Recently I started playing Final Fantasy games, and I'm going back to play the ones I've never played before. Final Fantasy VIII is next on my list, and I just wondered how it compares (length and difficulty wise) to IV, VII, and X. I don't like using guides my first time through RPGs and I do the side-quests I can find, but I'm not going for 100% completion my first time through.

Thank you in advance for your replies