Final Fantasy VIII uses the storytelling style of console RPGs, where a highly scripted, linear plot plays out like an epic film. A lot of character stats development is required to progress, so expect a lot of combat balanced out with a healthy amount of character dialogue and staged scenes that push the story along. Aside from a few that remain important to the story throughout the game, most of the NPCs exist to add atmosphere to the areas the player is exploring. Many areas have dozens of NPCs that interact in a limited fashion, having something to say about themselves or the state of the world, or engaging in conversation with other characters to give clues to the player. Because the plot is mostly fixed with only a few scattered minor branches, the occasional dialogue options affect how the current scene or conversation plays out, not how the story develops overall.
Conversation is text-based, and features a great amount of character animation.
NPCs show emotions such as anger, fear, happiness, and frustration through their gestures and body language. Squall receives steady pay from Balamb Garden, which breaks from the series' convention of obtaining money from defeated creatures. His level of pay can rise during the game by accomplishing the Garden's goals and completing written tests which get steadily harder and require increasing knowledge of the game's rules and assorted trivia. Conversely, his salary can also fall due to extended lack of progress. The character models have changed to a much more realistic look from Final Fantasy VII's cartoonish representations.