The Game Square Should Have Remade: Final Fantasy VIII

Gamegents: This is in no way, an attack on Square; they have in fact, picked the correct game to remake. Final Fantasy VII, if not the best game of all time, it’s definitely top five. However, it is not my favorite of the series. That place in my heart belongs to the one and only, Final Fantasy VIII. A true classic, and the one game I always go to when someone asks me what my favorite game of all time is. These are the reasons Square should have remade Final Fantasy VIII instead.

[ZaWarudo]

Maybe later... Out of the three PS1 FF games, VIII aged the best.

[-Foxtrot]

It needs to be next.

I'll be ticked off if I've waited this long for a FFVII remake so they can remake FFVIII next only for them to turn around and go "Oh yeah we're going to do something else"

FFVIII and FFIX should be next in order.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

Nomura has said he is interested in other FF remakes after VII but not from the PS1 era unfortunately. I would love a FF IV,V,and VI remake and that excites me that he wants to do it but I would want VIII and IX to be first. I want to see places like Balamb Garden from VIII and places like Lindblum from IX rendered in photo realistic graphics like Nomura said VII is getting. VII is what i'm excited for the most right now though.

[Godmars290]

Square needs to show that they can do a competent job with VII, with any modern FF title, first before they move on to other 'remakes".

[-Foxtrot]

@TheOneWhoIsTornApart

Well no offence it's not what Nomura wants it's what fans want. Look at how many years people have went on for a FFVII sequel, it should of been out ages ago.

FFV and FFVI can easily be remade for the 3DS or PSV. FFVII - FFIX are the games which are remake worthy.

[audiocafe]

I'm glad they're remaking VII. Although I want a remake of V, VI, VIII and IX more, if they actually decide to remake those games...well, I'll probably be on my death bed by the time they ever release any of those who am I kidding

[ShinMaster]

Honestly guys, no

https://youtu.be/QC_wesSuPG...

And F* the junction system!

[Godmars290]

@ShinMaster:
I think the Junction System could work, but certainly not in the form in the game. Have sources outside of combat you could drain, or have special attacks or finishing moves. Not just stand around taking magic as monsters wail on you.

Then again, you cold make a whole game around having to bond with spirit creatures to gain magic, turns out they're evil and you have to fight them.

[kaizokuspy]

@shin master

I will say thia. The first time I beat ff viii was with summons. I didn't understand the junction system as a kid, but when I realized how it worked it was amazing. Junction 100 deaths to my gunblade. Fantastic. Quistis using degenerate early on to instakill t rexaurs. Oh man this game hits my nastalgia hard.

Ot I understand the pain of junction system, but there are many ways to get magic. Lvl up your gfs and you can get them from items and cards way easier and early on just the same. Maybe if they fixed the draw magic mechanic it would resonate a lot more with other fans.

[Myze]

While I would definitely prefer a full console remake of FFVI before VIII and IX, I do hope they all happen eventually. As for aging the best, I would say IX has aged much better than VIII, especially with the draw system, which would need a major overhaul in a remake, and the graphical style.

As for the article: I understand the guy's opinion is that FFVIII is the better game, but even if I agreed, I would consider Squenix morons if they made it before FFVII. FFVII is a MUCH more popular game and will make them MUCH more money than a FFVIII remake would have. I am of the same mindset of the article in terms of wanting FFVI (for consoles, not handheld crap) before VII, but I would still consider Squenix stupid to actually do it.

[kayoss]

Ff8 had similar graphics compared to ff10. The characters were not blocky like ff7. So making ff7 was the better choice.

[kaizokuspy]

Graphics in 7 were janky bc it was originally an n64 title. When it switched mid dev to sony they kept the blocky n64 character models and developed the battle system in playstation. Which is why it all looks crazy to me. Still a fun game. I wouldn't say 7 was the best, but I think that goes for anyone. Whatever your first ff experience was, will be the best in your eyes.

[on_line_forever]

guys if there some problems in Final Fantasy VIII .

they can fix it in remake .

its simple this is remake not remaster

i wish we can see Final Fantasy VIII REMAKE soon .

[KimikoGaming]

I'd like to see remakes for FF4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 in the same way as FF7 remake.

I also hope that in preparation for the FF7 remake, they release a pack that includes Crisis Core HD, Dirge of Cerberus HD, and Advent Children. Or even include those in a collectors or limited edition of the FF7 remake.

