Why Final Fantasy 8 Deserves A Remake

Following the success of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, fans of the series have been asking the question: which Final Fantasy game will be next? There's no doubt as to why Final Fantasy 7 got the remake treatment — after all, it is probably the most popular game of the series. Although Square Enix has only given us one episode of Final Fantasy 7 Remake so far, that hasn't stopped the speculation of which Final Fantasy game also deserves its revamped version.

Final Fantasy 8 may not have been as lauded as its predecessor, but the game has a loyal fan base who appreciated the game's rich storyline and memorable characters. It has a little bit of everything — magic, romance, time travel, and a brooding hero who rivals Cloud's stormy disposition. While Final Fantasy 8 did get a remastered version 2019, it's easy to see why fans of the game would be thirsty for a remake. 

There is no word yet when the second episode of Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be released, but in the meantime, let's take a look at why Final Fantasy 8 would be the perfect choice for the next remake.

Final Fantasy 8 has so many fascinating locations to explore — from Balamb Garden, the school where the heroes train for the SeeD fighting force, to the futuristic city of Esthar. There's even a trip to outer space, where Squall performs a daring rescue to save Rinoa. How could longtime fans not want to see all of these amazing places reimagined with a modern game engine?

In episode one of Final Fantasy 7 remake, the team of heroes never left the city of Midgar, and yet the developers did a fantastic job of updating the look and feel of the city and all of its boroughs, giving players plenty of stunning visuals to enjoy. Imagine what the same team could do with the places in Final Fantasy 8, now that games have progressed enough to make even sleepy little towns like Balamb and Fisherman's Horizon feel like attractive tourist destinations. 

There are a number of mission events in Final Fantasy 8 that, while already heart-pounding, could potentially be even more amazing if the game were remade. Events like the attempted assassination of the sorceress in Dollet or the mission to infiltrate a Galbadian missile base would be that much more exciting and suspenseful.

While Sephiroth could arguably be named the best antagonist in the Final Fantasy series, Sorceress Ultimecia is no slouch herself. It's true that her presence is barely felt in Final Fantasy 8, (being that she is a sorceress from the future and has to possess someone from the past), but that only makes her feel all the more foreboding.

Ultimecia is a powerful, time-controlling witch who wishes to compress the past and future together in order to create a universe where she alone can exist. Having ultimate power over all things might be a bit of a cliched villain motivator, but considering how powerful she is, Ultimecia's plans are a very frightening possibility. 

With a remake of Final Fantasy 8, perhaps the sorceress could make more appearances. Maybe scenes could be added of Ultimecia acting out her plans in the future, or Rinoa could have visions of her after becoming a sorceress herself. The epic boss battle, which shows Ultimecia in her many terrifying forms, would also look fantastic in an updated remake of the game.

One of the common complaints regarding Final Fantasy 8 is about how magic works in the game. Instead of leveling up to learn spells, or finding spell Materia which can be equipped like in Final Fantasy 7, players have to "draw" magic from various sources, such as enemies and specific draw points. And it isn't like once you have the fire spell you can cast it forever — oh, no, you have to load up on as many of those babies as you can get. Once you run out, you have to start the process all over again.

Leveling up your GF (or Guardian Forces) in Final Fantasy 8 does allow you to reap certain benefits that can help in this area. Certain GF learn abilities that will enhance your magic, but hardcore grinding so your GF can learn those abilities is no easy task, and may take as much time, if not more, than drawing the magic yourself. 

The updated battle system in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a fast-paced, action-oriented mechanic — overall providing smoother gameplay versus the old game's turn-based battles. This means that combat improvements could be made to a remake of Final Fantasy 8 as well, and hopefully the drawing system would be thrown out the window.