Final Fantasy 8 Analysis (Ep.5 FINALE) | State Of The Arc Podcast

[@ResonantArc]

Time Codes: 1. What Game Are We Covering Next? (0:00​) 2. Flower Field Scene And Additional Thoughts On Opening FMV (3:11​) 3. The Role Of The Sorceress' Knight (32:00​) 4. Explaining Time Compression And Who Ultimecia Is (39:15​) 5. Meeting Laguna And The Process Of Surviving Time Compression (51:29​) 6. Thoughts On How Seifer Was Handled In The Final Act (1:13:08​) 7. End Of The Game (1:26:31​) 8. Casen Reconsiders His Opinion About Squall On The Ragnarok (1:34:39​) 9. FF8's Greatest Strengths And Weaknesses (1:47:09​) 10. Why We Don't Want To Discuss Fan Theories (1:52:21​) 11. Response To A Comment On Our Critique Of Galbadia vs. Balamb Garden (2:00:14​) 12. Thank You To Those Who Watched And Commented On This Series (2:04:18​) 13. Touching On The Lore Of The Great Hyne (2:05:26​) 14. Response To A Comment On Our Critique Of Basketball Court Scene (2:10:55​) 15. Response To A Comment On Our Critique Of Vocal Eyes On Me During Romantic Scene (2:15:16​) 16. Our Apology To Throwaway Mcgee (2:19:15​) 17. Thoughts On Ultimecia As A Villain (2:21:40​) 18. Does The Many Worlds Theorem Apply To FF8? (2:23:00​) 19. Response To A Comment About Dialogue Options For Squall (2:24:55​) 20. Response To A Comment About Error Ratio (2:27:36​) 21. A Female Perspective On The Romance In FF8 (2:31:46​) 22. More Comments On Dialogue Options For Squall (2:32:28​) 23. Response To "It's A Fantasy Story" As A Dismissal of Criticism (2:33:42​) 24. Wrapping Up (2:45:19​)

[@agentorangecb1]

Thank you gents

[@dtcharo]

Simply incredible work and thought you've put into this series. It's greatly appreciated. Edit: Was totally not expecting to have you guys respond to my comment but I sincerely appreciated of it. I think there's a bit of a misinterpretation of what I'm trying to convey but having a long-form discussion over KZbin comments isn't really conducive; however, I think you guys make very salient points for your opinions. I'd love to plot myself down in a chair right between you two and join the discussion and I think it's that feeling which really engenders people to your channel. Not sure if you guys are familiar with Archengeia/Lorerunner (I swear I thought I heard you mention him) but I haven't been this excited about Final Fantasy/RPG discussion in years and your two channels are top-tier. I think it's happy coincidence that you all had similar experiences upon playing and replaying FF VIII. Also, I find you guys just have a knack for feeding me brain candy, lol. Love the channel, love the content, and I look forward to things to come. Cheers! Do you guys still have a current Twitch channel or livestream your playthroughs on a different channel/platform? Edit Part 2: For the one fellow regarding "fantasy", when it comes to narrative...dramatic ellipses...you can't have a resonant (story) arc in a story if it isn't convincing. ;)

[@wegogiant]

I'm glad I found your work thanks to this series. I look forward to watching more. What's the song from the outro?

[@ResonantArc]

@@wegogiant Thanks, Gamer's Advocate! The close-out theme is the same melody from the intro (an original piece composed by Yasunori Mitsuda) but arranged by Symfonikev. Here is the link to his channel and video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZqvNqayXnt9sZpI

[@madsolar480]

These discussions... have easily... made me appreciate... ffviii way more. Thanks for analyzing this game and look forward to the next one!

[@ecosmith7852]

This analysis... Is awesome... I’ll be waiting...here... For the next one...

[@ResonantArc]

Haha! Love it!

[@M4ruta]

Why...? Because... there will be another... Another what...? Another... FF analysis... Where...? Right here... on this channel...

[@masterkl16]

*Tetsuya Nomura edited your post:* This analysis... What analysis...? The analysis right here... Which analysis...? This analysis...is awesome... What do you...mean...? I'll...be...waiting...here... ...? For... The..... Next....... O........ne..........................

[@pyguy7]

Hahahaha.. ...whatever

[@plain_simple_garak]

Chicken-wuss

[@thomaiti]

Resonant Arc: We have a hard stop due to our memory card, so some things have to be cut Also Resonant Arc: *10 minute rant about ellipses*

[@CarlosSR88]

Dot, dot, dot...

[@coma70se]

Am I the only one who got a good laugh out of that?

[@danielmales123]

That was the annoying part

[@M4ruta]

Yeah, I noticed that to. Moreover, it's a redundant segment since they already touched on that at length in the first episode. But hey, the rest of the analysis is excellent, so this is a minor complaint.

[@danielmales123]

@@M4ruta yes the rest was fine that intro never botherd me tough

[@divonax2190]

I'm more or less a 'silent' KZbin watcher and I usually never respond in comments but I just wanted to encourage you guys and say thanks for this type of content. Really hope, and it looks like you will, continue this format - appreciate the amount of time and effort put in!

[@Hotsaucedeluxe]

10 hour deep dive into FF8. Jesus Christ.

[@Norel_Nieves]

And it was worth every second of it

[@Wicked061]

It was glorious

[@lukecarmichael1588]

And yet here we are.

[@VICTORZITOSS]

Most episodes are closer to 3 than 2 hours. It's well over ten

[@deathnsd6953]

that game deserves it ❤

[@EdreesesPieces]

That was such an amazing analysis series. No other jrpgs youtuber puts nearly as much of a deep dive into any JRPG games as this. I was already a fan of ff8 but I've come to appreciate and understand so much more about it. Love this content and thank you.

[@ResonantArc]

This is exactly our goal. We want to help people find a deeper appreciation for these games. So glad that was the case for you!

[@lightpillar7557]

What I also like about the final form of Ultimecia is that she's basically the epitome of Squall's desire to alienate himself from everyone: she starts the battle by denying everything in existence except for herself, and like Squall wants to be strong enough to be independent from everyone, she became so powerful that she is absorbing the whole universe into herself. But it's still not enough to escape her fate, and even she probably understands it in the end with the whole "Reflect on your childhood" speech. It's also quite interesting how she is really pulling all stops and using all cheapest tricks possible to defeat you: waging psychological warfare against Squall with animating Griever (which is a strongest being in his imagination) from his mind, suddenly suckerpunching you with Shockwave Pulsar (which is scripted and will always happen at least once), dispelling your magic, one-shotting your GF, inventing a new magic more powerful than Ultima, etc. It's also quite important to underscore that all of Edea's lines for 1 and 2 disc doesn't make sense for her character at all, because it's actually Ultimecia is speaking through her, which explains her speech about sorceress' persecution and her not-knowing why SeeD were created in the first place.

