BlueSmoke - Guide : A History of Final Fantasy - Part IV

		Date	: Jan 28th, 2002
		Genre	: RPG
		Developer	: Squaresoft
		Author	: Jin-Ning Tioh

Today, our history lesson covers a truly revolutionary jump for the series. Square managed to astound thousands of loyal fans by abandoning its medieval roots of ancient castles, crystals and knights but not necessarily its flocks of yellow fluffy Chocobos. Instead of choosing to release "yet another" medieval Final Fantasy, both Final Fantasy VII and VIII took a leap into the distant future of towering Mako Reactors and futuristic stations, much to the dismay of some and to the revelation of others. Read on to find out how both Final Fantasy VII and VIII fared in the gaming industry, and how both may have helped secure the future of the RPG genre...

Final Fantasy VII   Released:  3rd September 1997  31st January 1997   Systems: PlayStation Personal Computer

The Story

In the distant future, humanity has found a new source of energy to supplement it's everyday needs - Mako. Originating from the center of the planet, Mako is the very life-force of the planet itself. Processed and made into products such as Materia, this substance can work miracles, granting the wisdom of the Ancients to the user, allowing them to cast spells and summon great beings. However, this substance, like all other fuels, is finite in supply. To harvest this new and powerful source of energy, a giant manufacturing company known as Shinra Inc. was created. So powerful is it's influence now that it controls whole cities, governments and the world at large with an iron fist. Although aware that the draining of Mako could result in disaster for the planet, Shinra still continues to function without remorse, maintaining order with it's powerful cadre of troopers, known only as SOLDIER. Consisting of troopers who are infused with Mako, this soldiers are the ultimate fighting force known to mankind.

However, the real battle lies not with a corporation, but a force much more competent from the distant past. A long-thought dead warrior bent on becoming more and more powerful, coupled with the Planet's drained energy, threatens the very existence of everything sacred.

Now, a small rebel group known as AVALANCHE emanating from the slums must quell the various dangers toward the innocent, and one cold-hearted mercenary for hire must look amidst the lies and deception and find the man he is within.

The Heroes ( Good Guys )

The heroes in Final Fantasy VII play a vital role in this timeless story. Unlike many other RPGs, these characters must conquer their own fears, doubts and worries to achieve their dreams and ambitions. At times even, players can come close to tears and feel a character's despair during moving moments in the plot. There are also practically dozens of fascinating sub-plots which enhances the characters' backgrounds.

Cloud Strife - At the age of thirteen, Cloud left his hometown of Nibelheim to fulfill his dreams of becoming the greatest SOLDIER in history. Now, arrogant, cocky, full of ambition, and armed with a gigantic double-handed sword, the fiercely independent Cloud wanders the world, a brooding mercenary who will accept any job - provided the price is right. Seeing an opportunity, Cloud joins up with AVALANCHE as a mercenary in order to grab some quick cash. However, what seemed like a simple bombing mission quickly turns into a quest to seek the warrior he once stood and fought beside.

Aeris Gainsborough - A beautiful and demure young woman, Aeris works as a flower girl in the city of Midgar. Although Aeris is good at getting herself out of trouble with the Shinra troopers she often encounters, her adoptive mother is often concerned for her well-being. Meeting Cloud on the dirty streets of Midgar, Aeris later teams up with the ex-SOLDIER after an encounter with the Turks, who are trying to find her for unknown reasons. Knowing that she holds a secret that is both sacred and powerful, Aeris becomes involved with AVALANCHE to try unraveling her mysterious identity. Being deeply religious and spiritual, Aeris is a great asset to the party with her great magical capabilities.

Tifa Lockheart - Gentle and kind at heart, Tifa was Cloud's childhood friend in her younger days. Although she has a cheerful disposition, she becomes a lethal weapon once provoked. The owner of the 7th Heaven in Sector 7 as well as a proud member of AVALANCHE, Tifa is an expert at martial arts, with a metal-plated sole on her left shoe - for extra damage. However, even after five years of being apart, Tifa still can't hide her strong feelings for Cloud.

Barret Wallace - Losing his wife Mina in an incident at his hometown of Corel with Shinra troopers years ago, Barret founded AVALANCHE : An underground resistance group whose mission is to destroy the use of Mako energy by destroying the reactors that power Midgar. Tough-talkin' and hard-nosed, Barret devoted his life to vengeance as well as protecting his beloved daughter Marlene. Attacking with a powerful prosthetic gun grafted directly onto his right hand, little does Barret realize that there is so much more at stake then it seems at first...

