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Deleted member 13557
Guest
Oh boy.
My ranking so far:
IX > VII > VIIR > CC
My ranking so far:
IX > VII > VIIR > CC
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Deleted member 13557
Guest
Man, that opening was badass
I want Squalls jacket, but why with the belts?
I want Squalls jacket, but why with the belts?
Definitely one of, if not the, best opening cinematic in the series
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Deleted member 13557
Guest
I thought the guy from the FMV was gonna be the antagonist or something.
Nah, classmate.
Nah, classmate.
Erotic Materia
[CONFUSED SCREAMING]
Oh, my sweet summer child. You haven't played X yet.
- AKA
- Smooth Criminal
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Deleted member 13557
Guest
I'm already not entirely sure on this games mechanics.
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Deleted member 13557
Guest
How many tutorials does one game need, jeezus
Sephiroth Crescent
Way Ahead of the Plot
Just my 2 cents.
Don't go mad drawing magic from enemies. Don't grind magic. Otherwise you risk breaking the game from the very start, and that's boring.
Love the card game. Or not. But I'd do.
Don't go mad drawing magic from enemies. Don't grind magic. Otherwise you risk breaking the game from the very start, and that's boring.
Love the card game. Or not. But I'd do.
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D
Deleted member 13557
Guest
The suffering begins
Heh, can't say I'm having a fantastic time with this game so far. Which sucks, considering how much I love IX and VII.
I've put VIII down for now, I might play a little bit more later on today or tomorrow. The transition from the opening FMV to the actual game is like running a train into a brick wall of boring.
Game just makes me want to play IX again.
Thaaaaaaaat's FFVIII!
Not to say there isn't anything good going forward or that it doesn't have exciting moments. But the vibes do go off a cliff from the best opening cinematic to the actual game
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- AKA
- Smooth Criminal
It picks up significantly once you take your SeeD exam. But yes, it's a slow ass beginning that can make you nod off.
But once it starts...? Phew.
By the way... Every Guardian Force except Shiva, Quitzalcoatl, and the 3rd one you meet are missable. And if you don't have GFs, you can't junction or do anything and they carry key abilities you need. This is a spoiler-lite guide to getting every GF in the game. Again, these can be missed because bosses can carry a GF that's junctioned to them and if you kill them before drawing it, they're gone... Until the final level where they may be in another boss where if you don't draw them there.... They're gone forever. So I really recommend looking at that guide a little as you go, it'll help. The system of FFVIII is very unique but awesome once you get the hang of it.
But once it starts...? Phew.
By the way... Every Guardian Force except Shiva, Quitzalcoatl, and the 3rd one you meet are missable. And if you don't have GFs, you can't junction or do anything and they carry key abilities you need. This is a spoiler-lite guide to getting every GF in the game. Again, these can be missed because bosses can carry a GF that's junctioned to them and if you kill them before drawing it, they're gone... Until the final level where they may be in another boss where if you don't draw them there.... They're gone forever. So I really recommend looking at that guide a little as you go, it'll help. The system of FFVIII is very unique but awesome once you get the hang of it.
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Sephiroth Crescent
Way Ahead of the Plot
Give yourself some context too. Think how they evolved some things from FF7 to FF8 (though some things are worse).
This game starts slow.
EDIT: What Mako said.
This game starts slow.
EDIT: What Mako said.
I'm one of those people who felt like FF8 didn't really "get going" until the middle disc 3. Only at that point did I start enjoying myself on my initial playthrough the way I enjoyed FF7. FF8 is one of those games that definitely felt better to me on replay but the slow start is indeed a fact.
FF8 is one of those games that definitely felt better to me on replay but the slow start is indeed a fact.
- AKA
- TresDias
I've always been fond of the slow start. It's so cozy.
Sephiroth Crescent
Way Ahead of the Plot
Yeah, and Balamb is a small relaxing place.
- AKA
- Gems
Ahhh FFVIII I always feel this game was a bit of a what's with this game moment? If you played it directly after VII.
