This FF8 Landmark Merits Greater Adoration

The FF franchise boasts countless iconic locations. From Elfheim in the very first Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has earned a cherished place in players' hearts, who admire the distinctive idiosyncrasies that make these areas so unique. But, if one location that deserves greater attention than the rest, it is undoubtedly Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its elegant design, but additionally for being a incredibly strange school.

The Pure Cinematic Scene

First, let's address the elephant in the room. Balamb Garden transforming into an flying vessel and fleeing from a rocket attack was absolute cinema. This place was not just designed to be a academy for mercenaries. It is a traveling base that enables them to create new tactics and reposition, based on the needs of those in command. Many readily regard it as one of the best airship concepts in the franchise, together with Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and several of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

The conversion of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the most memorable moments in video game history.

A Initial Look of a Brooding Sanctuary

As we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the medical wing, we get our first look of the environment this sullen-looking teenager calls home. A panoramic shot starts from the ground of the school and ascends to focus on the awe-inspiring magnitude of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that feels advanced, but also somehow divine. The curvy structures bring to mind a distinctly late ‘90s concept of how the tomorrow would look. Conversely, because of the golden accents on the building and the long beams of light coming from the immense glowing ring on top of the school, Balamb Garden evokes a massive angel. It was built to be a tranquil place — too peaceful for an academy that transforms teenagers into mercenaries.

The Unforgettable Melody

Matching the tranquility that the design of Balamb Garden suggests, we have the school’s theme song. One of the most cherished recollections I have from my youth is walking around the main area of Balamb Garden, watching those aquatic statues spouting water, and hearing to the gentle theme song. The issue is that it keeps playing in your head indefinitely. Once it comes back to my mind, I’m compelled to search on YouTube for a extended “Balamb Garden” song video. The sole way to get it out of playing inside my head is to have enough of it.

• Lullaby tune that lingers in your mind
• Central hub with fountain features
• Sentimental memories for many players

A Fascinating Academy

Balamb Garden is fascinating as a location as well as an institution. First, it enrolls kids from 5 to 15 years old to transform them into mercenaries, but it looks like a giant church. There are numerous military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but not one look less like a militaristic than Balamb Garden.

The Ironic Philosophy

If you access the Balamb Garden Network via one of the in-game terminals, you learn that the credo of the school is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” Apologies, but I didn't have the impression that those teenagers training to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — only Zell. But, given that the training center, where students find living monsters they can battle, is the sole place in the entire school accessible at any time during the day, maybe that’s what they intend by “playing.” While combat preparation is the most important aspect of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their food is terrible, since students are devouring so many hot dogs that the faculty have no other response to say except “No more hot dogs today.”

Rigid Policies

Students are controlled by a strict set of rules, which, on one hand, we would anticipate from a combat school, but on the other seems oddly humorous. For example, there’s not a dress code in the school, but they can’t leave their rooms in the nights, except it’s for training. A student can be expelled if they lag in their studies, for aggressive acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It may not look like it, but Balamb Garden is really concerned about its students’ relationships. The school officially advises that students “take time to think things through before starting a relationship.” (After all, the real danger of being a student of Balamb Garden is romantic relationships, not fighting with weapons and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the intro cutscene.)

More Than Just Appearance

From the delicate futuristic design of the building to the paradoxes and dubious practices of the institution, there are many elements of Balamb Garden to admire. We all like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden reminds us that there’s more to Final Fantasy 8 than only aesthetics.