Squaresoft
Final Fantasy VIII

For this review, I decided to go back in time nine years ago, when on the occasion of my tenth birthday, my uncle gave me a video game: it was something totally different from what I was used to, and not just because the packaging didn't include a whopping four CDs; mainly because that video game, "Final Fantasy VIII" by Squaresoft, after a less than positive first impression, over time would become a real obsession and, years later, not before having finally completed it in all its minute facets, a relic to be preserved with all honors, in remembrance of the carefree times of my early adolescence.

The video game, released in 1999, is the eighth chapter (the second on PlayStation) of a well-known saga to genre enthusiasts, and compared to episodes VII and IX, it stands out for the realistic style of the characters and settings, which range from modern to futuristic. The plot of the game is fascinating and full of twists: it fundamentally revolves around a group of young people (the SeeD) raised in a futuristic structure halfway between a college and a military academy (the Garden) tasked with intervening in war situations to restore peace: in the game's plot, this mission will lead them to face increasingly significant and dangerous situations and enemies, culminating in the final battle against the evil witch Artemisia, which will decide the fate of the entire planet. I could detail the whole plot for you, but in doing so, the review would become as long as a small book, so I would rather focus on the highlights that make this game an absolute masterpiece in its genre: first of all, the characters, each with different weapons and combat techniques and a well-defined personality: the solitary and grumpy Squall Leonhart, the brash bully Zell Dincht, the womanizer Irvine Kinneas, the wise Quistis Trepe, the very endearing Selphie Tilmitt, and finally the sweet yet determined Rinoa Heartilly, whose love story with Squall is one of the fundamental elements of the game's plot; not forgetting the supporting characters including the controversial and fascinating witch Edea and Squall's arch-rival, Seifer Almasy. Another immensely charming element is the settings, meticulously crafted down to the smallest details, ranging from settings perfectly akin to the "real world" such as the port towns of Balamb and Dollet, to others decidedly more grand and visionary like the gigantic and futuristic metropolis of Esthar or the quirky village of the Shumi as well as uncharted locations often teeming with insidious foes like the Caverna di Fuoco, Tear's Point, the Shinra Tower, the secret research center, and finally the gloomy castle of Artemisia; the atmosphere of each of these locations is always suitably highlighted by beautiful ad hoc soundtracks, with a special mention for the game's main theme, "Eyes On Me", sung by the Japanese artist Faye Wong, a ballad perhaps a bit cheesy but tremendously impactful.

Of course, during their adventures, Our Heroes will have to face a large number of enemies, ranging from insignificant little creatures resembling mosquitoes or tiny scorpions to a colossal and powerful creature known as the Omega Weapon, including robots, zombies, chimeras, carnivorous plants, Tyrannosaurus and dragons of every shape and size, and to defeat these enemies the characters make use of a wide range of moves, from simple weapons (different for each character) to magic of every kind, although the standout element is certainly the Guardian Forces, magical creatures that can be summoned during battles, among which the thunderbird Quetzal, the ice queen Shiva, the night demon Diablos, the sea serpent Leviathan, the deadly dragon Bahamut, and especially the colossal and devastating Eden shine. Among the game's diversions, one cannot fail to mention the fun card game Triple Triad (which will reappear, with different rules in the next chapter), while among the flaws there is a puzzling character enhancement mechanism (the Junction) that is a bit convoluted and not easy to understand, at least at first, but this does not at all hinder the quality of the game, which proves to be a gripping RPG, breaking free from the comic book norms of the genre and having great longevity, given the complexity of the plot and the multitude of fun side quests, with a beautiful soundtrack as I already said, and the spectacular cinematic sequences that underscore the game's key events, thus turning it into a true interactive blockbuster.

Some consider "Final Fantasy VIII" a less successful episode of the series, but obviously, I absolutely disagree: this is the game that marked an entire period of my life, that made me have fun, fantasize, and even get a bit pissed off, to be honest, but just the enjoyment of being able to boast to my brother that I managed to defeat the Omega Weapon and complete the entire collection of Triple Triad cards pays off for the frustrations and the (considerable) time taken away from studies, so all that's left for me to do is to sincerely thank everyone who conceived and created "Final Fantasy VIII", of which I still jealously preserve the memory card with the saved games, as an eternal testimony of my 100% completion of this wonderful video work of art.