3 Reasons Why Final Fantasy VIII Remake Makes More Sense

After years of merciless teasing, Square Enix is finally developing a Final Fantasy VII remake. The announcement was made last year at E3 2015, which naturally sent the audience into frenzy. And the news that the game will come in episodic format did little to dampen the excitement of fans, too. There's no word yet on the game's official release date, though. But according to a recent report, there's a chance it might arrive next year, just in time for the game's 20th anniversary.

The decision to remake Final Fantasy VII is a no-brainer - it's inarguably the most popular Final Fantasy game ever. But if you factor out the game's overwhelming popularity, Final Fantasy VII isn't really the game that needs a remake. Out of the three Final Fantasy games for the original PlayStation, it's actually the middle one that should have gotten a remake: Final Fantasy VIII.

Now hold off on cursing this article just yet; we have a good reason for that unpopular claim. Well, actually we have three of them, as the title bluntly suggests.

1. The gameplay needs more balancing

First, the characters don't feel unique enough in battle. They don't have unique skills like Zidane, Steiner and the rest of the Final Fantasy IX gang. Aside from their normal attack animations, the only time the characters really feel different is when they use Limit Breaks...which requires them to be in critical health first. Even then, repeatedly using Limit Breaks can be, well, repetitive and boring.

Second, the Junction System easily makes the game breakable. And it's very confusing, too. If you know how to abuse the cards mini-game very early in the game, you could end up with stats that are made for late-game scenarios. This makes the game a walk in the park until probably the late Disc 3 events. Also, the presence of the Junction System effectively removes Magic as an attack because you're better off equipping higher-level Magic instead of using them in battle.

And third, the cards mini-game gives you access to a LOT of rare and late-game materials, which you can use to craft powerful weapons very early in the game. Heck, you can even craft Squall's most powerful weapon before the Disc 1 events are over. Seriously.

The unbalanced gameplay of Final Fantasy VIII is one of its biggest weaknesses. It lacks the character customization that the other two games offer and feels way too easy, so it has a more pressing need for a revamp.

2. The game is too linear and needs more side-quests

Aside from the cards mini-game and the very short Chocobo side-quest, Final Fantasy VIII has a shortage of distractions. Sure, there's the Centra Ruins or the Deep Sea Research Center or Cactuar Island, but the latter two are only accessible after you get the airship, Ragnarok. Not to mention all these three side-quests are all about acquiring a summon monster - Guardian Forces or GF in the game. The lack of side-quests prevents you from taking a break from the story. Plus, more side-quests mean you get to explore more of the game world.

The time you'll spend in Final Fantasy VIII is significantly shorter than in VII and IX. And this is probably the reason why it's the least heralded of the three. Most of the time, the game simply feels like you're going from point A to point B with no other options. Square Enix could have added more new content to a Final Fantasy VIII Remake as opposed to its predecessor, which is already fully-loaded with side-stuff.

3. The game has a better story to re-tell

Arguably, Final Fantasy VIII's biggest selling point is its story. Although there are some questionable ones, like the ridiculous basketball court scene, the game has plenty of memorable moments that would absolutely look awesome with the graphical upgrade. Exhibit A: The Balamb Garden and Galbadia Garden battle. Exhibit B: That space scene. Exhibit C: Anything that involves the Ragnarok.

Actually, Square Enix could have added more screen time for the dragon-like airship, which is without a doubt the most badass-looking of all Final Fantasy airships in history. Remember when Selphie used it to break into the Lunatic Pandora?

Awesome, right? The more mature story of Final Fantasy VIII is also the best among the three PlayStation titles, especially with the Laguna flashback scenes. And they could also add more backstory for the game's main baddie, Ultimecia, as well as more of Seifer who is arguably way cooler and more interesting than the main protagonist. Oh, and Trabia Garden, too. It would have been cool to explore more of Selphie's school.

And lastly, the opening sequence of Final Fantasy VIII would have been more epic than it already is with the PS4 or PS4 Pro treatment. Yes, the Final Fantasy VII opening sequence is more iconic. But Final Fantasy VIII is probably neck-and-neck with Final Fantasy X as the game with the best opening sequence in the entire series. And it's all thanks to the equally epic soundtrack that accompanies it: "Liberi Fatali".

And there you have it, three reasons why Final Fantasy VIII needed the remake more. Seriously, though, Square Enix already gave the game the cold shoulder in regards to a mobile port - it's the only game not available for the iOS and Android among the first nine installments. They skipped right to Final Fantasy IX, which is quite baffling.

The game may have aged better than Final Fantasy VII thanks to its superior graphics. But the game feels really incomplete, especially gameplay-wise, and needs to be expanded more. Final Fantasy VII already has enough tie-in games and a CGI movie to boot. And Final Fantasy IX may be the most complete game of the three. This leaves Final Fantasy VIII as the odd one out.

Hopefully, Final Fantasy VII Remake gets a very positive reception when it arrives, which could lead to a possible remake of Final Fantasy VIII down the road. Well, unless Square Enix decides to pass up on the game again and head directly to a Final Fantasy IX remake.