Cid Highwind - Foul-mouthed but kind-hearted, Cid can pilot any machine known to man, and is easily one of the best pilots in air or on sea. With an excellent knowledge of machinery and expertise on hand, he was once a test pilot for Shinra's space program in the past, but had to abandon his dreams of flying into space when Shinra cut funding for the project. Usually found in his aviator jacket and smoking a cigarette, Cid lends both his technical expertise as well as his battle skills to the party.

Red XIII - Strong, fierce, and coated with flaming-red fur, Red XIII is the last of an ancient race sworn to protecting the planet. Despite his bestial appearance however, he is amazingly eloquent and intelligent. Joining Cloud and his party after being rescued from a Shinra laboratory, Red XIII now seeks to travel as far as Cosmo Canyon to meet his adoptive grandfather and learn more about his mysterious past.

Cait Sith - Unreliable and seemingly trustworthy at first, this zany cat-like creature rides atop his huge stuffed Mog, magically brought to life. Armed only with a large megaphone in hand, Cait Sith can often be found shouting orders to his stuffed Mog. Although he is usually just as unreliable as his fortune telling, he does have several interesting attacks and moves which wrecks havoc among enemy lines.

Yuffie Kisagari - Sly and self-centered, Yuffie is the direct descendant of a tradition-bound ninja clan. Surprisingly however, she is frivolous and couldn't care less about tradition. Forcefully joining AVALANCHE, Yuffie leaves her hometown of Wutai in the hopes of using Cloud and his party to obtain as much Materia as possible. She has also been known to be brash in her decision-making, leading to several tumultuous relationships. This is mainly due to her young age. However, she more than makes up for her various flaws with her powerful weapons and skills, proving herself a useful and valuable member of the party.

Vincent Valentine - Cool, calculating, and stoic, Vincent's past with Shinra is shrouded in mystery. His black robe hides all emotion - Save his eyes, with their icy, piercing, continual gaze. Stumbling across Vincent resting in a coffin inside the abandoned Shinra mansion at Nibelheim, Cloud and his party allows Vincent to join up in an effort to help him resolve the torture in his soul and the horror Shinra inflicted upon him in a hideous experiment. Although he is quiet and frail, a dark and frightening power hides within him.

AVALANCHE

An organization founded by Barret Wallace to fight against the production of Mako. Comprising of five members - Barret, Tifa, Wedge, Jessie & Biggs - They will stop at nothing to help save the planet. They also recently hired the ex-SOLDIER mercenary known as Cloud Strife to help in their cause.

Wedge, Jessie & Biggs - Equally obsessed as Barret with stopping the production of Mako, this threesome died in the attempt to save Sector 7 from being wiped out when the giant pillar collapsed.

The Villains ( Bad Guys )

Final Fantasy VII features the most number of villains to date found in any one RPG, with the Shinra Corporation and Turks hosting a gaggle of villains that are even more developed than the heroes of many other RPGs. Each character plays an individual and important role in the unfolding saga...

Sephiroth - The former general of the Shinra army, Sephiroth was considered by many as the greatest SOLDIER who ever lived. Wielding the holy sword Masamune, virtually no creature - Be it the great dragons or the mightiest of armies - could stand in his way. Formerly Cloud's squad leader and role model, Sephiroth, long thought dead, has now returned. Mysterious and alluring, his destiny and intentions remain equally as hazy as his past...

JENOVA - A creature that has lived for thousands of years, JENOVA is believed to be Sephiroth's mother, due to his near-Oedipal fixation with her. She is also commonly known as the 'crisis of the sky'.

Shinra Corporation

The Shinra Corporation is ruthless and domineering in their exploitation of the planet's life-force, caring little for the well-being of either it's citizens or the planet. Their monopolistic strategies have given them not only economic but political control over the floating city of Midgar, fueled by it's Mako reactors stationed around the city. The following people hold key positions within Shinra's corporate hierarchy.

President Shinra - Founder and president of the Shinra Corporation. Profit is his only concern - Life means little to him, and nature is meant only for exploitation. A visionary, President Shinra now seeks the holy land, where he hopes to find rich sources of Mako and equally rich sources of profit.

