Final Fantasy VIII is finally making its way to PS4 after Square-Enix announced its E3 2019 presentation. Huzzah!
Though not quite as popular among critics and fans as VI, VII, or IX, it remains one of the series’ most unusual and compelling titles. Boasting an engaging cast of characters, well-balanced mechanics, and a story that’s so off the wall it’s given rise to a number of bizarre fan theories over the years.
Rather than simply express our excitement at the news, however, we’ve decided to compile a list instead. Attempting to predict the identity of some of the trophies that will be available to players on the PS4 release.
But before you read on, be warned: this article contains spoilers.
1 – Complete the Ifrit SeeD Trial in 10 Minutes or Less
The earliest, chronologically, of our putative trophies concerns the Ifrit SeeD trial that takes place in the first couple of hours of the game.
With the assistance of his instructor/future party member Quistis Trepe, protagonist Squall Leonheart is tasked with traversing the corridors of the dangerous Fire Cavern in an effort to secure the services of powerful GF (Guardian Force) Ifrit. Demonstrating his readiness for the SeeD exam and bolstering Balamb’s arsenal of weapons in the process.
First, however, Squall must predict how long it will take to complete the mission: 10, 20, 30, or 40 minutes.
Completing it in under 10 minutes nets Squall the most points, making it the default option for anyone who cares about his standing in SeeD. But doing so isn’t easy; especially if you’re new to the game.
Worthy of a bronze or even a silver trophy, we think.
Possible Name: It’s Getting Hot in Here
2 – Put on a Successful Garden Festival
Next up is the Garden Festival.
Taking place shortly after the attack on Trabia Garden at the insistence of Irvine Kinneas, who wants to both raise fellow party member Selphie Tilmitt’s spirits and bring Squall and love interest Rinoa Heartilly closer together (it’s an odd game), the goal here is to put on a concert using the game’s party members.
Success results in a heart-to-heart between Squall and Rinoa in which the latter urges the former to rely on and trust in his friends. Fail, however, and the concert will be a musical disaster, leading to an argument between the two prospective lovers.
Admittedly, either result has no real impact on the story. But still, Rinoa deserves something nice to make up for Squall’s constant brooding. And we deserve a trophy.
Possible Name: The Greatest Show-Woman
3 – Reach Maximum SeeD Rank
Once Squall has completed the SeeD entry exam, like any other employee at any other company, he receives a salary – the base rate increasing if he performs well in the field, and decreasing if he doesn’t.
It can fluctuate rather wildly, all the same. Unless, that is, the player heads into the main menu and completes the various written exams they’ll find therein.
Anyone who knows the game well shouldn’t have too much trouble reaching level 30, while there are plenty of online guides available for anyone who isn’t quite so au fait with the 1999 classic.
The money alone makes it well worth the time and effort, but we’d be even more inclined to do it if there was a trophy on offer, too.
Possible Name: The Name’s Leonheart. Squall Leonheart
4 – Locate PuPu the Alien
From this point onwards, chronological order has gone out the window somewhat, as you’ll only be able to complete the majority of these tasks once you’ve acquired the Ragnarok (FFVIII’s airship) towards the end of the game.
The first of these end game missions revolves around the hunt for an alien, PuPu, whose haphazard piloting has led to a number of citizens that have been recorded in the Occult Fan magazine, copies of which can be found throughout the game.
Even with their assistance, locating him can be rather tricky, requiring close scrutiny of the above-mentioned magazines. Nevertheless, with the promise of a unique PuPu Triple Triad Card at encounter’s end, discerning FFVIII players will want to meet this particular extra-terrestrial before they’ve finished their adventure.
Possible Name: Close Encounters of the Turd Kind (‘PuPu’ sounds like ‘poo’, get it?)
5 – Collect All Triple Triad Cards
Completing the UFO quest will be of particular importance to anyone who wants to earn our next prospective trophy, awarded, as we see it, to anyone who manages to collect each and every one of the game’s Triple Triad Cards.
Though an obvious choice for a trophy, it wouldn’t be unjust. After all, with 110 cards on offer, many of which can only be obtained once very specific conditions have been met, acquiring them all can be a rather laborious process; even with the help of a strategy guide.
