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-Compiled by Demandred

Chapter One: Escape from Dorter… or is it Dollet!?!

Monday, 15 March 1999
01:41

All right, considering that is 2 am in the morning, I would have to say that that means I bought the pirated Final Fantasy VIII software yesterday evening.

Since I bought the Japanese version (currently, there is no English version) I don’t understand a crap of what the game characters are saying. However, since the Japanese language originated from China, there are a few Chinese words that I can understand. Plus, there are also a few rare translations in English along the way to help me.

I shall continue playing this Japanese version until the English version arrives.

The game begins with a great-looking FMV, as usual of Square. In the FMV, there are some English words. I was surprised, since this was the Japanese version. You see Rinoa in a plain full of beautiful flowers, some glimpses of Edea and a fantastic duel between Squall and Seifer. Seifer knocks Squall down and slashes his face. Squall retaliates and slashes Seifer’s too.

The FMV ends and you get into the main game. Squall lies in the Infirmary, with a bandage around his head. A conversation with a doctor ensues. You have to make a few selections in the conversation and I simply selected each option. (I don’t understand a word they are saying since its Japanese). The doctor leaves and a beautiful girl wearing
spectacles enters. (Who the heck is she?) A short conversation follows between Squall and the girl. Both leave the infirmary. You walk down a pathway with her and she talks to you on the way. A short break shows another beautiful FMV of the place you are in. (Is it Seed Headquarters? I think so.)

You end up with a place full of computers, other members and Seifer. The beautiful girl, (I’ll just call her BG), begins to give a lecture. Halfway, Seifer appears to slam his computer. (Wonder why?) When it ends, the other members and Seifer leave the room. Squall gets up from his computer. Note: On his computer, you can get two GF spells!!!! Talk to BG and both of you leave the room.

Squall ends up alone outside the room. At this point, I didn’t know what to. A followed my instincts and walked down the pathway and turned the first corner. I chatted to people on the way, though it gave little help to me. (Remember, its Japanese!) I went down a lift and explored the place.

Here are my discoveries.

  • There are many places you can go. These include the Infirmary, the Cafeteria, the Training Grounds, the Library, your Dormitory, the Quad (What’s that?), the Car Park and the main entrance.
  • At the entrance, BG is allowed to join you. I took her onto the world map. (A very nice world map!) We followed a road to the nearby town. I didn’t learn anything useful and so I went back to the Headquarters.
  • Went to the Cafeteria and witnessed a short conversation with Seifer and two of his cronies. Suddenly, a guy runs in (I think he is Zell!) and talks to the cafeteria attendant. Seifer and his cronies follow Zell out. I follow them.
  • However, after searching the whole Headquarters, I could not find a trace of them. I decided to get BG and explore the World Map once more…

This time, I found a concealed cave beyond a forest. At the entrance were two people.(I think they are robots actually…) This asked me something in Japanese and told me to make a selection. I simply chose the 4th one. They allowed me clearance and suddenly a timer appears in the top right corner of my screen. I had less than 40 minutes until something happened. WHAT??? I decided that the answer awaited me in the cave.

Inside the cave, the place was red hot and there was a lot of lava. I ran into a many bad guys. Some of them resemble those from Final Fantasy VII. Here, I mastered the use of my Gunblade. At the end of the cave, I found Ifrit. I fought him, defeated him and I gained him as a GF.

I had about less than 29 minutes left before something happened. I checked the options menu. I understood crap and decided to leave the damn cave.

Outside, I found out how to use my GF. Back at Headquarters I learned to pick up a red orb I had been seeing all over the place. I mentally cursed myself because I had also seen one back in the Red Hot Cave.

Well, at this point I did not know what to do next. However, I noticed that BG was following me around all over the place. So I wondered whether she would follow me to my room. (Heh, heh…)

She did.

Squall changes his out of his cool feathered vest into a smart nerdy-looking uniform and after leaving the Dormitory, a short FMV occurs showing Zell performing some backflips. Seifer and gang come along and a long talk ensues involving Squall, BG, Zell, Seifer and gang and one fat creep wearing spectacles. After this, the game becomes pretty automatic. Seifer, Zell and Squall go to the Car Park and they leave the Headquarters. In the World Map, you learn how to use a Buggy and I travelled to the closest town again. Note: There is a railway behind the town. Purpose: unknown yet…

Follow everybody to the pier and get onto a weird-looking ship. Inside, a lot of Japanese talk is spoken and a cool FMV follows. You land at Dorter( At least, I think it is Dorter). Here, the music becomes urgent. Tired, I saved my game at the nearest save point.

