Editor’s note: This review was written by Marty Cameron, an undergraduate game design student at Full Sail University. Marty's introduction to the gaming world began at age 4 with Super Mario Bros. After picking up the controller, Marty became a dedicated gamer, exploring the different genres. The love Marty has for videogames grew to the point that Marty decided to make games. Currently, Marty is going to school and studying (and playing) games on the PlayStation 3.

Role-playing games are very interesting. They consist of strong and compelling gameplay, deep yet simple control schemes and many other elements. One important aspect that completes the uniqueness of this genre is a good storyline. Without it, all seems bland and hollow. After playing many RPGs, I have come to appreciate and realize a complete package when I see one. Final Fantasy VIII is just that. There is nothing about the game that comes off as generic and/or cheap. Every factor fits perfectly together like a puzzle.

Final Fantasy VIII is a beautifully structured game that turns a clichéd story element into a work of art. The game is about a teenager named Squall who goes to a school for mercenaries. He is your typical loner with skills of an elite fighter. He has a cold personality when it comes to communicating with others and is difficult to work with. As the story goes on, he makes new friends and takes the role of a hero. Despite the game having this age-old story element, it is not ridiculously used. Squall is not a super-powered hero that has to take the full responsibility of fighting every major boss. Despite becoming the front man as I played through the game, I did not have the feeling of needing him for every battle.

The way the story is structured, I could place emphasis on any of the other party members as I hit key plot points that involved them. This added more depth to the emotional side of the game. I felt as if each member of my party had to take the role of leader when it was his or her time to shine. The different characters of Final Fantasy VIII also have well-thought-out personalities, which makes it easier to get immersed into who they are, how they balance each other out, and how they help Squall breakout of his old ways. Never in the game did I feel that a character was doing too much or not enough to keep me interested. Everything worked as a perfect medium in making the game addictive.

The gameplay in Final Fantasy VIII is spectacular. Battling enemies has the perfect balance of difficulty and simplicity. After encountering enemies, the game enters into a battle mode. A menu system allows access for different actions to take. There are four choices to start: attack, guardian force, magic and draw. Each sublevel of the menu system stays simple, and once an action is chosen, the menu returns to the original options.

Final Fantasy VIII does not stop there. To make the game even more exciting, it features an active battle system. After each attack from a party member and enemy, there is a short wait before either side can make a move. This forces quick strategy for every step in the confrontation before the enemy makes the next move. Traveling through the world of Final Fantasy VIII is also easy. There are many ways to do it: renting a car, taking a train or, after getting halfway through the game, flying an airship. The control schemes of cars and airships are simple, so I never fell out of tune. Final Fantasy VIII also features a junction system that allows me to assign magic and guardian forces to make my party members stronger. It is important to use the guardian forces in battle to give them leveling experience, as well as synchronize them with characters. For me, all of this made the game that much more immersive.

The last points that really placed Final Fantasy VIII on top for me were the musical score and graphics. To start, the music plays a powerful role in making the story amazing. To every area I traveled, there was a remarkable tune playing to either demonstrate the seriousness or calmness of situations. I never felt overwhelmed or underwhelmed with emotions. If I remember correctly, there are no voiceovers for the characters. I actually think this was a good move for the game because it allowed me to add my own interpretation to the emotions of the plot. There is a lot to read, but it is worth it. To complete the experience, Final Fantasy VIII has the strongest looking graphics for the PlayStation. Every epic moment in the game is perfectly rendered. All the battles pulled me in deeper and deeper, and when the final boss battle took place, I was left speechless and ready to save the world.

Final Fantasy VIII is my all-time favorite RPG ever. Everything is in place perfectly, keeping me drawn in from start to finish. I have to admit that I was skeptical when seeing Final Fantasy as a four-disc game. It did not interest me at the time to play RPGs because of how long it took to complete one. But after being bored with other genres and drawn to the artwork of the disc cover, I took a chance and bought the game. It was the best purchase I have ever made. I highly recommend Final Fantasy VIII.