FF8 story theory *massive spoilers inside*

[Xeogred]

No Squall isn't dead. They just put that giant ice spear business in there b/c it looked cool. Same reason for zombie mayor, weird yellow thing in Garden, tumbling through space only to catch a floating space ship, and etc etc etc. The whole game is just one cool moment after the next (in between bouts of tedium of course) that never gel into anything even semi-coherent. In a way I have to wonder if it wasn't just some "smart" writer deciding that Square was obviously going to screw him over and not let him "finish" his game (like they did w/ FF7 and Xenogears) so he wasn't going to bother with narrative coherence at all. Why should he when he'd just have the rug pulled out from under him anyway? But of course that's just another theory to explain why the plot to FF8 is so asinine.

This did motivate me to replay the game last year when I first saw this though (only managed to get to the end of disc 2 though). The weird thing is when Squall wakes up after being hit by the ice and thrown off the cliff, he specifically mentioned there's no scar. That was weird.

But perhaps it's just one of those things not to overthink, and this is a world filled of magic and whatnot, so I guess it wouldn't be too far fetched to say he was healed.

Then again there's the fact that Seifer cutting him on the face made a scar that didn't go away. So that part at the least kind of doesn't make sense.

[Flake]

I think FFVIII was the beginning of Square's current arrogance and contempt for their customers. The 'belts and zippers on everything the pretty boy, androgynous main character wears while he engages in some vapid, juxtaposed tripe of a pseudo intellectual bullshit story' mind set that defines the company today seems to have a lot of roots in FFVIII.

I can't really blame them, though. That approach has made them a lot of money.

[AppleQueso]

I think FFVIII was the beginning of Square's current arrogance and contempt for their customers. The 'belts and zippers on everything the pretty boy, androgynous main character wears while he engages in some vapid, juxtaposed tripe of a pseudo intellectual bullshit story' mind set that defines the company today seems to have a lot of roots in FFVIII.

I can't really blame them, though. That approach has made them a lot of money.

It's not "that approach" that's made them so much money, it's nothing but them riding the success of FFVII that's made them so much money.

They could've made FFVIII a game about sentient mushrooms rolling into chickens wearing hairbows and it would've still sold like crazy.

[Xeogred]

I liked when FF7 was one game. lol

[brunoafh]

So I just read through the entire thing.

I have to admit, it's a pretty interesting read. A decent interpretation of the plot with some sensible points and evidence. As much as I'd kind of like that dream theory to be true, I really doubt that's what the writers were going for. The scar thing is kind of weird... but I'm sure the fact of the matter is that the plot is just a bunch of random and increasingly outlandish events.

[ZeroAX]

I think the end of that article pretty much points to what I think: people NEED to make some elaborate theory about FF8's plot if they want to try to enjoy the game, because the only other thing to think is that the writer just had all these cool ideas and scenes and just tossed them all together without bothering to make them really fit. Plot points come up and then get brushed aside. Twists come out of nowhere, affect nothing, and disappear again. Reality and common sense are thrown to the side in favor of "gee that looks cool."

In a way I have to wonder if it wasn't just some "smart" writer deciding that Square was obviously going to screw him over and not let him "finish" his game (like they did w/ FF7 and Xenogears) so he wasn't going to bother with narrative coherence at all. Why should he when he'd just have the rug pulled out from under him anyway? But of course that's just another theory to explain why the plot to FF8 is so asinine.

Yeah, we all kind of agree with that point, but I still consider it to be fun making theories like this .

BTW could you please elaborate on the FF7 and Xenogears thing? I never knew FF7 wasn't "finished"

[Xeogred]

Can't say I've heard that either about FF7...

Xenogears is too obvious though and what do you know! Rumors have been the game was cut down for more funding on FF8. A stinky switch I'd say if you ask me, haha. But I still like FF8, though Xenogears is definitely one of my favorites even with the obvious flaws.

[ZeroAX]

Can't say I've heard that either about FF7...

Xenogears is too obvious though and what do you know! Rumors have been the game was cut down for more funding on FF8. A stinky switch I'd say if you ask me, haha. But I still like FF8, though Xenogears is definitely one of my favorites even with the obvious flaws.

I haven't played Xenogears, so I don't know how obvious the cuts in the story were

[Xeogred]

Basically the second disc becomes a text based adventure. Even through potential dungeons, the story just tells you what happens. Despite these flaws I still think the game is incredible, but I can't even comprehend how epic it would've been to see the whole thing.

And regardless of all the trimming, the game is still a good ~50 hours or so worth.

[brunoafh]

Can't say I've heard that either about FF7...

Xenogears is too obvious though and what do you know! Rumors have been the game was cut down for more funding on FF8. A stinky switch I'd say if you ask me, haha. But I still like FF8, though Xenogears is definitely one of my favorites even with the obvious flaws.

I haven't played Xenogears, so I don't know how obvious the cuts in the story were

Very blatantly obvious. Painfully obvious. The first time I played it I had no idea what was in store for me. I finished the first disc pretty much in a state of awe at how amazing the story was getting, only to be let down horribly by how the presentation was handled on disc 2.

To be fair though, I think the scope of the game might have been too big to handle even if they didn't get cut short. It's truly a monstrous game. I hear that Xenoblade is the first game that Takahashi has made that's been "fully realized".