Or at least it would be if Triple Triad itself wasn’t so addictive. Establishing itself as not only one of the most enjoyable minigames in Final Fantasy history, but one of the best the medium has to offer.
Possible Name: Card Sharp
6 – Solve the Obel Lake Mystery
One of the more esoteric side-quests in Final Fantasy VIII begins and ends on the banks of the otherwise innocuous Obel Lake. Which, upon closer inspection, reveals a mysterious shadowy figure lurking beneath its crystal-clear waters.
The figure isn’t out for blood, however. Rather, they need Squall’s help with a litany of unusual tasks, offering him a number of rare items as a reward for his assistance. The last of which coming in the form of the Three Stars consumable.
It’s a decent reward, in as much as it teaches one of your GF’s the ability Expendx3-1: an extremely useful skill that allows players to cast three spells for the price of one.
Nevertheless, given how long it takes to complete the quest, we were kind of hoping for something more.
Possible Name: Is that It?
7 – Obtain All GFs
Final Fantasy VIII features a wide selection of summonable allies: some completely new to the game (Pandemona), others well-known faces from days gone by (Shiva, Ifrit, Bahamut).
Obtaining them all isn’t exactly straightforward, however. With some, like Tonberry King and Eden, forcing the player to either jump through hoops or defeat an absurdly powerful foe before they’ll agree to help Squall and co. in their fight against Ultimecia.
A shiny silver or gold trophy would, therefore, be a fitting reward.
Possible Name: Will You be My GF?
8 – Defeat Ultima and Omega Weapon
Much like summons, secret optional bosses have been a mainstay of the Final Fantasy series for well over two decades. Purpose-built adversaries that give players the chance to test their mettle against some of the toughest enemies in JRPG history.
Two such creatures lurk in the darkest corners of Final Fantasy VIII. the first and easiest of which is Ultima Weapon.
A mandatory encounter for anyone determined to obtain the seventh trophy on this list, by virtue of the fact that Eden can only be acquired from this colossal foe, Ultima Weapon is, thankfully, relatively straightforward. So long as the player comes prepared with plenty of high-tier magic and a party of properly Junctioned characters. His brother, however, Omega Weapon, is a different beast altogether.
Anyone who isn’t rocking a team of maxed out characters equipped to the eyeballs with their ultimate weapons and 100 copies of every high-tier spell in the entire game, will struggle to make more than a dent in Omega’s glimmering armour.
Survive his instant death magic and overwhelmingly powerful strikes, however, and the player will be rewarded with another Three Stars, the Proof of Omega key item, and, we assume going forward, a gold trophy.
Possible Name: Ultimecia Should be a Doddle
9 – Learn Every Blue Magic Ability
The penultimate entry on our list focuses on party member Quistis’ unique limit ability: Blue Magic.
Learned by consuming certain items, rather than waiting for an accommodating monster to perform said technique on the curious party member, a handful of Quistis’s Blue Magic abilities have the potential to completely alter the course of battle if used correctly. Not to mention drastically reducing the amount of time need to acquire the Tonberry King.
Actually finding the items that contain these abilities isn’t as difficult as locating every Tripe Triad card or defeating Omega Weapon. However, it’s the kind of thing we’d expect to receive a trophy for doing. Oh video games, how you’ve spoiled us.
Possible Name: Know Thy Enemy
10 – Catch a Chocobo in Every Forest
Where better to finish than with everyone’s favourite feather friends, Chocobos? Specifically, catching the Kwehing blighters.
Admittedly, it’s not as well-developed or enjoyable as that which appears in Final Fantasy VII. Nor is there an all-powerful summon spell awaiting anyone who successfully manages to catch the game’s rarest bird. Players will have to make do with a rare Chicobo card instead.
Nevertheless, chocobo catching is almost a rite of passage in any given Final Fantasy game. So, as frustrating as catching them in FFVIII can be, it’s something that self-respecting Final Fantasy fans really should try. Besides, if the puzzles prove too difficult, the player can always bribe the resident Chocoboy to catch them on Squall’s behalf.
Possible Name: The Chocobo Whisperer
What other optional trophies do you expect to see in the Final Fantasy VIII PS4 remaster? Let us know down in the comments below.
In the meantime, head over to our news and announcements page for up to the minute info on everything E3 2019.