10 Best Video Game Unlockables Money Can't Buy

Final Fantasy VIII boasts several mechanics that are more than a little unconventional. The most prominent of these is the Junction system, wherein party members assign specific magic spells to their stats instead of wearing conventional equipment.

The issue with this is that characters can either be severely underpowered (especially as enemies level with the player and gain much more generous stat bonuses for doing so) or severely overpowered, depending on how deeply players delve into this system.

The same is true for the weapon upgrade system, in which weapons are improved in Junk Shops. Certain items (and a negligible amount of Gil) are required to do so, and these items can be acquired very early in the game if the player is sneaky with the Card Mod ability.

It can be tempting to wield Squall’s mighty Lion Heart gunblade as soon as possible, but early in the game doesn’t necessarily mean quickly. If luck isn’t on your side, hours and painstaking hours of Triple Triad will have to be played to get the right amount of cards to refine for the items you’ll need.

Our hero’s strongest weapon never misses and scores easy critical hits with a tap of the button (like all gunblades). It also has access to his most powerful Limit Break attack, Lion Heart. Wherever you are in the game when you gather that Adamantine, four Dragon Fang and 12 Pulse Ammo, though, it’s not easy.