That Final Fantasy 8 Symbol Deserves More Appreciation
The FF series includes many iconic locations. From Elfheim in the original Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has secured a special place in players' hearts, who love the unique quirks that make these locales so special. However, if one location that warrants greater attention than the others, it is definitely Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its stunning design, but also for being a absolutely weird school.
An Absolute Blockbuster Scene
First, let's mention the elephant in the room. Balamb Garden morphing into an flying vessel and fleeing from a missile attack was absolute cinema. This location was not only intended to be a academy for mercenaries. It is a moving base that permits them to establish new tactics and reposition, depending on the requirements of those in control. I readily regard it as one of the best airship creations in the franchise, together with 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 more iconic moments in gaming history.
The Initial Look of a Gloomy Home
When we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the medical wing, we get our initial glimpse of the place this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A sweeping shot starts from the floor of the school and ascends to zoom in on the impressive scale of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that makes it feel advanced, but also somehow angelic. The curvy structures evoke a specifically late ‘90s vision of how the tomorrow would look. Meanwhile, because of the golden details on the building and the extended beams of light emanating from the massive glowing halo on top of the school, Balamb Garden evokes a giant angel. It was built to be a serene place — too peaceful for an institution that turns teenagers into mercenaries.
The Catchy Soundtrack
Complementing the calmness that the design of Balamb Garden conveys, we have the school’s soundtrack. One of the dearest memories I have from being a kid is walking around the central area of Balamb Garden, seeing those fish statues spurting water, and hearing to the soothing theme song. The problem is that it continues playing in your head constantly. Once it returns to my mind, I’m forced to look up on YouTube for a extended “Balamb Garden” song video. The sole way to end playing inside my head is to listen to it repeatedly of it.
- Gentle music that lingers in your mind
- Central hub with water features
- Nostalgic associations for many players
The Compelling Academy
Balamb Garden is compelling as a setting as well as an institution. First, it accepts kids from five to 15 years old to mold them into mercenaries, but it appears like a massive church. There are numerous 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 via one of the game terminals, you find out that the slogan of the institution is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” I’m sorry, but I didn't have the impression that those teenagers preparing to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — except for Zell. However, given that the training center, where students encounter living monsters they can kill, is the sole place in the whole school available at all hours during the day, perhaps that’s what they intend by “playing.” While combat preparation is the key part of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their nutrition 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.”
Strict Rules
Students are controlled by a strict set of rules, which, on one hand, we would expect from a military school, but on the other seems strangely amusing. For example, there’s not a dress code in the school, but they are not allowed to leave their rooms in the evenings, unless it’s for training. A student may be expelled if they fall behind in their studies, for aggressive acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It may not seem like it, but Balamb Garden is genuinely worried about its students’ romantic activities. The school officially recommends 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 love affairs, not battling with weapons and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the intro cutscene.)
More Than Just Aesthetics
Starting with the refined futuristic design of the building to the contradictions and questionable actions of the school, there are many features of Balamb Garden to celebrate. We all like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden reminds us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than only good looks.