[dumahim]

I could really go for a Crisis Core remake with full voice acting.

[MeteorPanda]

all crisis core needs to be honest is to be put on the psn store..l want it for my vita so bad..

[HammadTheBeast]

I think IV is in a good place with the recent ports and it works well while keeping the charm of the old-style era.

[KimikoGaming]

I just wish the 3D chibi remake of FF4 was more aligned with the gba and psp versions of the game in terms of content.

The DS version made it so you couldn't switch out your party of the main 5 characters at the end of the game, it removed a ton of the end-game optional dungeons and content, and it made FF4 frustratingly hard.

If they could re-re-re-re-remake FF4 for the vita with visuals similar to the DS and iOS versions but with the content of the PSP version, it would be the best version by far.

[VerdicLinwe]

Lulz VIII. Worst magic system in the entire series.

[Loktai]

The only thing good I Can say about the entire battle system is the way it scaled so you couldnt exactly overgrind and end up not having to even think in battles... Visually and from an environment perspective it was pretty sweet though. Who didnt love fighting a god damn T Rex right out of the gate?

[kaizokuspy]

Out the gate, use quistis blue magic degenerator. Instakills t rex, or junction 100 sleeps/deaths to your gunblade. Rinse and repeat. Easiest way to lvl early on :)

[Loktai]

@kaizokuspy

Damn, you're an FF8 pro like a boss.

[-Foxtrot]

Not really. You didn't even need to draw to gain magic unlike what ever one says (pretty sure they just latch off each other)

I went the whole game without drawing and I still had good magic at the end of the game

[Becuzisaid]

Yeah you get the GF magic refine abilities and can create all the magic without drawing. You're junction powers will be limited for a while though.

[ninsigma]

Naaah. & was definitely the better choice imo. I'd rather see a remake of 9 before 8. The story was just so bland along with its characters. Decent game but for me it was nothing compared to 7.

[-Foxtrot]

It had a great story (all FF has plot holes) and the characters were great.

Squall had some great character development and you watched him change over the course of the four 4 discs. He was a new man by the end of the game. The game was basically his journey to become a better person

Don't see why they would screw over fans of FFVIII and skip it.

[ninsigma]

Just didn't capture like 7 did. I preferred the characters and the story for me was incredible.
"The game was basically his journey to become a better person". That basically sums up ff7 as well xD Where Cloud was only in it for the money, didn't give a damn about the planet but by the end he changed and was ready to save the world because that's what he thought was the right thing to do. So on the part of square, not much variation xD

Not saying they would or should skip 8 (if they are going to remake more). For me, I would rather see a remake to 9. But I think (I could be wrong here) that there is a bigger demand for a 6 remake than either 8 or 9.

[TricksterArrow]

Above poster is right.

FFVIII is pretty good, but they took an easy way out with the characters motivations and backstories. Zell is probably the most fleshed out. That GF memory thingy is completely worthless without the theory of R=U, simply to explain why the characters act as they do, as if they don't know each other (except Irvine, which decided to stay quiet because...?). It was totally rushed.

FFVII on the other hand has everyone pretty much fleshed out with at least 15 minutes of extensive background dialogue (Vincent and Cid) or an entire side-mission dedicated to their stories and their resolutions. Only Cloud and Tifa are devoid of that, but basically because their story is the main one: they fight against Sephiroth, becoming adults, retrieving their memories and all that.

[-Foxtrot]

@ninsigma

"Just didn't capture like 7 did"

That's your problem right there. You are comparing it to FF7.

I bet your one of these fans who hadn't dabbled much with FF then FF7 came out and you were blown away....upon hearing a sequel of FF was being made you were really excited only to see FF8 was totally different from FF7...DESPITE THE FACT all FF games are different and tell new stories. Am I right? Because it's usually that.

At the end of the day. Story, characters, turn based combat, music, graphics, the world etc were superior to FFVII.

FF8 is not a FF7 sequel it's a new instalment.

"Where Cloud was only in it for the money, didn't give a damn about the planet but by the end he changed and was ready to save the world because that's what he thought was the right thing to do"

They didn't do a very good job to it like they did with Squall. Cloud just changed all of a sudden, with Squall you actually saw him changing slowly, especially with his dialogue to other characters, especially Rinoa.

