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The FF franchise includes countless memorable places. From Elfheim in the very first Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has secured a cherished place in players' hearts, who celebrate the unique quirks that make these locales so unique. However, when it comes to one location that warrants more praise than the rest, it is certainly Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not just because of its beautiful design, but additionally for being a truly bizarre school.

The Pure Blockbuster Reveal

Before, we must highlight the obvious. Balamb Garden turning into an flying vessel and fleeing from a missile attack was pure cinema. This institution was not only intended to be a training camp for mercenaries. It is a traveling base that allows them to create new tactics and reposition, depending on the requirements of those in charge. Many readily view it as one of the most impressive airship designs in the franchise, alongside Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and several of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

This conversion of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the more iconic moments in video game history.

The Initial View of a Brooding Sanctuary

As we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the medical wing, we get our initial look of the location this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A panoramic shot starts from the ground of the school and ascends to zoom in on the awe-inspiring size of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that appears futuristic, but also angelic. The flowing structures recall a specifically late ‘90s vision of how the future would look. Meanwhile, because of the golden details on the building and the long trails of light emanating from the immense glowing halo on top of the school, Balamb Garden looks like a giant angel. It was designed to be a tranquil place — too peaceful for an institution that turns teenagers into mercenaries.

An Catchy Soundtrack

Matching the calmness that the aesthetic of Balamb Garden portrays, we have the school’s background music. One of the most cherished recollections I have from childhood is walking around the main area of Balamb Garden, seeing those aquatic statues spraying water, and listening to the soothing theme song. The catch is that it keeps playing in your head indefinitely. Whenever it comes back to my mind, I’m compelled to search on YouTube for a 3-hour-long “Balamb Garden” song video. The only way to get it out of playing inside my head is to have enough of it.

• Soothing music that remains in your mind
• Central hub with fountain features
• Sentimental feelings for countless players

A Fascinating School

Balamb Garden is compelling as a setting as well as an organization. For starters, it enrolls kids from five to fifteen years old to transform them into mercenaries, but it looks like a enormous church. There are numerous military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but not one look less militaristic than Balamb Garden.

A Contradictory Motto

If you use the Balamb Garden Network using one of the in-game terminals, you find out that the slogan of the institution is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” I’m sorry, but I never have the impression that those teenagers training to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — only Zell. But, considering that the facility, where students encounter living monsters they can defeat, is the sole place in the entire school available at any time during the day, maybe that’s what they mean by “playing.” While combat preparation is the most important part of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their nutrition is poor, since students are consuming so many frankfurters that the personnel have no other response to say besides “No more hot dogs today.”

Strict Regulations

Students are controlled by a rigid set of rules, which, for one, we should anticipate from a military school, but conversely seems strangely humorous. First, there’s no dress code in the school, but they are not allowed to leave their rooms in the nights, 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 might not seem like it, but Balamb Garden is really concerned about its students’ relationships. The school officially recommends that students “take time to think things through before starting a relationship.” (After all, the true threat of being a student of Balamb Garden is romantic relationships, not fighting with gunblades and cutting each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the intro cutscene.)

Greater Than Just Appearance

Starting with the refined advanced design of the building to the paradoxes and dubious practices of the institution, there are numerous aspects of Balamb Garden to celebrate. Many of us like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden reminds us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than just surface appeal.