FFVIII isn't for everyone but its the one I replay the most besides Tactics. Love the world building and the way the story is told. It was hard to follow the first time through, but means more the more you start to understand.
Can totally see that! I played it as my first Final Fantasy when I was about 9-10, so could dedicate alot of time to understanding the characters. Definitely a slow burn though, but that's one of the things I love about it. - Jack
Resident evil was the inspiration. Buttons on the controller even defied jrpg conventions and mapped cancel to triangle and menu to circle. A thing that most people don't notice like how zelda 2 was inspired by castlevania.
It’s not exactly fair to say the pixel series used unrealistic proportions. FFVI had incredible pixel work for the characters, and there’s always the Amano artwork as well. Even FFVII in battle models and cutscenes made a huge attempt at realism given the time and tech. FFIX was a return to fantasy, and the characters reflect that. Just ignore Amorath, whatever his name is.
Triple Triad. The *best* card game in any RPG! It made me excited to talk to every random yahoo, just to see if maybe they had a rare card I could snag or were maybe a secret Triple Triad master.
Squall would be a great ally with geralt in their search of great card for play, I imagine whenever squall challenge people to play card they just nod like in Witcher 3 😅
It’s really hard for me to articulate why I love FF8. I just end up talking about every single aspect. I honestly don’t want Square to do an FF8 remake in the vain of FF7 remake. It’s too drawn out imo. If they did a tv show or series of movies, I would appreciate that more.
My friend played FF7 and I played FF8 when we were kids and would play it on and off for about 20 years. We'd often argue over which was better I think 8 just imprinted on me right away I'll die on the hill that its an amazing game to this day. Honestly if I had the time Id still probably play it today I have it on my ps3 in the attic at my parents house! Favourite parts: Learning and playing the cards over the map always a fun treat. Unlocking new GFs is worth putting in extra time to strengthen characters. The time it takes to beat this game can be weeks or months but never feels boring. LOVE upgrading characters and tracking down items i.e. Squalls sword The story is complicated but brilliant. Constantly upgrading transport walking-car-balamb Garden - Ragnarok. The musical score was something else! The artistry of hundreds of monsters and towns/cities is incredible I don't think many games have ever matched the amount of detail gone into any FF games really. Strategy of fights can be brilliant when you are going to fight fire monsters or whatever the preparing the team for battle and insuring they have the right magics equipped and if you have a weak character adapting them to the fight I always loved this part. Damn I think I'm gonna climb into the attic soon and fish out my ps3!
FF8 is an absolute treat once you come back to it after some time has passed. With that said, it feels like the world isn't too fully fleshed out. Where are the remnants of the war, what exactly are the GFs, how can we learn more about the Centra civilization or the Lunatic Pandora...
I agree! I love what we're given, but I've been dying to know more about so many topics for such a long time. I don't think a sequel is necessary, but I would love to see another entry in the same world. Maybe in the far past? -Mol
yes definitely, its replayability is high chance you will encourage to play another playthrough with handicapped speedrunning as im doing sometimes and beat the game with contentment.
For me, the dance scene was the first thing that made me fall in love with the game. I liked it so much that I reset the PS1 to watch it again xD later with the space part and the ending, I finally fell in love. It's my favorite game of all time and sometimes it hurts that people look down on it more than the other PS1 FF games, as if those games didn't have flaws.
Yeh. An incredible scene. FF8 is the game where Square really started killing it with the Graphics, and the ballroom scene was even adapted into a PS2 tech demo it looked that impressive. - Jack
Totally disagree. FF7 remake and rebirth are surprisingly classic and new in wonderful ways. I am a huge supporter of turn based RPG, but these titles found a great way to integrate a turn based slow down similar to how FFXV was able to slow down at the players control for a more classic RPG combat fee even amidst real time combat. I seriously wish Square would give this treatment to 1-10.
@@Starch1b2c3d4a wow. Sounds like someone is just mad they couldn’t get a PS5 so they had to convince themselves that all the titles on it are bad. The truth is that if it were a shot for shot remake without taking advantage of everything the ff7 universe has evolved into it wouldn’t be half as good as it is.