Rufus Shinra - Cruel and ruthless, Rufus is the suave heir to the head of Shinra Inc. as well as being President Shinra's only son. Controlling the seaside city of Junon and its giant Mako Cannon, Rufus conspires to overthrow his father and seize control of the giant energy manufacturing company.

Palmer - Careless and carefree, Palmer is the bouncy head of the Space Development Division, in charge of space exploration and rocket development.

Scarlett - Beautiful and vicious, Scarlett is the cackling head of the Weapons Development Division. Her beauty hides the knowledge of some of the world's most destructive weapons.

Heidegger - The cackling head of the Public Maintenance and Order Division, Heidegger controls the Shinra Corporation's military forces. His elite forces, the Turks and SOLDIER, are feared and despised throughout the world.

Hojo - Scrawny and gloomy, Hojo is the head of the Chemistry Division. A mad scientist who continuously conducts unusual and terrible experiments, Hojo is currently researching the extent of the Ancients' powers and capabilities.

Reeve - The good-intentioned head of the City Development Division, Reeve is mainly responsible for the building of the city of Midgar as well as maintaining it.

SOLDIER

Shinra's elite. These troopers are the main force responsible for protecting the Shinra Corporation's interests.

The Turks

The Turks are an elite team put together by the head of the Public Maintenance and Order Division, Heidegger. Taking care of sensitive industrial espionage issues, abductions and asassinations, the Turks make being bad look like so much fun! They are often known for their reputation of achieving the maximum results possible with minimum fuss.

Tseng - Cool and collected, Tseng serves as the leader of the Turks. Acting with deadly calm under fire, Tseng ensures that the team completes every task to perfection. As he once said, "Nobody messes with the Turks!".

Elena - Tseng's second-in-command, Elena is a member of the Turks as well as it's acting commander when Tseng is busy handling urgent business elsewhere.

Rude - Also a member of Turks, Rude is well-known for his ability to bring any situation under control.

Reno - Hot-headed and unpredictable, Reno can at times be a bit of a wild card. His abilities and skills however, more than make up for this small flaw.

Additional Hints & Tips

Hint #1

Breed and race your Chocobos to gain new types and colors. Yellow Chocobos can beget blue, and Green Chocobos can ride over rivers and mountains. Blue and Green Chocobos can beget a Black Chocobo. A Black Chocobo and an S-Class Chocobo can beget a Gold Chocobo. With the Gold Chocobo, players can even traverse oceans to a previously inaccessible cave in the northwest of the world. There lies the Knights Of The Round Table Materia. This mind-blowingly powerful summon is capable of killing even Sephiroth in a single blow!

Hint #2

To use an Enemy Skill, you need an Enemy Skill Materia. With one equipped, go into a battle. If an enemy uses their particular skill on you, you'll spin around and a message will appear stating that you've learned it. You then have to win the battle. If you run away or lose the battle, you will not have learned it. Some enemies may not use their skills normally. In some cases, you must control them using the Manipulate Materia and then make them use their skill. Remember, you also can't have a fellow party member use a skill on you in order to learn it.

Hint #3

Every time you arrive at the Gold Saucer, there is a 1-in-60 chance that a man will be standing near the back of the screen, past the Save Point. If you go up and talk to him, he will sell you one GP for 100 gil. You can exchange up to 100 GP from him.

Hint #4

There are six Turtles' Paradise Flyers scattered across the world. You can take the flyers to Wutai and give them to the restaurant owner in return for one of every kind of Source item, and a Megalixir. The exact location of the six flyers are at :

-	One's in Midgar City, in the second floor of the southeastern building north of Aeris' house. Look at the papers taped to the wall near the stairwell.
-	Another is in the Shinra Building, on the first floor, check out the board with papers on it near the elevators. You can only read this at the beginning of the game or when you raid Midgar during the 2nd Disc.
-	The next one is in the Gold Saucer. Go to the Ghost Square and enter the hotel. Read the sign that says 'SHOP' next to the shop entrance.
-	Two of them are in Cosmo Canyon. One is stapled to the left-hand wooden post on the Tigerlily Arms Shop. The other is the gold paper by the door on the second floor of the inn (the entrance is behind some hanging cloth near the bonfire).
-	The last one is in Wutai. It's on the bottom floor of Yuffie's house. It looks like a wall scroll hanging to the right of the doorway. You can't get to it unless you've finished Yuffie's quest, though.