[@philipchurch8772]

In Ultimecia's final form there are two people there. The upright form is the one that is emphasized and it looks like magical armor. The other form looks more human but is dangling upside down beneath the other form. I think this corresponds with what you saying Ultimecia is a hyperbolic extreme of Squall's rejection of life and people.

[@EmrlsCommunity]

Idk how it happened but y'all sold me on FFVIII. I really enjoyed this entire deep dive.

[@ResonantArc]

So glad you enjoyed it! That is our goal with this channel. We want to help people discover a deeper appreciation for these games.

[@TheLuNaMaStEr]

Casen's final "Whatever" so godlike

[@CasenSperry]

Whatever

[@LoptukqrickL11]

I've been on hold with tech support for 2 hours to get my work computer fixed. This is a life saver!!!!

[@ResonantArc]

Perfect timing! Nice.

[@zackgordon3068]

41:29 On the subject of Ellone, I think it's interesting to note that Doc Odine calls it a "Junction Machine". Essentially, it sounds like he is saying that what Ellone does to the minds of our protagonists is similar to how we junction the minds or presences of GFs. Somehow she links the mind of someone in the present to someone in the past. Total speculation, but perhaps she herself is some sort of rare GF that exists in this world.

[@ResonantArc]

This is an interesting idea!

[@Amoschp524]

I like this, also kinda goes with some of the theories that Squall becomes the Griever GF at some point.

[@fallenwing25]

I assumed one of her parents is a GF (like someone from ff6) and that's why she has that ability. They never explained who her birth parents were or where she got that ability from.

[@rmsgrey]

And if she's junctioning people to people in the past, that also explains why Laguna and co get to use the party's junctioned GFs and magic - junctioning Squall to Laguna also junctions Squall's GFs/magic to Laguna.

[@GoeTeeks]

I know it's a bit late to comment but I've been thinking about this a lot since you guys brought it up. In regards to Irvine not telling anyone about their time in the orphanage, I think the timing of when he tells them is actually the first real chance he gets, if you think about it. So at first he meets them at Galbadia and he's trying to talk to them under the assumption they all remember him and it makes him come off as a presumptuous womanizer. And at that point he gives a half-hearted reminder before giving up. From there, they have to carry out their mission to assassinate Edea (I agree with you his hesitation here is a missed opportunity to hint at things, though). After that, everyone is captured and thrown into prison (except him and eventually Rinoa). So they have to escape, and then missiles are about to be launched at Balamb and Trabia, so they have to split up and stop them (and he'd rather tell the whole party at once so whichever team you send him on half the people are missing). They don't reunite until FH, and then Selphie is down about the Garden Festival so he wants to focus on bringing that to fruition (for Selphie). It's not until they arrive at Trabia Garden's BB court that they really have that moment of peace and time to reflect.

[@s.l.r.9407]

That's a really good point!

[@DoeSwiftandBond]

Well done

[@forevercloud3000]

Ilike our perspective. I largely just regard it as "When people forgot that you've actually met before you play it off". To acknowledge that he remembered and they didn't might feel subconsciously hurtful. Especially for someone like him that craves validation.

[@mekobaby101]

I do very much like this way of thinking. Also, I feel like if he had mentioned it at the beginning of the assassination mission, it would've been a bad idea, because 1) The entire party wasn't there for him to explain it to in the first place, and they were pressed for time, and 2) Even if he did try to explain to Squall at that given moment that Edea was Matron and that he knew all of them from the orphanage, would Squall even believe him? It would be too much of a stressful time to bring all of that up in a moment's notice right before taking on a heavy mission. Awesome of you to point up the timing.

[@kingofthesharks]

FF8’s Ending FMV(s) has to be among my favorites in all gaming. It’s got all the amazing execution of the Opening but without the non-diegetic confusion. In my opinion, it was directed so well that it made the sappy Interstellar “love over time-physics” actually work for me. And it did it all without any captioned dialogue! Just pure CGI+musical bliss (featuring Eyes on Me, FF main theme, Prelude, & more). The most emotional parts for me happen when Laguna reminisces about Raine, and later when Squall smiles after Rinoa points at the shooting star (like when they met). I also think the trippy sequences with Squall losing his mind in the void were very atmospheric and impressive, especially for the time. Finally, it was neat to see Edea in the camcorder scene having reverted back to her Matron outfit and mannerisms now that Ultimecia is outta the way. Loved how Irvine and Quistis politely bow to their childhood Matron! Apparently I just learned that the final shot displays a subtle Griever silhouette on the moon. It’s not exact, but wouldn’t surprise me if it was intentional!

[@Zelkiiro]

I think I know why the words in the intro FMV are so weirdly spaced out while the actual later scene's script isn't: Those lines in the opening cutscene were also in English, even in the original Japanese version. So all those ellipses were because of how Japanese people will often dramatically pause mid-sentence after a major clause, and the half-quotes around "waiting" were simply there for emphasis. Then in the flower field scene, those lines flow much smoother because they were being transcribed by someone natively speaking English rather than someone who just knows English decently enough to script an FMV.

[@japan100100]

if you think more about the fact that Rinoa/Squall are sucked into the time compression thing at the end of the game where they are in danger of literally forgetting each other completely, memories of that particular conversation will seem muddled and murky, where different parts of the conversation are remembered, and in pieces. I personally feel the montage relates a lot to the end of the game and the situation they are in. It's dramatic, but also relevant to the time compression situation. Squall can barely remember Rinoa at all in the end, but Rinoa is able to remember bits and pieces of that fateful conversation, and it obviously pays off.

[@AbsurdoSol]

Thank you. It was very frustrating to listen to them focus so much on this with a self inserted understanding of what the intents during production were.

[@coma70se]

I revisited FFVIII because of this series and I actually came across a mod that retranslated the script which actually addresses some of the points that you guys bought up and makes the story so much better for it especially if you're familiar with the story again.

[@Blueshellkyle]

What’s that mod called, I’d like to try it too?

[@Emvins]

Yeah what's the name of the mod?

[@Lunariant]

I think Coma70se is talking about the Succession mod. It's not a retranslation but a reimagining of the story without GF amnesia or time compression plus several other changes.

[@coma70se]

@@Blueshellkyle It's called "Succession". You should be able to find it on Nexus Mods. The only downside is that it doesn't seem to be compatible with the Remaster.

[@AndrewEvenstar]

@@Lunariant very very interesting! Never heard of that!

[@newpablogate]

Final fantasy Viii is the game of my life. After to listen this podcast I think that I liked the game even more. Thank you for this awesome podcast.

[@WaffleMenu]

I really like that y'all are alternating and not doing a Final Fantasy game each time. I agree that, more wholesome and open mindedness conversations can sprout from talking about a variety of RPGs! Thank you both for all your work, as always. Very enjoyable!

