I thought it was ok. Not amazing , but ok. I prefer FFVI, FFIV, and FFVII though.

I liked it and you like it...So the thread title fails =p.

Well you mention already one of the things why people can hate the game.

Long scenes!!!!

There are a lot of people who don't like Squall I can't tell why they don't like him.

But when FFVIII was released a lot of them hated the game because they expected the game would be the next FFVII but it was not the same and their were even people who thought FFVIII would be a sequel of FFVII (same story etc, the most PS ONE owners never played FF and thought the Franchise always follow up the same story;..) Oh boy that made me laugh then.

FFVIII was a departure from the predesusors(i do not know how to spell it) and Squall was unlikable from what I heard as I never played it

Oh i loved this game! I thought 9 wasn't as good, but i thought 10 was super fantastic awesome.

 Aww...the fond memories I had of FFX-great story, solid cast of characters, good battle system

liked it 7 and 9 great 8 cool and semi great 10 was very good! skipped 12 just to long between 10 and 12 and its seam so last gen when it came out probably a good game to thou. might pick up 12 if I get really bored.

I've played it and beaten it, but the magic system in it drove me crazy. I also was not a fan of the monsters leveling with you as to me it made the game seem like leveling was pointless. I lieraly beat the game up to the final boss with my characters at around level 15 or so.

Most of the people I knew who started feeling that Final Fantasy was an over-rated series believe that either Final Fantasy 6 or Final Fantasy 7 was the last great Final Fantasy game ...

Final Fantasy 8 isn't a bad game, but it is not as good as tons of other RPG games that have been released over the past decade.

I really liked 8, but I have liked all of the FF's I've played so I"m definitely biased......or all FF's are crazy awesome. One of those two.

I don't hate it; it's just not as good as the other FF's of its gen. My reasons:

1)Storyline. It lacks cohesion and direction. You never have a clear villain. Seifer gets sidelined. You keep on thinking there's going to be a BADASS plot twist that Laguna's story has been building up to, but no...he almost seems superfluos.

2)Characters--They're too similar. 17-18 year old white people. Then there's the lame, unwanted ''twist'' where it's revealed they all used to be orphans together. I'd say deus-ex-machina, but it doesn't even really accomplish anything plot wise. It's unwanted and unneccesary.

3)FF VII plus--Too much of it feels like they were trying to ''Up the Ante" from FF VII. THought FF 7's world was futuristic? Try 8's!! Then there's the parables; I.e. Squall is obviously named so because its similar (though presumably cooler) than cloud; Seifer sounds like a bastardization of Sephiroth, SEED seems like a lame shadow of SOLDIER...considering how popular FF VII was, this is understandable, but still.

4) Character building system. It's TOO customizable; the characters are homogenous enough; now they all are basically interchangable stat-wise. It's also REALLY easy to become over-strong early on--just put a bunch of Curaga's on HP and you're good to go.

5)Rinoa

In all, it's mostly the story/characters that got me. Neither were too distinct or memorable. It's a GOOD game, but only a mediocre (sub par) Final Fantasy.

Edit by Montana: Not everyone has played the game. Watch out for spoilers!!!