When one talks about some of the greatest games in theFinal Fantasyfranchise, there are many who would take the eighth installment out of the equation. Fans cite everything from a disappointing story toconvoluted gameplay mechanicsas reasons for whyFinal Fantasy VIIIturned out to be a disappointment. Still, there are a ton of people who have looked past these missteps andrecognized the achievements of the game as well.
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One such aspect of the game that should definitely be lauded isthe game’s cast of colorful characters, all of whom end up being interestingin their own ways. Irvine is one such character who might bethe last main party memberto join the group yet still somehow manages to be memorable in his own way.
10Nomura Designed Irvine To Not Overshadow Squall
The initial concept of Irvine was to make a handsome gunslinger, but Nomura knew that one could only go so far with this design before Squall’s design would be overshadowed.
So, Irvine was designed in a manner that would convey his charming nature, without overshadowing Squall in the process. This is probably why most people consider him to be a rather forgettable character.
9He Was Meant To Have Goggles
The initial design of Irvine’s character indicated that he was meant to wear goggles, but this idea was nixed further down the line. Nomura chose this an effort to differentiate Irvine’s character from the rest of the goggles-wearing characters in theFinal Fantasyuniverse.
8His Hairstyle Was Different In Earlier Concepts
There are several aspects of Irvine’s character that were changed further down the line from his initial concept designs, with his hairstyle being one such change as well.
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Initially, his hair was braided, and his bangs were much longer as well. However, this design was toned down, and he just ended up sporting the ponytail that we all know and love.
7He’s The Youngest Person In The Main Party
One rather interesting tidbit about Irvine that a ton of fans are completely clueless about stems from how old he really is. After comparing his age to other characters in the group, it turns out that Irvine is actually the youngest member of the orphanage gang.
It a rather small and admittedly somewhat insignificant fact, but it’s still something that is rather interesting regardless.
6He Hasn’t Graduated From The Academy Just Yet
A throwaway piece of information that most people would dismiss without a second thought pertains to Irvine’s status in Galbadia Garden. Aside from Rinoa, everyone in the party is associated with either SeeD or a particular Garden. However, Irvine is the only one who hasn’t graduated from his Academy, Galbadia Garden, which makes one wonder as to why a rookie was chosen for such a critical assassination request.
5For Someone Who Calls Himself A Lone Wolf, He Sure Doesn’t Act The Part
There are numerous instances inFinal Fantasy VIIIwhen Irvine constantly hammers in the point that he’s actually a lone wolf and works better by himself. Interestingly enough, his behavior signifies otherwise.
From constantly flirting with the ladies to actually trying to keep the group together with his antics, there’s no shortage of ways in which Irvine shows that he’s extremely social and prefers to be around people.
4He’s The Fastest Member Of The Main Cast
One fact about Irvine that most people didn’t even realize, mainly due to the systems present in the game itself, is that Irvine is naturally the fastest member in the main party.
The concept of Junctioning pretty much negates the natural bonuses that party members inFinal Fantasy VIIIhave, but one should still laud Irvine for his natural disposition towards speed regardless.
3Using Fast Ammo In His Shot Limit Break Can Cause A Ton Of Damage
Irvine might not seem like his attacks have a massive punch, but people who’ve bought into this notion should attempt to Junction his stats appropriately just to find out what they’ve been missing out on.
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With high Strength levels, Irvine cancompletely decimate enemieswith a combination of his Shot Limit Break and Fast Ammo. In fact, this is arguably the third-most damaging Limit Break attack if done right, and is certainly more reliable than most of other combinations in the game.
2His Weapons Are Named After Famous Warships
Irvine’s weapons are definitely quite uniquein their own right, with one particularly notable fact about these guns being that all of them are named after famous warships.
His first weapon is named after the HMS Valiant. Its upgrade is a reference to the U-class destroyer, HMS Ulysses. His third weapon, Bismark, is named after a German battleship with the same name. Finally, his ultimate weapon is named after the HMS Exeter.
1His Ultimate Weapon Is The Only One That Can’t Be Obtained Before Disc Three
The ultimate weapons of all the main party members are incredibly powerful, and players should ideally unlock these weapons as soon as possible. The ultimate weapons of all the main members of the cast can be unlocked in Disc 1 with only one notable exception.
Unless the player cheats, there’s no way that they can unlock the Exeter for Irvine until the advent of Disc 3. This is because the Moon Stone, one of the items that are required to forge this weapon, can’t be obtained until the third disc.
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