I'm currently playing thru FF8 for like the 10th time or so, but this time I'm playing with a few mods and it have changed the game completly and it sure is fun to replay it as a "new" game :D
@@Jiiimmie That's awesome. Yeh I know the game so well and would love to play through it again with an extra level of challenge. Is there a Mod in particular you would reccomend? - Jack
@@EXP-Podcast Well currently I'm playing with Succession and it changes it up a bit, like where gfs can be gotten and so on. But I have alot of other minor mods aswell that have more or less "removed" gfs. So the game is kinda "harder", but at the same time not. :)
Hahahahahahahaha, seeing Spoony @ 0:40 I love FFVIII, it's my favourite but I howled with laughter through that review series! I don't think Spoony even really hated it that badly as he ended the review with a big "Eyes on Me" segment as a sort of apology.
Yeh. That review came at a time when Angry game reviewing was trendy due to the AVGN creating a movement. I remember enjoying it at the time too, but unfortunately a lot of people have the general perception of FF8 skewed by that I think - Jack
I hope they change their mind one day and do in fact make an ff7 style remake of ff8. It would benefit so much from that kind of expansion to its story.
Yeah VIII is a great game. I usually come back a few times a year. The thing I like is you can choose the difficulty on the fly due to the junction system. If you wanna blow through the game just spend some time farming the card game and even, then, you can always remove magic to lower your stats to make it harder at anytime.
Yeh totally. Plus, even though I know the game really well, I'm still surprised by random attacks some of the enemies make due to that varied difficulty. A random Bomb that's released in Balamb Garden when the Garden is in chaos screwed me up last time - Jack
i had been harsh on ff8 for years and with ff7 being my favourite game in the franchise along with the remake trilogy coming out, i never thought to give ff8 another look but after playing it again recently i absolutely loved it and found myself wanting to start up a new save right after finishing the game. a flawed but excellent game.
This is the first video in a while that I've come across that was unapologetic about how great this game is. FF8 is my favorite game ever, and it gets frustrating to see people be like yeah this was bad but I still love it. No, it wasn't bad. You were just bad at it.
my favorite game on FF titles. like you said its characters are relatable. like me much like squall when i was in teen years often introvert and anti social until grew up to open up to my closests friends and become a reliable person to them. despite its flaws FF8 is my fave game cuz its grounded characters that conveys emotion and personal growth. thats why i dears on my heart than FF7 or FF9.
Over leveling (not knowing about enemy scaling) and being under functioned (not understanding Junctioning) turns FF 8 a horror game. Even basic enemies hit hard, you do jack in damage and I think they use stronger attacks. Tried to fight Diabolos this way in one of my first tries at the game. It ended that playthrough because that GF hit so damn hard. Random encounters were just as bad.
I don't believe Final Fantasy VIII has legions of detractors. I think one person made a video series tearing into the game for superficial reasons early in the days of UA-cam when angry reviews was how you get views and that combined with its rival status pitched against Final Fantasy VII has created a myth that the game is polarizing when the truth is that it isn't at all. It's by an large very popular and well loved by the people who play it.
Damn straight! 100% agree with this take. Growing up in the UK FF9 was considered the Black Sheep at the time. Somehow one person's opinion seems to have warp alot of people's memories - Jack
As someone who was traumatized as a kid on PS1 with this game of how they punished you for leveling up I will forever hate this game. If they do a remake they better change that. I thought EXP was required. 😂 Apparently not.
Hahaha, you're not alone! I was also one of those kids who levelled up and struggled in (a lot of!) places. Still, I think it's a testament to FF as a whole that even when it doesn't work, they're always open to trying something new! -Mol
Not sure if this was click-bait or not. I guess all someone has to do it type "FF8 IS Gr8" and you get an automatic like and comment from me. Now to watch the video.
I mean, I gave 8 the fairest of shots - and by that I mean I did pretty much EVERYTHING. Every GF acquired. Every card acquired. All superbosses conquered. And I did it all on a Level 7 Squall run to boot. But... I still can't say I love it. The characters and story fell flat for me, despite some standout moments like Squall rescuing Rinoa in space, the absolute bonkers reality-shifting final boss, etc. I saw it through. But I still didn't come out loving it. I'll always prefer IX.
Completely and utterly fair! We've all got our favourites for different reasons, and if it didn't hit for you, it didn't hit! No shame in having given it the fairest of shots and it not being for you! -Mol
Agreed. For me, the story needed more time to cook. The world building is great however the story beats are off. The major revelations needed more space. Also, the draw mechanic needs some major reworking. Along with the party junction system. It requires sped up, an easier way to transfer/keep track of what's on who, and more incentive to actually use magic or even fight battles.
