Flactem Walkthroughs

Final Fantasy VIII Disc 4

Ultimecia Castle

Enter the Castle Improper

Here we come a castling among… Oh Sorry, lost my focus for a bit there. (Danged ADHD!) Head up the chain from the beach where Edea lives. You have to go through a door to get there, though. When you get to the top, save your game (and draw Flare if you don’t have all your characters full of it). Head forward and all your other characters will show up. You will be allowed to select a new party, then you enter the castle.

Where Are My Powers?

The castle contains many minions (read bosses) that have sealed off certain powers. You will make your way through the castle, defeating bosses along the way. Once you defeat one, you can select a power to unlock. Options are:

Split your party

Split your party into two groups - an attacking party and a navigation party. The navigation party only needs Guardian ForceGravity-themed Guardian Force from the Magical Lamp. Diablos brings Enc-Half, Enc-None, Mug, and key time/status magic refinement abilities. GF AbilityPrevents most random encounters. Learned by Diablos. ability. They will pull levers and flip switches to allow your attack party to make their way through the Castle. The attack party should be as buff as you can make them. There are many paths you could take through the castle, but I’ll focus on one at a time. If you think you have a better way of doing it, by all means feel free to use it (and let me know).

Choose an Endgame Strategy

At the end of the game, you’ll get in a battle that will likely KO some of your characters. When that happens, a backup character will come in and take their place. You can either focus on buffing up all your characters, or just get three insanely OP characters that you junction everything to and let them join as the weak ones are picked off.

If you are planning on getting all your guys up to powerful, don’t forget to switch around the characters you are using to do the real battles. The way I do it is this: any time I go to save my game after a boss battle, I look to make sure I am fighting with Squall and the two weakest (I use lowest level to mean weakest in this case) characters.

One more thing… If you missed any SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. earlier in the game, be sure to draw any of the ????? you run across while fighting the boss battles.

First Minion/Ability: Sphinxara/Magic

You really need Magic to defeat some of the other opponents, as they are only susceptible to magic like Fire or Wind, etc. Head up the stairs in the middle of the entranceway with your attacking party. Junction your most powerful magic (Ultima/Full-Life) to your Strength, and don’t forget to junction your Str +40% GF Abilities if you have them.

Boss Fight Prep

When ready, attack him. He has two faces, and you have to beat both of them. Unless they’re dangerous, ignore any enemies he summons and focus on him. Once you have defeated him, take the time to stop and junction your Magic skill to all your characters. You can’t save IN the castle, but if you go back out the door and down the stairs to the entrance you can save your game there. I don’t recommend saving over the previous save spot, as that is where you will need to come back to if you find out your characters aren’t powerful enough to defeat these guys.

Don’t forget to swap out some guys if you are trying to raise your level floor. Now that you have your Magic, let’s go on to the next battle.

Second Minion/Ability: Trauma/Draw or Resurrect

Depending on whether your characters have plenty of the best spells in the game, you may want to postpone enabling the CommandLets a character draw magic from enemies or draw points. for a while. If you don’t have very good magic or if you missed some summons earlier (how did you get this far?!?) then you will want to enable Draw after the next battle.

Get your Triple and Tornado magic ready, and head up the main stairs again to where you fought Sphinxara. From that screen, head right and go through the door at the end of the banister. In the next room, head down the staircase and through the door at the top of the screen. Ignore the rope and green disc for now.

Once you enter the art gallery, look at all the paintings, then head up the stairs on the right. You’re going to need to look at all the paintings on this level too. Go left first and look at all the paintings you see, then return here and do the same thing on the right side. At the very far right, continue until you come to a draw point. You aren’t here to draw, though. Look down at the clock painted on the floor. Where are the hands pointing?

You need to know this, because you will not be able to get to the next level until you figure out this puzzle. The way it works is this: when you look at the big picture opposite the stairway you took to get up here, you will be prompted to enter the three titles that are included in the work. They are the titles that include the letters in the roman numerals that the clock is pointing too. Easy to figure out, isn’t it?

Anyway, you can only enter titles of pictures you have looked at, so if you didn’t do it before go look at all the pictures in the room so that you have all the names to use. The title of the picture is “In the Garden Sleeps a Messenger” or Vividarium et Intervigilium et Viator. You must enter them in that order (hour hand, minute hand then second hand). See, it’s easy isn’t it?!? Once you enter the name of the painting, you’ll see a black blob.

