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This Final Fantasy franchise includes numerous iconic settings. Starting with Elfheim in the very first Final Fantasy, Midgar in Final Fantasy 7, all the way to Limsa Lominsa in Final Fantasy 14, each has secured a special place in players' hearts, and they celebrate the unique idiosyncrasies that make these locales so special. However, if one setting that deserves more attention than the rest, it is definitely Balamb Garden from Final Fantasy 8, not only because of its elegant design, but additionally for being a incredibly strange school.

An Absolute Blockbuster Moment

Before, let's mention the obvious. Balamb Garden turning into an flying vessel and fleeing from a rocket attack was pure cinema. This place was not only intended to be a training camp for mercenaries. It is a traveling base that permits them to establish new plans and relocate, depending on the needs of those in charge. I easily view it as one of the most impressive airship concepts in the series, along with Final Fantasy 10's Fahrenheit and several of the Final Fantasy 12 military airships.

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

A Initial Look of a Brooding Sanctuary

As we start playing Final Fantasy 8 and watch Quistis escorting Squall out of the infirmary, we get our initial look of the environment this brooding-looking teenager calls home. A panoramic shot begins from the ground of the school and rises to zoom in on the awe-inspiring magnitude of the building. Balamb Garden has a design that makes it feel advanced, but also somehow divine. The rounded structures bring to mind a distinctly late ‘90s idea of how the future would look. On the other hand, because of the golden accents on the building and the long trails of light emanating from the enormous glowing ring on top of the school, Balamb Garden looks like a massive angel. It was designed to be a tranquil place — too peaceful for an establishment that transforms teenagers into mercenaries.

An Catchy Theme Song

Complementing the calmness that the appearance of Balamb Garden conveys, we have the school’s theme song. One of the fondest recollections I have from childhood is strolling around the central area of Balamb Garden, seeing those fish statues spouting water, and listening to the soothing theme song. The issue is that it keeps playing in your head indefinitely. Whenever it returns 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.

• Lullaby music that sticks in your mind
• Central courtyard with water features
• Nostalgic memories for many players

A Compelling Institution

Balamb Garden is intriguing as a location as well as an organization. For starters, it enrolls kids from 5 to 15 years old to turn them into mercenaries, but it appears like a giant church. There are numerous military schools in RPGs, like in Trails of Cold Steel, but none look less militaristic than Balamb Garden.

The Ironic Philosophy

When you use the Balamb Garden Network using one of the in-game terminals, you find out that the motto 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, given that the facility, where students find living monsters they can kill, is the sole place in the entire school available at all hours during the day, maybe that’s what they intend by “playing.” While training is the most important aspect of a student’s life in Balamb Garden, their nutrition is awful, since students are devouring so many hot dogs that the personnel have no other response to say besides “No more hot dogs today.”

Tight Regulations

Students are controlled by a tight set of rules, which, on one hand, we should expect from a combat school, but conversely seems oddly humorous. For example, there’s not a 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 lag in their curriculum, for violent acts, and for… “sexual promiscuity.” It may not seem like it, but Balamb Garden is truly concerned about its students’ sex life. The school formally suggests that students “take time to think things through before starting a relationship.” (After all, the true danger of being a student of Balamb Garden is romantic relationships, not battling with gunblades and slashing each other's faces like Squall and Seifer were doing in the intro cutscene.)

More Than Just Appearance

Starting with the refined advanced design of the building to the paradoxes and questionable practices of the school, there are countless aspects of Balamb Garden to celebrate. Many of us like to tease Squall, but Balamb Garden serves to remind us that there’s greater depth to Final Fantasy 8 than just good looks.