Monday, 15 March 1999
12:49

I last left off at the save point at Dorter. When I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was switch on my Playstation and play Final Fantasy VIII.

Talk to Seifer and follow him all over Dorter. There will be many encounters with the resident baddies. They are quite chicken to kill, so there should be no problem.

At the town square, Seifer stops. Go to the right path and kill the lone soldier that appears. Go back and talk to Seifer. He starts swinging his Gunblade around like a madman. A dog tries to be friendly to him and Seifer tries to be unfriendly to the dog. Follow Seifer up the left path.

Here you will encounter a mini-boss. It looks like a giant cobra but it should not be too much trouble to beat. Follow Seifer some more, all the way meeting more enemy soldiers, until you reach a Satellite Tower. Here a FMV occurs which introduces a new character: I think she is Selphie Tilmett! She fights and casts spells like Yuffie in Final Fantasy VII.

Enter the Satellite Tower and save at the save point. Absorb the nearby red orb before going up the elevator and be prepared to fight two Boss fights. Note: Watch the cool FMV of the Satellite Tower The first two are a powerful Red General and a Blue Soldier. They are easily beaten only to be replaced (blown away) by a huge Batman-look-alike monster. Exterminate Batman using all your powerful spells. Here I found out that Selphie’s Limit Break cures the whole party, just like Aries/Aerith in Final Fantasy VII!!!!

Expect to spend a lot of time with Batman. He has a lot of HP. His attacks are moderately powerful. In my party;

  • Selphie was used to cure the whole party. The spells she absorbed are all cure spells.
  • Squall absorbed all the attack spells from Batman.
  • Zell absorbs all attack spells from Batman also.
  • Absorb as many attack spells and build up for the Final Boss later…but don’t neglect Batman or he will blow you away…

After beating Batman, you find out that Seifer is an unhelpful person. While you were fighting, Seifer had been watching unconcerned…

Follow Seifer down the lift and save. By now, a small timer should have appeared at the top left of your screen. I hate this kind of situations. I had less than 30 minutes before something happened. WHAT??? I decided to save near the lift before exiting the Satellite Tower.

I had just exited the building when suddenly a huge rumbling came from the top of the tower. A huge machine which resembles a Giant Spider jumps off the building and picks a fight with you. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this is the Final Boss…

After spending nearly fifteen minutes trying to figure out a way to beat Spiderman, I finally realised that I could not. I was supposed to beat him to a point where he tires and a message appears on top of the screen telling me to escape. However, since it was Japanese I only realised after spending a lot of time with him. After escaping Spiderman, he chased me all over the place until Squall and gang reaches the harbour. Here a cool FMV takes place. I reached Headquarters, talked to BG, another girl and the fat guy with spectacles. I turned towards the Library and met Seifer. He seems pissed about something. An announcement is made that all cadets had to go somewhere.

I saved after this. I had played for nearly two full hours this morning.

Note, at this time:

  • I had four GF spells;
  • I learned how to translate the Japanese menu( Items, GF, Save Point etc.) and understood the draw/stock system;
  • I found out that Squall’s Limit Break can be enhanced using the Gunblade;
  • Seifer is a creep.

Chapter 2: Questions, Flashbacks and Beautiful Women

Tuesday, 16 March 1999
1:02 AM

All right, I last left off at the announcement being made that all the cadets had to go somewhere. I took the elevator in the centre of Headquarters and went to the second floor. Here, a scene awaited me…

  • Zell was there, walking around impatiently;
  • Selphie was there too, standing there.

Suddenly one of those half-man, half-machine guys appeared in the doorway. He announced something. Zell and Selphie suddenly seemed ecstatic. We were taken to the fat creep wearing spectacles’ office. He began to speak in Japanese. My guess is that we(Squall, Zell and Selphie) had passed the stage of being just cadets and were now given our first mission. We left the office.

I can’t remember what exactly happened next. But I think I made my way back to the Dormitory. Selphie was there. I (Squall) change into an ultra-cool uniform. I guess I was going to a party…

I was right.

At the party, Squall stands slouched coolly against a pillar. A waitress brings a glass of drink to him and he takes it. While drinking the drink, Zell and Selphie come and speak to him. A selection occurs while Selphie talks. Since it was in Japanese, I chose the 2nd option (……………) Note: Later on, I found out that choosing the first option leaves Selphie jumping happily and waving goodbye.