[ninsigma]

You're right that ff7 Was my first ff game but what's that to do with anything?? 8 was probably out before I even heard of 7 (I was only a kid when I played). Then my friend had and I played a bit but not all. Then when I was 19 I played through the whole thing and just didn't find it as good as ff7.

"That's your problem right there. You are comparing it to FF7"
It's not a problem it's a preference lol Yes every ff is different within the series but so what?? Of course I'm going to compare to what is similar. By that logic 8 is only a good if you don't compare to 7. Fact of the matter is I played 8, I liked it, but not as much as 7. I don't know why you're trying so hard for me to like 8 better. I never even said it was bad.

[kaizokuspy]

@ninsigma

What I liked about 8 versus 7. The story actually resolved. I didn't like the material system. It's fine if you do, it's not a game breaker for me. I still enjoyed it, but I enjoyed 8s story, gameplay, and mini game more than 7. The reason you shouldn't go comparing the 2 or any ff with 7, is because 7 is vastly overrated. It was the first ff of its time, then 8,9,10, etc followed. Most people played 7 first then compared it to everything else, when in reality they just want more 7.

To further my point. A lot of people call mw2 the last good cod. Or black ops the last good cod. Doesn't really matter. All cod games have their strengths and cons. Just like all ff have their pros and cons. I honestly thought ff7 story was bad and the fans were bad. When aeirth died it wasn't some oh holy shit moment or it didn't make me sad. Realistically there was never enough character interaction to build them feels. Which is how I felt about the game as a whole. Feelings were rushed. Ff7 is a good game, but the ultimate fanboy game. Many ff that came out before and after are generally better in graphics, story, mechanics, and execution.

[Relientk77]

Remake IX

[Loktai]

9, and either another chrono cross game or remake cross or trigger... The frickin mood and environment in cross is INSANE.

[pop-voxuli]

Oh man I totally agree!! Another game in the chrono series would be a dream come true!!

[kaizokuspy]

I wish they'd remake cross and fix those damn load times between screens :( made the game hard to play which sucked bc you know when you put that disc in you're going on a journey

[Gardenia]

FFIX is one of the best. Also I'd like to see a FFVI remake

[josephayal]

We need more turn based games like FF8, I am tired of hack n'slash games like FF15 and Witcher 3

[CorndogBurglar]

I would have to agree. If FF7 Remake isn't turn based I will be thoroughly disappointed and probably won't get it. I haven't bought a FF game since 10 because everything after the turn based combat lost its appeal to me.

FF games were always known for that type of combat. There were plenty of action rpg's out there, but no other series did turn based combat they way FF did. At least not to their level of quality.

They can literally change almost anything they want to as long as it isn't the combat system. Then I will be happy. Oh, and keep most of the story intact. Although story doesn't necessarily have any bearing on gameplay.

[MeteorPanda]

isn't the 13 series turn based? pretty sure it was :<

if you like turn based look at the 3ds game braverly default, an amazing approach to the old system

[abovetheclouds]

@meteorpanda

That's the thing about FF titles...

XIII was turned based but didn't feel like a final fantasy at all. The summons were transformers... You summoned Shiva and a motorcycle came riding in :(

XV already feels more like a FF game with non turn based combat

When you summon Ramuh in XV... That was one of the greatest things I've ever witnessed in all of my years playing every FF title... Things like that are what make a game feel like Final Fantasy (to me at least).

Same with XIV...I actually feel like I'm in a FF world when playing... Even though it's not turn based

Story, characters, summons, magic, setting... Those are what make Final Fantasy feel like a Final Fantasy game...

With that being said, I am open for the battle system changes in the VII remake... As long as it represents everything correctly... The summons, the epic feel, the locations, etc I'll be pleased as a Final Fantasy fan.

This is all in my opinion of course. I know a lot of people still want turn based and I understand that completely. But I personally will not be turned off at all if the battle system changes.

I'm just glad all of us fans have something to be excited about!!

[nitus10]

FF4, FF5 and FF6 had turn-base and active turn-base although with active turn base you could pause to select what you wished to do.

FF7 had turn-based only and (I think) FF8 was the same. Not sure about FF9 since I never played it.

FF10 was turn based only although you could and should switch in and out your party members.

FF12 was active turn based although you could switch to semi-active which allowed you to pause while you selected what you wished to do (very useful in Boss battles).

The main features of FF12 was the ability to virtually program the order of how you wished each member of your party to act and there was no switching into a "fight area" like you normally do in pretty much all FF games.