First time I played it I was like, hey where's my materia in this game??? Because it was only my second FF after VII so I didn't know it didn't carry on with the same game system and it also made me realise numbered titles in a series do not mean sequels.
Story wise, and you'll see this as you progress through, FF8 is the one that fits an Anime vibe out of any of the series, like you wouldn't have questioned it as an anime.
I guess the best advice I can give gameplay wise is, levelling up doesn't mean a lot in this game except for AP for summon abilities which you get as you progress anyways, its all about the junction system to boost your stats, which is absolutely one of, if not the most broken stat systems in the FF series.
GFs run on a compatability based system, the more you use one the faster the casting time, interesting enough a GF with the opposite element will lose compatability the more you use the other element as well. I.E if you summon Shiva more than Ifrit, Ifrit will take longer to summon. The ones also junctioned gain experience and level up just as your character does.
Given the junction system is also stat based and leveling your actual characters is not that important in terms of EXP. This also means that not junctioning stats like MAG can make higher powered spells you'd be familiar with from VII and IX do the bare minimum damage and your normal attacks do squat if you don't junction STR.
Honestly I have more fun these days playing FFVIII breaking the junction system more than anything else.
Actually one thing about levelling except for certain areas later ingame where monsters levels are fixed, monsters do level up as you do. The only thing of note about this is it affects what spells they have to draw, and items you can steal and I think what items drop.
Play Triple Triad....just do it you won't regret it...or maybe you will, sometimes you forget there's an actual game attached to this particular minigame.
Also Quetzacotl has a card mod ability you can learn later (or sooner if you really want but that's faaarrrrr too much work for a first playthrough) that means you can refine cards earned from TT games into items and spells.
Very useful for both junctioning and materials for upgrading weapons.
Ahhh yeah ok thats it so far.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the story
First time I played it I was like, hey where's my materia in this game??? Because it was only my second FF after VII so I didn't know it didn't carry on with the same game system and it also made me realise numbered titles in a series do not mean sequels.
Story wise, and you'll see this as you progress through, FF8 is the one that fits an Anime vibe out of any of the series, like you wouldn't have questioned it as an anime.
I guess the best advice I can give gameplay wise is, levelling up doesn't mean a lot in this game except for AP for summon abilities which you get as you progress anyways, its all about the junction system to boost your stats, which is absolutely one of, if not the most broken stat systems in the FF series.
GFs run on a compatability based system, the more you use one the faster the casting time, interesting enough a GF with the opposite element will lose compatability the more you use the other element as well. I.E if you summon Shiva more than Ifrit, Ifrit will take longer to summon. The ones also junctioned gain experience and level up just as your character does.
Given the junction system is also stat based and leveling your actual characters is not that important in terms of EXP. This also means that not junctioning stats like MAG can make higher powered spells you'd be familiar with from VII and IX do the bare minimum damage and your normal attacks do squat if you don't junction STR.
Honestly I have more fun these days playing FFVIII breaking the junction system more than anything else.
Actually one thing about levelling except for certain areas later ingame where monsters levels are fixed, monsters do level up as you do. The only thing of note about this is it affects what spells they have to draw, and items you can steal and I think what items drop.
Play Triple Triad....just do it you won't regret it...or maybe you will, sometimes you forget there's an actual game attached to this particular minigame.
Also Quetzacotl has a card mod ability you can learn later (or sooner if you really want but that's faaarrrrr too much work for a first playthrough) that means you can refine cards earned from TT games into items and spells.
Very useful for both junctioning and materials for upgrading weapons.
Ahhh yeah ok thats it so far.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the story
- AKA
- Smooth Criminal
FFVIII's Junction mechanic is one of the most fun and most satisfying to master and break. You can do many awesome tricks and combos once you master it and focus.