Boss Fight Prep

Junction wind magic to your elemental attack and crank up your strength. If you can’t do that, make sure you have Triple, Haste, and Tornado handy.

Examine it and the next enemy (Trauma) will show up behind you.

He has nothing to GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut., but if he summons anything to help him out, be sure to GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. THOSE for various powerful stones. Once he is defeated, you should get an Elem-Atk, and then you can unlock any ability you want.

Remember, though, that you don’t have the Item skill, so you can only bring them back by Magic (you did unlock that before, right?) Once you get the Command unlock, you can use the GF AbilityRevives a KO'd party member in battle. Learned by Alexander. GF Ability. Once you have enabled your ability of choice, head back out of the castle and save your game again. Swap characters if you need

Third Minion/Ability: Red Giant/Draw or Resurrect

Return to the clock, then head up through the door at the top of the screen. Ignore the green circle for now, and head down the stairs between the suits of armor. Take the leftmost bridge and enter the door on the left. When you enter the room, the door will close behind you.

Boss Fight Prep

Junction Pain or Blind to one of your character’s attacks and make sure you can cast Demi. Go forward and take the key to trigger the battle.

Unless your characters are REALLY strong, use Demi instead of attacks. Note that a GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. is not an attack. If you have your guys GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. instead of attack, you’ll be fine; he won’t mock you. Have your Pain-junctioned character GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. or attack to blind him, then switch to Demi. If you have Draw and Magic, you can draw/cast it on him. Or if you have Triple and Expend 3x1, you can do A LOT of damage to him in one shot! When/if he throws away his sword you know he is almost dead.

Have one of your characters on standby to heal the rest, as blind doesn’t affect his ability to hit you with his fist. Once Demi starts doing only a small amount of damage (read double digit) switch one character to physical attacks to finish him. Take back whichever ability you didn’t take above. Use the Prison Key to get out of the prison. Go back and save your game, swap characters if you need.

Fourth Minion/Ability: Tri-Point/GF Command

Go back up the main stairway, but this time go through the big door at the top of the stairs. You will see a chandelier. Go across it and it will fall. When you get up, look at the hatchway that the chandelier just landed on. It should have broken enough to open up now. Open it and you will appear at the top of a stairway.

Boss Fight Prep

Equip as much thunder magic to Elem-Defense. If you get above 100% defense, this guy’s magic attacks will give you back health! If you don’t, you’re gonna get hurt! Junction fire magic to your Elem-Attack and prep Haste, Triple, and Firaga. Walk to the bottom of the stairway and walk toward him. If the game doesn’t start the battle, you may need to walk a little farther away from him.

Prepare to be scanned. He will scan you to analyze your weaknesses (if any). When he scanned my guys it just said: “Absorbs” and listed all possible elemental attacks. :) Wail on him, and you shouldn’t have much trouble. Remember, this guy has a unique Counter ability that will send 4 million volts through you! (Number stolen from a Monty Python skit.) So if you don’t have your guys all able to absorb lightning magic, you may have to resurrect your guys! After you beat him, go and save your game.

It’s a bit more tricky this time. If you go back up the stairs, through the door at the top left, and then go down and right, you should exit by your other party. If you want to walk all the way back, go back up the stairs and through the door on the left. Next, go down a hallway and out the door at the end (on the right). You’ll be back in the narthex (that’s an entryway for those of you who didn’t go to one of those kinds of churches growing up).

Fifth Minion/Ability: Gargantua/Limit Break

Return to the castle and take your main party up to the fountain via the falling chandelier method. Go up the stairs, through the door at the top, and walk onto the chandelier; when it falls, go through the door at the top of the screen. Walk around the fountain, and inspect it everywhere. Eventually you should get the Treasure Vault Key around 7 or 8 o’clock. I just happen to find it one day while I was looking for a way to drink out of the fountain. Go through the doors behind the fountain and head up the stairs to your immediate right. Ignore the swirling mass of stuff for now. As you walk across the little bridge, you will knock a thingy off the bridge.

Now go back to the room with the fountain and use the Other-Party-Leave-The-Castle trick to get your party back quickly. Now enter the castle again. Go up the stairs and back to the Art Gallery. When you get there, go through the door and down the stairs between the knights. Now there is something glittering in the river there. Head over the rightmost bridge and pick up the shiny thing in the water. Now go through the door on the right.

Boss Fight Prep

You may draw Ultima (if you don’t have it full). Ready holy magic. Haste, Triple, Holy is a deadly combo here.

