The Ultimate Fantasy sequence has many memorable locations. From Elfheim within the very first Ultimate Fantasy, Midgar in Ultimate Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Ultimate Fantasy 14, every discovered a spot within the followers’ hearts, who have fun the main points and little idiosyncrasies that make these locales particular. Nevertheless, if one place deserves extra recognition than the remaining, it’s Balamb Backyard from Ultimate Fantasy 8, not solely as a result of it’s superbly designed, however for being a hell of a bizarre college.
Earlier than the rest, let’s get the apparent out of the best way. Balamb Backyard turning into an airship and escaping from a missile assault was absolute cinema. The place was not solely designed to be a coaching camp for mercenaries. It’s a shifting base that enables them to ascertain new methods and reposition, relying on the requirements of these in command of it. I simply take into account it one of many coolest airship designs within the franchise, together with Ultimate Fantasy 10‘s Fahrenheit and a number of the Ultimate Fantasy 12 army airships.
As we begin enjoying Ultimate Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the infirmary, we have now our first glimpse of the place this gloomy-looking teenager calls house. A panoramic shot begins from the bottom of the varsity and rises to concentrate on the spectacular magnitude of the constructing. Balamb Backyard has a design that makes it really feel futuristic, but additionally divine. The curvy constructions recall to mind a particularly late ‘90s concept of how the longer term would look. Alternatively, due to the golden particulars on the constructing and the lengthy trails of sunshine popping out of the immense glowing halo on high of the varsity, Balamb Backyard resembles an enormous angel. It was constructed to be a peaceable place — too peaceable for an establishment that turns youngsters into mercenaries.
Matching the calmness that the design of Balamb Backyard portrays, we have now the varsity’s theme music. One of many fondest recollections I’ve from being a child is strolling across the central space of Balamb Backyard, seeing these fish statues spouting water, and listening to the lullaby-ish theme music. The issue is that it retains enjoying in your head perpetually. As soon as it comes again to my thoughts, I’m compelled to lookup on YouTube for a 3-hour-long “Balamb Backyard” music video. The one method to make it cease enjoying inside my head is to have sufficient of it.
Balamb Backyard is fascinating as a location in addition to an establishment. First, it accepts children from 5 to fifteen years outdated to show them into mercenaries, but it surely appears like an enormous church. There are a variety of army colleges in RPGs, like in Trails of Chilly Metal, however none look much less militaristic than Balamb Backyard.
When you entry the Balamb Backyard Community utilizing one of many in-game terminals, you be taught that the motto of the establishment is “Work arduous, research arduous, and play arduous.” I’m sorry, however I by no means had the impression that these youngsters coaching to be mercenaries are “enjoying arduous” — solely Zell. Nevertheless, contemplating that the coaching heart, the place college students discover dwelling monsters they’ll kill, is the one place in your complete college accessible at any time through the day, possibly that’s what they imply by “enjoying.” Whereas coaching is crucial side of a scholar’s life in Balamb Backyard, their weight-reduction plan is horrible, since college students are devouring so many sizzling canines that the workers don’t have anything else to say moreover “No extra sizzling canines right now.”
College students are managed by a decent algorithm, which, on one hand, we must always anticipate from a army college, however on the opposite appears weirdly humorous. First, there’s no gown code within the college, however they’ll’t depart their dorms within the evenings, except it’s for coaching. A scholar could also be expelled in the event that they fall behind of their curriculum, for violent acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It may not seem like it, however Balamb Backyard is absolutely fearful about its college students’ intercourse life. The college formally means that college students “take time to assume issues by earlier than beginning a relationship.” (In spite of everything, the true hazard of being a scholar of Balamb Backyard is romantic relationships, not combating with gunblades and reducing one another’s faces like Squall and Seifer have been doing within the intro cutscene.)
From the fragile futuristic design of the constructing to the contradictions and questionable actions of the establishment, there are numerous elements of Balamb Backyard to have fun. All of us prefer to make enjoyable of Squall, however Balamb Backyard reminds us that there’s extra to Ultimate Fantasy 8 than simply attractiveness.