[@aiox82]

So pleased with this series. The level of detail is what I hope for and the discussion is honest and based on true analysis. On a personal note, the end credits scene of Laguna and Raine's grave gets me every time. Laguna is The Man. He feels so damn much and has been someone I've always modeled myself after. I can't watch that scene without crying.

[@ahmedronaldokahn2352]

I can never be more grateful for these podcast episodes. 12hours of FFVIII discussion. Bruh...

[@nicholasricher8840]

This has been an awesome 5-part podcast to listen to! I've been playing along as new episodes come out. Thank you for making me fall in love with classic Final Fantasy storytelling. Now I'm playing FFIX.

[@vrilvanir]

Man, that entire series was just incredible. I could tell Caden was DYING to get that last final "whatever" in at the end 😆

[@zackgordon3068]

Loved this series. Super great discussion of both the game's story and storytelling in general. Excited for whatever comes next!

[@zappodracula8256]

Thank you so much for this format. I don't think I've heard anyone ever going this deep into the story that is FF8. Also I wanted to comment on the Ragnarok being Deus Ex Machina, because I agree that it is highly unlikely that this could happen, BUT it is basically the concept of the fight between coincidence and fate and with the plot twist in the end we know that Squall cannot die in space, because his future self has already been to the past making fate the winner over coincidence.

[@ResonantArc]

Thinking about it this way, in regards to fate (and on the back of Ultimecia's attempt to free Adel and change fate), I actually think this is a good explanation.

[@s.l.r.9407]

YES. Thank you!

[@Z3RO19]

This entire series of podcasts on FF8 was amazing, I enjoyed every second of it. FF8 is a very important game to me, I played it for the first time when I was around ten years old, and not only was it my very first Final Fantasy, but also one of the first games with a complex story and characters I've ever played. And even after so many years and so many other games that I've loved ... FF8 still means the world to me. Listening to such a fair and in-depth discussion about it was an absolute joy! Thank you so much. Hope this is okay, but I just wanted to add my interpretation in regard to Ultimecia's plan, and why I think she needed Ellone in order to go further into the past to achieve time compression: First of all, it's important to note that when Ellone sends someone into the past, she not only transfers that person's consciousness, but their powers and abilities as well. When Squall becomes Laguna, for instance, Laguna gains access to all of Squall's GF and magic - and that's not just a gameplay thing either, it is acknowledged in the story. Laguna and his friends talk about how they became much stronger every time the "fairies" were around. Back to Ultimecia - we know that she is the last living sorceress of her time and essentially holds the power of all sorceresses who have ever lived. We know this, since Rinoa is the last sorceress of her time, and because of how the power inheritance works, the number of sorceresses alive at once can never increase over time, only decrease. But even with all of that power, Ultimecia was still not strong enough to cast a spell as monumental and cataclysmic as time compression. And because there were no other sorceresses in her time, the only way for her to acquire that extra power she needed was to take it from a sorceress who came before. Using the Junction Machine Ellone, she transfers her consciousness into Edea, essentially creating a new entity with the combined powers of two sorceresses, Ultimecia and Edea, only to find that it was still not enough. This is where Ultimecia had to expand upon her original plan. She couldn't simply use the JME again, because in order to do that, she'd have to "unjunction" Edea first. So the only way for her to junction the powers of this new Edea-Ultimecia hybrid she had created onto yet another sorceress, was to have the actual Ellone do it, who was alive and well during Edea's time - which is what she ends up trying to do for the majority of the game, just trying to get her hands on Ellone at all cost. Towards the end of the game, Ultimecia orders Seifer to take Rinoa to Adel, so she can forcefully junction both of them onto each other while possessing Adel. To me, this reads as a desperate move on Ultimecia's part. She's clearly being cornered here, the SeeDs have just rescued Ellone and are closing in on her. Basically, she's running out of time, so she's trying a brute force approach by violently combining the powers of herself, Rinoa, and Adel. We don't know if that would've actually worked, as the SeeDs defeated Adel before they could fully merge, but it doesn't really matter anyway, because of course, Ellone does end up sending Rinoa-Ultimecia into a past version of Adel, where she finally has the combined powers of three sorceresses and can cast time compression. This is just my interpretation of course, but the game makes it very clear that when Ellone sends people's minds into the past, their powers are transferred as well, so that's why to me this interpretation makes sense. It's also a pretty neat way to explain why Ultimecia tried to merge Adel and Rinoa at the beginning of Disc 4, which is something that just kind of happens but is never really touched upon or explained by any of the characters or the game itself for that matter.

[@marcusmajarra]

I find your ideas interesting. I evoked in another comment how Junction Machine Ellone and Ellone herself might be callbacks to the myth of the Great Hyne and how his body was split in twain, duping the humans and leaving them with his powerless shell. Doc Odine created the JME to try and imitate the powers of Ellone, but if this had been enough for Ultimecia to achieve time compression, it stands to reason that she wouldn't need Ellone at all. So JME is like the powerless husk that Hyne duped the humans with, where Ellone is the real deal. Ultimecia realizes this, and has no choice but to possess other sorceresses, because she herself is virtually powerless when she travels to the past. She needs hosts with power. And she only picks hosts that are contemporary of Ellone (Adel, Edea, Rinoa). But when Ellone creates the junction, she sends power along with the consciousness, the key component that Ultimecia was missing to be able to enact time compression in the past.

[@mrranchdressing]

I think the reason this format is so enjoyable is that it’s treated much like a video game book club. That doesn’t really exist in a great format as far as I know. So congratulations, you guys really tapped into something there’s a demand for.

[@computaterjones]

"I've been waiting for this! " ~ Shin Megami Punchy Man

[@MillenniumEarl014]

Now this is the pacing that I like when I listen to a podcast. We are gonna grill the game's flaws and tell everyone about things we don't like but near the end we are spending our remaining time just immersing ourselves and appreciating the game. Part 2 and Part 5 were the best episode! You guys ended it with a bang!

[@Nigel222]

Dunno if they still read comments on old videos but just finished watching this analysis and the whole thing was great. Found them from a recommendation of the 25 N64 games video and all their analysis videos I've watched so far are fantastic. They have a unique vibe compared to any other video game youtubers i've watched.

[@yainaya_]

Thank you so much for this series. I always felt somewhat "guilty" of loving Final Fantasy VIII, and couldn't really justify why I was so fond of the game. This podcast helped me understand the story a lot better, and the reasons why I enjoyed this world and characters so much became apparent. Didn't expect to get so hooked, the game really did deserve a 10 hour long analysis in the end though.

[@AndrewEvenstar]

I love FF8, it's way up there for me!

[@lanisolfire5692]

Same here. 7-10 qre my personal golden era of ff games

[@juanvsreviews]

I remember this game having a big impact on me when I played it when I was a teenager. I played it again when they re-released it a year and a half ago and It did not sit as well as it originally did. Listening to this podcast though, it does make me want to play it again. I still have it so I probably will, thanks guys!

