Egann on 23 February 2015
In retrospect, it's obvious FF VIII has oodles of flaws, but I have a confession: I like it, anyways.
The thing which really irritates me is that in good Square fashion, the problems could have been easily fixed. Give players a junction artifact which limits the number and number of types of spells they can hold, and you've gotten rid of 60% of the grindy there.
The other 40% could have been fixed by making card refining go both ways and Triple Triad a mandatory MAGIC TRADING system. Refine spells you aren't using into a card, and then trade that card for for something you do want. This would keep your magic menu clean during combat and add a lot of NPC flavor with who wants what and who has what.
Essay Pro