Final Fantasy VIII cover
FranchiseFinal FantasySeriesFinal Fantasy

Final Fantasy VIII

Critic score1 critic
Be the first to rate
First release
Feb 11, 1999
Genres
Role-playing (RPG), Card & Board Game, Adventure · Open world, Fantasy, Science fiction
Platforms
PlayStation, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable

Final Fantasy VIII is the eighth main installment in the Final Fantasy series. The gameplay makes a departure from many series standards. While it still uses the Active Time Battle system, it deviates from the series' traditional means of boosting a character's power via leveling, although levels are not completely abandoned as they were in Final Fantasy II. In addition, it does not have a Magic Point-based system for spell-casting. Instead, magic is collected, drawn, and created from items, and is used to power up the characters via the junction system.

Also known as Финальная Фантазия 8, FINAL FANTASY VIII, Final Fantasy 8, FFVIII
… See more, FF8, 最终幻想8, 太空戰士 8

Attributes

No Attributes added.

Details

Storyline, release dates, time to beat, age ratings, modes, links, keywords

Storyline
Final Fantasy VIII is set on a fantasy world with science fiction elements, and focuses on Squall Leonhart, a young SeeD mercenary hired out to various missions by Balamb Garden. Squall and his friends are enlisted to help a group known as the Forest Owls led by Rinoa Heartilly, an endeavor that escalates into a conflict against the forces led by Sorceress Edea.Read more

Final Fantasy VIII is set on a fantasy world with science fiction elements, and focuses on Squall Leonhart, a young SeeD mercenary hired out to various missions by Balamb Garden. Squall and his friends are enlisted to help a group known as the Forest Owls led by Rinoa Heartilly, an endeavor that escalates into a conflict against the forces led by Sorceress Edea.

Release dates
PlayStation
Feb 11, 1999
PlayStation
Sep 09, 1999
PlayStation
Oct 27, 1999
All 10 release dates
PlayStation
Oct 29, 1999
PlayStation 3
Sep 24, 2009
PlayStation Portable
Sep 24, 2009
PlayStation 3
Dec 17, 2009
PlayStation Portable
Dec 17, 2009
PlayStation 3
Dec 24, 2009
PlayStation Portable
Dec 24, 2009
Time to beatIGDB · recorded
Main Story
35h
Main + Extras
53h
Completionist
90h
Game modes
Single player
Perspective
Third person, Bird view / Isometric
Keywords
anime, bloody, time travel, magic, grinding
… All 163, minigames, turn-based, dystopian, summoning support, jrpg, death, military, fashion, time manipulation, dolphin, mythology, flight, insanity, multiple protagonists, bromance, overworld, party-based combat, backtracking, apocalypse, artificial intelligence, dialogue trees, sailing, amnesia, mad scientist, heavy metal, dreams, bats, playstation network, alchemy, boss fight, explosion, digital distribution, card based combat, train level, attributes, rivaling factions, leveling up, world map, bink video, human, polygonal 3d, psone classics, shopping, damsel in distress, loot gathering, transforming boss, love triangle, party system, multiple storylines, collectibles, full motion video, original soundtrack release, active ability, motion blur, non-player character, profanity, card collection, save point, sniping, tyrannosaurus rex, minotaurs, checkpoints, saving the world, side quests, resistance, questing, melee, pocketstation support, blindness, male antagonist, stat tracking, instant kill, betrayal, optional boss, female antagonist, subtitled silence, audio logs, rock music, political thriller, active time battle, mercenary, playstation tv support, non-linear storytelling, interactive environments, healer, anti-hero, recurring boss, level cap, temporary invincibility, motion capture animation, wrestling moves in non-wrestling games, plot twist, quick time event, power of friendship, not-so-bad guys, villain turned good, spiky-haired protagonist, teenager, androgyny, camping, ancient advanced civilization technology, ambient music, weapon workshops, fan service, new protagonist in sequel, flashback, women in refrigerators syndrome, poisoning, victory music, scripted events, random encounter, surprising character switches, time paradox, basilisks, escaping imprisonment, battle screen, innocent people die, context sensitive, disc streaming, anti-villain, playable boss, restoration, status effects, black magic, phoenix, bad parents, secret history, fictional currencies, tragic hero, potential love interest, false death, war veterans, dark past, secret past, j-pop, pre-rendered backgrounds, reluctant hero, retroactive achievements, groundhog day scenario, real-time over pre-rendered movies, greatest hits, white magic, armageddon, metagame, damage over time, level scaling, planet destruction, kill quest, pom-pom, tragic villain, interactive battle system, backwards compatibility, interactive achievement awards 2000, soft reset, fate, playstation underground, male protagonist, sword sorcery

At a Glance

Critic Score
90
Main Story (IGDB)
35h
Main + Extras (IGDB)
53h
Completionist (IGDB)
90h
How it playsMediaCommunityBehind the gameRelated

How it plays

Languages

  • Englishinterface, subtitles
  • Deutschinterface, subtitles
IGDB · recorded 26 Oct 2026
Also in 4 other languages

Language data: IGDB · recorded 26 Oct 2026