What keeps you coming back?

[Enigma]

All fans of the FF series know that one of the strongest qualities it has is it's replay value. There are obviously many other things, but you know a game is special when you want to complete it again and again.

So, my question to you is: What makes you want to play FFVIII over and over? Is it the plot? The characters? Moomba's? It could be anything.

Personally, I get sucked back in by the music. Whenever I hear it outside of the game it makes me feel so nostalgic and happy. It keeps me completely engrossed from start to finish.

Your views?

[Mindu]

VIII did have a fair bit of replay value for me; I've been through it three times, although to be honest I haven't had the urge to replay it since I did a near 100% run back in 2005. When I did a replay it was because of the story and battling. I never looked forward to drawing 100 Ultima, though.

[Zargabaath]

I return to VIII because I like dreaming that I was a moron. And so I may slay the mighty Ruby Dragon or to be its meal. Overall VIII has a lot of goodness that makes me want to replay it over. Squall's personal journey. The battle system with the crafting to upgrade weapons. The intricacies of the junction system. A great soundtrack. Tons of memorable scenes (Balamb vs Galbadia).

[loaf]

Only reason I will be replaying this game for the last time in my entire life is to actually play Triple Triad and put it to use.

[Xanatos]

I don't really care much for both story and characters, Triple Triad (best mini game ever), Junction System (battles in general), and Omega Weapon however are the main reasons I come back.

[Yoko]

Everything!!! I love the whole game inside and out. Triple Triad, the Junction System, The story, the characters. Getting the weapons, leveling up. EVERYTHING! Everytime I play it it's like a wave of nostalgia. It was my first FF after all, and still ranks the top.

[Rowan]

Everything. Things that use to annoy me (laguna sequences) I have grown to adore. The control you have over the game is great, it allows you to experience things at different paces and theres many different ways to play it. Triple Triad is the most addictive yet fun sidequest I've had the pleasure of exploiting. The storyline is fantastic, the characters have interesting and varied personalities. I also think the thing that keeps bringing me back to the final fantasy series is the nostalgia I feel since having played the game as a kid. That would probably be the number 1 factor.

[Squall]

Everything!!! I love the whole game inside and out. Triple Triad, the Junction System, The story, the characters. Getting the weapons, leveling up. EVERYTHING! Everytime I play it it's like a wave of nostalgia. It was my first FF after all, and still ranks the top.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

[squall69]

Couldn't have said it better myself.

i totally agree

[squall69]

Everything!!! I love the whole game inside and out. Triple Triad, the Junction System, The story, the characters. Getting the weapons, leveling up. EVERYTHING! Everytime I play it it's like a wave of nostalgia. It was my first FF after all, and still ranks the top.

i agree

[Squall]

I'm probably going to get another playthrough in sometime in the near future.

[Mindu]

It's also handy for getting quick battles without having to run around in circles on the Island closest to Heaven/Hell. I like those places as well. The monsters are worth my time and the draw spots are worth getting. I spent many hours on those islands. More time on the Island Closest to Hell. It helps to get items for Lionheart and leveling up the whole party. Fun times.

I think this is the most tedious part of the game. I must've spent hours drawing 100 of the strongest magic spells, one at a time from the draw points on the Island Closest to Hell. I never look forward to it and its the one reason why I haven't played this again since 2005.

[Lily]

despite some of the stupidest plot twists ever, i replay it for the story, and drawing magic aside I enjoy the game play. and the card game is addictive as hell. And Im a sucker for a bit of a romance in my FFs. Ive had the urge to replay it for a while actually, i think il fire it up after ive finished my file on FFIX. I had a bit of a strop with that one though after i died and i realised id not saved for ages. So ive not looked at it for ages /rage

[Cissnei]

Squall is the reason I keep coming back. <3 He's amazing to look at and has such a cool personality. It's a shame his love story with Rinoa was so rushed toward the end and the transition from not caring at all to OMG I'M HEAD OVER HEELS couldn't have been less abrupt, but that's only a minor flaw.

There's also the cards that I love refining to save me hours of grinding to draw spells.

[Squall]

I've never been able to get every character's ultimate weapon so it's a goal of mine to do a playthrough and complete as much of the game as possible.

