Final Fantasy VIII is actually pretty okay you guys.

[Gregness]

So, I'm sort of confused about why everyone seems to have a massive hate-on for this game. Granted, I'm only on disc three so perhaps all the suck is in the second half, but the first two discs have been pretty ace. The game has some of Nobuo Uematsu's best work and the main problems I can see are regarding the consistency of the play experience and the fact that some parts just don't live up to their potential.

As far as consistency goes, I will say with certainty that the first few hours of the game beat the snot out of most other RPG's I've played (though it helps that "the landing" is playing through most of the Dollet mission). But then the parts after are passable, but nothing special. The game picks up again at the ends of the first and second disks when you SPOILARS!attempt to assassinate the Sorceress and fight Galbadia Garden respectively.

For living up to potential, what I mostly mean is that some of the QTE-esque things seem to suffer from being ridiculously unresponsive. Now, I'm playing with a keyboard on an emulator so that may just be a problem with my interface and not reflect on the intended experience, but I doubt it. The worst offender I've come across is MOAR SPOILARSwhen you fight Galbadia Garden at the end of the second disk you end up suspended from a zip line fighting with an enemy soldier. Now, you're each trying to knock the other off while an FMV battle rages behind you. This idea on its own? Fucking awesome. The problem is it gets completely shat on by clunky controls.

Anyway, I'll be playing this for the next couple weeks or so, and I'll keep you updated on my overall impressions.