[@dandylaion]

It's been a Wild ride to say the least but every single minute of it has been time well spent. I really have found a new appreciation for certain aspects of the game that I could fully wrap my head around them through multiple runs... Thank you again guys!!! Keep up the good work 💪

[@Spades20XX]

Played FF8 4 times, never knew the bit about the sorceress’ Knight being tasked to save the sorceress from herself. Really really interesting. It’s crazy, for as huge of a flaw of FF8 feeling the need to hide its plot intricacies TOO well, it feels rewarding to get nuggets of information that enhance the storytelling (when it isn’t a huge deal that needs to be delivered up front) on a future play through. In many ways it’s kinda a selling point of the game, as it gives replayability and feels like the gift that keeps on giving. It should have been much more straightforward with the necessary plot stuff however, agreed there. All in all really, really REALLY enjoyed this discussion- looking forward to much more content like this for future games.

[@jackbyrne5214]

Recently came across this podcast as I searched for long form Final Fantasy content to listen to. Your podcasts are exactly what I was looking for. An exceptionally deep dive into the worlds I love, done with great detail and perspective. Gives me another layer of appreciation that I didn’t know I had for ffviii (it was already one of my faves). Thanks so much for your hard work and content. You’ve made supporting you on Patreon an absolute no brainer for any ff fan.

[@jackbyrne5214]

Ps. Would love a deep dive in FFX!!! 🤓

[@jmporkbob]

My perception of the time compression thing was that it simply needed to be cast from 3 points in time. 3 points are the least number of points necessary in order to define a plane in geometry, so if Ultimecia, Adel, & whatever past sorceress are all casting time compression it could fulfill some requirement for whatever the desired effect is. Also 3 is just a number traditionally related to magic anyway. Of course, it's also just speculation and the way I've interpreted it.

[@h1r086]

I imagine the three points in time like the inside of a box that will fold like an accordian when compressed and the time compression spell like a grappling hook that Ultimecia launches from outside the box, into it. She only has so much rope which can only reach to the center and Ellone is an extention for that rope to reach the other end of the box.. her goal in the past. The time compression grappling hook anchors onto that opposite edge of the "box" of time from Ultimecia's present and she "pulls the rope" to squeeze it like an accordian and reach inside where she can literally reach any part of it.

[@marcusmajarra]

Regarding Seifer's character arc throughout the game: I touched the topic of his radicalization in one of the previous videos of this podcast and I stick by the points I brought up. But where I disagree with your analysis is that I think that his character arc is complete and characterized by the inherent contradictions in his personality, which lead him to stagnate emotionally. The point of Seifer's arc is that his idea of growth is just a childish fantasy and it's this belief that makes him susceptible to being manipulated by Ultimecia. He desperately wants to be perceived as a man, yet she feeds him his childhood dream as a means to arrive at that state. Raijin and Fujin (especially Fujin) senses this about him, not unlike Quistis undertsands how Squall thinks. The difference between Squall and Seifer is that Squall ends up listening to his friends and grows as such, whereas Seifer remains convinced that what he is doing is right, because he either lacks the emotional maturity to admit that he might have been wrong or because recognizing the wrongs he inflicted would emotionally destroy him by sheet force of breaking apart his own cognitive dissonance. The ending scene, I think, hints more at the former, as it shows Seifer acting out with jealousy when Raijin makes a good catch while he can't get a bite. And it's Fujin who shows her maturity again, by defusing the situation in kicking Raijin into the water, evoking a puerile reaction from Seifer. Seifer's character arc is that of a child who's convinced that he's a man, and the dangers that come from enabling the sheer conviction of youth without regard to consequences. He doesn't grow up as a means to contrast Squall's growth. And, in the end, he's still presented with that same childlike naivety that allowed him to fall victim to manipulation, both magical and mundane. Seifer is not immoral, he's not malevolent. Rather, he's amoral, incapable of forming valid moral judgments because he lacks the maturity to understand morality and ethics.

[@mashimayoujirou]

Thank you guys for all the amazing job. Highly appreciate it. FF8 is my favorite final fantasy and hearing your analysis made me want to play it again. I love the character of squall and his backstory as a child.

[@4Clubs]

I'm really happy I listened to this podcast. FF8 is an incredibly underrated game and it was really nice that you guys gave it so much love while not pulling any punches. Loved Cassen's take on Time Compression even if I sympathise with Mike's general distaste for theory crafting, even if it's kind of inevitability when discussing almost any kind of media. Case in point, Ultimecia's weird speech is something that I personally interpret as she existing so far in the future that language has greatly evolved. I'm not sure how they've translated this trait of hers to the Dissidia games though. Loved the podcast and I wish you guys the best.

[@Cloudnerd]

Thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed this series. Love both your inputs and I will be replaying FF8 again. In my exploration of FF8 this weekend after catching up on your analysis i also found myself listening to The Extreme NONSTOP :D congratulations on an amazing series!

[@brianthompson5161]

This podcast series was the companion piece to my first playthrough of FFVIII and it thoroughly enriched it, thank you!

[@lordjlo817]

Gentlemen, this series is so fantastic. I've been telling my friends who didn't like FF8 to check you out, and some have started replaying because of your analysis. I'm really looking forward to whatever comes next

[@RyanJohnson09]

Watched all parts and loved every second. Thanks guys for all the effort you put in, its so incredibly appreciated and I'm looking forward to future podcasts and all your content ☺️ I believe along with everyone else that you two thrive in this format and the quality and attention to details helps a lot of us appreciate the game on a deeper level. Without a doubt my favourite channel! Even all four options for upcoming games are amazing although secretly hoping for NieR Replicant and FF10 as they are some of my favourites. Mike, Casen, stay awesome 😇

[@kingofthesharks]

1:45:00 hey that's me! =P Thanks for doing this series guys. FF8 has always been one of my favorite games ever, but it was under-appreciated over the years. Often, that lukewarmness came from the very nature of Squall, which never bothered me as I saw a lot of myself in him (including how my current relationship dynamic played out). Like Mike, I just "get him". And while I didn't necessarily need an analysis to see his arc play out naturally and unforced to me, these podcasts definitely pinpointed the actual moments he came around. You also nailed how FF8 hid a lot of its significant material and world-building "around" the plot, contributing to divisive impressions and misunderstandings. I wonder if we can extract why embedded/optional lore details work in games like Bloodborne/Souls while a standard JRPG like FF8 needs a bit more front-facing text. I absolutely love how the game doesn't explicitly tell you poetic nuggets like Squall's Dad and Rinoa's Mom finding each other again in the next generation, but dislike how GF/memory elements aren't properly planted. There needs to be a balance on what is necessary for a mechanical understanding of the story. I'm curious, if the next game is Mass Effect, to see how your take on player dialogue choice affects that game's story quality, whether it repeated the same danger as Squall's dialogue options (and many other games), or if it made key improvements.