Now, on to the good part. A cool FMV rolls in. The Headquarters is covered by a large, glass dome. While watching the stars through the glass dome, Squall sees a shooting star. His eyes trace it until it disappears. His eyes suddenly narrow. He has spotted a beautiful girl(better than BG) in a white night gown. I safely presume that she is none other than Rinoa Heartily. Rinoa has also seen him and points at the disappeared falling star.

She walks up to Squall and speaks to him. (Japanese, Japanese, Japanese…) Then she pulls him to dance floor and starts dancing with him. No, she forces Squall to dance! From this scene, we learn that Squall may be cool, but he is a terrible dancer. Like Cinderalla who left her glass slipper after the ball, Rinoa leaves Squall dumbfounded on the dance floor.

After the party, Squall leans on a balcony. BG joins him and they talk. (Japanese, Japanese, Japanese…) However, I managed to get the general idea that BG wants Squall to meet her at the Training Grounds afterwards.

I(Squall) went to the entrance of the Training Grounds. Indeed, BG was there. Apparently, she wanted me to go into the Training Grounds. Why? I took a chance and chose the left entrance. I fought my way through and saved at the next Save Point I encountered. I turned to the right and absorbed a red orb. Went back to the Save Point and saved again before entering a door near the Save Point.

Another balcony scene, BG has a long, long talk with Squall. (I have GOT to learn Japanese…) They stop afterwards and I make my way back to my room. However, Squall and BG suddenly hear a scream. We see a girl (Who is she? Rinoa? Selphie? TIFA? I shall call her Mysterious Girl or MG) being attacked by one of the monsters in the Training Grounds. Being the heroic pair, Squall and BG take on the ugly beast.

However, during the Active Time Battle Mode, we see that it is not just one monster, but FOUR! The most powerful is another Batman-look-alike-flying-Thingy. The rest are identical monsters, which look like huge pieces of blue rock. The Blue Rock Stars have Fire Magic that can be absorbed and used to defeat Batman 2.

After beating this pathetic mini-boss(es), the girl is suddenly escorted by two soldiers in green away from the scene. Squall and BG leave the scene in puzzlement. BG leaves Squall later at the entrance of the Training Grounds.

Squall awakes the next morning and from this point on, I can’t remember clearly what happens next. I do remember going to the Main Entrance of Headquarters and meeting Zell and Selphie on the way. They join my Party and I decide to travel to the next town.

Upon reaching the next town, I talk to the mechanics there and explore the place thoroughly. With no real leads I decided to go back to Headquarters. I went to the Library and met someone who resembled a character I would meet later: Laguna! He talks for a short while and leaves the Library. I decided to pay the fat creep wearing spectacles in his office on the 3rd Floor a visit. He talks and suddenly I could hear a confirmation sound and Japanese words appeared on my TV screen. What the heck?

I saved my game and ate dinner.

Loaded my saved game and decided to pay the closest town (I shall now call it Blue Town) another visit. I realised I had missed a turn to the right which revealed a Train Station. I talked to the attendants and boarded the Train…

Inside the Train, I went with the flow and saw the Train travelling on the mysterious railway track I mentioned earlier in Chapter 1. At one point, I follow Zell into a room. Selphie joins us and suddenly, Squall collapses onto the floor gripping his head before he collapses flat onto the ground. Note: This scene reminds me of Cloud’s flashbacks in Final Fantasy VII

The screen fades and I learn that Squall, Zell and Selphie have disappeared. In their place, three guys are there instead. One of them is Laguna(I’m positive…), the other two are a black guy and big guy. I shall call the black guy `The Brother’ and the big guy `The Big Guy’. And instead of the inside of the Train, these guys are in the centre of a dense forest. I followed the path all the way until I found a Buggy. On the way there I(Laguna) had to fight a few enemies and absorbed a red orb. The Buggy is driven until it reaches the square of a large City. I think it is Galbadia.

By going to the right of the square I ended up following another Buggy until I reached a road with a Hotel. I went inside and saved my game. I went down the nearest stairs and encountered two guys who greatly resemble the Red General and Blue Guard bosses I had fought in Chapter 1. I talked to a girl there and she gave me three options.

