want to try to beat this game without cheats!

[Future Angel]

i have a dark confession, i used gameshark for this one i think!?

when i beat it back on my playstation

been playing it a few times casually...

but im thinking of getting it on PSN and playing from the start with no cheats!

gets frustrating because i really enjoy "save anywhere" and "no randoms!"

but diablos is pretty good about that.

so imma try, but can i do it?

what if i cant? what if i fail?

do these thoughts ever come to yall? final fantasy gamers are a different breed, yall can handle any game!

[Michael Swayne]

You mean that there are GameShark cheats for FFVIII??? Wow, I really do learn something new every day.

As for whether or not you can do it without cheating, the answer is yes. I am not really that great at Final Fantasy VIII, but I was able to finish it without using a guide, online help, or cheats. And at the time, I didn't even have a good grasp of the Junction system or Card game.

And so what if you fail? You just hit the reset button and try again. Simple.

[Xanatos]

Final Fantasy VIII is rather easy when you learn how to use the junction system properly, it ain't exactly a rocket science as many make it out to be. You're already familiar with the game to some extent which should be of some help. Go for it, you have nothing to lose, except for time.

[Martin]

I genuinely don't want to come across badly when I say this but I've never experienced any difficulty with VIII. The Junction system is just poorly explained but if you basically think that the stronger the magic you obtain, the better the stat you junction it to will be you're pretty much set!

The good thing is should you get stuck you're at least on a forum when you can ask for help and it'll always be readily provided

[Squall]

As stated above; mastering the junction system is the key to VIII. Stock up on good magic, get a few ultimate weapons and you'll be set. BTW, I didn't even know cheats existed for the game lol.

[do re mi ti la]

Hey dude ff games can get frustrating with randoms, but once you wt used to them tnisnt so bad
And in most ff games its good to fight randoms to get stoger
But in 8 the stronger u lvl, the harder enemies get

So fight randoms til u get diablos jo encounter and whatever gf abilities you want
Then junction magic to your characters to increase attack, defence, etx

U beat game with cheats so where to go wont be a issue
And once you get the junction system ur all set

You can do it! Gamew may seem intimidating, but a lot of us played this game in like 6th grade!! Your probably older than that?? You can do it!!!

[Rowan]

Play the cards game, mod the cards and create the magic using various other modding abilities. So easy to 1 shot everything in the game as long as you keep a low level.

[loaf]

My friend used a Gameshark for FFVIII. The Level100 Zell one was messed up and it put Zell at level1 lol. He had 99 of every item, so he just card modded for the best of the best and got everything.

SPOILER!!:

I still had to beat Ultimecia for him

[Mystyrion]

I must admit that this is one of the few Final Fantasy's that I have not beaten. Not due to its difficultly, just I get bored with it.
I always get like 3-5 hours into the game and just quit all together.

[Martin]

Play the cards game, mod the cards and create the magic using various other modding abilities. So easy to 1 shot everything in the game as long as you keep a low level.

The funny thing is, you only really need to keep Squall a low level as the monster level is proportional to him. I had one save where everyone was 100, and Squall was 19. Omega was downed with three Lionhearts.

But then I leveled him to 100, and Ultimecia was a PAIN. Omega was worse on another save with him at 100 - has over a million HP

[Alpha]

Why does everyone say that? I've never deliberately kept levels low, and rarely used card mod, and still found the game easy. Omega was a challenge, but not Ultimecia. Just draw 100 of everything the first time you find it. It's a pain, but worth it. Tip: junction something awesome to Magic, as the power of your draw (i.e. time taken to get 100 of any magic) depends on your MAG stat.

[Martin]

Why does everyone say that? I've never deliberately kept levels low, and rarely used card mod, and still found the game easy. Omega was a challenge, but not Ultimecia. Just draw 100 of everything the first time you find it. It's a pain, but worth it. Tip: junction something awesome to Magic, as the power of your draw (i.e. time taken to get 100 of any magic) depends on your MAG stat.

I'm guessing it's because it's probably the easiest way to beat the game my friend. Personally, I like to max out too. And according to the Strategy Guide, drawing is actually dependent on a combination of your Luck stat AND Magic. Hence someone with 255 Mag and almost 0 Luck might hit a 9 1/10. If memory serves that is.

[Dodie16]

My Ultimecia strategy: Use Aura on Zell, Selphie and Squall and spam "Armageddon Fist", Full Cure and Renzokuken, respectively.

Only time I had to cheat in this game was to get Selphie's The End to pop up. Always had a bit of impatience when it came to her Slots, so it was easy for me to skip over it when perusing through the available magics. Popping the PS lid would cause the battle to sort of "pause", so I could take all the time I needed to find the thing.

[Sheechiibii]

Why does everyone say that? I've never deliberately kept levels low, and rarely used card mod, and still found the game easy. Omega was a challenge, but not Ultimecia. Just draw 100 of everything the first time you find it. It's a pain, but worth it. Tip: junction something awesome to Magic, as the power of your draw (i.e. time taken to get 100 of any magic) depends on your MAG stat.