He starts out being a standard Vysage and the two hands (GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. a ItemRing with life force and some ItemStone with strong Magic power), then becomes Gargantua when you beat him. This enemy has a counter function (Counter Twist) that you may want to know about. Your weaker (Vitality wise) characters should cast magic on him. He can be easily beat with Holy magic. Again, I recommend the Haste-Triple-Holy combo.

Once you beat him, get Limit Break (really, you’re gonna need it). Remember, to quickly return and save your game, you may go back to the knights and switch to the other party, then head down to the area outside the castle, save your game, and switch characters if you need.

Sixth Minion/Ability: Catoblepas/Command Abilities

Getting to this boss is tricky. You will need both parties. Make sure the navigation party has Guardian ForceGravity-themed Guardian Force from the Magical Lamp. Diablos brings Enc-Half, Enc-None, Mug, and key time/status magic refinement abilities. GF AbilityPrevents most random encounters. Learned by Diablos. enabled and consists of all females. The other party should be the male characters. (Really, otherwise it WON’T WORK!)

Now take the attack team to the room past the Art room (the one with the knights), then down into the basement. This time, go over the left bridge and examine that pump handle two times. The second time should cause the water to subside. Now, head back to the main screen. If you didn’t get it above, you can get the Treasure Vault Key by heading up from the room where the chandelier falls and examining the fountain there.

From there, go up the stairs and to the left, through the doorway, down the winding staircase, and through the door at the top of the screen. Just past the first column on your left, try to open the hidden door which leads to the treasure vault. Go down and use the Holy draw point, if you need. To proceed from here, you have to open all the coffins. Examining each coffin causes a different thing to happen.

Boss Fight Prep

Junction lightning to Elem-Def, Quake to Elem-Atk, and Pain to Status Attack. Make sure you can use Earth or Water magic. Be ready to cast Haste, Triple, and Quake.

Let’s label them from bottom left to upper right A, B, C and D. Examine them in this order: C, A, D, B. This causes Catoblepas to show up.

Use Earth or Water magic against him. My favorite combo is Haste-Triple-Quake, but it’s also pretty effective to use Meltdown then just attack if you junctioned Quake to Elem-Atk. Don’t use GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. (nothing to steal). If you junction Pain to your attack, you can inflict Darkness on him, which renders his Deadly Horn attack useless. :) Be sure you keep your HP up. When you beat him, he’ll use Meteor against you.

You should receive a Status-Atk from this battle. Get Command Abilities. Go and save your game. Don’t forget to switch your guys back now. You don’t have to have all guys and all girls here. :)

Seventh Minion/Ability: Krysta/Item

This guy is a real pain. At the beginning, have your navigation party go up the stairs and ride the chandelier down. Go stand in the green circle. You will be informed that the lever has been depressed. Maybe it needs some Prozac?

Switch to the other team and have them go up to the chandelier. They should be able to run across it to the door at the far end of that screen. Prep before going through the door…

Boss Fight Prep

Make sure you have everyone able to summon a SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities.. This boss will counter physical and magical attacks, but not SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. attacks. Be ready to cast Curaga - when he’s killed off he’ll cast Ultima.

Go through the door and engage him. He’s got a nasty counter attack (and he has nothing to steal), so don’t GF AbilityReplaces Attack with a stealing attack. Learned by Diablos and Bahamut. or attack. Call your most powerful SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. and keep your HP up. He counters with Ultima when he’s about to die, so be careful.

You should get an ItemGF learns Elem-Defx4 ability from this, so your SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. can learn Junction AbilityAllows four magic spells to be junctioned to elemental defense. Learned by Alexander and Doomtrain.. After he’s defeated, you can draw Meteor from the draw point here. Go back and save your game, switching characters if you need.

Eighth Minion/Ability: Tiamat/Save

Last ability here. Take your main attack to the room with the organ. Go up the stairs on the right, across the bridge, and through the left door. Climb the tower until you get to the pendulum. Just before the section of the walkway which has collapsed upon itself is a gap in the railing where the pendulum is swinging. Examine that gap and you should jump over.

Boss Fight Prep

Be ready to cast Meltdown. Weaker parties can use Haste, then Triple and Ultima or Meteor to do quick damage. Junction Fire or Flare to your elemental defense.