[Cissnei]

I've never been able to get every character's ultimate weapon so it's a goal of mine to do a playthrough and complete as much of the game as possible.

I did when I was younger with a guide, but when I went back and replayed it earlier this year I had no idea where to get the ingredients to make the.

[CrazedMonkey]

This may sound like a cop out, but everything about VIII keeps me coming back. No matter how many times I play the game, I never get sick of it. The plot, the characters, the music, even Biggs and Wedge. I loved VIII from start to finish and its one of the few in the series I can play over and over again without ever having it lose it's charm.

[NeoAquarius12]

What keeps me coming back? The concept of the Gardens and SeeD. How much fun would you have going to classes at Balamb Garden? The answer is infinite. I could have an endless amount of fun there. And the characters that come from the gardens are all really unique.

[Zanekin]

I'm rather new but here's my bit.

I keep going back because of everything about the game... But if I have to pick a few certain things, it would most likely be Triple Triad, The Junction System, and Squall and Seifer. Though the things that always put me off from my favorite FF is drawing magic, the boss battle against Ultimecia, (which I always hate), and Selphie... I truly dislike Selphie with all of my heart.

[Odin1199]

I like FF8 because of the great setting, great towns, Triple Triad games, junction system and a unique storyline. Everything about this game is awesome, I can't really find anything I don't like.

[Freya]

To be honest, I only played it once. (I'm not counting the one time I played it to disc 2 and then stopped because I couldn't defeat a monster. I restarted the game two years later, which was the one time I completed it.)

I wouldn't like to play it again, either. It's not that I detested the game, really. It's just that I rarely play games twice. Especially when I didn't like most of the characters. ^^" I just didn't like Rinoa. And Squall was okay at the beginning, but after falling in love with Rinoa, he was pretty annoying. Mostly because Rinoa was annoying. So, if you don't like the main two characters, you probably don't like the plot.

The only thing I really enjoyed was the ending - because it left so much room for interpretations of all sorts. Also, the background music was okay. Not as good as in other FFs, but fairly okay.

Still, I probably won't play it again. There are so many other games I have to play, I don't have time to replay a game. >.<

[KainsBro]

I loved the music, story, characters, the whole as you level the monsters level with you was awesome and different, Triple Triad was awesome and addictive, there is really nothing wrong with the game... Def one of my favorite FF!

[Sakaea]

It's just an epic game all over. The story, the characters, the music, Triple Triad, the cutscenes, the weapons, the magic, the GFs. I love it all. I've played it through 100% at least 4 or 5 times, with at least 3 partial files as well. Love VIII a lot. Zell is a BAMF

[Blackbird VIII]

It is by far my most favorite game of all time. I haven't quite found a game that had the nostalgic magnet that this one holds. Everything from the music to the worlds keeps me coming back. I am currently on play through 9 with 3 or 4 "ultimate files". However, on this current play through I am brought back through a recent acquiring of a PS Gameshark. I am planning on getting Seifer and Edea in to my main party and maybe grabbing a few items with some codes. Even so, I would have replayed it eventually Gameshark or not.

[Cyanist]

I really like the refreshing way the cut-scenes were done. Just awe-inspiring visuals, really. Everybody I know just shuts up while those scenes are playing.

[Phoenix Rising]

I just love the whole game for what it is, especially the first disk and some of Disk 2. I really love the whole setting and feeling of the game, that would be my idea of an ideal world to live in.

[Hero without a Name]

I recently just downloaded VIII on my psp and I played it during my travels from Houston, Texas back to Canada. I don't know what it is about the character. The back stories for all of the character, the story itself. The opening FMV blows you away to begin with, and also hearing the music. Especially early on in the game where I hear Julia's piano solo. I could listen to that song for hours on end...I love piano, I love Final Fantasy VIII and I love Squall's limit breaks

[Sheechiibii]

The story really, that's mostly what I like and go back for in games generally. FFVIII has one of the best stories of all the FFs. The characters are well rounded with history and development throughout the game. The world is cool too and the gameplay is pretty good too but it's the story first and foremost that I go back for.

Xx..xX