FF8 is just so damn clunky. I had to be an adult to sort of understand The GF System/Cards….. 5:40 how does FF8 have Tartaria references??? What does Japan know?!
Im inclined to agree with Darklordyianni. Do you pronounce comb as "coo-mm" because Tomb is spelled the same but pronounced differently? It really has been established as "dee-ah-blos" and not just from Final Fantasy bro, but from other games or fantasy
@@tasselhoff1293 A whole lot of people pronounce things different ways. I think that's part of the fun of these games, and how people remember them tbh.
One thing I love about the franchise as a whole is that every game has someone batting for it no matter what anyone else says or thinks! 13's definitely great as well! -Mol
The music alone is worth the trip
@@overused6632 What reference 😅
FFVIII is a fucking masterpiece
Hard agree :) - Jack
Lot of things that could be improved, far from it but a great ff for sure.
FFVIII isn't for everyone but its the one I replay the most besides Tactics. Love the world building and the way the story is told. It was hard to follow the first time through, but means more the more you start to understand.
Can totally see that! I played it as my first Final Fantasy when I was about 9-10, so could dedicate alot of time to understanding the characters. Definitely a slow burn though, but that's one of the things I love about it. - Jack
This was also the first game to use realistically proportional characters until X. Always felt a bit special in that regard too.
Yeh totally. Much easier to relate to characters that looked alot more human. Certainly looked extremely realistic at the time! - Jack
That’s a reason I liked this over 9. Everyone in 9 looked like little kids to me.
Resident evil was the inspiration. Buttons on the controller even defied jrpg conventions and mapped cancel to triangle and menu to circle. A thing that most people don't notice like how zelda 2 was inspired by castlevania.
it was still the first
It’s not exactly fair to say the pixel series used unrealistic proportions. FFVI had incredible pixel work for the characters, and there’s always the Amano artwork as well. Even FFVII in battle models and cutscenes made a huge attempt at realism given the time and tech.
FFIX was a return to fantasy, and the characters reflect that. Just ignore Amorath, whatever his name is.
FF8 defenders are always a win
video feedback, I'd remove the loud beeps between each part!
Thanks! And that idea was an Influence from PlayStation Access. Its supposed to be like a Test card 'End of takes thing. Was it a little loud?
@@EXP-Podcast yeah it was a little too loud. it startled me like twice.
Triple Triad. The *best* card game in any RPG! It made me excited to talk to every random yahoo, just to see if maybe they had a rare card I could snag or were maybe a secret Triple Triad master.
Brilliant game. Contender for the best mini game ever in my opinion- Jack
Squall would be a great ally with geralt in their search of great card for play, I imagine whenever squall challenge people to play card they just nod like in Witcher 3 😅
It’s really hard for me to articulate why I love FF8. I just end up talking about every single aspect.
I honestly don’t want Square to do an FF8 remake in the vain of FF7 remake. It’s too drawn out imo. If they did a tv show or series of movies, I would appreciate that more.
I think something focusing more on Laguna and the wider world would be awesome :) - Jack
I agree. the Remake should have been two games max. I haven't had a chance to play part two but man it felt drawn out.
Never thought of a ff8 movie.... Wow I'd really enjoy that
FF8 was my first introduction to the FF series (back when it was new too) and it's been deeply sewn into my DNA.
Know that feeling :) - Jack
My friend played FF7 and I played FF8 when we were kids and would play it on and off for about 20 years.
We'd often argue over which was better I think 8 just imprinted on me right away I'll die on the hill that its an amazing game to this day.
Honestly if I had the time Id still probably play it today I have it on my ps3 in the attic at my parents house!
Favourite parts:
Learning and playing the cards over the map always a fun treat.
Unlocking new GFs is worth putting in extra time to strengthen characters.
The time it takes to beat this game can be weeks or months but never feels boring.
LOVE upgrading characters and tracking down items i.e. Squalls sword
The story is complicated but brilliant.
Constantly upgrading transport walking-car-balamb Garden - Ragnarok.
The musical score was something else!
The artistry of hundreds of monsters and towns/cities is incredible I don't think many games have ever matched the amount of detail gone into any FF games really.
