What makes a game great? Is it that feeling of accomplishment when you finally get to the end credits? Or is it about a game being able to make your heart pump faster while you clear the three-hundredth ninja zombie wih your AK-47, or maybe a combination of everything, a perfect games needs all of everything you want. Graphics, story, gameplay, music, characters and a good battle system, whether you're shooting down targets in a first person shooter or blowing up the last enemy defender in a real time strategy, the game has to be fun in this way. Role playing games without the hack and slash aspect aren't for everyone, over the years Squaresoft has released many titles which have changed the ways games are made, with Final Fantasy 7 they pushed over the boundaries. By today's standards it doesn't look to good in terms of graphics, but I remember thinking, "wow how'd they do that?" Also, the in-depth storyline it had to offer, that game pushed boundaries and changed the way role playing games are made. Following Final Fantasy 7 was the next sequel in the series, Final Fantasy 8, it was hyped about for awhile, talk about how good it was, how it was better than FF7. Many people played it and were disappointed, they found that FF8 was overrated, Square messed on the graphics trying to make them too good, the junctioning system was too confusing and boring, the story didn't have as many twists in it as FF7. It was compared to Final Fantasy 7 and after playing each game they just couldn't understand anyone seeing FF8 to be a superior game and I can't disagree with them. I liked both games, Final Fantasy 8 didn't change the way games are made or looked at, it might be easily lost and mixed in with other RPG. One thing, though, there are times when I'm playing Final Fantasy 8 and just look back, just take a step back and look at the game. I can't help thinking this is the best game ever made.

Final Fantasy 8 has great characters, well designed and realistic. You get to find out about their past and slowly you learn about them and what their goals are. The characters play a major part of the game and they have to be good, you bet they are. Now the best part of this game, the story. No matter how many times I look at any other game, book, movie, anything, nothing can top Final Fantasy 8's story. Not twisting as much as FF7 but still good, many parts you can just look back at and the way you feel undescribable. The music, characters, gameplay, all of it mixed in to some great spectacle that can only be described as perfect. A masterpiece.

Graphically, FF8 looks awesome, over an hour of excellently done motion captured CG movie mixed in with gameplay and the textures and characters just overall well done for its time. Many people say that they tried to make the graphics way too good, tried to blow away Final Fantasy 7. I agree to a degree, but graphics aren't all that important in an RPG in my opinion. Sure, following games like FFIX and FFX probably wouldn't have had as much cinemas mixed in if FFVIII wouldn't have started that. In terms of graphics, Final Fantasy VIII has it, all those cinemas integrated perfectly in to gameplay, character design and backround texture and layout, very good.

Sound for Final Fantasy 8 is very good, the music integrated nicely and the sound effects for movements perfectly done. The famed musical composer, famous for his work on Squaresoft role playing games, Nobuo Uematsu. Everything this man has composed has been breathtaking, and his work on FF8 was even better. An excellent theme to the game, Eyes on Me, which won the Golden Disc award in Japan for best theme song of 2001. A musical genius, Nobuo Uematsu, some of his best work.

The weakest part of FF8 would be the gameplay, although perfect difficulty level, it can be annoying at times. What RPG wouldn't be complete without those puzzling parts where you don't know what to do or where to go. The battle system is decent, follows the Final Fantasy type system but with a great ATB and limit breaks and summons wonderfully done. The junctioning system by far a great aspect of the game, may time awhile to learn, but it brings in a new strategy to the game and how to go about beating certain parts.

Mini games and side quests, something not really needed but good to have. FFVIII has a decent amount, not as many as VII but it doesn't really ruin the game. The Triple Triad, the biggest side quest/mini game in the game. Starts from almost the beginning to the end, you can challenge anyone and although you don't have to play the game to win or get better characters, it sure helps. Your card collection grows as you play and you learn strategies and things that work, also rules change from different regions. You can get cards from beating bosses or just killing monsters, but don't think spending 3 hours to get your Ifrit card back was spent for nothing. Towards the end of the game it is very helpful to use GF abilities and such to turn these rare cards in to items which makes maxing out your characters a lot easier. Also, you don't have to learn how to catch chocobo, but it can be fun, FFVIII does include a PocketStation™ mini game with chocobos that isn't the greatest thing but worth trying out. There are some other side quests which in involve getting GFs and rare items which can be fun if you have some time to waste.

I look at this game, at the times I wasted my life playing it, maybe a waste of time. It has changed me, it is gauranteed to spark some kind of emotion in you. Final Fantasy VIII, in my opinion the greatest RPG ever made.

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