Hint #5

To get Yuffie Kisaragi to join your gang, travel to either the forests beyond the Gold Saucer, or to most of the forests in the Junon Area. After a few battles, you should run into a fight with Yuffie. She's easy to defeat and shouldn't pose too much of a problem. Once the battle has ended, you'll appear in a plain with Yuffie lying nearby. To get her to join your party, talk and respond to her like this :

Reply : Not interested.
Reply : ......petrified.
Reply : Wait a second!
Reply : ......That's right.
Reply : ......Let's hurry on.

If you try to use the Save Point nearby, or if you give a wrong answer, Yuffie will escape and steal some gil from you. This means that you have to re-find and re-fight her, then go through the same conversation again, if you want her to join up.

Hint #6

To get Vincent Valentine to join your gang, travel to the abandoned Shinra mansion at Nibelheim. Once there, head to the safe and turn the following combination in :

RIGHT TO 36, LEFT TO 10, RIGHT TO 59, RIGHT TO 97

When you open the safe, you'll be attacked by a monster, Lost Number. Once you finish tackling him, head for the pink cavern beneath the hidden spiral stairway, and open the northern door (The portal just before the library). To open the door, you'll need the gold key from the safe. Once inside, go to the purple coffin. To get him to join you, respond in the following manner :

Reply : Talk about Sephiroth.
Reply : Who are you?

Then, try to leave the pink cavern and he'll join you. Vincent cannot join you during Cloud's flashback, just so you know.

Historical Facts

Final Fantasy VII is a landmark title in many ways. Its production values were a step above any game ever created. Never before had anyone channeled so much money and effort into any one project. Its storyline was timeless, movie sequences were unparalleled not only in quality, but in sheer length - over 60 minutes throughout the game - seamlessly sewn into the scheme of things to give added effect to the more important moments, and its fantastic graphics gave it the huge mass-market appeal it enjoys today. The beautiful and brilliant landscapes composed by Tetsuya Nomura was but one of the factors which made the game feel so real - Real enough and fantasy-like at the same time to enthrall the player from beginning to end, captivated in their own fantasy world. No expense was spared; even backgrounds that were only to be used once were still rendered in exquisite detail.

The fully 3D world map was groundbreaking compared to its predecessors. Hills on the horizon would slowly come into focus as the character moved towards them in real-time. Such features, on top of dozens of little niceties as hearing the creak of the bridges as they were crossed, truly made fantasy become reality. As if this wasn't enough, some of Nobuo Uematsu's finest work is displayed in Final Fantasy VII. The music is beautifully orchestrated, from the beating drums of Cosmo Canyon to the oddly synthesized notes played at the Temple of the Ancients. No piece of music sounded out of place, instead each gave depth to its surroundings. However, the thing which makes or breaks a game is not the music or even the graphics, although they are also important in today's market. It is the core of the game, commonly referred to by the masses as gameplay. Before Final Fantasy VII the RPG was an unknown genre for most gamers in the west, beside the minority of hardcore players. In Japan, the game was already a phenomenon, with thousands of fans camping outside their local retail outlets waiting for Final Fantasy VII. For the rest of the world, Final Fantasy VII was something new. Level up your character and teach them new skills! Acquire new and powerful weapons to stand a greater chance of victory!

Many did not expect the driving story line : love, hate, honor, betrayal, friendship and war. Players enjoyed the realism, being in the position of the character, being responsible for their progress. You are in charge : you can even choose the personality of your character by being either rude or kind when given the option. True, this doesn't really have the ultimate effect on the ending, but you get a sense of being in control throughout. It wouldn't be too wrong in saying that a player could very easily get emotionally attached to a character, feeling for them throughout their victories, defeats and sufferings.

Final Fantasy VII may also have been the game which allowed Sony to achieve victory in the next-generation video game wars. Nintendo's Japanese success was most directly attributable to two series : Square's Final Fantasy and Enix's Dragon Quest. Soon after Square's switch to the Sony platform, Enix announced that the next Dragon Quest game would also be made available for the PlayStation. This punch delivered Nintendo such a crushing blow that they still haven't quite recovered from it yet. This also provided Sony with the clout they needed to become the system of choice for Japanese gamers.