Strategy of fights can be brilliant when you are going to fight fire monsters or whatever the preparing the team for battle and insuring they have the right magics equipped and if you have a weak character adapting them to the fight I always loved this part.
Damn I think I'm gonna climb into the attic soon and fish out my ps3!
Awesome! Yeh Final Fantasy games certainly have a unique charm and design to them, and I do love FF8 - Jack
FF8 is an absolute treat once you come back to it after some time has passed. With that said, it feels like the world isn't too fully fleshed out. Where are the remnants of the war, what exactly are the GFs, how can we learn more about the Centra civilization or the Lunatic Pandora...
I agree! I love what we're given, but I've been dying to know more about so many topics for such a long time. I don't think a sequel is necessary, but I would love to see another entry in the same world. Maybe in the far past? -Mol
Was just thinking of replaying VIII again so this was welcome encouragement! The music in VIII reigns supreme for me 🎉
It is my favourite FF and Favourite FF Soundtrack :) - Jack
Uematsus greatest work
yes definitely, its replayability is high chance you will encourage to play another playthrough with handicapped speedrunning as im doing sometimes and beat the game with contentment.
For me, the dance scene was the first thing that made me fall in love with the game. I liked it so much that I reset the PS1 to watch it again xD later with the space part and the ending, I finally fell in love. It's my favorite game of all time and sometimes it hurts that people look down on it more than the other PS1 FF games, as if those games didn't have flaws.
Yeh. An incredible scene. FF8 is the game where Square really started killing it with the Graphics, and the ballroom scene was even adapted into a PS2 tech demo it looked that impressive. - Jack
FF8 was my first game in the franchise. To this day it’s my favorite. It’s pretty tough too, which I like!
Same! Definitely a tough play through on your first attempt! - Jack
Wait a minute, I've beaten this game a couple times. I never thought you could hide from the spider machine and miss the cutscene on the beach 😮
Haha Yup it's a thing! - Jack
@@EXP-Podcast very interesting, but My name's not Jack. 😆😄
@@tatsukagemarou 🤣
FF 8 is my all time favourite game, everything about this game is just perfect..except for random card rules lol
It's a classic. And yeh the Random rule sucks, but with a bit of planning you can make sure it doesn't bother you :D - Jack
My fave FF of all time. As of right now, I'm struggling to stay awake during FF7: Rebirth, and I hope they never attempt to remake FFVIII.
I'd love to see them do something to acknowledge FF8 in some kind of movie or expansion. Maybe not a full blown remake
Totally disagree. FF7 remake and rebirth are surprisingly classic and new in wonderful ways. I am a huge supporter of turn based RPG, but these titles found a great way to integrate a turn based slow down similar to how FFXV was able to slow down at the players control for a more classic RPG combat fee even amidst real time combat. I seriously wish Square would give this treatment to 1-10.
Ff7 remakes are so bad. They even changed the story. No more remakes plz
@@Starch1b2c3d4a wow. Sounds like someone is just mad they couldn’t get a PS5 so they had to convince themselves that all the titles on it are bad. The truth is that if it were a shot for shot remake without taking advantage of everything the ff7 universe has evolved into it wouldn’t be half as good as it is.
@@remyoconnor3141 Bro, Aerith doesnt even die. Tell me how thats not the dumbest change of storyline of all time.
I think Final Fantasy 8 doesn't get the love it deserved. It was very unique and different from ff7. One of my favorite, really enjoyed your video.
Thanks for watching :). And I agree - Jack
I'm currently playing thru FF8 for like the 10th time or so, but this time I'm playing with a few mods and it have changed the game completly and it sure is fun to replay it as a "new" game :D
@@Jiiimmie That's awesome. Yeh I know the game so well and would love to play through it again with an extra level of challenge. Is there a Mod in particular you would reccomend? - Jack
@@EXP-Podcast Well currently I'm playing with Succession and it changes it up a bit, like where gfs can be gotten and so on. But I have alot of other minor mods aswell that have more or less "removed" gfs. So the game is kinda "harder", but at the same time not. :)
Nice list, here's an 8th one for you: ironically, no EXP is in fact, required ;)
Haha thanks! And thank you for watching. Did you have anything you'd like to see from us in future?
@@EXP-Podcast Nah just excited to see whatever you make next :) Happy to watch whatever, especially JRPG related.
