FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered

The last remaining PlayStation-era Final Fantasy title to get a remaster has arrived on Switch.

75%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, stability

71% User Score Based on 4,932 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 26 reviews

Platforms

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About

In Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, players join the elite mercenary force SeeD to fight against the tyrannical Republic of Galbadia and its sorceress ruler, Edea. With enhanced features such as battle assist options, game speed boost, and max levels for GFs and spells, this game offers a customizable RPG experience for both new and returning fans. The product is a remaster of the original Final Fantasy VIII.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered screenshot

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,958 reviews

story447 positive mentions

grinding224 negative mentions

The remastered version features improved character models and quality of life enhancements like 3x speed, making the game more enjoyable and less tedious.
Final Fantasy VIII has a compelling story with deep themes of love, friendship, and personal growth, particularly through the character of Squall.
The game includes the beloved card game Triple Triad, which adds an engaging mini-game element that many players enjoy.

The remaster is criticized for being a lazy port, with many backgrounds remaining unchanged and the overall graphical quality not significantly improved.
Frequent crashes and technical issues have been reported, making the game frustrating to play for some users.
The junction system and draw mechanics can be confusing and tedious, leading to a less enjoyable gameplay experience for many players.

story
1,541 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
65%
6%
The story of Final Fantasy VIII is a polarizing aspect, with many players appreciating its ambitious themes of love, friendship, and time travel, while others criticize its convoluted plot and pacing issues. The narrative is often described as both engaging and confusing, featuring memorable characters and emotional moments, but it can also feel disjointed and reliant on plot devices that may leave players feeling lost. Overall, the story resonates with a significant portion of the audience, particularly those who value character development and thematic depth, despite its flaws.
- “For me, everything clicked from the story, to the world, to the timing of when I first played it.”
- “I really loved the story and the characters.”
- “The story is complex and engaging, never a dull moment or empty filler.”
- “The gameplay has more problems to it than I care to write about, the story relies on the player accepting a whole lot of unknowns, deus ex machina, and unexplored concepts being the basis for the main plot, the side quests are either annoying or incredibly abstruse, enemy variation is extremely low, parts of the UI are very confusing to a new player, and a lot of mechanics are practically used only once or twice before they become obsolete or just not used again, despite obviously having originally been meant as mechanics to be used a lot more.”
- “The story was convoluted and not presented in the best way, but got pretty wild by the end with some timey-wimey stuff that I didn't actually hate.”
- “The plot was convoluted and poorly paced and poorly explained.”
graphics
797 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
76%
5%
The graphics of Final Fantasy VIII Remastered have received mixed reviews, with many praising the updated character models and improved textures, while criticizing the blurry backgrounds that remain largely unchanged from the original. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel and some enhancements, but feel that the remaster lacks a comprehensive graphical overhaul, leading to a jarring contrast between old and new visuals. Overall, while the remaster offers a slight improvement, it does not meet the expectations of those seeking a significant graphical upgrade.
- “Final Fantasy VIII Remastered brings a much-needed graphical upgrade to the classic game, with character and monster models completely revamped in full HD.”
- “The game's presentation is awesome, by way of its graphics still looking gorgeous for such an old game - even considering the slightly sloppy remaster - for example, cutscenes are firmly groundbreaking for its time, and the music is a treat with a ton of awesome tracks, too.”
- “This game is deep, imaginative, immersive and I recall my jaw dropping to the floor at the graphics when this game first dropped.”
- “The graphics are horrible for a remaster.”
- “The graphics were an eyesore (the PS1 couldn't handle the art direction they were going for) and I hated the junction system... on the positive side of things, I remembered the sound design was fantastic (as Final Fantasy games always are) and the setting was at least an interesting one.”
- “Do not waste your time or money, the graphical upgrades are a joke. The character models have been slightly improved but the backgrounds for a good part are still the same low quality. A lot of non-interactable NPCs did not get the same type of character quality boost; the menus look nicer but these graphical upgrades are not worth mine or your $20 if you already own the older Steam version.”
music
653 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The music in Final Fantasy VIII is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting it as one of the best soundtracks in the franchise, often comparing it favorably to other entries like Final Fantasy VII. Nobuo Uematsu's compositions, including iconic tracks like "Eyes on Me" and "Liberi Fatali," are noted for their emotional depth and thematic relevance to the game's story. While some technical issues have been reported, such as occasional glitches that revert to lower-quality MIDI versions, the remastered edition's return to the original PS1 soundtrack has been well-received, enhancing the overall nostalgic experience for players.
- “The music is memorable, one of the best of all the Final Fantasy games.”
- “The most important aspect is the soundtrack; it's among the best in the franchise.”
- “Incredible, memorable music and a very unique progression system in the form of junctions which is truly a min-maxer's dream.”
- “The music is sub par for a FF game.”
- “I thought they'd hit a new low with their original release of this game -- the music, which was one of the game's absolute best features -- had been reduced to MIDI format, and the company couldn't even be bothered to fix it.”
- “The music is still MIDI so sounds tinny and poor, and even the computer in the classroom where you get the first two GF's hasn't even been touched.”
