That FF8 Icon Deserves More Appreciation
This Final Fantasy series includes countless iconic locations. Starting with Elfheim in the original Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has earned a cherished place in fans' hearts, and they love the unique details that make these locales so special. However, if one setting that deserves greater attention than the others, it is certainly Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its elegant design, but additionally for being a incredibly bizarre school.
The Absolute Cinematic Scene
First, let's highlight the obvious. Balamb Garden morphing into an airship and fleeing from a rocket attack was pure cinema. This place was not only designed to be a training camp for mercenaries. It is a mobile base that enables them to establish new plans and relocate, based on the needs of those in control. I easily view it as one of the most impressive airship creations in the series, alongside Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and some of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.
The transformation of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the most iconic moments in gaming history.
A First Look of a Brooding Home
As we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis leading Squall out of the medical wing, we get our first view of the place this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A sweeping shot starts from the ground of the school and ascends to focus on the awe-inspiring scale of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that feels futuristic, but also somehow divine. The flowing structures recall a specifically late ‘90s vision of how the future would look. Meanwhile, because of the golden accents on the building and the extended trails of light emanating from the immense glowing halo on top of the school, Balamb Garden resembles a giant angel. It was designed to be a tranquil place — too peaceful for an institution that turns teenagers into mercenaries.
An Catchy Soundtrack
Complementing the tranquility that the aesthetic of Balamb Garden portrays, we have the school’s soundtrack. One of the fondest memories I have from my youth is strolling around the main area of Balamb Garden, watching those fish statues spraying water, and listening to the gentle theme song. The problem is that it continues playing in your head constantly. Once it comes back to my mind, I’m compelled to look up on YouTube for a 3-hour-long “Balamb Garden” song video. The sole way to get it out of playing inside my head is to overdose of it.
- Gentle melody that remains in your mind
- Central area with water features
- Nostalgic feelings for many players
A Compelling Academy
Balamb Garden is intriguing as a setting as well as an organization. First, it accepts kids from five to fifteen years old to mold them into mercenaries, but it looks like a massive church. There are a lot of military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but not one look less militaristic than Balamb Garden.
A Ironic Slogan
When you access the Balamb Garden Network using one of the in-game terminals, you learn that the slogan of the institution is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” Apologies, but I didn't have the feeling that those teenagers preparing to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — except for Zell. However, considering that the facility, where students find real monsters they can kill, is the only place in the whole school available at any time during the day, perhaps that’s what they mean by “playing.” While combat preparation is the primary part of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their nutrition is poor, since students are eating so many frankfurters that the staff have no other response to say except “No more hot dogs today.”
Strict Rules
Students are governed by a rigid set of rules, which, on one hand, we would anticipate from a combat school, but on the other seems weirdly humorous. For example, there’s no dress code in the school, but they are not allowed to leave their rooms in the nights, except it’s for training. A student may be dismissed if they fall behind in their studies, for aggressive acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It might not seem like it, but Balamb Garden is genuinely concerned about its students’ sex life. The school formally advises that students “take time to think things through before starting a relationship.” (After all, the real threat of being a student of Balamb Garden is romantic relationships, not battling with weapons and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the opening cutscene.)
More Than Only Aesthetics
From the refined futuristic design of the building to the ironies and debatable decisions of the institution, there are numerous elements of Balamb Garden to appreciate. We all like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden serves to remind us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than simply good looks.