No.8 : Eyes on me
indeed. Keep the card rules simple, dont let them spread
Yep. Can't afford to lose all your cards for one mistake... - Jack
Hahahahahahahaha, seeing Spoony @ 0:40
I love FFVIII, it's my favourite but I howled with laughter through that review series! I don't think Spoony even really hated it that badly as he ended the review with a big "Eyes on Me" segment as a sort of apology.
Yeh. That review came at a time when Angry game reviewing was trendy due to the AVGN creating a movement.
I remember enjoying it at the time too, but unfortunately a lot of people have the general perception of FF8 skewed by that I think - Jack
The music... "The Landing" still gives me goosebumps
Absolute Classic :) - Jack
The tits
Nice :) I'll never get tired of this game!
An absolute classic :D - Jack
I hope they change their mind one day and do in fact make an ff7 style remake of ff8. It would benefit so much from that kind of expansion to its story.
Here's hoping!. Even if they don't, some kind of nod or remake of the game in a different style would be very welcome :) - Jack
Yeah VIII is a great game. I usually come back a few times a year. The thing I like is you can choose the difficulty on the fly due to the junction system. If you wanna blow through the game just spend some time farming the card game and even, then, you can always remove magic to lower your stats to make it harder at anytime.
Yeh totally. Plus, even though I know the game really well, I'm still surprised by random attacks some of the enemies make due to that varied difficulty. A random Bomb that's released in Balamb Garden when the Garden is in chaos screwed me up last time - Jack
My all time favorite game. 8 is a masterpiece
I Think so too :) - Jack
Missed a chance to say "8 reasons why FF 8 is"....
Still, good stuff yo
i had been harsh on ff8 for years and with ff7 being my favourite game in the franchise along with the remake trilogy coming out, i never thought to give ff8 another look but after playing it again recently i absolutely loved it and found myself wanting to start up a new save right after finishing the game. a flawed but excellent game.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yeh alot less 'Otherworldly' than FF7, but a great game nonetheless:) - Jacl
This is the only title in the world where I just wanted to own everyone's coat or jacket!
Good point! Seifers I think was especially cool! - Jack
This is the first video in a while that I've come across that was unapologetic about how great this game is. FF8 is my favorite game ever, and it gets frustrating to see people be like yeah this was bad but I still love it. No, it wasn't bad. You were just bad at it.
Haha! Thanks for watching. I'm a huge FF8 fan and it needs to respect it deserves :D. Glad you enjoyed - Jack
my favorite game on FF titles. like you said its characters are relatable. like me much like squall when i was in teen years often introvert and anti social until grew up to open up to my closests friends and become a reliable person to them. despite its flaws FF8 is my fave game cuz its grounded characters that conveys emotion and personal growth. thats why i dears on my heart than FF7 or FF9.
Yeh I can understand that. It's the most 'Real' Final Fantasy game in that sense - Jack
I am a sucker for FF8
As am I :) - Jack
Over leveling (not knowing about enemy scaling) and being under functioned (not understanding Junctioning) turns FF 8 a horror game.
Even basic enemies hit hard, you do jack in damage and I think they use stronger attacks.
Tried to fight Diabolos this way in one of my first tries at the game. It ended that playthrough because that GF hit so damn hard. Random encounters were just as bad.
Yep! Can be a trap if you are used to levelling to beat RPGs. Really good feeling when you work out the system - Jack
Great video just subscribed keep up the great work. Final fantasy 8 is my second favorite final fantasy
Final fantasy 9 is my favorite.
Awesome! Thanks for watching. Might be working on some FF9 content right now ;) - Jack
Took me 1 week to find the white seed ship
Yeh, a very hard thing to find on a first playthrough! - Jack
Remake! Remake! Remake!
Oh, and a continuation.
Both would be amazing :D - Jack
FF8 is one of the most charming games ive ever played.
That's a good way to put it :) - Jack
FF8 is the best and if they don't make a remake for the Xbox I will go down to Square Enix headquarters and smash the place up 😅
Little excessive there.... 😅. But yeh agree that FF8 is the best one - Jack
Never tired of this game and happy lots of people are making videos to appreciate it!
Yeh. It's my favourite one so I thought we'd do this list first. We've released another FF vid today, and will be doing some more soon :D - Jack
i remember getting a dawntrail in primary school
Gunblade
Hell yeah
R = U made FF8 the best among the franchise
Missed oppprtunity to make the list 8..😅
I love this game partly because it's a broken exploitable mess. It does a great job of making you feel powerful if you learn it's systems.