In short, Final Fantasy VII revolutionized gaming forever. It brought the genre from the shores of Japan to the much needing shelves of the western world. It showed that there was more to games than mindless kicks and punches. It is truly epic and in 20 years time it will be "up there" with the classics such as Pac Man, Tetris, Mario and Mortal Kombat. Methods and scale of game production, levels of artistic excellence, marketing of key titles, even the evolution of entire genres and markets - It was one of the turning points in gaming history, changing many people's views on what a game should be forever and leaving almost no facet of the industry unaltered by its earth-shattering arrival...

Final Fantasy VIII   Released:  9th September 1999  11th February 1999   Systems: PlayStation Personal Computer

The Story

In a time of sophisticated technology and powerful magic, the serenity which blankets the world is calm and peaceful in appearance - A curtain which merely hides the turmoil threatening to surface...

An unprovoked attack against a neighboring country, an assault by a strike team deep into enemy territory, and a declaration of war against the world by an evil sorceress who corrupted the world's largest military power through manipulation and deception plunges a previously peaceful existence into destruction and chaos. Thrust into the ensuing madness is a young man named Squall Leonhart, a cadet in the military academy of Balamb Garden. A lone wolf by the standards of others, Squall's relentless drive to become the best of the best leads him into joining SeeD, an elite mercenary unit whose sole intention is to defend, serve, and protect humankind from the sorceress who now threatens to completely conquer all of space and time, although they may at times take other assignments for the right price.

Now, a small, loose-knit group of SeeD graduates find themselves caught up in a battle unlike which the world has ever known. With no time to ponder these recent turn of events, a gunblade specialist, together with a diverse group of young heroes, must set aside his fears, face the emotions he's run from, and become the leader that he never wanted to be.

The Heroes ( Good Guys )

Final Fantasy VIII features a diverse cast of characters, each with their own special talents and abilities. Most of your party will consist of SeeD mercenaries, trained in their respective fields and each wielding the weapon of their choice.

Squall Leonhart - The embittered, taciturn and reluctant hero, thrown into the mysterious conspiracy of rivalry in a world soon to be plagued by chaos. A cadet in SeeD, his aloof and anti-social behavior makes him appear selfish and lacking a sense of team unity. This has caused him to appear "problematic" in the eyes of others. Equipped with a gunblade, Squall dislikes having others involved in his affairs and is best described as a lone wolf.

Rinoa Heartilly - A beautiful, spirited, feisty, independent and lively young woman with the ability to touch people's hearts. Open and honest with her feelings, she speaks her mind without reservation. Driven by her ambition, she can be difficult at times. Originating from a forest town known as Timber, Rinoa is also the leader of the Forest Owls, an underground resistance dedicated to fighting against Galbadia's control for their independence.

Quistis Trepe - A top-notch member of SeeD who serves as Squall's peer and instructor. A SeeD cadet at the age of 15, Quistis now instructs Squall and his companions at Balamb Garden. Well respected throughout the academy, Quistis' devoted students huddle together as "Trepies". Contrary to her cool exterior, she occasionally has a hard time coping with frustration and, as a result, can become depressed over trivial matters. Although she remains silent, she still holds strong feelings for Squall.

Zell Dincht - A Garden Cadet with unsurpassed martial art skills who loves tinkering with machines. Aspiring to become like his grandfather who was once a soldier, Zell entered Garden at the age of 13. Not being one to think matters through, he is known to act on impulse rather than reasoning. At heart however, he is an honest, dedicated young man.

Selphie Tilmitt - A spunky young woman with a carefree spirit. Recently transferred from Trabia Garden over to Balamb Garden, Selphie seems out of place in a military academy due to her innocent appearance and light-hearted personality. Her happy-go-lucky disposition and laid back attitude yet courageous, take-charge personage tend to catch others off guard.

Irvine Kinneas - An expert gunman and consummate lady's man. Irvine is well known as one of the best sharpshooters in Garden. His reputation for cherishing the company of woman is almost as well know as his accuracy with a gun. Although he seems to be uncaring and frivolous at first glance, in reality he is sensitive and serious. His outward confidence also hides a serious inner doubt.

