8-31-1999		2-11-1999
	10-27-1999		10-27-1999

I'll be here... Why...? I'll be waiting...here... For what? I'll be waiting...for you...so... If you come here... You'll find me. I promise.

A sorceress, bent on corrupting the largest military power in the world, seeks to enslave the human race. Her goal? Not simply world domination, but the complete control of time and space.
a small group of SeeD graduates is sent out to stop her. They soon find themselves involved in more than just a military action. The battle goes far beyond what they were sent to do. Now the leader, Squall, must face his fears, his troubled past, and become the leader he was born to be.
From the past, the present, to the future, this small band of heroes will struggle to save everything they hold dear, and stop the ruthlessness of the sorceress who seeks to take everything away.

With the overwhelming success of Final Fantasy VII, Square knew they had to make a game that would surpass everyone's expectations. With Final Fantasy VIII, they not only surpassed it. they left it in the dust on many levels.
The core of the Final Fantasy series has always been its story, and Final Fantasy VIII's story is one of the best in the series. With Final Fantasy VII, Square showed that it had mastered the epic game; with VIII, it shows that it has mastered the personal game. The characters and their relationships are all extremely believable and complex; moreover, the core romance holds up even under the most pessimistic scrutiny. Square decided to drop the cast of dozens and focus on a central cast of six major characters. This was definitely a wise choice. The characters don't seem like generic "heroes," but more like actual people.
There are a lot of changes made in the series with FFVIII. Gone is the old magic point system. You now have a “Draw” ability, which takes magic from enemies, and points in the world. You can also refine spells from items that you obtain in battles. There is also more to your summons (GF’S) than there ever was before. GF’S no longer have mp either. They now have their own hp, and abilities for you to learn. With the junction system, you can junction magic to your vital stats, to enhance your fighters.
Also they did away with the gil after battles system. You are now paid in increments, based on squall's SeeD level.
The exp system was also changed. You will gain a level, every 1,000 exp points. This might have made the game too easy, but Square changed the enemies, to where they gain levels and new abilities with you. This makes it to where you cannot spend time leveling up on easy enemies. This makes for a great gaming challenge.
The graphics are absolutely breathtaking. The detail in the backgrounds is frighteningly meticulous, and almost all backgrounds contain some animated elements. Battle sequences are nicely textured, and the sheer number of battle environments is quite shocking. Full-motion video sequences are integrated seamlessly with game play, eliminating the ugly "cuts" to and from CG scenes. Both the FMV and in-game graphics are extensively motion-captured, and the difference is definitely something better than has been seen before. Characters don't just move around the screen; they act. From the opening cg of the game, to the final act after the battle with Ultimecia, every cg scene is just breathtaking. Square has proven that it has the biggest, and the best graphic artists and sound composers in the known world. Now, size no longer matters; they're going to awe you with majesty. The sheer artistry and detail of the movement, the models, and the textures are beyond reproach. For it’s time, and for the PS1, it is one of the best games made.
The sound is definitely excellent. Faye Wong's "Eyes on Me" is something of a gaming masterpiece, like Titanic's "My heart will go on", or Poetic justice's "Again". Sound effects are excellent during FMV sequences, and are solid during battle and game play sequences. The advent of Dolby sound made the game even more realistic than before.
The addition of perhaps the single greatest mini-game, Triple Triad, was also introduced to FFVIII. This mini-game is so popular, that it has even spanned it's own online game series. And try as they must, no other mini-game has ever been as addictive as Triple Triad.
Final Fantasy VIII, to this day is one of the most popular in the series. It did not achieve the sales records of VII, but it was definitely a worthy successor to the title, and one fantastic gaming experience.