Square Enix has re-released Final Fantasy 8 on the PC. The role-playing game, which debuted on PSOne in 1999 and on PC the following year, is now available with updated features through Steam and other digital stores.
In Final Fantasy 8, the countries of Galbadia and Dollet are at war. Squall Leonhart, a loner cadet at a military academy, will play a key role in this conflict. He and his friends must stop Galbadia's invasion and also face down the Sorceress leading the country behind the scenes.
The re-release of FF8 has been been updated to support Windows XP, Vista, 7, and 8. Square Enix has also polished up the visuals a bit. It still very much looks like a PSOne game but the character models don't have as many jagged edges. It's even less of an upgrade than the mobile version of FF6 received. Here are the minimum requirements you'll need to run the game:
- OS: Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7/8 (32/64-bit)
- Processor: 1Core CPU 2GHz or faster
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 9.0c compatible card
- DirectX: Version 9.0c
- Hard Drive: 4 GB available space
- Sound Card: Integrated sound chip or more
Square Enix's re-release of Final Fantasy 7 featured a Character Booster that allowed players to max out their hit points, magic points or money with the push of a button. FF8 has a booster as well but it's not quite as powerful. The game's Magic Booster refills your supply of the following spells: Cure, Cura, Curaga, Fire, Fira, Blizzard, Blizzara, Thunder, Thundara, Sleep, Blind, Silence, Berserk, Bio, Esuna, Aero, Confuse, Break, Zombie. You'll get 100 of each so you won't have to worry about farming up more. That list doesn't include some of the more powerful spells available in the game though so the Booster isn't a complete "I Win" button.
This new version of FF8 also includes Chocobo World, a black-and-white minigame in which a young chocobo must rescue a princess. Playing this minigame allows you to earn experience and items for FF8 itself. Square says that Chocobo World can be accessed directly in the launcher for FF8.
Like its predecessor, FF8 costs the somewhat random price of $11.99.