[@vrilvanir]

Heres hoping you guys give this amount of love to Legend Of Dragoon. Would KILL for 10 hour podcast discussion on that one. Best game ever made.

[@SkyGest4lt]

Would love a lod podcast 🤩

[@deedoubs]

Legend of Dragoon is annoying, grindy, and gives you few options to strategize your way out of the grind.

[@forestcampbell8962]

I have a nostalgic tint on LoD,loved that game!

[@squallfredd]

I can't believe how awesome you guys did this analysis. FF8 has been my favorite game and I always loved it, but now after all this hours of podcast I feel more connect to this game then ever. Thank you for this amazing work. I hope valkyrie profile is one the your project in the future.

[@TheSmokeyDavis]

Thank you both for bringing closure on my first Final Fantasy

[@MarcelloGarini]

Aight wrapping up! Nothing more to add, except THANK YOU GUYS. This series of podcasts was so amazing that I had to subscribe to your patreon to support you. I was already a fan of FF8 and you work made me appreciate even more it. Kudos!

[@abaque24]

like in the withcher, emotions have real power in the world of FF8. sure you have to suspend your disbelief, but it's not a stretch when it's consistent through the game.

[@dayphaser]

Keep doing these please these are fetchin awesome

[@kikiokyo]

I honestly did not think my comment would be read from Episode 3, but I am glad to see all the episodes through as it has helped reignite my love for Final Fantasy 8 and to hear about all the different experiences that can be had or missed. I really look forward to the next analysis podcast to see the next game for folks to appreciate again.

[@dudemcguy1227]

Great episode and a great series. My opinion of the game didn't change drastically, but I did learn things I didn't know before. Also... Casen with the great catchphrase at the very end! Perfection...

[@sookan]

Thank you guys so much for doing this retrospective. I adore the fact that there are still people out there who think these older games are worth revisiting for a critical analysis. I remember before KZbin, the only place you really had anything like that was gamefaqs, and it was difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of sifting through hundreds of discussion threads, many of which contained spoilers or were centred around technical questions about the game. I value your perspective in regards to writing and narrative, too. I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's rare to see that in KZbin game criticism and analysis, but I think this is the first time where I've felt like someone has hit every note perfectly. I'm not a professional writer by any means, but I am a hobbyist and I have been writing for 18+ years now. The way you discuss and break down the decisions made in the story by the writers really resonates with me. I think the segment where you discuss Edea's attempted assassination is a great example of how to highlight the way scenarios were structured and address issues that I'm sure people have been struggling to put into words for twenty years. I haven't actually finished working my way through this analysis yet, but 4 hours in and this channel is already one of my new favourites, your series already some of the best critical approaches I've ever seen, and I'd just love to see more from you guys, ultimately. One point that I haven't actually seen mentioned - though you do mention that Kitase's style of world-building has some subtle nuances - is that there are times when the environment and what is present, or what is conspicuously absent does a lot of the heavy lifting. A good example of this is Balamb town, where you might notice that the town is inhabited mostly by the very old and the very young, as well as business owners. It kind of feels like there is a skeleton crew left running this town. You would expect a port to be bustling, but it isn't. It's mostly a military launchpad. There aren't many people there between the ages of 16 and 40, ultimately. Kitase does a good job of evoking the atmosphere of a nation embroiled in war. There have been multiple conflicts in the 17 years since [spoilers], and while I do agree that it's a little weird that we have 17-year-olds being groomed as elite special agents, I think there's enough evidence to hint without ever explicitly saying that it might have been a necessity. In any case, I've thoroughly enjoyed this series and intend to go back and browse through your library when I find the time. Thanks for creating such a thoughtful examination of one of my favourite games.

[@secondhandninja4441]

I've played this game multiple times over many years and you guys still taught me things about this game. I also agree with the point about wanting more of the story to be revealed more naturally.

[@Artimes.]

Man where were these guys 10 years ago. Never in my entire life have I ever seen such a deep through provoking analysis on a game. Especially during one of my greatest era's at the peak of artistic freedom amongst artists on the PS1. Truly amazing and I look forward to seeing what other classic rpgs you cover.

[@Spades20XX]

Strongly agreed with your case about fanfiction/theorycrafting. I can’t in good conscience dive into something where the idea is to pretend as if something happened when it didn’t, and all this effort put into something whether the idea be good or bad and be able to be shut down by one breath of an executive. I enjoy the idea of different interpretations when the media is very vague in a subject and adds no explanation to something but there’s never a way to confirm it officially and I struggle to get behind it. The only game I can entertain theorycrafting/fanfics for is the Dragon Age series, in which you are *encouraged* to roleplay and really create a character that exists in this world to handle threats. Especially in the first game, where the main character that you create is no longer going to be involved substantially in the future it makes sense to have fanfics and theories on what YOUR character would be doing or their thought process-- in essence it’s like the creators are leaving their story’s end up to you besides small mentions. However in just about all other media, I don’t like the idea of getting attached to something just to have it be deemed “non-canon” later. I can’t do that and I’m with you there, Mike.

[@marcusmajarra]

Some thoughts on the opening FMV: I considered the possibility that it may have been trying to foreshadow time compression and I agree that it would've been interesting, considering that FF8 ends at the start, so it seems poetic that it should also start at the end. That being said, as a hook, it was meant to serve other purposes: 1. Showcasing its use of the Maya software for its cinematography. This already establishes a stark contrast with the FMVs of its predecessor, FF7. 2. Stressing the realism of its characters, as opposed to the super-deformed representations favored by Sakaguchi. 3. Given that its only real diegenic component was the duel between Squall and Seifer, which establishes them as enemies, with Seifer clearly taunting a very serious Squall, but no less serious himself given his willingness to scar his sparring partner. I would surmise that the other scenes are just there to plant small, nebulous story seeds in the player's mind that will be called back to during the game. While 1) and 2) are mostly technical aspects of the game, 3) actually ties in with something that the game does in a diegenic way during all the Laguna dream sequences. When you first see Laguna, Kiros, and Ward explore the Crystal Pillar, you see all these little features and places you can interact with, to seemingly no effect, and you only get to enjoy the payload when you board Lunatic Pandora in Disc Three. In other words, you are shown scenes that you're not intended to be able to understand because they're presented out of context (and with a literally skewed perspective, no less). And there's plenty of interesting imagery to examine, too. Like the feathers, which are directly tied to Rinoa's Angel Wing ability, which represents the culmination of her powers as a Sorceress. When fading from the flower field to the duel, the feather transforms into Squall's gunblade, which illustrates how this is the source of his power, only to fade back to Rinoa's back, on a direct shot of the angel wings woven into her robe. And then alternating shots of Rinoa and Edea (the latter of whom also features feathers on the scruff of her robes). I think the alternating shots of Rinoa and Edea are meant to parallel the alternating shots of Seifer and Squall during the duel, revealing the same opposition, but for two other characters, which is consistent with how both Seifer and Squall ending up serving as knights for their respective sorceress. And this sets up the misdirection about Edea that will last until the very end of Disc Two. This is consistent with how FF8 often avoids telling us things directly and simply.

