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SquareSoft on PlayStation 1998 Demo Vol. 2

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This is a sub-page of Proto:Final Fantasy VIII.

To do:

  • More screens of visual differences.
  • Dialogue comparisons.
  • Comparisons of music and sound effects.
  • Document differences in internal data (including things that may not be accessible during demo gameplay).

An early demo of Final Fantasy VIII was released in 1998, bundled with Brave Fencer Musashi for both its Japanese and North American releases. Depicted in this demo is the assault on Dollet, starting at the opening siege and ending after the escape from the spider-robot X-ATM092.

This demo also appears in various US demo discs, such as Official US PlayStation Magazine Demo Disc 23 and the Pizza Hut 1999 Demo Disc 1. The menu that precedes the demo uses the same remix of the Final Fantasy prelude theme featured in other Square demo discs (the Pizza Hut disc skips the menu and goes straight into the demo; however, finishing the demo returns to the menu).

General Differences#

  • A majority of the dialogue is different due to it being an early localization.
  • Much of the details of the mission that are covered in a prior scene in the final are discussed between Squall, Seifer, and Zell after the boats have reached the beach.
  • Rinoa is the third member of the party, as opposed to Seifer then Selphie in the final version. Since Rinoa doesn't actually appear until later in the game, she has no dialogue (talking to her only displays an ellipsis), save for a single battle line during the escape from the X-ATM092.
  • Selphie is not featured at all, and as such any scenes featuring her are absent.
  • Many of the Dollet soldiers throughout are replaced with SeeD operatives in the final game and a few more were added as well.
  • The time limit for returning to the boat is 15 minutes. Also, a Dollet soldier delivers the news as opposed to Selphie.
  • During the escape from the X-ATM092, the rendezvous with the other SeeD operatives at the Shining Bomber bar is missing. Also, the option to duck into the bar to avoid X-ATM092, and thus avoid the subsequent FMV scene altogether, is not present here.
  • Quistis is not featured at all, so she isn't the one firing the gun at the end of the chase from the X-ATM092. Instead, it is a regular soldier.

Gameplay Differences#

  • The menu cannot be accessed. As such, abilities and the junction system are locked, and items/cure magic cannot be used outside of battle.
  • The characters do not gain experience points at the end of battles; only items are obtained.
  • Drawing magic from enemies has a slower animation and only allows 1-3 spells at a time. Only Squall and Zell can use the Draw command. Draw points have not been implemented yet.
  • Rinoa has the G.F. command, allowing her to summon Leviathan, which is actually obtained later in the final game.
  • Only Squall and Zell can use their limit break commands.
    • Squall's limit break is called Continuous Sword (a literal translation of "Renzokuken"; in the final they leave it as the Japanese word).
    • Zell's limit break is called Fight (Duel in the final), and selecting it only allows him to use the Meteo Barret finisher (called Meteor Barret in the final), lacking the ability to input button commands to chain different attacks into a finisher.

Visual Differences#

  • The display area is slightly wider than the final game.
  • A screen of text appears at the beginning that goes over some of the necessary story beats.
  • The fadeout transitions between screens is a regular fadeout, as opposed to the final game's slow fadeout.
  • Squall and Zell appear in their default outfits as opposed to their SeeD uniforms.
  • The display for the Trigger for Squall's Continuous Sword is smaller, only appearing over the command menu.
  • The toggle for the vibration function is a menu as opposed to a toggle while paused. When starting the demo, a prompt that explains the vibration function is displayed.
  • The "warping" transition effect that starts a boss battle is missing. Instead, the screen wipe for regular battles is used.
  • Upon entering the Communications Tower, there are two backgrounds that show the elevator at different angles. In the demo, the player must walk through both backgrounds, interacting with the elevator in the second one. In the final, the player can interact with the elevator in the first background and then the game switches to the second background to show the elevator's ascent.
  • Being killed in battle will cause this screen to display, as opposed to the final game's Game Over screen:

Audio Differences#

  • A majority of the sound effects are completely different.
  • The demo opens with a completely different theme. Reportedly, the change was due to this theme having some similarities to one from the 1996 Michael Bay film The Rock.
  • The battle and victory themes have slightly different instrumentation.
  • The boss battle theme is missing, so the regular battle theme plays while fighting Elvoret.