While Final Fantasy 7 may be the most popular game in Square Enix’s JRPG franchise, its sequel-in-name-only Final Fantasy 8 is an underrated follow-up. Over the years, Final Fantasy 8 fans have fought over the title of best Final Fantasy game, but modern fans are taking it one step further.
In a move straight out of the late 90s, Final Fantasy 8 fan and video game historian Phil Salvador created an entire website to argue its role as the best game in the series. Called “Final Fantasy 8 is the Best, And If You Don’t Agree I’ll Destroy You,” the site is an aggressive love letter to Squall’s adventure.
Starting in February 2024, the fan website is filled with hilarious short-form articles about the JRPG. One post talks about the many talents of Squall, the protagonist of the PlayStation RPG, such as his ability to drink directly through his eyeball.
“Can your favorite protagonist drink from his eyeball while also being the best-looking guy there? I think not. Squall 1- everyone else 0,” the post states.
Another amazing post with a ton of quotes added to our lifelong book of sayings ranks every boss in the JRPG by “how bad they could f**k you up IRL.” Starting with the “little guy” PuPu, the list goes through every one of the game’s bosses. Our favorite is the description for the Fake President boss which reads: “This is what I imagine it would be like to have a fistfight with a drunk Ronald Reagan.”
Another post is simply titled “FF8 F**king Rules” with the only body text telling anyone who disagrees to munch on their behind. One post theorizes what they would do with every single physical copy of Final Fantasy 8, another describes the existential nature of some particularly soulless Cactuar cookies, and another reads: “I made a Final Fantasy VIII car in Forza Horizon 5 and drove it off a cliff. This is how I feel every day.”
However, amidst the hilarity, there are also genuinely interesting bits of gaming history within the Final Fantasy 8 site. For example, one post details the often-forgotten Final Fantasy 8 PS2 tech demo, and another describes the history of an old gaming magazine that spent two years taunting haters of the RPG.
Whatever happens, we hope this fansite can keep arguing about Final Fantasy 8 for as long as we can read.