Laguna Loire - A passionate man whose pen is truly mightier than the sword. An ex-soldier turned journalist, Laguna is a strong willed man with amazing energy. Among his friends and comrades, Laguna is a well-respected and optimistic figure, fueled with a strong passion to assist those in need and battle against those who force oppression. Using his writing as a mighty instrument of justice, he stands strong against the evils of the world.

Kiros Seagill - A close friend to Laguna and devoted comrade, serving alongside him in the Galbadian Army. Attacking with a pair of blades strapped to his wrists and good-naturedly shooting down Laguna every chance he gets, Kiros "dresses and talks funny", according to Ellone. However, Kiros's faith and trust is an equal component of their overall companionship.

Ward Zabac - Sporting a scar as a result of an old war injury and losing the ability to talk due to an ambush during a patrol mission, Ward relies on Kiros to communicate his needs and emotions. A heavyset fellow with a harpoon, Ward has a kind heart and follows his friends and comrades, Laguna and Kiros, closely.

Ellone - Sought after by Sorceress Edea due to her power to send people back into past, Ellone is also connected to Laguna and Squall, who holds hauntingly familiar images of her, although they have never met. Or so he thinks...

Headmaster Cid - Headmaster of Balamb Garden, and founder of the organization commonly known as Garden, Cid can usually be found attending to the everyday matters of running Balamb Garden as well as keeping an eye on the instructors. Closely connected to the other Gardens, and also with a certain sorceress as well...

The Villains ( Bad Guys )

The characterization of Final Fantasy VIII is likely one of its strongest points. The more realistic, cinematic character style is matched by authentic emotions. Gone are the one-dimensional archetypes of past RPGs. In their place are characters rich with multiple defining characteristics, true-to-life motivations, and multifaceted relationships with other characters.

Seifer Almasy - Squall's bitter rival who causes havoc within Garden, as well as being head of Balamb Garden's Disciplinary Committee. Also a candidate for SeeD, with a romantic dream of being a valiant knight. Although his skills make him a powerful warrior as well as a naturally gifted soldier, Seifer's lack of authority and incredibly high ego feed his irresponsibility, causing an inability to take orders and control his temper. This has earned him the label of "problematic". Although recognizing Squall's abilities, Seifer regards him as his ultimate rival.

Fujin - A member of the Disciplinary Committee, Fujin is a taciturn woman, who is mostly quiet and only spurts loud, single words as a means of communication. When she finally does speak, it is to tell Seifer that she and Raijin can no longer follow his self-destructive path. Fujin is also a fierce warrior, retaining the strength, power, and demeanor of any male warrior. She stands beside Seifer and Raijin as an element of their "posse".

Raijin - A member of the Disciplinary Committee, Raijin is very outspoken, rash, and self-centered. Although he is basically a slow-witted big lug, he often has Seifer's best interests at heart. Teamed together with his partner Fujin, they make fearsome foes. Raijin also tags along with Seifer and Fujin to help enforce the Garden rules.

Sorceress Edea - With a Gigeresque headpiece and a chilling appearance, Edea is a mysterious sorceress obsessed with power. An imposing foe, she has recently taken control of the nation of Galbadia, shifting an enormous amount of power in their favor. With the army at her command and a government conspiracy surrounding her name, the world is gripped in confusion and terror. Her plans unknown, SeeD was recently assigned to eliminate her.

Sorceress Ultimecia - Pure evil and all powerful, Ultimecia is a dominating sorceress from the future. She aims to achieve time compression, collapsing history to a single point and gaining the powers of every sorceress who ever lived. A bit of a cipher, she is only unveiled during the final apocalyptic showdown.

Griever - The ultimate Guardian Force, Griever's powers are tremendous. Named after Squall's necklace, this name is seemingly forgotten at first. During the final apocalyptic showdown however, Griever is summoned by Sorceress Ultimecia and proves to be a powerful adversary.

Additional Hints & Tips

Hint #1

Kiros comments on how much Squall looks like his mother. Ward adds silently that it's a good thing he doesn't look like his father. Laguna has "something important" to tell Squall, but it can wait until after Ultimecia is defeated. Ellone, Laguna's adoptive daughter, ends up in the same orphanage as Squall. Squall calls her "Sis". Laguna has Squall's triple triad card. Seventeen years ago, while Laguna was away, his wife, Raine, died in childbirth. Squall, as it happens, is 17 years old. Though the game never comes out and says it, the answer is there for those who choose to look : Laguna is Squall's father.