I think the second option is the correct one. Laguna, The Brother and The Big Guy sit down on the nearest available seats. A girl comes down the stairs. She resembles Rinoa and MG. Laguna strikes up a conversation with MG and suddenly he walks like a cripple!?! What was happening? I think he got rejected or something. Going back to his chair, Laguna is laughed at by The Brother and The Big Guy. They leave him alone and MG talks to him. Laguna walks up the stairs and asks the clerk the first option. He ends up in MG’s room where a long conversation in Japanese followed. Naturally, I understood crap. After the intimate conversation, we return back to Squall and his Party.

Squall awakens and the Train stops at Timber Station. I(Squall) get off the Train and talk to a guy at the bottom of the steps. I follow him and he directs me to another Train. I get onto the Train, meet a few new irrelevant characters and saved at the nearest Save Point.

Tuesday, 16 March 1999
11:37 PM

Now if Squall walks up the hallway, he will meet Rinoa sleeping in a room. A conversation will follow between the two of them and her dog will enter. At this point you can get to name Rinoa and her dog.

Leave the room and save your game again. Now go back to where you found the new irrelevant characters. I now suspect these guys are members of a rebel force. Just like Avalanche in Final Fantasy VII! Follow them into a dark hallway and you end up in a War Room with a cute set of trains in the middle of it. Rinoa explains to you something about trains. I could not understand a word of it, which is quite unfortunate because the next few scenes require you to understand her.

However, by trial and error, I managed to get past the next few scenes:

  • My conclusion is that you must learn to input codes to activate small devices later on. You need to enter them correctly. 1 = Triangle, 2 = Circle, 3 = Square and 4 = X
  • For example, the screen shows you the numbers 1134, so you input Triangle, Triangle, Square and X.
  • She will let you have a practice run where you input the numbers.
  • Note however, when the real thing occurred, I had to understand a few more important points.

After the tutorial by Rinoa, you will have to climb onto the top of the Train you’re in. Save first before you confirm you’re ready with one of the Rebel Members. (To confirm is the option with the `OK’ inside it…) Follow her across the following Trains and when she comes to a point when she expects you to do something. Now, you had better note the next few points.

  • You’re in a situation where you have to implant small devices at the bottom of the Train. Press Down and start imputing the codes. Use either your L1 or L2 buttons to scan left or right. There will two situations, one which requires you to scan to your left and another which requires you to scan to your right.
  • The purpose is to check out for two guards patrolling the Train you’re implanting the device. When you think that they’re about to see you, press Up and wait until they turn away. Then come back down and continue imputing the codes.
  • If you’re spotted, Rinoa will start asking you two options. BEWARE! Pressing one of the wrong options will end up in the game being declared over and you’ll have to restart the whole thing.
  • Do not fret over this scene if you are unable to get it right the first time. For those of you who are waiting for the English version to come out, you’ll be able to pass the English version easily enough. But for those of you who continue to insist on playing the Japanese version (You’re like me…) to get a head-start over the rest of the English-speaking population on Earth, you might have to try many times to get it right.

After this tedious scene and some boring FMVs of trains which you can move Squall around, you will end up in a Train. Save now because you’re going to fight a powerful boss in Japanese. After saving, check your inventory and when you think you are ready, confirm with Rinoa and she will bring you to the next compartment and a short conversation will follow with the fat creep in business suit there. Then you will have to fight the fat creep in business suit.

Boss Stats.

  • First form is pathetic and you should have no problem.
  • Second form is difficult and you should get ready to constantly Heal and Cure your party members from Status attacks.
  • His attacks include Darkness, Silence, Berserk and powerful hits which can take up more than 130 HP.
  • In my party, Selphie was used as the Healer. Zell cast GF spells on the monster and Squall cast ordinary spells. However, the monster is particularly susceptible to Fire Attacks and the Ifrit GF works extremely well too.

After the fight, you end up back in the War Room. Talk to Rinoa and she will show you a piece of paper in Japanese. You should know by now why I cannot understand a word of it. However, I suspect it involves the fat creep wearing spectacles…You’ll understand why when you see the note. A little more conversation passes and you get to choose your members for your next party. Or rather, only one member. Rinoa and Squall are now temporarily compulsory and so that leaves either Selphie or Zell to choose from.