[@Null_Experis]

You should do one of these long-form podcasts on Koudelka and the Shadow Hearts series.

[@MysteriousKunoichi50]

I would absolutely LOVE this, not gonna lie. I gotta subscribe to their Patreon to vote for this.

[@nicolascott51]

Ah man! Koudelka... now theres some memories! Such an underrated game

[@lanisolfire5692]

Please do this

[@chickenfillets]

I've spent a week watching all these FF8 podcast you guys have done. Great to hear your looking to do more of this going forward!

[@JakeBrowne1993]

Listened to the original uploads over on Resonant Archive then re-listened to the re-ups and now this. Final Fantasy VIII was such a big part of my childhood. Glad that others share the same love for the game as I do. Thanks to you both, I think this format works excellently. There are so many games I'd love for you to cover in this format but can't wait for Nier (and hopefully Nier Automata too).

[@Omnicloudx13]

You guys went so in depth in analyzing this game and it's really appreciated, loved watching this series since I love FF8 so much and hearing you guys talk about it really brought me back to when I was a kid playing the game for the first time. I learned a bunch of new things about the game I never even knew about watching this series, such as Seifer using Laguna's poses from the movie he did and Adel's thoughts on the Timber screen. It was an awesome watch.

[@llouis9697]

I must say that it was a pleasure to watch his analytical videos on FF8 and that you raised another perspective in terms of storytelling. Like readjusting the opening as well as the Liberi Fatali theme on the cinematic of the battle of Dollet (I have to say I was skeptical about redoing the intro, but I liked your idea in the context of "what does it tell"). Or the themes of "how far can a character go with a fixed ideology in mind?", "If you fall in love with a person how far will you go for them? I also discovered some things while watching you, like the fact that the fight Squall vs Seifer in the intro opening came from the fact that Japanese people have a morning practice before classes, Edea's speech which is more neutral in the Japanese version than translated, Eyes on me's leitmotiv during the seeds ceremony. Anyway, you did a good job, without falling into the "I like it because or I don't like it because" way. You stayed on a neutral tone, focusing on the storytelling aspect while highlighting its strengths and weaknesses. A quick question for you and it may seem far-fetched, but doesn't the fact that a game is so divided show that it is a successful game in some way? In the sense that a game is unanimous in terms of reviews, I often hear that FF7 is the best of its peers (I didn't play the game, I just saw a playlist of about 20 episodes of more than 1h30 that focused only on the main story. So I can't judge if it's good or bad) Whereas with FF8, there are arguments from those who liked it and those who didn't.

[@Norel_Nieves]

I appreciate the fact that the podcast won’t be an exclusive FF podcast. Just for that, I’ll sub.

[@Wicked061]

Amazing content. Really looking forward to future videos. Edit: I really enjoyed this series. Keep up the good work. You inspired me to give it another playthrough. My favorite part, was learning that detail about Seifer watching that movie about laguna and adapting the style of laguna's character that he was playing. It legit blew my mind. I've played ff8 maybe......3 times I'm thinking? And I never realized that. I'm glad I found this channel.

[@MargaritoTrevino]

I always thought it was Rinoa saying the opening words, since it shows her in the field, I never thought it was Squall.

[@ResonantArc]

That was one aspect I really liked about the flower field scene that I forgot to mention. I also assumed it was Rinoa saying she'd be waiting in the opening FMV, but it turns out to be Squall making that promise. Huge development in his character arc.

[@japan100100]

I'm a HUGE FF8 fan and I always thought it was Rinoa saying the opening until I started taking a deeper look at the story lol.

[@MargaritoTrevino]

@@ResonantArc it adds a lot of character development for Squall, I'm going to have to replay it again

[@KryptKicker5]

This is just my opinion; but I felt the opening, as it stands, is us experiencing the memories as Squall searches for Rinoa in the time anomaly. In other words, we’re experiencing the story as he was remembering it. That explains so many strange aspects and time jumps. Especially if you consider the ending proper. Or perhaps, the opening is after a failed cycle and everything is reset to the point where Squall can try again from a previous loop. Given the science fiction, time bending nature of this particular fantasy tale, it makes sense to me. Edit: would really like to hear what you guys think of MGS2 after that whole philosophical discussion of reality.

[@mrjonnyringo72]

Thanks for having this indepth conversation of my favorite FF. I thought I knew so much about this story, but it's nice to see different perspectives, other than my own. You guys have done a great job analyzing this great game!

[@grazih_]

Skip the fan theories, please. They are interesting, but contrived as hell lol. You guys did an amazing job with this deep dive and certainly I would love to see this kind of analysis as often as possible. Thanks for showing this really rich view of the game. It opened my eyes to new things I missed and made me remember a lot more. Props for it!

[@AtotheZness]

Love the book club approach to the video game analysis. Keep it up!

[@second_second_]

I like your take on the sorceress' knights; about how seifer looks at it, and how squall looks at it, how edea looks at it - knight is to protect the sorceress from herself, from becoming evil

[@jonathanhearn9359]

Love the "whatever" at the end. This series really was the most enjoyable pod cast I listened to in a long awhile. I wished I was able to afford to be able to do patron. But until I can ill keep watching KZbin and hopefully help with ad revenue. Thanks again. Keep doing what you guys are doing.

[@kennethshaw2619]

Well done, gentlemen! Indeed, you have helped me grow my appreciation for FFVIII. It was already a personal favorite though I have always acknowledged its flaws. The attention to detail that y'all have put into this deep dive was definitely not lost on me. You have definitely earned a fan.

[@MarcelloGarini]

Thoughts #4 On story delivery I agree with Mike, I get frustrated too when important lore / story bits are that much hidden and most of people risk to miss them. I LOVE when there a re story bits hidden and I LOVE to find them, but the basic, important stuff need to be told openly. The GF memory loss is one big offender here, along side many other facts you guys already talked about. I completely agree with you!

[@soveoclock]

Brilliant job, guys. 👏 Marathoned all of these over the past two days, and it's been both entertaining and incredibly interesting. I've played VIII quite a few times as a kid, but the last time was my senior year of high school in 2009. This discussion has really heightened my appreciation, and I'm looking forward to revisiting it again with a fresh perspective.

