There was one glaring omission back last year when Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy VII, IX, X and XII would be coming over to the Xbox One. And that was when rumours began circulating as to why Final Fantasy VIII wasn’t on current-gen systems. But now rumours have become reality.
Today those rumours cease and Final Fantasy VIII joins the others on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, with it available to purchase and download right now. And it’s got the Remastered treatment to boot. Not a full remaster like X or XII, but a substantial one featuring lots of HD-goodness.
VIII features a world on the brink of war, governed by the sorceress Edea. Players take control of Squall Leonhart and his team of military fighters known as SeeD, who want to turn the tide of the ongoing war. They are based out of Balamb Garden which upon first inspection could pass as a high school.
Being a Final Fantasy game expect traditional RPG elements including turn-based battles, summons, chocobos and a deep, enriching 30+ hour story. And plenty of Triple Triad, one of the best minigames in the entire franchise.
This – being a remaster – features upgraded visuals and improved character models. It also has a few gameplay modifiers including several battle assist options to make combat easier, a x3 speed boost and a tweak that disables all random encounters altogether.
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is available to download now priced at £15.99 from the usual digital stores – Xbox Store for us Xbox One gamers, for example. We will have a review coming very soon, but for now, let us know in the comments section if this is on your horizon to download.
Now we are just left waiting for Final Fantasy I – VI and then we’ll be very happy.
Game description:
It is a time of war. The Republic of Galbadia, under the influence of the sorceress Edea, mobilises its great armies against the other nations of the world. Squall and other members of SeeD, an elite mercenary force, join hands with Rinoa, a resistance fighter, to fight against Galbadia’s tyrannical rule and to prevent Edea from fulfilling her ultimate goal. This product is a remaster of FINAL FANTASY VIII, featuring multiple enhancements including additional options to customise your gameplay experience and difficulty, such as: – Battle assist options (HP, ATB gauge, and Limit Break boosts) – Game speed boost (x3) – No random encounters
