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This FF franchise boasts many memorable locations. From Elfheim in the original Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, all the way to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, every one has earned a special place in fans' hearts, and they celebrate the unique quirks that make these areas so unique. However, when it comes to one setting that warrants greater recognition 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 weird school.

An Absolute Cinematic Reveal

First, let's mention the elephant in the room. Balamb Garden transforming into an flying vessel and fleeing from a missile attack was absolute cinema. This location was not only intended to be a training camp for mercenaries. It is a traveling base that allows them to establish new strategies and relocate, depending on the requirements of those in command. I easily view it as one of the most impressive airship concepts in the series, together with Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and some of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

The change of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the most memorable moments in gaming history.

A First Glimpse of a Brooding Home

When we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the infirmary, we get our first look of the environment this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A sweeping shot begins from the ground of the school and rises to focus on the awe-inspiring size of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that makes it feel futuristic, but also somehow angelic. The flowing structures evoke a distinctly late ‘90s idea of how the tomorrow would look. Meanwhile, because of the golden accents on the building and the long trails of light emanating from the massive glowing ring on top of the school, Balamb Garden evokes a massive angel. It was designed to be a peaceful place — too peaceful for an institution that transforms teenagers into mercenaries.

The Catchy Melody

Complementing the calmness that the aesthetic of Balamb Garden suggests, we have the school’s theme song. One of the fondest memories I have from my youth is strolling around the central area of Balamb Garden, seeing those aquatic statues spraying water, and listening to the gentle theme song. The problem is that it continues playing in your head constantly. Whenever it returns to my mind, I’m compelled to look up on YouTube for a extended “Balamb Garden” song video. The only way to end playing inside my head is to have enough of it.

• Lullaby melody that remains in your mind
• Main hub with water features
• Nostalgic feelings for countless players

The Intriguing School

Balamb Garden is fascinating as a setting and also an establishment. For starters, it accepts kids from five to fifteen years old to turn 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 like a militaristic than Balamb Garden.

A Ironic Motto

When you use the Balamb Garden Network via one of the in-game terminals, you discover that the credo of the school is “Work hard, study hard, and play hard.” Apologies, but I never have the feeling that those teenagers training to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — except for Zell. But, considering that the training area, where students find living monsters they can battle, is the only place in the entire school available at all hours during the day, perhaps that’s what they mean by “playing.” While combat preparation is the key part of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their food is terrible, since students are devouring so many frankfurters that the staff have no other response to say besides “No more hot dogs today.”

Strict Rules

Students are controlled by a rigid set of rules, which, on one hand, we would expect from a combat school, but conversely seems oddly humorous. First, there’s not a dress code in the school, but they are not allowed to leave their rooms in the evenings, except 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 look like it, but Balamb Garden is really worried about its students’ sex life. The school formally 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 romantic relationships, not fighting with weapons and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the opening cutscene.)

Greater Than Just Aesthetics

From the delicate advanced design of the building to the contradictions and questionable practices of the school, there are numerous elements of Balamb Garden to appreciate. We all like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden serves to remind us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than only aesthetics.