...Whatever.
Squall is an ordinary young man. Well, as ordinary as anyone can be when, for as long as he can remember, he has trained in Balamb Garden. A school for the recruits of the elite mercenary group named SeeD, it also means home to the orphaned Squall, who can't even remember his parents. He may be a bit standoffish, but he has his reasons. And he's just about to take the test to determine whether he's ready to join the elite force.
The test is a real mission. SeeD has been hired to defend the city of Dollet from the invading Galbadian force. Several other recruits are being tested as well-- including Squall's rival Seifer, taking the test for the third time. When Squall passes and he doesn't, Seifer begins to make plans to take his destiny into his own hands.
Later, at the ball celebrating the new SeeD members, Squall meets a lovely young woman, though she runs off before he can learn her name. But he soon learns it-- Rinoa-- as his first mission is hired by the resistance group she heads, the Timber Owls. Inexperienced but earnest, the group is headquartered in Timber, which has also been invaded by Galbadia. On a more personal note, Rinoa is also determined to get past Squall's crusty exterior to the warm berry goodness that she's sure is inside. In other news, rumors of that dreaded entity, a sorceress, are again beginning to permeate the land, this time connected with the would-be empire, Galbadia.
Final Fantasy VIII is a step in a new direction for the series. MP is done away with, and instead spells are drawn and stored from the monsters one fights, up to 100 per spell. (As an aside, the highest quantity of anything is now 100 rather than 99.) Abilities and stats are now directly affected by "junctioning" to Guardian Forces, FFVIII's version of summons. Money is no longer won from battles, but paid in regular increments as Squall's salary once he becomes a SeeD. Characters are no longer chibi-sized, but shaped like actual humans. Monsters level up as you do, even gaining new attacks in some cases. Some things remain constant: unique limit abilities that become available as a character gets low on HP, and, of course, the sidequests and minigames. The most important of these is the hit card game Triple Triad. You can challenge most anyone to a game, and there are several sidequests for the gaining of rare cards.
This, then, is our Final Fantasy VIII section. Use the menu bar on the left to jump to the information you desire, and don't forget to contact us with your opinions.