gameplay
649 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
72%
7%
The gameplay of Final Fantasy VIII is characterized by its unique junction system, which allows for extensive character customization but can be confusing and tedious for new players. While some players appreciate the innovative mechanics and the integration of mini-games like Triple Triad, many criticize the clunky user interface, repetitive combat, and the reliance on the draw mechanic for magic, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as polarizing, with a mix of engaging elements and significant flaws that may not appeal to everyone.
- “The core combat mechanics are pretty interesting, though it can take some time to get used to, but once I realized how they worked, they were easy and really empowering to use.”
- “The junction mechanic is quite innovative and allows a lot of freedom in customizing your character, but organizing your characters through several nested menus is quite a task in itself.”
- “In terms of gameplay, the addition of the 3x speed boost is a game-changer, making the turn-based combat more enjoyable and reducing the grind of drawing magic.”
- “The gameplay has more problems to it than I care to write about; the story relies on the player accepting a whole lot of unknowns, deus ex machina, and unexplored concepts being the basis for the main plot. The side quests are either annoying or incredibly abstruse, enemy variation is extremely low, parts of the UI are very confusing to a new player, and a lot of mechanics are practically used only once or twice before they become obsolete or just not used again, despite obviously having originally been meant as mechanics to be used a lot more.”
- “The gameplay and UI make the game very tedious to play.”
- “The junction system is simply put awful, and gameplay-wise it just feels like characters don't matter when you just swap the GF around, like materia in VII.”
grinding
228 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the magic drawing and junctioning systems to be tedious and convoluted. However, the introduction of a 3x speed feature in the remaster has been praised for alleviating some of the grind, making it more bearable and allowing players to focus on the story. While some players appreciate the depth and potential for character optimization through grinding, others feel that the game punishes excessive grinding due to its unique enemy level scaling system.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The junction system is probably the most tedious way to level up ever conceived.”
- “The mechanics around the battle system are incredibly tedious and the game effectively penalizes you for battling too often, despite bombarding you with random battles at times, effectively detracting from the whole concept of being awarded for grinding and exploration.”
- “The necessity of drawing spells from enemies to stockpile magic can become tedious and disrupt the flow of the game.”
stability
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent crashes, audio and visual glitches, and performance issues, particularly when using the speed-up function. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay without major problems, others have found the technical issues to be significant enough to detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration and recommendations to consider the original version instead. Overall, the remaster appears to be plagued by bugs that can hinder playability, especially for those who encounter them later in the game.
- “Game runs great now!”
- “It plays smoothly and is bug free.”
- “It's super playable, with no glitches (so far).”
- “Game still has a lot of technical issues that cause graphical glitches and crashes even early on into the game.”
- “But don't risk buying this port: it's buggy, crashes, and if you're unlucky like me, you'll find out the game is unplayable halfway through your run and, therefore, not be eligible for a refund because it happened after more than 2 hours of gameplay.”
- “Game is buggy... the framerate randomly collapses, I'm using the newest drivers and no other game has any issues... it can't keep 60fps in menus (sometimes it just locks to 50), 30fps on field/world map (it keeps going to 15-23) and the battle fps of 15 won't stay there also, battle menus are too slow too!”
optimization
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
64%
26%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues, including broken framerates and stuttering gameplay that detracts from the overall experience. Despite some improvements in graphics and customization options, the remaster is considered poorly optimized, often running worse than previous versions, leading to frustration among players. Overall, the technical performance is deemed subpar, with many players expressing disappointment in the game's inability to run smoothly on modern systems.
- “Mechanically speaking, there is a lot of customization and optimization here.”
- “I was over the moon that the characters and enemies got retouched textures and models, and the game had been given some bug fixes and an optimization pass or two over the original PC release.”
- “Better performance, better models, better audio, OST soundtrack, and smoother transitions.”
- “The framerate is likewise not improved, and in some cases I swear the performance is even worse than the previous PC port.”
- “This game was poorly optimized, poorly ported, and the Obel Lake side quest will break your controller as you constantly run around hammering the A button to find the items.”
- “If that's not enough and you want a performance-based reason, this game runs like garbage.”
humor
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in Final Fantasy VIII is widely praised for its clever dialogue, memorable character moments, and quirky scenarios, such as Zell's hotdog arc and Laguna's comedic mishaps. Players appreciate the contrast between the serious tone of characters like Squall and the lighthearted hijinks surrounding them, which adds depth to the narrative. Overall, the game's off-beat sense of humor and well-developed characters contribute significantly to its charm and enjoyment.
- “A lot of quirks are well done, jokes are funny and still land, the idea to show the thoughts of the main character instead of just the spoken dialogue adds so much to each scene.”
- “Zell and his hotdog arc, Laguna getting the cramps, Rinoa's handmade train model, Squall's serious tone in contrast to every hijinks going around him—so many memorable moments that made me laugh and enjoy the vibe of the game.”
- “It's a beautiful, charming, funny, crazy, and even convoluted game at times with parts of its story and the junction system.”
emotional
