This remaster hits a few major points when it comes to refreshing an old game. But blurry, upscaled backgrounds and a missed opportunity to go from 4:3 to 16:9 aspect ratio, leave much to desire here. Yet, it is still as great game as it ever was. It's just easier to see it, this time around.

Final Fantasy 8 Remastered keeps everything that made the original a classic, including its polarizing leveling system, the Triple Triad card game, and the ugly backgrounds. The game's ugly graphics outside of the character models makes it feel like a half measure at times, but regardless, Final Fantasy 8 Remastered is still the best way to experience the game today. Oh, and the soundtrack is still fantastic, too.

The game has some issues, but it is still a high-quality title for all JRPG fans. The remaster would deserve much more care, but its base works and it doesn’t make things unnecessarily difficult for you. [Issue#299]

The 20-year-old Final Fantasy VIII has been resurected by this Remastered with several really useful cheats. We appreciate the new 3D models but, once again, the 4/3 ratio, and some missing features that are standard on Zodiac Age, for example, feels a bit sad.

Final Fantasy VIII is still a great game and if you’re playing it for the first time, I’d suggest getting this version. If you already have an earlier release however then it’s hard to justify the cost. A few graphical tweaks and some blurring isn’t worth the money for me: I could get a similar effect by taking off my glasses before playing and save myself 16 quid in the process. A poor remaster of a great game.

While the game keeps several essential systems intact and improves on the character models, I would have like to see more visual improvements throughout the game.

Final Fantasy 8 did not age well, and I would not recommend it as an introduction into JRPGs, but it does offer an interesting introspective at the history of this genre. Unfortunately, the remaster is quite shoddy, and there is no better official version than this.