AUTHOR’S NOTE : At this point, I checked my inventory. I died while doing this. Want to know why? Well, I had discovered one of the game’s unique differences from Final Fantasy VII. I had one item that I did not know what it could do. I clicked on it and ( You’re not going to believe it…) I had to fight a Demon. I suspect that it is Bahamut. Well, I fought bravely and courageously, using all my experience with Japanese spells and GF collected so far. But the Demon/Bahamut finally killed me without much trouble. I cursed because I had to reload my Save Game and endure fighting the Fat Creep in Business Suit again. I cursed and decided to play Syphon Filter. I got stuck in Syphon Filter and cursed again. I loaded my Save Game and defeated the Fat Creep in Business Suit. This time I checked my Inventory more cautiously before selecting them. I found out that I had two other special items beside the
Demon/Bahamut Item Trap. I arrived at the following conclusions:

  • These items were probably in my Inventory for a long time already. It was just because I had not noticed them previously.
  • The Fat Creep in Spectacles in Chapter 1 probably gave them to me.
  • Japanese is an important language to learn if you want to beat the best RPGs in the Japanese market.
  • Rinoa’s Limit Break involves her dog.

After your selection, you should leave the room and the Train should stop at a station. Note that you are not safe. Walking around this place means running into Blue Soldiers. I recommend that you search this Town carefully before entering a place labelled PUB in English.

When you enter the PUB, a conversation occurs with the local drunkards and Rinoa. Note the particular Drunkard blocking an entrance to the back. Talk to him and choose the 2nd option. Then make another selection (I can’t remember which) until a guy comes and drags him away from the door.

Go through the door and the party ends up in a back alley. Save at the Save Point and absorb the Red Orb. Go to your left and up a flight of stairs. There will be a big TV screen. Look at it and suddenly Rinoa picks a fight with Squall and runs away. The screen will show a fat man giving a speech and a sudden kidnap involving Seifer. (I knew that guy
was no good…)

Continue to your left and you will enter the TV Studio. A brief sequence shows Seifer dragging the fat man away and later letting him go. A new character will appear. She is none other than…

“Edea the Witch.”

The real plot of the story has begun…

Wednesday, 17 March 1999
4:24 PM

Note: In the next few paragraphs you have to make many selections. I chose the 1st option for each of them.

Delighted with the latest turn of events, I bring Squall and his party back to the PUB. Inside, you find BG and Rinoa engage in a conversation. Follow them out of the PUB and into a house. Talk to everybody until they go upstairs. Talk to everybody again until they go downstairs. Attempt to leave the house and you will make a selection for your next party. I brought Rinoa and Selphie along with me.

Outside the house, you see a Blue Soldier walking on the pavement. Talk to him. BG and Zell will appear (or else Selphie, it depends on who is in your party). Follow them to the right. Talk to the man in the gray shirt. Then follow BG onto the railway side. Enter the train. Aboard the train, talk to everybody and go with the flow.

The train departs and as it stops somewhere on the World Map, you have to stop and make a selection. I chose the first Japanese option. Squall alights from the train. Save now. I need time to explore this World Map.

I located a forest to enter. Upon entering the forest, the group suddenly stops. Zell seems to be asking you something. You seem to refuse and he seems pissed. Then, its flashback time again.

This time Laguna is staring over a cliff overlooking some kind of processing plant. Go down the one-way path with The Brother and The Big Guy. You encounter a bunch of enemy soldiers. Exterminate them. Now you are faced with two paths to go. I went to the left path first and saw a deep pothole. Going into it and fighting a lot of bad guys, I scathed through and climbed a ladder. I surfaced and found out that I was in the second path. Cursing, I climbed down again and searched the place more carefully. I discovered a way up in one of the Emerald Caves. Continuing up, Laguna sees something on the ground. Attempt to touch it and you are given two options.

I tried both options. Apparently,

  • The first option was a button which caused a boulder to roll down.
  • The second option was also a button which caused a boulder to roll down.

Go up to the next cave and save. Choose the hole pointing up and you end on a sheer cliff overlooking a sea. You encounter several enemies. These guys are slightly tough. I don’t know if this is supposed to happen but The Brother and The Big Guy are severely wounded during the battle by the last enemy before he dies. (In two slashes, both The Brother and The Big Guy lose HP until they drop to 1…) After the fight(s), Laguna carries both The Brother and The Big Guy and push them over the cliff, into the deep sea below. Laguna also feels suicidal and jumps in too.

**Note: For reasons of consistency I decided not to edit any of the text in this walkthrough. However, u might like to/already know that BG is actually Quistis Tulip. Laguna's comrades u already know. Also, click here for a printable version