FF8 story theory *massive spoilers inside*

[ZeroAX]

I came by this theory about FF8's plot (thanks to Dorkly)

http://squallsdead.com/

I have to say, I'm amazed by how much sense this theory makes. Heck, if this was true, I'd put FF8's story up there with 6's... ok not tied with 6, which has lovable characters, but at least second.

I wish game developers, would be more ballsy about making more game plotlines which screw with the audience's mind, like this theory, if it was true.

EDIT

Also, I forgot to mention, NIGHTMARES FOR ALL

[Flake]

Spoiler alert.

BTW, this has got to be the only community where it feels prudent to post 'spoiler alert' for a game that came out in the mid 90's. Anyway...

I thought FF8's story was pretty straight forward - Just take the opening sequence of the game and move it to the point where he gets lost in time compression. Boom, it makes sense.

Why he chose Rinoa over Quistis, now THAT is the mystery. But then Squaresoft was really developing it's penchant for unlikeable / annoying main characters at around this time.

[ZeroAX]

Spoiler alert.

BTW, this has got to be the only community where it feels prudent to post 'spoiler alert' for a game that came out in the mid 90's. Anyway...

Why he chose Rinoa over Quistis, now THAT is the mystery. But then Squaresoft was really developing it's penchant for unlikeable / annoying main characters at around this time.

yeah, I guess you are right. Even though it's not a real spoiler, cause it's the topic of the theory (as in, it isn't actually mentioned during the game, but oh well).

Some people don't like blonds though . Though I have to say, Quistis and Rinoa are the hottest FF threesome material.

[Xeogred]

Why he chose Rinoa over Quistis, now THAT is the mystery. But then Squaresoft was really developing it's penchant for unlikeable / annoying main characters at around this time.

Exactly! Man did I hate Rinoa.

I'm a fan of this theory, but yeah. Has its holes.

I like it a lot more than the "Rinoa = Ultimecia of the future with multiple dimensions" theory though, it's... something like that which seems a lot more far fetched.

[AppleQueso]

Square's writers aren't clever/stupid enough to actually have intended this, so...

Yeah my problem with the theory is that it pretty much renders EVERYTHING in the last three discs completely pointless. It's like a long, drawn out "it was a dream all along!" thing. Just a glorified cheap copout. It certainly doesn't do anything to improve the story in any way...

FF8 is just a sloppy mess of a game and the persistence of theories like this only help to illustrate that.

[ZeroAX]

It's a good game, with a fun (if broken) battle system, tons of memorable moments, great art direction....but has a crappy story, and half the characters are really unlikable.

Though I don't consider Rinoa one of them


You know, FF8 gives me that vibe of changing writers/directors, who didn't want to scrap what the previous one has already done.

BTW, had anyone actually noticed that pic of squal? I've beaten the game 3 times, seen the ending like 10 times, but I never noticed that (probably cause it was only shown for 0.5 sec.

[brunoafh]

That Squall picture actually is pretty creepy.

[emwearz]

My theory is Squall was actually a space monkey who was sent to mate with our kind.

[mobiusclimber]

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."

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.

[AppleQueso]

http://socksmakepeoplesexy.net/index.php?a=ff08

This has a nice and hilarious theory for how the game ended up the way it did. It's also a pretty good writeup and review on the game itself.