triple triad was fun iirc

---

The only thing fun is Triple Triad and refining cards to get OP. Manipulating rules and QoC is a pain in the ass tho

---

Veggeta X posted...

I've never tried this so I dunno how easy this is but getting Tornadoes early on is hella easy to get OP.

It's not the tornadoes that are had, I think it is the pulse ammo (?). You need to refine it from energy crystals, and the only way to get those on disc 1 is to refine it from a high level card with something stupid like a 6:1 ratio. So you need to win like 12 cards to turn into 2 crystals to turn into 12 ammo.


---

Getting...I think it is 20 Elnoyle cards can take a couple of hours. The alternative is to level up enough to mug laser cannons from level 30+ elastoids but it is hard to recommend doing that.

---

Yeah, I think I got to somewhere on Disc 2 before I just kinda...stopped playing it altogether. Right after you get to an abandoned orphange, and then I think there's this big battle in the school or something? Have no clue how far in that is to the overall story, but the combat system just made me stop wanting to play it, even if I did think Squall and Rinoa were interesting characters. Everyone else in the cast kinda sucked or was written haphazardly.

I like to level grind in my JRPGs and steamroll enemies, and a game which evens out the enemies to match your level kinda killed my zeal. Plus, I just kinda never felt like I was understanding how to fight anyway.

---

Yeah, I'm gonna stop playing. Too bad.
---