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt moments, engaging romance, and character development, often evoking strong feelings from players, including tears during pivotal scenes. While some mechanics may be convoluted, the story's depth and emotional highs resonate deeply, making it a memorable experience for many. However, opinions vary, with some feeling the emotional impact is undermined by gameplay issues and narrative missteps.
- “Mathematically it’s an 8/10 but I’m giving it an extra 1 so 9/10 because it made me cry.”
- “It's not a game, it's a great work of art; it's a touching movie, it's a romantic and moving epic.”
- “The story is touching, deep, and interesting.”
monetization
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game has been overwhelmingly criticized as a "cash grab," with many reviewers expressing disappointment in the minimal effort put into the remaster. Players feel that the product exploits nostalgia without delivering quality, suggesting that the original version is a better option. Overall, the consensus is that the game does not justify its price and lacks the necessary improvements expected from a remaster.
- “This is a pathetic cash grab with minimal effort taken to produce for a $20 price tag.”
- “It deserves all the criticism it is getting; all the issues that people list point to a lazy 'remaster' that is just clearly a cash grab.”
- “Don't get me wrong, it is a good game and one of my favorites in the Square Enix FF series, the minor quality of life hacks and gameplay upgrades are a plus, but this is a clearly half-arsed and shameless cash grab on something that was already available in multiple forms, and the product quality does not reflect the price.”
character development
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
35%
6%
Character development in Final Fantasy VIII is generally praised for its depth and the gradual growth of characters, particularly Squall, who evolves from a closed-off individual to someone who learns to rely on others. While some characters exhibit strong backstories and interactions that enhance their development, others are seen as less engaging or somewhat bland. Overall, the game offers a satisfying narrative experience, though some players feel that more character development could have further enriched the story.
- “Really good game that has a dope story with dope characters with satisfying character development.”
- “One of the wackiest stories in FF, if not in JRPGs in general. I personally really liked the story; the characters are also great, especially Squall. Seeing him mature as a person and grow from someone who is very closed off towards others to learning that he isn't alone and that he can count on others is really satisfying, although his character development is a slow burn.”
- “His character development was great, and I really liked how he slowly grew to open up by the end of the game.”
- “I know a lot of people criticize the game for its corny character development.”
- “Though none of them are particularly dislikeable, they are rather bland and don't show much character development.”
- “This same conflict occurs within Squall's character development: his obtuse and complicated inner dialogue often gets 'washed out', or confronted, by the real situations he faces and the real people he loves and leads.”
replayability
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
69%
10%
Overall, the replayability of the game is highly regarded, with features like the junction system and the card game Triple Triad adding depth and variety to gameplay. The introduction of quality-of-life improvements, such as 3x speed for story quests, enhances the experience, making it more accessible for multiple playthroughs. While some players note that the game can feel lengthy, the ability to tailor runs and utilize mods on the PC version further boosts its replay value.
- “I love everything about this game - the story, the world, the monsters, the replayability with the GF/junction system, the party members.”
- “Honestly, FF8 is probably the easiest Final Fantasy game I've played, but that's not bad. The game has a system in place where it bases enemies off your level, so if you can stay low level, the game is easy. It also has a lot to offer in replayability from the junction system alone, as well as for people who love card games like Triple Triad, which I think a lot of people like more than the main game.”
- “Replayability: 8/10 (story run), 6/10 (perfectionist run with PC version improvements).”
- “Honestly, FF8 is probably the easiest Final Fantasy game I've played, but that's not bad. The game has a system in place where it bases enemies off your level, so if you can stay low level, the game is easy. However, it also has a lot to offer in replayability from the junction system alone, as well as for people who love card games like Triple Triad, which I think a lot of people like more than the main game.”
- “That being said, this game might be more playable in the future when mods have fixed it. The PS1 version still has the best analog controls, and the 2013 PC version is the best version on Steam (if you're using mods).”
- “Not even your remasters are playable!”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The atmosphere of the remastered version of Final Fantasy VIII is widely praised for successfully reviving the nostalgic elements of the original game, particularly through the inclusion of the original PS1 music and familiar visual designs. Players appreciate the enhanced graphics while noting that the emotional depth and mood of the game remain intact, making it a compelling experience that resonates with long-time fans. Overall, the remaster strikes a balance between modern updates and the cherished atmosphere of the classic title.
- “This port has the original PS1 music in it, which to me makes a big difference in the game's atmosphere (as opposed to the other one that has MIDI).”
- “Love the song 'Eyes on Me' and I still cry watching the ending... the mood and atmosphere this game gives me is irreplaceable.”
- “Because the new version has a feeling, or atmosphere that is lost from the original one.”
- “Final Fantasy VIII Remastered has its flaws -- the draw system is still a total pain in the arse -- but there's a magic and atmosphere to Squall's often mental adventure that's incredibly endearing.”
- “I'm happy to say that this version was exactly what I was looking for: to revive the atmosphere of the game I played when I was seventeen years old with my PSX, with a graphic improvement adjusted to the modern era.”

79%Critics’ scoreBased on 27 critic reviews

Buy FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered

20h Median play time

20h Average play time

8-37h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 30 analyzed playthroughs

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