Hint #2

Another secret is the lengthy quest of Timber Obel Lake. This adventure will take you all over the world, decoding word puzzles and solving mysteries. The reward for solving the quest is small, but the friends you make will last forever. You'll never forget Mr. Monkey - Not after he tells you that "You suck!"

Hint #3

Return to the second-floor homeroom periodically to check up on the Balamb Garden network. Selphie keeps her online diary up to date with her perspective on the party's goings on. There's also a public bulletin board and Selphie's own shrine devoted to Sir Laguna. This is where all those Timber Maniacs you read end up! While completely optional, the virtual web sites make for some interesting reading.

Hint #4

Looking for a real challenge? The Omega weapon is for you. Before fighting the Omega weapon, make sure your party is prepared. Give every character in your party 9,999 hit points. Junction 100 death spells to all characters' status resistance. Get a lot of hero medicine. Give characters initiative, auto-haste, Spd-J junctions, and Spd+ percentage abilities. Revive and recover commands are a must. Make sure Squall has his best weapon, the Lionheart.

The Omega weapon resides in Ultimecia's castle. Take your real party to the party exchange spot before the fountain. Your dummy party should head to the hallway to the right of the main lobby. Pull the string in the bottom left of the screen. Switch back to the real party and take your party north. Enter the battle, cast aura on Squall and Irvine, and then use the hero drink on your party to render them impervious to attacks. Keep on casting aura and using hero drinks to keep your party in prime fighting condition. Revive and recover deceased characters. Learn his timing, then summon guardian forces right before his deadly Omega flare. Have Irvine pound bullets into him and hope that Squall's Lionheart continually connects. Good luck!

Hint #5

The western-most and eastern-most islands commonly known as the Islands Closest to Heaven and Hell on the world map are littered with dozens of hidden, high-powered draw spells. They're also littered with the most difficult random encounters the game has to offer. Equip Diablo's enc-none ability to clean up on draw points. Fight the enemies to clean up on experience - Sometimes more than 2,000 EXP in a single battle! Odin's deadly attacks can come in handy, especially against a Malboro.

Historical Facts

Final Fantasy VIII marked a dramatic shift for the series toward a more cinematic paradigm. Characters are realistically proportioned, and all three members of the party are always present onscreen; no longer do they walk "into" and "out of" each other like Russian nesting dolls. FMVs are also more smoothly integrated into the gameplay and environments than it was in Final Fantasy VII. So, despite the realistic presentation and well-developed characters, Final Fantasy VIII is still clearly a fantasy game with fantastic elements. Just about anyone open-minded enough to appreciate a well-crafted story with excellent characterizations will enjoy Final Fantasy VIII.

It also drastically changed many of the gameplay standards RPG fans had grown used to over the past decade, shaking the very fundamental underpinnings of what most if not all RPG fans expect. Armor was removed entirely, and the need to "level up" was drastically reduced as your enemies' level always match your party's. Money is also no longer gained from random battles; instead, Squall and his party periodically receives a big fat check from SeeD. Magic spells are consumable, not learned permanently. Spells and Guardian Forces are gained by "drawing" them from the various enemies and from draw points scattered throughout the world. Characters "junction" Guardian Forces to themselves, opening up a variety of new abilities and techniques. Once junctioned to a Guardian Force, characters can then junction drawn spells to different attributes, increasing their strength, defense, and agility, adding status ailments to their attack, and more.

Reaction to the new style and systems was mixed. Most gamers accepted the new style of characters without too much protest. The elimination of weapons, armor, money, and levels drew some initial protest, but it was soon apparent that the game provided the same functionality these old systems did, just in different ways. The draw and junction systems, the most drastic gameplay shifts of all, engendered the most debate. Some found the systems to be quirky but ultimately rewarding, while others found them to be an overly complex, annoying hindrance.

Even so, Square deserves credit for the stylistic, gameplay, and narrative risks it took with Final Fantasy VIII. After the blockbuster success of Final Fantasy VII, Square was at the forefront of the RPG industry, if not the entire gaming industry. It would have been easy to toss out "just another" Final Fantasy game, but Square chose to take risks in an attempt to push the genre forward. Individually, not every change may have succeeded. Holistically, the game is an unabashed success. Kudos to Square for a valiant attempt on their part.