Skip it.  Final Fantasy VIII sucks for every reason you just mentioned.  IX is a much better game.  Play VI if you ever get a chance.  Best one in the series.

Arg...this (pointless) debate once more.

If you don't like FFVIII, don't play it.  Its the game where the creators of Final Fantasy tried to fully emphasize gameplay and exploration more than any other Final Fantasy.  If you're looking more for a linear, story based game where you don't have to think or do any leveling outside of the path given to you, FFVIII is not your game.

And on the flip side, don't listen to the legion of people who will say FFVIII sucks because of 'grinding' or 'bad characters' or a host of other reasons.  Its all purely opinion.  All the same leveling options you have in FFVI and VII are given to you in FFVIII, ie customizing outside sources to your characters to produce magic.  Just more options are given to you in FFVIII to focus on using that magic, using the magic to buff up your attack or doing a mixture of both.  And no, you don't have to 'grind' for magic by using the draw command.  Within an hour into the game you can use Quetzalcoatl's 'Card' ability to turn enemies into cards and refine them into Magic.

As for my personal opinion, just the fact that the game actually allows you to have some exploration outside of the set storyline and with the more active battle engine, for me it is one of the better Final Fantasy games.  I was sad to see its sequels revert back to the more linear/stationary game engine that actually promotes just using one button for the whole game.

I loved FFVIII and enjoyed so much about the game, fabulous ending too. One thing about FFVIII is that I felt a bigger sense of accomplishment in that game when compared to other RPG's. Yes my team (Squall) was somewhat OP by the end, but it took a lot of time and effort to do that.

FFIX is actually my least favorite FF from the PS1 era - present. Still really liked it a lot though. Some people enjoyed the more traditional aspect of it, which I did to an extent, but I felt it needed a bit more oomph. I also found the sidequests to be lacking.

That's the same as me. Loads of people loved it but it was lacking something to me. Back then it felt like going back to traditional fantasy was almost like a step back for the series when the last two had whole-heartedly supported sci-fi elements on top of fantastical settings.

play 7 again...I'm going for knights of the round this time and mastering hte materia

Given your opinion of the game so far, it will only get much worse before the supposedly awesome ending comes along.  Mind you I never had it in me to beat the game, but from the description of that ending that I've gotten it doesn't seem very good at all.  Also, when I tried playing the game again knowing how the Junction system worked I learned it's insanely broken.  Before finishing disc one all of my characters were as powerful as level 40 characters in other FF games thanks to Quetzecotl's card ability.  I had thousands of hit points and only took tens of damage when hit.

So basically the game is broken in just about everyway, and you're likely to enjoy 9 a hell of a lot more.

I would have to agree with you on those points about FFIX. My least favorite PS1 FF, though still quite good.

But @The Xbox Man if you don't like it, FF8, doesn't ever really change it's style throughout the game imo. every element gets deeper. But I can't say it sucks up to a certain point and then becomes a completely different game where it just gets "better". Like I can say Triple triad gets better when you get all these crazy rules. And is probably my favorite minigames out of any game ever. (and probably my favorite computer cardgame ever as well).

But FF8 is my second favorite game of all time (was my favorite til last year), and I've heard all these complaints about it for, so you're obviously not the only one. I just don't. But I think you should quit playing it, based on how you currently feel about it, as there are probably plenty more of FF or FF style JRPG's or JRPG's that fit your taste better. IMO such as Shadow Hearts 2: covenant and others. And you could sell FFVIII for about what you got it for correct? it's just a slight pain to sell it.

Edit: One thing, You don't really have to draw that much there are other options.
Especially if you like triple triad as you can distill cards into items to make magic from items. You can also get items from enemy drops and distill them. Such as M-Stones, Magic Stones, Wizard Stones, and many other different items. Not saying you'll like this more. but drawing's not that necessary if you fight/play cards a lot.

i also really enjoyed FF9, there was a few things that couldve been better tho, like the battles in 7 & 8 are really fast and more fun imo. FF9's arnt as good, but thats mainly because the developers wanted ppl to stop spamming limit breaks all the time. and i think that it would have been better to make it more photo realistic like 8, other than that damn good game, not to metion tetra master is also a great card game.

I don't like FF8 myself. The set of missions in the first disc was a lot of fun but then it got

very slow from then on. Searching for a girl in 3 different disc and switching back and out from time

wasn't exciting at all. But, I do like the musics tho. At least finish the game so you wont have to replay it.

I'd give up on it. I'd rather waste £8, than waste £8 and play a game that I hate.