Obviously some people did not like the "program" method although IMHO it did take the tedium out of easier battles. An interesting feature and one that FF13 used as well was the ability to see your enemy coming and either prepare or run if you could.

FF13 had what is called the paradigms system (similar to the "program" method) which allowed to you to rapidly select the course of action of your party members although IMHO allot more simplistic. There was no pausing of the action so it was a full active system. Basically if you were too slow to select then you got clobbered.

As for FF15 I am not sure but from snippets I have seen it looks similar to either FF12 and/or FF13 methods of turn-base.

[pop-voxuli]

Um, no. 8 was kind of a hick up In the FF series, now FF9 on the other hand now that would be killer!!

[SouljAx360]

FF8 is my second favorite FF game behind FF Tactics. However, FF7 remake is probably the best investment.

I think a remake of 6 would be insane though. Just imagine how huge that game would be. Then the world changing events in that game would make it like two worlds. BTW if you haven't played 6 and don't mind old school 2D graphics I highly recommend it.

[nitus10]

If you liked FF6 and I definitely did you should play FF4 and FF5 since they also have very good stories and similar game play styles. All have active as well as turn based options, unlike FF7 which is turn-based only.

[Number-Nine]

Maybe one day but it is NOT the game square should have remade. Lol.....that wouldve made no sense.

[Decastis]

FF7 had a kick-ass story! FF8, however, was more like a soap-opera game...

[Spotie]

How many soap operas have entire armies battling against each other, mechanical spiders trying to gun you down, and missile dodging in giant mobile bases?

I'd have preferred VIII, as it's my favorite in the series. But I don't think they should have remade it instead of VII. There'll be plenty of time for it later, assuming VIIR does as well as it should.

[pop-voxuli]

Although I'd love a remake of six!! But I'm totally happy with the 7 remake!!

[nitus10]

I do agree with you (sort off) however Square/Enix should come up with new IP or a similar story to 6 but with correctly perspective characters rather than what is called "super deformed" which IMHO will turn off allot of new players.

[FoxyGotGame]

FF8 is great! ...but I'm happier for FF7. It was my very first JRPG ever. That Nostalgia is priceless. I'll take whatever pre-FF13 remakes the Sq. Enix wants to give me ;)

[Vasto]

FFX should be remade. It was the best FF.

[nitus10]

FFX and FFX-2 were remastered and are available for the PS3 (March 2014) and PS4 (May 2015). Personally I have no need of a remaster since I have a BC PS3 and the original PS2 version's output is like an up-scaled video which still looks great on my 55" HDTV. My original FF12 also looks great as well.

Choosing which FF is the best or the worst is very subjective. Personally I liked FF12 and FF13-2 the best but IMHO all are great, even FF8 which took me quite sometime to accept Squall.

[Vasto]

Notice I said Remade. I am talking about from the ground up with new graphics.

[eyeDEVOUR]

Yeah no...thats exactly when the series went to shit..

[Aaroncls7]

Who's to say they won't?

If anything, FF7 remake would let them gain some perspective on how invested their customer demographic is regarding those older titles.

Sooner or later FF8 will get a shot, probably even 9, 10, etc.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

Yea, no. VII has been a long time coming.

[DeadManMMX]

The game they should remake next. Some of my fondest memories oh man so much time in triple triad. Oh I lost a character card!!! L1+L2+R1+R2+Start+Select!!!!

[Stringerbell]

Sorry 6 over everything. That game had real characters not a whiny passive aggressive Emo guy. And talk about a main villain Kefka was nuts you really hated the guy and couldn't wait to get revenge for what he did to the world. Meanwhile 8 has a sorceress and a moon filled with monsters, not my thing.

[MeteorPanda]

maybe after ff12. that game no one can play. no b/c for ps2 which is sad. would love that more then a ps3 emulator on my ps4 XD

[UNKLE]

ff8 was the worst ff game it was an idiot soap opera with squall and rinoa... ughh.. magic system was ugly.. ff8 was a bad copy of ff7. i say ff5 or ff12 i wanna see ff12 with next gen graphics.

[pompombrum]

The FMVs on FF8 still hold up well by today's standards which is pretty damn impressive. Only real reason it deserves a port more than the other ps1 classics would be it's more realistic attempt at it's visual style would have transferred better but ultimately, the story is a far bit weaker than FF7's and it's draw magic system thing just doesn't compare to materia.

