Is Final Fantasy 8 Actually Good On Mobile

Fans have waited years for Final Fantasy VIII Remastered to come to mobile, and in a surprise reveal yesterday, Square Enix has finally released the game on iOS and Android devices. For those looking to try out Final Fantasy 8 on mobile for themselves, here’s everything to know.

While other entries in the long-running JRPG franchise, like Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy IX, have gotten more love over the years, Final Final 8 is still an important and often-adored entry in the series. FF8 is a more character-driven drama than previous installments, and it centered on melancholy protagonist Squall. The story itself took place in multiple time periods, presenting a narrative that spanned decades. FF8 Remastered released on Switch and other platforms in 2019, and Final Fantasy 8 on mobile is ported from the PC version. This means HD representations of characters, enhanced visuals, and a number of quality-of-life improvements.

While FF8 has often been overshadowed by the games that immediately preceded and followed it, it’s still maintained a pretty loyal following. So, the surprise announcement from Square Enix that Final Fantasy 8 Remastered released on mobile in the Google Play and App Store has likely delighted fans who’ve felt the game hasn’t been given the love and attention it deserves. Of course, being on mobile, the iOS and Android versions of FF8 play differently. So is Final Fantasy 8 actually good on mobile?

How FF8 Is Different On Mobile

The biggest difference in the mobile version of the game is how controls work. Buttons are present on the touch-screen, and even triggers like R1 and L1 are in their respective positions at the top. For people used to playing on consoles or PC, it might feel strange. However, fans who’ve played other Final Fantasy games on mobile will find that the controls are pretty similar.

Ultimately, this is the deciding factor for how well Final Fantasy 8 plays on mobile. People who love playing mobile ports of JRPGs will love it, and people who don’t like playing mobile ports probably won’t. As in previous versions of FF8 Remastered, players can choose to speed-up gameplay, use Battle Assist to max HP and the ATB Gauge, and even turn enemy encounters off. Unfortunately, Cloud saves and controller support aren’t available just yet but are promised for a future update.

For anyone interested in purchasing Final Fantasy 8 on mobile, now is the ideal time. The game is currently priced at $16.99, but that will increase to $20.99 after April 4th. So, there’s definitely an incentive to get the game while it’s new. Overall, fans of FF8 and mobile games should be thoroughly pleased with Square Enix’s latest port.

About The Author

Austin King
(1234 Articles Published)

Austin King is a Game Features Editor at Screen Rant. He’s the author of several books and hosts the Dragon Quest FM and JRPGs & Me podcasts. You can find him on Twitter @DragonQuaustin.

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