So the first question I am sure you are dying to know the answer to is 'Did FFVIII live up to the hype?' The answer is an undoubted: YES. I will say now that the greatest aspect of this game is the amazing storyline and the characters that it encompasses. Just like in every FF game you have played, you get a genuine emotional bond with the characters... but FFVIII takes this one step further. Because the characters are so realistic and believable you feel for them like they ARE real. My particular favorite character was Rinoa. Square (more specifically Tetsuya Nomura) put so much effort into making her one of the most endearing characters you will ever 'bond' with. Squall too is just enchanting and the relationship that goes on between himself and Rinoa is a real spectical of beauty. I will not spoil the story line any more (There are lots of shocks in this story) but just to say that it is the greatest tale ever told. And this coming from someone who can't speak a word of Japanese...

So how do the other parts of the game match up to the story? Magnificently. The graphics are extremely beautiful. Countless exquisitely detailed backdrops give this game an amazing artistic feel. The mix of future to old-fashioned wartime style looks stunning. Battle graphics too are absolutely gorgeous. You really do see the best the PlayStation has ever produced in the ending battles of the game (Yummy death annimations!). The battle system is one of the best if not THE best in any RPG ever. The Junction system means you can customize just about every aspect of the battles almost limitlessly. In a review in Famitsu it was quoted that Guardian Forces make FFVIII too easy. I am guessing whoever said this hadn't got to the last sections of the game because FFVIII begins to get REALLY hard from the end of Disc 3 onwards. I will go as far to say that the final boss is one of the hardest things I have ever fought in any game EVER (I am talking about the first time I beat it though - after that it's much easier). Fear not: FFVIII is far from 'too easy'. Having said that it is not hard to the point where you would give up playing. The ending sections of the game really test your understanding of the games systems, specifically the Junction system and the weapon upgrading.

So everything in FFVIII is absolutely amazing... Hold on - I've missed something out... Ah yes the music of course (I deliberately left this till last). I have heard far too many people bash the soundtrack in FFVIII. In the early sections of the game, true some of the music is disappointing (Boss music, Laguna battle theme are the most offensive) but as you progress further you will start to hear Nobuo Uematsu's absolute greatest work to date. Of particular note is how amazing the orchestral version of 'Eyes on Me' turned out (The version played in the ending), it goes so well with the on screen images - it surprised me because I really hated the 'pop' version (The one available on the internet). I may be in the minority here (I maybe not though) but in my opinion FFVIII has the greatest soundtrack in any Final Fantasy yet. Yes it even beats the previous, amazing FFVI soundtrack. The ending themes in particular are truly stunning (If you stop gawping at the CG you will realise this). So in conclusion the storyline, music, graphics and combat system combine to make Final Fantasy VIII the best Final Fantasy yet. Perhaps even the greatest game of all time...

Final Thought: Just to show how truly wonderful the character design is I am genuinly upset at the thought of never seeing Squall and Rinoa again (Almost to the point of tears believe it or not). Square make this even harder to come to terms with because the ending is so delightful. I am eagerly awaiting the abundance of fanfics...