[UNKLE]

"The FMVs on FF8 still hold up well by today's standards which is pretty damn impressive"

WHAT O_O? open your eyes man...

[Pozzle]

I wouldn't say the FMVs hold up well by today's standards, but many of them are still damn pretty to look at. I still get a "wow!" feeling when I watch the intro scene.

[Provolone24]

Agreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. I know I'm in the minority, but I always thought 8 was even better than 7. It was undoubtedly overshadowed by its predecessor. Many wrote it off for that reason and also due to the junctioning system, but anyone who's played 8 all the way through knows how amazing of a game it is. Hard to believe it game out in '99.

[Gamegents]

Hey guys I'm the FFVIII fan who wrote this article! I appreciate all your input but I will say one thing I didn't touch on in the article was there was a lot of problems with the game as far as the junction system and the leveling. But I will say the rest was so amazing that if they fixed those things in the remake it would be a hell of a game.

[PSN_ZeroOnyx]

I Couldn't agree more, 8 was my favorite FF game despite its flaws. However I loved everything about 7 except its graphics and refused to buy it on PS3 because of the graphics (I did decide I to purchase it on PS4 when they announced it last and very happy it's now a remake). I do believe 7 was right choice for a remake simply because consumers have demanded for years (including myself).

Everyone needs buy and support FFVIIR to insure its success and open the door to other remakes including FFVIII.

[slinky123456]

The only reason to do 8 would be so they could retell the story and ending for it to actually make sense. And I mean sense that it's not just a convoluted mess of people guessing what actually happens. Still to this day it is not ever made clear. people saying it makes sense do not get it. There is just too much too it that is not told.

There are articles that go pages and pages long on what actually happened. But it's all still just a guess.

[Spotie]

There's no guessing. lmao at you saying everybody else doesn't get it because you don't.

[slinky123456]

No, seriously. It's left unanswered of an ending. There's a simple plot point ending to it. But there's much more to it than that. The ending doesn't make sense because it has nothing but fan guessing as to why this or that is why it is. Look it up. People think what they see is the ending is the actual ending are wrong, if you think it's just a simple ending you're also wrong.

There are theories that Squall is dead, theories that it's a never ending loop, theories that they all know it's looping while they still do it. The devs have never confirmed or denied any of this. If you just look at it and think, "well, it's just an ending" you're not looking at it properly. There's just so much too it that never gets explained that it doesn't really make sense. WAY TOO many loopholes in the story as a whole. Even explaining any of these endings doesn't make sense.

[ameliabaz]

People who think Squall is dead or that Ultimecia is Rinoa are just conspiracy theorists who are trying to see things that aren't even there. There are theories that Ash died at the start of Pokemon. ANYBODY can come up with a theory about anything. It doesn't make it right.

Everything gets explained in FFVIII. There are no lose ends. Are the explanations always good ones? No. But there aren't massive plot holes and the story makes sense. People are just stupid when it comes to stories that deal with time travel.

As for the characters getting stuck in a time loop....well duh. That's not a theory. That actually happens in the game. Squall goes back in time and explains the concept of Garden/SeeD to Edea, thus creating the loop. How is that hard for people to understand?

[Spotie]

To be fair, the ONE loose end is exactly who Ultimecia is, but that doesn't really matter.

That aside, ameliabaz is correct. I understood the whole of the story the first time I beat it, way back in... 2000? No, '99. The game's ending LITERALLY lays out the fact that it's a time loop, right there in your face. Any other theories are just that: theories that require you to take too much on faith, that need you to believe far more than what the game puts before you.

There's not a shred of speculation needed to see the truth of the time loop.

It's really not that complicated.

[il-JumperMT]

You mean FF6. If people play it they will remove fanboy goggles and see how FF6 > FF7, and that Kefka is best villain ever made.

[pinkyxyz]

I hated ff8s junction system. Other than that. Might be interesting if updated

[Tross]

I agree that VIII is a better FF game, but it's still a mystery to me why people think FFVII is so great. Maybe someone will have to explain that to me sometime. Perhaps the remake will win me over. I'm willing to at least give it a chance. I suppose FFVII is more in need of a remake since VIII and IX have a visual edge on it.

[eyeDEVOUR]

Yuck.. The gunblade was so lame and the magic draw was really time consuming...

I think ff9 should be next in line, the character design is perfect to be remade more realistic or cartoon..FF9 is my second favorite in the series...