I’ve at all times been a staunch defender of Closing Fantasy VIII. I really like its damaged junction system, the distinctive card recreation Triple Triad, and the central story of Squall and Rinoa. Not all people is as enlightened as I’m, although. Ever since its launch in 1999, the sport has been neglected and underappreciated, actually because it confronted the not possible problem of following Closing Fantasy VII. However one website is right here to set the report straight and shout the praises of the oft-derided eight entry. It’s the aptly titled Closing Fantasy VIII is the Greatest and it’s the finest.
The positioning got here into existence on February 23, with an inaugural submit titled ‘FF8 fucking guidelines.’ The primary submit merely reads “eat my ass.” I used to be made conscious of the location from Crucial Distance’s “This Week In Video Recreation Running a blog” roundup. There have been 14 extra articles posted to the location as of writing. Whereas the primary submit could give readers the impression that is totally a joke, subsequent articles present that that is rather more than that. The second submit is an in depth evaluation of the tune “Eyes on Me,” which serves as a central love theme for characters Rinoa and Squall. The article explains that regardless of the mess that’s, “Eyes on Me” nonetheless works as an emotional illustration of the characters’ journey.
Articles on Closing Fantasy VIII is the Greatest commute between joking posts and deeply crucial works teasing out the sport’s which means. At some point the location will grill Rinoa for her unhealthy posture, and the following it is going to do a deep dive on the crucial panorama at massive by way of the lens of how Closing Fantasy 8 has been reevaluated lately. One of the crucial latest posts recounts the years-long joke {a magazine} pulled on one in all its readers, and the ending genuinely made me scream out loud due to how wild it’s. Closing Fantasy VIII is the Greatest is a bizarre love letter to a bizarre recreation.
Which is the purpose, as famous by website creator Phil Salvador, who additionally occurs to be the Library Director for the Video Recreation Historical past Basis. On the backside of Closing Fantasy VIII is the Greatest is a message that reads “You possibly can simply make a web site and no one can cease you.” Click on that linked message and it brings you to a type of mission assertion/explainer of the location. Salvador lists a number of causes for beginning it, together with as a way to beat author’s block and since he “thought the area identify was humorous.” He additionally writes:
There’s one other half to this, which is that I need the web to be bizarre. I’m penning this in February 2024, and over the past yr, I really feel like we’ve seen the open internet degrade at an alarming fee. Google’s search algorithm has been shifting arduous in favor search engine optimisation mill content material and eCommerce, and the rise of LLM AI has produced the data equal of gray goo. With these two issues mixed, it looks like we’re forsaking the concept that the online may be private or a spot for expression or enjoyable concepts. It’s turning into a slurry of interchangeable nameless Content material, and we’re used to the concept that the actual creativity occurs on Twitch, Discord, YouTube or different closed areas.
Closing Fantasy VIII is the Greatest is a private outlet and love letter to an advanced recreation but in addition a residing, respiration instance of how genuinely particular the web may be. As Salvador factors out, that is extra vital than ever, as now it looks like the powers that be wish to proceed to monetize and min/max the web with none take care of the content material on it. I wish to see websites like this for each bizarre recreation ever made, as a result of it’s an ideal reminder that anyone can discover one thing to like in even probably the most flawed items of artwork. I do know I’m already contemplating making a Gravity Rush fan website. And you are able to do the identical. You possibly can simply make a web site and no one can cease you!