Final Fantasy VIII Remastered Reviews
It might not have the effect of 7 nor the love of 9, but this divisive entry is one of the most ambitious and important, and this release is a decent way to try it.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
If you bring lower your expectations from Graphics improvements a remaster game should have seen, then Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is still the same amazing game that every fan of JRPG loves so much. Beautiful story, lovable characters and some new gameplay elements, made Final Fantasy VIII Remastered a unique and enjoyable game. Even after 3 generations, it is still one of the best JRPGs you can play. After all it is Final Fantasy VIII! You should definitely try it .
Review in Persian | Read full review
The return of Final Fantasy VIII is a cause for celebration. The work of DotEmu is worthy of admiration because they have delivered what can easily be the best of the remastering of the Final Fantasy games of that time.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
All in all, Final Fantasy VIII: Remastered is a solid port. The new character models look nice, and the additional features are all welcome. At its core, it's still Final Fantasy 8, and almost nothing has changed about it. If you were a fan of the original, you'll like the remaster, and if you weren't, then it's unlikely this will change your mind. This is likely the definitive version of the game, blurry backgrounds and all, and it's well worth picking up for anyone who's looking to experience FF8 for the first time.
Final Fantasy VIII is a masterpiece, and I’m glad that it’s now properly accessible on newer consoles. Hopefully a new generation of players can now discover it.
Square Enix has struggled in the past with its previous ports of the Final Fantasy franchise, but may finally be hitting its stride. All of the improvements and enhancements give Final Fantasy VIII a much more modern feel without sacrificing any of its soul. As a lifelong fan of the Final Fantasy franchise and VIII in particular, I couldn't be happier with this remaster and look forward to hours of enjoyment wherever I go.
Although it was overlooked by many at the time, and unfortunately looked down on as ‘the game that came after Final Fantasy 7’, Final Fantasy 8 offers a mature and gripping story filled with characters you’ll grow to love. Now that it’s available on all current platforms and looking better than ever, there’s never been a better time to jump in and give it a shot if you’ve ever been interested in playing it.
Final Fantasy VIII remastered looks better than the original in a lot of ways. While the game deserved much more love than it got, The story is great and the there are options for newcomers to make things easier. Worth it to check out.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The black sheep of the Final Fantasy franchise has finally arrived on Switch! Even with a fresh coat of paint, and some nifty features, is it worth a visit in 2019?
Final Fantasy VIII is worthy of another playthrough, and new players will appreciate the assists, but the remaster doesn't provide enough difference to constitute buying if you already own the original.
Overall, Final Fantasy VIII is totally what you make of it. If you aren’t into grinding this game will most likely suck without the use of the in-built convenience options. If you were looking for something largely improved, this is definitely smack bang in the middle of “Just port it over” and “Let’s put a huge budget in this!”. But in saying that, I’m enjoying my time with Final Fantasy VIII again. Now that I’m older and I can appreciate the complexity of this game, it’s been given it a new lease of life for me. Sometimes that’s all a game needs in a remaster.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is a prime example of how to do a remaster well. Improved graphics modernize the experience, and modifiers help alleviate the grind issues.
Regardless of your feelings toward Final Fantasy VIII, there’s something timelessly endearing about this often-forgotten title. The plot progresses well, the characters grow into their roles despite a rocky start and the soundtrack is one of the best in the series’ history. The gameplay is largely unchanged and the battle assist options do cut out some of the grind, which will appeal to those looking to experience the story again without the need to grind through levels. It may not be the remake fans have been crying out for, but it is a solid reminder of how charming these early turn-based games were back in the day, and well worth a play all these years later.
Final Fantasy VIII isn’t without its flaws, and it spreads them fairly evenly across story, mechanics, and pacing. Happily, the speed boost on offer in the remaster fixes the pacing, which effectively papers over the cracks in the grind-heavy mechanics. What you’re left with is a fun, somewhat silly, and beautiful RPG. And on Nintendo Switch, you can play it anywhere. This really is the best way to play Final Fantasy VIII.
The story and characters are still engaging, the score sounds as beautiful as ever, and the art design looks impressive.
There are some technical issues that prevent Final Fantasy VIII Remastered from being as significant a remaster as many others on the market today, but less is sometimes more — the changes Access Games, DotEmu and Square Enix were able to make enrich the entire game, making it a fantastic and very worthwhile experience for any player.
By and large, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered looks and feels a heck of a lot like the PlayStation classic I know and love — and even with the minimal changes, it's still worth a pickup for newcomers and veterans alike.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is the best version of one of the most divisive entries in the series. Though the base game has its flaws, the world of Final Fantasy VIII is as intriguing as ever, and the Junction system is still one of the most unique mechanics in the series’s history. The ability to fast-forward makes slow animations a non-problem, while the other mods make it easier than ever for newcomers to try out the maverick Final Fantasy installment.
When it comes down to it, Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is still a great game. It has some flaws that bog down the experience from the original release, but it still has some great enhancements.
You will only need to play Final Fantasy VIII for its innovative battle system. Though a HD remaster worthy of your time, its confusing, messy narrative may drive away some players looking to get into the Final Fantasy franchise where far better examples exist.