The first time I played the game I never bothered card modding, I did drawn heaps of magic though (100 of everything) and I couldn't complete the game. I got as far as Ultimecia though, just couldn't kill her. I tried again playing normally, with levels and lots of magic and didn't even get to Ultimecia's castle.

Then I played with as low levels as possible (I think I was at lv8 by the time I got to Ultimecia) and everything is a completel breeze. You have all the good stats because of 100 magics but everything is weak because your levels are low. It's fun too because I love Tripple Triad

@Martin I thought it was dependant on the average of your party, not just Squall.

Xx..xX

[Martin]

@Martin I thought it was dependant on the average of your party, not just Squall.

Xx..xX

Oh possibly. I'm just going off a guide I had at the time. It seemed very sure that levels were dependent on Squall and Squall alone. Could be wrong.

[Rowan]

I one shot everything after reaching timber. keep all characters low level as its based on an average or all characters levels. If I decide to play it alphas way (which I detest since leveling up essentially makes the game more difficult), the best way to win is to cast aura on everyone and dish out major dps before you are killed.

[Sheechiibii]

Oh possibly. I'm just going off a guide I had at the time. It seemed very sure that levels were dependent on Squall and Squall alone. Could be wrong.

I only thought that because I remember a question in the SeeD test about it and I'm sure it said that enemies leveled up according to the average of your party. I can't remember exactly though. Either that or it was in the information part near the test menu or in the computer.

Xx..xX

[Martin]

I only thought that because I remember a question in the SeeD test about it and I'm sure it said that enemies leveled up according to the average of your party. I can't remember exactly though. Either that or it was in the information part near the test menu or in the computer.

Xx..xX

Could very well be right to be honest. It's been an awful long time since I played the game low level and the guide was Piggyback I think so.. Not tat credible! Haha.

[Alpha]

Honestly, it sounds harder to avoid every battle to not get experience points. I like battling enemies. Provided you keep up with drawing ever more powerful magic, enemy level gains are not at all overwhelming.

How do you get AP without winning battles anyway?

[Rowan]

Honestly, it sounds harder to avoid every battle to not get experience points. I like battling enemies. Provided you keep up with drawing ever more powerful magic, enemy level gains are not at all overwhelming.

How do you get AP without winning battles anyway?

Did you notice that when you win a boss fight you get zero exp and are rewarded with a heap of AP? That was my first indication that EXP was not necessarily a good thing, otherwise it would have been a spoil from tough boss battles. Also, another way to gain AP is to finish off an enemy by using "card" that will ensure you get zero exp and receive the full amount of AP after the battle. Also, the best way to get ap is by killing Cactuars. They give a trivial amount of exp (I think its about 4 exp) and you receive a massive 20 AP for each cactuar you defeat.

[Martin]

Well Rowan's option is a particularly good one and one I've used. My other option was Kamikaze when I unlocked it as a GF ability because it down 5-figure damage and loses the character that uses it from battle. As I always focused on keeping Squall's level low as I believed (and I admit possibly erroneously) that his level was the one that mattered.

[Rising Star]

Yeah keeping your party low-leveled is the easiest way, although I was like high levels when I beat ultimecia etc I don't think it is the hardest FF game out there, yeah the Junction system could have been better explained but once you have the basics the rest will follow, Good Luck!

[Xanatos]

I play the same way Alpha does, the game is already way too easy as it is, why would I want to make it even less challenging.

[Martin]

I play the same way Alpha does, the game is already way too easy as it is, why would I want to make it even less challenging.

We all agree on this, all we're really coming up with are solutions for those folks who might be struggling, which is really the purpose of the thread. I play to max out, but I've also played with low levels. Everyone has their own unique style.

[Benihime2059]

Train up a lot the randoms level up with you but the bosses dont and its easy to train up

[Sheechiibii]

Train up a lot the randoms level up with you but the bosses dont and its easy to train up

Bosses do level up with you as well. The only difference is that if you level up to over 60 or 70 then while the random enemies will still level up with you as far as 100, bosses have certain points they won't cross, the final boss is about 60/70. That's the only time the bosses don't level up with you. Basically, unless you overlevel the hell out of this game, all the enemies(bosses included) get harder the higher your level is.

[Squall's Gunblade]

Maybe it's just me but I struggled like hell on FF8 but 7, 9 and 10 I strolled through without a problem!

Omega and Ultima weapon were a nightmare to kill, and because I've got the playstation version of FF8 Omega weapons level is always at 100 regardless of you're parties current level!

Only suggestion I've got is draw loss of magic junction correctly, acquire every GF and Ultimate weapon also remember Ultimacia uses level 5 doom so refrain from having a level that ends with a 0 or a 5!

I'm in the process also of starting again but only as far as the first visit of Deling (just defeated and acquired the brothers)