[@farronhart5761]

Its been great listening to these breakdown discussions and u guys giving ur impressions on the story telling and characters. Some points of my own: I think Seifer is being manipulated the majority of the game. Ultimecia was using him as a tool to be disposed of. But he thought he was being her knight meant to fight her enemies (i think Seifer uses the the comparison of a Bloodhound who hunts SeeD, when he was torturing Squall). But Sorceress' like Ultimecia and Adel are too far gone to have knights protect them from themselves. So what u guys mentioned about the difference between what Seifer thought a Sorceress Knight's purpose was compared to what Cid and Squall's understanding of the concept was, was such a great point. That small detail between their understandings made all the difference. Another great point u made on how Eyes on Me being made by Julia for Laguna kinda does make the love between Laguna + Julia somewhat realized generationally through Squall + Rinoa. The Lunar Cry being a baddass group of FF7-style Weapon bosses plummeting to the planet could have been very cool alternative way to handle that point in the game. Squall not hugging Rinoa always made sense to me because i was always a Squall type of person. But how u guys broke down why Squall was handled the way he was (for ur own sanity i think, lol) was still interesting to hear, because i think u ultimately came to the same conclusion i did as a naturally reclusive person. I gotta say i also always really liked the final Ultimecia form, especially how she has her human body hanging below her larger warped body and u can draw different magic from both bodies. As i think about it, the ending to FF8 is very similar to interstellar. Basically the love of a person can bring someone back to u even if they're lost beyond the event horizon or wiped from the annuls of time or something crazy like that. I thought it was super corny in that movie, and it is very cheesy in FF8 also. But it worked for me in FF8 because it was a story about love, magic and warfare. So Love conquering all message kinda works. But interstellar comes off as a very sciency movie throughout, so when they bring in the love conquers all concept, it came off as a copout for me. As for Nier possibly being the next game u guys about, that could be pretty cool. I never played the game, but to me Yoko Taro games seem like Jordan Peele's Us flim, in that, for me its much more interesting to talk about than it is to play/watch (except Automata, i'd play the heck outta that one). Although if u cover Mass Effect It would give me an excuse to play those games since i brought them some time back. Anyhoo, again, great discussion guys! 👍

[@second_second_]

Both of you are really professional. your carefulness in choosing your words, the in-depth research, how you present your interpretation, are very admirable. perhaps you can also make a tutorial/workshop on how to conduct a great discussion/presentation/podcast like this

[@Nerocrossius]

Firstly, I enjoyed this series, thank you for doing it! I've played FF8 many, many times over the years and read many things about it. Traditionally have been extremely critical of the game, but in recent years I'm starting to warm up to it. I'm sad to see this series has ended as I think there were many more details to be explored. However, I understand that you two have probably hit some fatigue and want to move on to other projects. Something I want to add is a defense for the usage of Seifer in the story because I have thought about it for a long time. Seifer is an important foil to Squall, particularly later in the game. A main theme of FF8 is the resistance of fate/time (at least "time" as defined in FF8's world) by forming human connections. Both Squall and Seifer are stuck in the past. Squall spends much of the game focused on the idea of being abandoned and wanting to be self-sufficient. Seifer is stuck in a childhood dream. Squall escapes the past and learns to connect with others despite his fear of abandonment. Seifer does not escape his past, nor his dream, and it denies him of growth and connection--indeed his focus on this dream may have prevented him from becoming a SeeD and becoming a larger part of the story. It may not make for a satisfying character arc for Seifer, but it serves to make Squall's arc stronger. Ultimecia has a similar foil relationship with Rinoa as Ultimecia tried to overcome her fear by controlling the past and relying on herself (as noted in your discussion she didn't utilize Seifer as a knight correctly--he was just a henchman to her, no genuine connection). Rinoa overcame her fear by moving forward and relying on connections with Squall and others. Ultimecia does not have much of an arc either, but the small bit we do see serves to highlight how Rinoa succeeds in her personal character development. I'm also a little sad to see no discussion on Griever. There are lot's of theories about Griever, I'm not talking about those. The game developers made a purposeful decision to allow the player to name Griever. On a very simple symbolic level I think it's a wonderful capstone to Squall's story that he has to defeat the symbol of his past. It makes sense that Ultimecia, someone who is obsessed with the past, would try to use Squall's past against him in that penultimate boss fight. The fact that Squall prevails in this challenge is further proof that he has moved on and become a different person. I think it would be interesting to explore the artistic connection between Squall and the Lion motif--It's very present throughout the game and I would be interested to hear if there were any official developer comments on that or not as it seemed to be a very purposeful detail. Lastly, for what it is worth, I do not subscribe to fan theories myself, but I think "Squall is Dead" and "Rinoa is Ultimecia" are widely acknowledged enough that they deserve some analysis. However, I think it would be lazy to just talk about why the theories are wrong (Kitase may have confirmed them to be false, but perhaps Nojima did indeed toy with them a little, who knows...), rather, I think analyzing how the theories both improve and undermine FF8's story would be a fascinating discussion. You don't need to prove or disprove anything, leave that to the theorists. I watched 12 hours of this podcast to hear your opinions on FF8 and that includes the prominent fan theories.

[@Windraesa]

Loved all 4 episodes guys, great job. I'm the same age as you guys so the angle at which you come at these games really resonates with me. I especially like the way you dissect the lore of the games and whether certain plot points or plot devices work from the perspective of the audience (the player). Although not quite the same as the hallowed Souls games lore, where you have to pay close attention and piece together everything from tidbits from the myriad of sources you get, final fantasy lore does have a significant amount of overlap with this approach. In the golden age FF games you do need to holistically considering all the bits of dialogue/exposition you've been given on a particular topic, including titbits from 'inconsequential' NPCs to formulate the whole truth of certain parts of lore. With certain points being left open to interpretation (leaving some things to interpretation without explicitly stating is an awesome device to use but is hard to find that perfect balance of it). Having said that I would love to see you guys do plot/lore analysis of the two other PS1 final fantasies. 7 & 9 are my two favourite games of all time respectively, and there would be so much to talk about in terms of the aforementioned. Both of their stories are excellent with a lot of interpretation of the lore to discuss, but there are areas where presentation of the story could be improved. I know FF7 pretty much verbatim, and i've been considering making a video on how they could have improved certain story points (among other things). But there are some great things to discuss, your whole discussion on the 'suspension of disbelief' in fantasy fiction is something I have thought exactly the same on before so was so glad to see it discussed. Also Mike, I always get a bit confused as when you were first introduced to Final Fantasy / JRPGS, did you play them when they first came out in the 90's / early 00's as a kid? Or did you discover them later? I'm pretty sure you've stated this before but i can't remember.