It's totally exploitable! Love getting super powerful spells early and making the game a total breeze :D - Jack
I don't believe Final Fantasy VIII has legions of detractors. I think one person made a video series tearing into the game for superficial reasons early in the days of UA-cam when angry reviews was how you get views and that combined with its rival status pitched against Final Fantasy VII has created a myth that the game is polarizing when the truth is that it isn't at all. It's by an large very popular and well loved by the people who play it.
Damn straight! 100% agree with this take. Growing up in the UK FF9 was considered the Black Sheep at the time. Somehow one person's opinion seems to have warp alot of people's memories - Jack
As someone who was traumatized as a kid on PS1 with this game of how they punished you for leveling up I will forever hate this game. If they do a remake they better change that. I thought EXP was required. 😂 Apparently not.
Hahaha, you're not alone! I was also one of those kids who levelled up and struggled in (a lot of!) places. Still, I think it's a testament to FF as a whole that even when it doesn't work, they're always open to trying something new! -Mol
Not sure if this was click-bait or not. I guess all someone has to do it type "FF8 IS Gr8" and you get an automatic like and comment from me. Now to watch the video.
Hope you enjoyed it :) - Jack
I mean, I gave 8 the fairest of shots - and by that I mean I did pretty much EVERYTHING.
Every GF acquired.
Every card acquired.
All superbosses conquered.
And I did it all on a Level 7 Squall run to boot.
But... I still can't say I love it. The characters and story fell flat for me, despite some standout moments like Squall rescuing Rinoa in space, the absolute bonkers reality-shifting final boss, etc.
I saw it through. But I still didn't come out loving it. I'll always prefer IX.
Completely and utterly fair! We've all got our favourites for different reasons, and if it didn't hit for you, it didn't hit! No shame in having given it the fairest of shots and it not being for you! -Mol
Agreed. For me, the story needed more time to cook. The world building is great however the story beats are off. The major revelations needed more space. Also, the draw mechanic needs some major reworking. Along with the party junction system. It requires sped up, an easier way to transfer/keep track of what's on who, and more incentive to actually use magic or even fight battles.
9 would be more apt. though im sure theyd modernize it into garbage the same way. corporations see easy dollar signs and blind them to the long run.
lol ff8 was my first ff ever so I actively turn off the critical thinking part of my brain and show it extreme bias
Haha. Same for me, but it's still great with some flaws :p - Jack
FF8 is just so damn clunky.
I had to be an adult to sort of understand The GF System/Cards…..
5:40 how does FF8 have Tartaria references??? What does Japan know?!
It's certainly not perfect, but that's the beauty of FF - they're always trying something new! What about the GF system did you find difficult? -Mol
Dee-AH-boh-los......
Do you say Dee-ah-Bolical?
Im inclined to agree with Darklordyianni. Do you pronounce comb as "coo-mm" because Tomb is spelled the same but pronounced differently? It really has been established as "dee-ah-blos" and not just from Final Fantasy bro, but from other games or fantasy
@@tasselhoff1293 A whole lot of people pronounce things different ways. I think that's part of the fun of these games, and how people remember them tbh.
Diablos is easy just cast blind on him
This game is an unbalanced mess and I absolutely adore it.
@@reloadpsi Represent! 🤣 - Jack
No. EXP is not required in FFVIII
Personally its the second best final fantasy, final fantasy 13 is number one, its so good, its probably the best game ever made
One thing I love about the franchise as a whole is that every game has someone batting for it no matter what anyone else says or thinks! 13's definitely great as well! -Mol
What do you mean you have to be good to beat Diablos? Just use blind and that’s it lol
I prefer using Protect tbh. Struggle getting Blind to hit after only getting a few after the Dollet Mission - Jack
@@EXP-Podcast Huh I never though of that, this is why I love ff8
Music aside, 8 might be literally the WORST ff game ever.
It’s grindy, confusing and you can’t pick your girlfriend 👎🏻
Of all the FFs out there, I think 8 can easily be considered one of the less grindy, considering enemies scale with your level! -Mol
It's pretty objectively one of, if not THE least grindy. You can avoid most combat and still be totally fine.
The only grinding is in triple triad