Final Fantasy vs Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy is an RPG game from Square (1987) while Final Fantasy VIII is a JRPG open-world game from Square (1999).
Quick answer: Final Fantasy VIII has the higher Metacritic, 90 to 67.
Final Fantasy
What each one is
Final Fantasy is filed under RPG. In contrast, Final Fantasy VIII under JRPG and Open-World.
Final Fantasy is a 1987 role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the first game in Square's Final Fantasy series, created by Hironobu Sakaguchi. The story follows four youths called the Warriors of Light, who each carry one of their world's four elemental crystals which have been darkened by the four Elemental Fiends. Together, they quest to defeat these evil forces, restore light to the crystals, and save their world.
It is a time of war. Galbadia, a Global Superpower, has declared war on Dollet, a country whose training academy is home to two personalities: the hot-headed Seifer and the 'lone wolf', Squall Leonhart. Both are equally at conflict with each other as their country is with Galbadia; to others, Squall appears lacking in team spirit, while...
Story, characters and reception
Plot
Setting Final Fantasy takes place in a fantasy world with three large continents. The elemental powers of this world are determined by the state of four crystals, each governing one of the four classical elements : earth, fire, water, and wind. The world of Final Fantasy is inhabited by numerous races, including humans, elves, dwarves, mermaids, dragons, and robots. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Final Fantasy has been well received by critics and commercially successful; the original Famicom (NES) version shipped 520,000 copies in Japan, grossing more than ¥3 billion or $21,000,000 (equivalent to $60,000,000 in 2025) at retail. According to Square's publicity department in 1994, the game had sold 600,000 copies in Japan. The NES release was more successful in North America, where it sold 700,000 copies, adding up to 1. (Wikipedia)
Plot
Setting and characters Main article: Characters of Final Fantasy VIII Most of Final Fantasy VIII is set on an unnamed fantasy world. The setting is highly European in design and features a blend of modern and futuristic locales. The planet contains five major landmasses, with Esthar, the largest, covering most of the eastern portion of the map. (Wikipedia)
Reception
Reception Final Fantasy VIII received critical acclaim. In general, the game was compared favorably to its predecessors. Though questioning the game's lack of voice overs for its characters, Game Revolution praised its storyline and ending. (Wikipedia)
At a glance
| Final Fantasy | Final Fantasy VIII | |
|---|---|---|
| GamingPickz Score | — | 7.5/10 |
| Steam rating | — | Very Positive (88%, 9,497) |
| Critic aggregate | 67/100 | 90/100 |
| Price | Unknown | $11.99 |
| Install size | — | 4 GB |
| Steam Deck | Untested | playable |
| Released | 1987 | 1999 |
| Developer | Square | Square |
Prices and Steam ratings are read live and move over time.
Final Fantasy vs Final Fantasy VIII, point by point
Each facet side by side. A round is marked won only where a figure settles it; feel and "which is better" carry no mark, because no number we hold decides them.
Genre and premise
Final FantasyRPG gameFinal Fantasy VIIIJRPG open-world gameWhat each is filed as. Each game describes itself in full above; we do not judge a premise.
How it plays
Final FantasyNo descriptive tagsFinal Fantasy VIIIJRPG, RPG, ClassicThe tags players apply most, in order of votes. A read on feel, not a verdict.
Reception
Final FantasyMetacritic 67Final Fantasy VIII ✓Metacritic 90Metacritic's critic aggregate, from the game's Wikipedia reception where it was never on Steam.
Content and scale
Final Fantasy—Final Fantasy VIII9,497 reviews · 4 GBReach and footprint, not quality: more reviews or a bigger install is not a better game.
Price
Final FantasyUnknownFinal Fantasy VIII$11.99Read live from Steam and subject to change.
Final Fantasy VIII takes 1 of the marked rounds to 0. That is only what a number can decide, not which you will enjoy more.
Which to pick, by what you want
- The better reviewed of the two: Final Fantasy VIII (Metacritic 90)
Where they differ
JRPGRPGClassicSingleplayerGreat SoundtrackTurn-Based
Tags players apply to one game and not the other.
Difficulty and who each is for
By the tags players apply, Final Fantasy is middle-of-the-road on difficulty. Final Fantasy VIII is middle-of-the-road on difficulty.
System requirements, side by side
| Final Fantasy | Final Fantasy VIII | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum GPU | — | DirectX 9.0c compatible card |
| Minimum CPU | — | 1Core CPU 2GHz |
| Minimum RAM | — | 1 GB |
| Install size | — | 4 GB |
Can your PC run them? Check each against your own kit: Final Fantasy · Final Fantasy VIII.
Accessibility features
Steam store pages declare 0 accessibility features for Final Fantasy and 2 for Final Fantasy VIII. A declaration is a floor, not a review.
If you like one, also try
Common questions
How different are Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy VIII in scope?
Final Fantasy lists little scope data. Final Fantasy VIII has drawn 9,497 Steam reviews and installs in 4 GB.
Is Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy VIII better?
Neither carries enough reviews for us to score it reliably, so we do not call a winner. The table above shows what each does have.
Which is cheaper, Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy VIII?
One or both do not have a current listed price, so a straight comparison is not possible. See the table above.
Should I get Final Fantasy or Final Fantasy VIII?
Final Fantasy VIII has the higher Metacritic, 90 to 67. It also depends on what you want: the "which to pick" section above calls out which is cheaper, lighter on storage, better on a Steam Deck and the safer bet by weight of reviews.
Do you rank one above the other for a fee?
No. Neither game, nor anyone else, pays for placement or a verdict here. The order and every figure come out of the same public data the rest of the site uses.
Related comparisons
All comparisonsHow we compare, and what we will not do
The GamingPickz Score is a composite of player sentiment (adjusted for sample size), the critic aggregate and popularity, computed by the same code every ranked list on this site uses. The Steam rating label is Valve's own, reconstructed from the positive percentage and review count. Prices are read live. We do not write an opinion of which game is "better": we report the numbers and say which wins each measurable question above.