The most interesting and unique aspects to this game is that levels are not that important. And this is because monsters level up with you. It doesn't matter if you do the game between levels 1 and 10, the enemies scale with you and never outlevel you. All that level determines for enemies is the type of items you may steal from them, and their attacks. But you can do a low level game, in fact, you're rewarded for it because enemies have rarer items when they're weaker.
There's even a way to get Squall's ultimate weapon on disc 1, utilizing playing the game at the lowest possible level, playing the Triple Triad card game and utilizing Quetzacotl's Card Mod skill.
Like, don't sleep on FFVIII. It's seriously one of the most fun in the series, and the GFs are one of the coolest things in the game. I feel like GFs were FF's answer to virtual pets back in the 90s. Which isn't hard to believe given that FFVIII had a peripheral that let you carry a GF in your pocket and raise it, which then allowed it to help you in the game proper
The most interesting and unique aspects to this game is that levels are not that important. And this is because monsters level up with you. It doesn't matter if you do the game between levels 1 and 10, the enemies scale with you and never outlevel you. All that level determines for enemies is the type of items you may steal from them, and their attacks. But you can do a low level game, in fact, you're rewarded for it because enemies have rarer items when they're weaker.
There's even a way to get Squall's ultimate weapon on disc 1, utilizing playing the game at the lowest possible level, playing the Triple Triad card game and utilizing Quetzacotl's Card Mod skill.
Like, don't sleep on FFVIII. It's seriously one of the most fun in the series, and the GFs are one of the coolest things in the game. I feel like GFs were FF's answer to virtual pets back in the 90s. Which isn't hard to believe given that FFVIII had a peripheral that let you carry a GF in your pocket and raise it, which then allowed it to help you in the game proper
My problem with it is that it only seems like they are two ways to engage with it - break it, or ignore it and be way underpowered. I have no idea what a "normal" usage of FFVIII's systems would look like.
- AKA
- Smooth Criminal
It would look like my first playthrough.
Playing through the game at one's own pace, junctioning magic for stat bonuses (albeit non-optimally), gathering GFs and leveling them up based on one's arbitrary tastes, and looking up where to find materials for everyone's ultimate weapons because you realize everyone is on their base weapon on disc 3 except Selphie who somehow got her level 2 weapon.
I mean, FFVIII isn't that hard of a game, even if you don't use Junctioning optimally. Except it's optional and final level bosses.
Playing through the game at one's own pace, junctioning magic for stat bonuses (albeit non-optimally), gathering GFs and leveling them up based on one's arbitrary tastes, and looking up where to find materials for everyone's ultimate weapons because you realize everyone is on their base weapon on disc 3 except Selphie who somehow got her level 2 weapon.
I mean, FFVIII isn't that hard of a game, even if you don't use Junctioning optimally. Except it's optional and final level bosses.
Sephiroth Crescent
Way Ahead of the Plot
First time for me I wasn't underpowered.
Just draw a bit of magic on most normal battles (no need to grind), raise your stats with it, don't be shy to use magic on battles and also have fun with summons every now and then. There's plenty of chances to replenish and raise your magic through the entire game (and we all love a few islands), even if some spells are rare.
I just don't recommend breaking the game on a first playthrough. I've done that so many times my latest playthrough I chose to stay normal and it was refreshing.
Just draw a bit of magic on most normal battles (no need to grind), raise your stats with it, don't be shy to use magic on battles and also have fun with summons every now and then. There's plenty of chances to replenish and raise your magic through the entire game (and we all love a few islands), even if some spells are rare.
I just don't recommend breaking the game on a first playthrough. I've done that so many times my latest playthrough I chose to stay normal and it was refreshing.
- AKA
- Gems
@Makoeyes987 did you ever do the disc 1 Lionheart yourself?
Also spot on about the junction system its a lot of fun once you understand it. Went completely over my head as a first timer mind.
The GF system is still one of my favourite things they did in an FF game.
Also spot on about the junction system its a lot of fun once you understand it. Went completely over my head as a first timer mind.
The GF system is still one of my favourite things they did in an FF game.