Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums > Final Fantasy: The Quickening > Final Fantasy VIII > Final Fantasy VIII or Dragon Quest VIII?

[Bolivar]

Karellen cried aloud with mirth and merriment

It's broken because you can make your characters ridiculously powerful very early on in a relatively short amount of time. It's clunky because standing around drawing magic for about ten minutes each time a new spell comes up is beyond tedious.

I disagree, because as you later stated, it's the magic refining abilities which can allow for the game to be easily broken early on. However, there are 20+ abilities for GFs to learn, and any given player may opt to learn other abilities prior. Also, you do get a few stones that refine highly early on, but even then, the magic you refine isn't enough to give your characters overly-exploited attributes.

Also, you don't have to draw to the max everytime a new magic comes out. You should only do as much as you need. That's like seeing the Level # in prior FF's and thinking that it means you have to get it to 99 before proceeding.

For that being, said, I prefer VIII much more because the Junciton system is so open ended that you can get a different experience each time you play. Variation is something almost completely ignored in DQVIII.

That's not to say it's not one of my favorite RPG's. As far as traditional, dragons & princesses RPGs go, it's done about as well as it can be, the game is huge, the amount of side content is massive, and the graphics and music are some of the most breathtaking I've witnessed in a game.

The truth is the Kitase/Nomura/Nojima/Uematsu team took alot more risks and made extremely unique games in their time together. The story in VIII is well directed and there are few gaming expriences like it, to me.

[rubah]

You kinda have to know ahead of time what you're doing to get to the ridiculous stat levels

[Karellen]

Bolivar cried aloud with mirth and merriment:

I disagree, because as you later stated, it's the magic refining abilities which can allow for the game to be easily broken early on. However, there are 20+ abilities for GFs to learn, and any given player may opt to learn other abilities prior.

Just because there are people who don’t understand the junctioning system well enough to exploit it doesn’t make it less exploitable. Similarly, choosing not to exploit it doesn’t make it any less exploitable either.

Bolivar cried aloud with mirth and merriment:

Also, you do get a few stones that refine highly early on, but even then, the magic you refine isn't enough to give your characters overly-exploited attributes.

Have you actually tried it? The amount of firagas you can refine out of the wizard stones you get from saving Ellone is more then enough to cause the amount of damage I described.

Bolivar cried aloud with mirth and merriment:

Also, you don't have to draw to the max everytime a new magic comes out. You should only do as much as you need. That's like seeing the Level # in prior FF's and thinking that it means you have to get it to 99 before proceeding.

It’s more like a game where enemies don’t give you experience unless you’re in a couple of pre-defined areas. Obviously in that situation you’re going to level up as much as is reasonable while you’re able. A game like that would be critically panned because leveling has changed from a parallel process like it is in other games to something that stops the progression of the game. Drawing magic is basically that. Obviously players are going to stock up on as much as they can, because they don’t know when they will next be able to (or do, and realize it’s going to be a while before they get another chance to) stock up on X magic. Only, unlike every other magic/ability system in the series where you just gain AP or whatever as you go (besides II, which is equally bad), you have to stop your progress and dedicate time to one, repetitive cause. Drawing is a hideously designed system with absolutely no redeeming qualities.

[Serapy]

Karellen cried aloud with mirth and merriment

As soon as you learn the life refinery ability off siren you can load your HP up with Curaga by refining tents. Similarly, once you save Ellone and receive a decent supply of Wizard Stones you can load your strength with level 3 magic via elemental refineries. This pretty much makes the whole game a complete joke, since all you have to do after that is put Squall in critical condition for the whole game and kill bosses with two or three limit breaks. These abilities only require 30 AP each, thus take no time at all to learn. If a game rewards you that much for so little effort, there is a fundamental flaw with the system.

If this game was easy for you, then I guess beating Omega Weapon was easy for you as well It wasn't for me anyway.

If the way of how the battle system works as intended by the programmers then it's not supposed to be flawed. You are only saying that because you have played other FF games and apparently have found FF8 the easiest one if I'm wrong. One of each FF battle systems is supposed to be unique in thier own ways and FF8 happen to be on that hand. You're probably a skilled FF player but I don't generally think it was that easy. Maybe not very hard but time-consuming.

[Tsukasa]

I prefer the Junction System.

As to this day it's unique, I'd love for it to be built on in a future game.

[ff is da best]

i like final fantasy VIII more better it may be old but its still a pretty awsome game. i like dragonquest is well but i didnt like the part how you mix items in a pot it was annoying.

[John_912]

ff is da best cried aloud with mirth and merriment

i like final fantasy VIII more better it may be old but its still a pretty awsome game. i like dragonquest is well but i didnt like the part how you mix items in a pot it was annoying.

I think mixing items in a pot was less annoying than drawing magic from monsters during a battle.

[James Leopold]

I find FFVIII to be the better of the two.