FF8 MUST INSTALL MODS ► COMPENDIUM ◄ [2026](click here for FF7)Square Enix, previously Squaresoft, released Final Fantasy VIII (JP) for the Sony PlayStation 1 on 11 February 1999 (PC: 2000; PC Steam: 2013.)
In its first decade, FFVIII sold more than 9 million copies worldwide. FFVIII greatly improves on its predecessor, with stunning full-motion video, pre-rendered 3D backgrounds, 3D graphics, and better audio quality. A great contributor to the overall Final Fantasy franchise which in 2025 has reached a new milestone, surpassing 200 million units sold globally. This solidifies the franchise position among the best-selling video game IPs of all time.
The universe of mods is vast and ever-expanding. The "campus" or origin of the growing modding scene can be traced back to the creation of Qhimm's website and forum in 1999, too many are part of the endless "wall of fame": Qhimm, Ficedula, Alhexx, Aali, Iros and so on; the dedication and perseverance of the community, together with the constant evolution of hardware and software, has allowed for high level results. With the advent of a new advanced driver called
FFNx,
created by TrueOdin in late 2020, there have been real generational leaps. The well-known
FFNx team is engaged in assiduous efforts behind the scenes, they've got a lot of new
features and
bug fixes coming your way. The ultimate mod manager Junction VIII (J8) is released too. You're in for a treat!
What?! A full voice acting mod? Hell, yeah!
Tsunamods is thrilled to bring you a taste of it with the demo. The modding community is incredible! Thanks to all the modders who contribute to the scene. See the threads below for mod authors. Let's get straight to it with the new list of must-install mods for J8.
Which mod shall I use? []
For a true FF8 Remastered experience we've got you covered. Below is a list of the ever-growing must-install mods, all in order of category priority.
Buy FF8 PC Steam 2013, install Junction VIII. Once you have launched the Junction VIII mod manager,
search for the mod name in the J8 Browse Catalog tab and install it from there. The below threads are for generic information only, not for the download itself. Make sure you press the Auto Sort 1/9 button after installing all mods. Activate and configure it. Ensure your J8 and FFNx are both updated to the latest canary available from Settings>General Settings. Ensure the flag is set to ON in General Settings>Auto Sort Mods by Default.
Must Install Mods- SFX-J {BETA}{MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆} - Available only thru link for now, unpack & double click on the .IRO file to auto-import. This is an experimental release still in development 94% done. Please report bugs, wrong loops and sounds too loud in Tsunamods Discord, channel SFX-J
- Lunar Cry Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆}
- ProjectHELLFIRE Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆}
- Hit-J {MUST INSTALL ☆}{WIP} - Warning: Right now, this release is causing stuttering during battles
- Rebirth Flame Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆} [otherwise use: Poly-UP but warning: if you select more than 2 characters with Poly-UP you might crash, it's an experimental release]
- BattlefieldPack Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆}
- Echo-S 8 Demo {DEMO}{MUST INSTALL ☆}
- Cinema-RF FMV {MUST INSTALL ☆}
- FFNx FF8Music {MUST INSTALL ☆} - Note that this mod contains superior PS1 bugless files [otherwise use: OST-RF for a rearranged/remade soundtrack]
- Tripod Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆} - Available only thru link for now, unpack & double click on the .IRO file to auto-import [otherwise use: Card-RF]
- SeedReborn Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆} - Available only thru link for now, unpack & double click on the .IRO file to auto-import
- Horizon Pack Plus {MUST INSTALL ☆}{NEW ☆}
Ready to go: Remember, there's no right or wrong way to play FF8, whatever you prefer, it is valid. You are free to look for more mods in Browse Catalog tab and play as you wish. The idea behind creating this list is to make life easier for the end user, as not everyone is an expert.
Important: Remember, you can't have multiple mods doing the same thing. Also, the Qhimm thread links above are used for reference only, you'll still need to download the mods from the Junction VIII mod manager, search for the mod name in the Browse Catalog tab and install it from there.
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Optional Mods (check Compatibility Troubleshooter) You will also find these
optional mods below, if you want to activate these mods you must check the "Compatibility Troubleshooter" section below, in terms of not having mod conflict.
Remember: you can't have multiple mods that strive to achieve the same thing. Search for the mod name in the J8 Browse Catalog tab and install it from there. Mods are updated regularly, so something might change regarding compatibility. Please always read the descriptions.
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Game Driver SettingsFor an enhanced gameplay ensure as well to have these settings ON.
- Graphics API: OpenGL - Generally speaking NVIDIA: DX11/Auto; AMD: DX12 and disable AMD Radeon anti-lag; Linux: Vulkan
- Resolution: Your Display Max Resolution
- Window mode: Fullscreen
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (16:9)
- Antialiasing: OFF - Open with notepad and edit FFNx.toml file in FINAL FANTASY VIII folder then 1) Confirm that the following string is set to one: renderer_backend = 1 then 2) Set the following string to sixteen: enable_antialiasing = 16 then save and close the file
- Anisotropic: ON
- Vertical Sync: OFF - Turn it ON only if suffering from screen tearing, to avoid screen tearing ensure your display refresh rate is at max
- Steam Compatibility: ON - If you want to unlock achievements during your playthrough turn this flag ON, and ensure that Steam is running in background
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Useful Links Frequently Asked QuestionsJ8 Mods Mirrors via browserIn-game ShortcutsHyne - Save Game EditorQhimm Discord - "FF8-Support" channelTsunamods Discord - "FF8-Mod-Support" channelMain WikiQhimm Website ArchiveBuy FF8 PC Steam 2013, Install Junction VIII. Consider supporting your favourite mod and individual modder with the button "Donation Link" in within Junction VIII Mod Manager in "My Mods>Mod Info" tab.
There's a witch to stop. Stay tuned for updates!News Flash07/02/2022 -
FFNx team bringing on the table since 2020: real-time lighting support; steam achievements; voice layer; external SFX audio effects layer for modders; HDR support; Audio 5.1/7.1 support; gamepad vibration; in-game voice acting; restore from PS1 full 360 analogue movement support while using gamepad as well as dual stick control for vehicles; vibration option in config menu and battle pause menu; ambient layer; card game in 60FPS and much much more.
28/04/2023 - AxlRose starts working on FF8 tools and mods.
14/05/2024 - Hobbitdur starts working on FF8 tools and mods.
13/03/2024 - A wild saeed3944 has appeared! He's got his hands on all the latest AI tools, and he's busy scaling up all the backgrounds at speedlight. Shunsq on the other hand helping with the "cutting" part.
03/08/2025 - True widescreen "unlocked"! Awaiting modders to rock it!
18/08/2025 - Slimebucket has brought some MCINDUS mods to the J8 platform, with MCINDUS's permission! Slimebucket also made some heavy test and bug fixes. The "Plus" mods can be found in J8 mod manager.
{NEW ☆}08/09/2025 - Sebanisu working on field map editor. AxlRose working hard on a batch cut tool, full field background mod closer.[/list]
