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The Final Fantasy franchise boasts countless unforgettable locations. From Elfheim in the very first Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, all the way to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, each has earned a special place in players' hearts, who love the unique details that make these areas so remarkable. However, when it comes to one location that deserves more praise than the others, it is undoubtedly Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its stunning design, but also for being a truly strange school.

The Absolute Cinematic Reveal

First, let's address the obvious. Balamb Garden turning into an airship and escaping from a rocket attack was pure cinema. This place was not just designed to be a academy for mercenaries. It is a mobile base that enables them to develop new strategies and relocate, based on the requirements of those in charge. Many easily view it as one of the coolest airship designs in the franchise, alongside Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and several of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

The transformation of Balamb Garden into an airship remains one of the more unforgettable moments in gaming history.

A Initial Look of a Brooding Home

As we begin playing Final Fantasy 8 and see Quistis leading Squall out of the infirmary, we get our initial glimpse of the environment this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A panoramic shot begins from the floor of the school and rises to zoom in on the impressive size of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that feels advanced, but also heavenly. The flowing structures bring to mind a distinctly late ‘90s idea of how the future would look. Conversely, because of the golden accents on the building and the long beams of light emanating from the massive glowing ring on top of the school, Balamb Garden resembles a giant angel. It was built to be a serene place — too peaceful for an academy that transforms teenagers into mercenaries.

The Catchy Theme Song

Complementing the tranquility that the appearance of Balamb Garden portrays, we have the school’s soundtrack. One of the fondest recollections I have from being a kid is walking around the main area of Balamb Garden, seeing those fish statues spouting water, and listening to the lullaby-ish theme song. The issue is that it continues playing in your head indefinitely. Once it returns to my mind, I’m compelled to look up on YouTube for a extended “Balamb Garden” song video. The sole way to make it stop playing inside my head is to have enough of it.

• Soothing music that sticks in your mind
• Central area with fountain features
• Nostalgic feelings for countless players

The Compelling School

Balamb Garden is intriguing as a location and also an institution. First, it enrolls kids from five to fifteen years old to mold them into mercenaries, but it appears like a massive church. There are numerous military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but none look less like a militaristic than Balamb Garden.

A Paradoxical Philosophy

When you access the Balamb Garden Network using 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 didn't have the sense that those teenagers training to be mercenaries are “playing hard” — except for Zell. But, considering that the facility, where students find living monsters they can battle, is the sole place in the whole school accessible at all hours during the day, perhaps that’s what they mean by “playing.” While training is the primary aspect of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their diet is awful, since students are consuming so many frankfurters that the staff have no other response to say except “No more hot dogs today.”

Rigid Rules

Students are controlled by a tight set of rules, which, for one, we should anticipate from a combat school, but on the other seems oddly humorous. First, there’s no dress code in the school, but they can’t leave their rooms in the nights, unless it’s for training. A student can be expelled if they fall behind in their curriculum, for aggressive acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It might not seem like it, but Balamb Garden is truly worried about its students’ relationships. The school formally advises 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 love affairs, not battling with gunblades and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the opening cutscene.)

Greater Than Only Good Looks

Starting with the refined advanced design of the building to the paradoxes and dubious decisions of the academy, there are countless aspects of Balamb Garden to appreciate. We all like to joke about Squall, but Balamb Garden reminds us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than just aesthetics.