[@TheBalancedFan]

I think this was the best objective approach to ff8 I have ever seen. I saw a comment on ProJared's review of ff8 and they said you did a better job analyzing ff8. 5 Episodes later I was very impressed in how you perceived it. You were critical but very fair and gave the game a chance to breathe and ruminate in your brain and pull out thoughts I didn't even consider. I am very grateful to finally see a fair assessment of my favorite Final Fantasy game

[@Alangevine]

I just want to thank you a lot for this great moment I've spent watching you analyzing what will probably stay my favorite game. I am a huge fan and spent a lot of time extracting all possible knowledge I could out of this game. That's why I only learned one or two obscure details during this 10+ hours. However, what I enjoyed the most and by far was that even when not learning new facts, listening to the personal impressions you shared with us had me reconsider my judgment over some events and gave me new perspectives over this story I know already too well... Sometimes I wish I could forget everything about this game just to have the pleasure to discover it with fresh eyes. With this podcast a part of this wish has been granted: I did have thoughts I never had before! I can stress enough how thankful I am you took the time to do this, with all the preparations it implies.

[@OraNui]

I can't remember if I commented on this channel recently but I've got to thank you guys for these discussions. I remember finding this channel back in 2017 and loving the all the FF analysis videos. My appreciation has grown even more now that I've been coming back to watch these videos, they're some of the most fair but objective vids on KZbin about FF and video games in general, and will definitely be pointing more people to go watch them here.

[@bainjohn]

Guys, thanks so much for this awesome series! I've always struggled with the podcast format, and rarely tuned in unless there was a specific topic I was interested in, and then only for that segment. I think this worked so well for me because it had a more focused topic. I've enjoyed every moment of this, though, and am really looking forward to each and every new entry in this format. Great work, seriously! I'm gonna give the freeform podcasts another go. 🎉

[@Trysek22795]

Watched this whole series and it was tremendous. I really appreciate your thoughtful, well articulated, in depth analysis of my favorite Final Fantasy game and one of my favorite games of all time, great work!!

[@DiaragaGamesandHeadphones]

This part (and the whole series) is a pure delight. The quality of the analysis, the global mood of the show and your dedication to maintain a clear structure as easy as possible to follow (also shown by all your work on the timecodes) are wonderful. Whatever...

[@MisterA744]

Absolutely loved this series! I know I've mentioned before on your other videos, but I really appreciate how much thought and research you put into this discussion. Regarding this video though, I particularly liked your responses to the defense for the Battle of Balamb Garden critique and the "It's just a fantasy" argument. You made very good, clear, and solid points there, which I completely agree with. Stoked to see you cover more games in this format!

[@MrGav196]

Thoroughly enjoyed the entire analysis. Things like the section on the menu to learn about the games world was something I didn't know before despite my many playthroughs. Looking forward to future ones!

[@otherhand]

The description of the ideal rewrite for the FF8 opening is great, and makes me think of Chrono Cross's opening. That one is jaw-droppingly good to this day.

[@CreamerOfTheDairySquad]

Rest in Peace Robin Williams. We miss you

[@robertmartinez4271]

Thrilled about this. And for the poll. Either of them works. You guys bring a lot of discussion to this series, any game you guys do will be exciting

[@arvinhosseini]

My fix for Deus Ex-Ragnarok: Early aboard the space station, show the Ragnarok orbiting around the moon. Have someone comment "It's such a shame. We can see the ship with our own eyes, but we can't risk bringing it back." They deduced there was probably a monster infestation, so they won't risk boarding the ship. If it weren't for radio interference, they could remotely pilot the Ragnarok back to earth and cleanse it there. Everything else proceeds as normal, except that when Squall talks to ground control after reaching the Ragnarok cockpit, ground control explains that they were given a direct order from the President of Esthar to pilot the Ragnarok remotely (now that radio interference is gone) and use it to conduct a search and rescue of the sorceress Rinoa and her companion Squall out in space. As a result: -The Ragnarok rescue now becomes the choice of one main character (Laguna) rather than something that passively happens to Squall. -Laguna gets to save Squall without revealing his identity yet, giving the two protagonists an additional interaction before that reveal. -Laguna displays character growth as a leader: he's not just bumbling into success anymore, but improvising in a crisis. -Laguna displays character growth as a father: he's taking care of his son for the first time after abandoning Squall and Raine -Radio interference gets a bigger pay-off.

[@nathanchaffin6380]

That Odin rant was priceless

[@mauricesteel4995]

the Marlboro case was probably just example, but if it actually was the case, not only Odin is one of the few ways to easily kill a Marlboro without preparation, but the drop rate of Tentacles is really high, and most of the time you will be around Esthar at level 30+, where you can get 8 Marlboro tentacles at a 70% drop rate, and Odin doesn't remove your drops, so i think his case was more a case of bad luck. when you are trying to farm other things that are Mug Only, or a rare drop otherwise, i get the Odin Rant, but i still take Odin over Gilgamesh any day of the week.

[@KillerKyuubi]

I'm so SO GLAD you guys did this series. FFVIII is the first FF game I owned and finished and it's a really huge part of my childhood. Seeing it broken down in such granular detail is super up my alley and the reason why I loved the rest of your videos, especially the XIII critique series, so much. These videos are perfect to listen to while I work so thanks for spending so long on them. The longer the better for me personally. Can't wait to see what the next game is. Hoping it's Mass Effect!

[@fallenwing25]

Thank yall for this and the mention lol. This was lovely and I'm happy others now want to play because of you two! Yall gave fair critiques and I agree with majority of them. Hope you guys get to play again and find out even more secrets and gems. I love this game so much ❤

[@akiinmoonlight79]

loved this podcast so much, it was amazing hearing you two talk about this masterpiece in such detail ~ ❤❤❤

[@zankudragon]

This was an incredible ride! Over the past couple weeks I've watched both the original uploads and the reuploads and have been eagerly anticipating the conclusion. Happy to say that I was not disappointed. Little sad that it's over now, but that's life. I really enjoyed this format and I'm really looking forward to the next one. I'm personally hoping for Nier next. Nier Automata is legit my favorite game of all time and I really feel as though the original doesn't get enough love. Hoping that the new release next month helps with that.

[@mitchdouglas9844]

1:47:38 - O wow, you just summarised the entirety of Tetsuya Nomura's career in a single sentence

[@jumaanecabrera8091]

So grateful for you guys going so in depth in to FFVIII. You've helped so many others open up in appreciation and sparked even new love for the game. Thank you!

[@second_second_]

Game creators should watch your podcast. Hope the ff8 remake team (if any) will consider your discussions in these podcast series too

[@theloseph]

I always viewed the opening FMV as a Squall fever dream from his fight with Seifer. Also combined with influence from Ellone and time compression

[@Sacrengard]

50:20 I am not sure where exactly they mention that but what really happens is that Ultimecia will keep traveling to the past, going into the consciousnesses of the past sorceress one by one further into the past, all the way to the first one ever, and from there she will be able to compress time to where she is in the future

[@CrazzyCrisis]

I can't believe I watched a 12 hour dissertation about Final Fantasy VIII. When's the next one?

[@williamwhite6502]

Casen, you have hit the nail on the head more often than not, and I appreciate who you are, and what you add to this channel. I hope and pray you ENJOY your time here on Earth, and Enjoy the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. :)