Enter the doorway to start the battle. If your characters are powerful enough, kill him before he casts Dark Flare. Of course, if you are set to absorb all magic, you’ll get MAJOR health from him when he casts it. Start with meltdown if you’re going to use physical attacks. If you can get Rinoa’s Angel Wing + Meteor it will do massive damage. If you can, use Haste, then triple, and then cast 3xMeteor or Ultima. If you have to, cast Aura on Squall.

When you beat him, take Save and then jump back across the pendulum area. You now have a choice. If this has all been easy for you, check out the Omega Weapon section to see if you’re up for a real fight. If not, go ahead and finish the game (see below). Of course, you could always go and get a ItemGF learns abilityx4 ability if you want.

Optional Rosetta Stone

Return to the level with the Organ. Just go up to the organ and mash all the keys together in the following order: B1, B2, B4, B3. That’s Do-Re-Mi-Fa. After pressing the last button, let go, press B-10 to end and head down to the fountain. Take the right road and notice that the barred area is now open. Go through that and around to the right. If you’ve got water covering it, you’ve missed something. Go back to the room at the bottom of the stairs between the knights past the art room (whew that’s a mouthful!) and crank the handle just past the left little bridge. Anyway, at the end of the hall is a box. There is a ItemGF learns abilityx4 ability inside.

End Game

OK. When you are ready to go to the end of the game:

  1. Climb to the top of the tower.
  2. Ride the chandelier down
  3. Go out the door, past the fountain
  4. Go past the organ up the stairs
  5. When you get to the clock hands, run left until you are on the ladder
  6. Climb down to the platform.
  7. Go right a few steps until you can climb down a ladder.
  8. From the bottom of that, you can only head straight ahead.
  9. Go forward and save your game at the final save point.

Boss Fight Prep

Junction Pain to Status Defense. Get your strength and magic defense as high as possible. Don’t be afraid to use your most powerful magic - this is the last battle. Cast Aura on everyone so they can spam their limit breaks. If you have a Laguna Card, use the GF AbilityRefines Triple Triad cards into items, which can often be refined again into strong magic. Learned by Quezacotl. and Refine AbilityImproves medicine items to stronger versions. Learned by Alexander. abilities to turn that into a ItemMakes all party members invincible. Junction Elem Def for Tornado, Flare, and Quake. Put all your ItemFully restores abnormal status and HP to all members Useful chain: buy 10 Elixirs at Esthar Shop!!!, then use Med LV Up to make 1 Megalixir. in the first item slot. (Don’t bother healing with magic.)

There are two schools of thought here. Since three random people will be chosen, you can either distribute your SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. evenly and have each character have an even shot at beating her, or you can just give three characters the total edge. As long as all three aren’t killed off, a “dead” character will eventually be replaced by a reserve member.

The major wrinkle in this strategy is that, as the battle progresses, she will occasionally absorb an active party member. Which can be problematic if you lose one of your three powerhouses.

Anyway, open the door when you are ready to start the final battle(s).

Use Aura to get limit breaks without being near death, then use a ItemMakes all party members invincible to get 25 seconds of invincibility. Use ItemFully restores abnormal status and HP and ItemFully restores abnormal status and HP to all members Useful chain: buy 10 Elixirs at Esthar Shop!!!, then use Med LV Up to make 1 Megalixir. to heal. Spam your limit breaks.

Watch for Griever to start charging Shockwave Pulsar. When you see that, use a ItemMakes all party members invincible or other invincibility tool, or cast protect and shell.

Once you defeat Form 2, she will fuse with Griever and become

If you’ve junctioned Elem Def for Tornado, Flare, and Quake, this form should be pretty easy to defeat as you’ll just be healed by the attacks. Defeat this one and you’ll see…

This is her final form. Use ItemMakes character invincible, Aura, and SystemGuardian Forces are FF8's summons and the source of most junction, command, support, refine, and stat-growth abilities. to keep from being smeared into the crevasses of whatever world you currently occupy. If she casts Hell’s Judgment, your party will go to 1 HP; immediately counter with a ItemFully restores abnormal status and HP to all members Useful chain: buy 10 Elixirs at Esthar Shop!!!, then use Med LV Up to make 1 Megalixir.. If she starts charging Apocalypse, see if you can draw-cast it back at her.

Only a few more limit breaks (with a dialogue box in between each) and it’s over.

Then watch the CG for 20 minutes. You don’t have to press X on these dialogue boxes, btw, which is good - because “20 minutes” isn’t exactly misleading.

Final Notes

Well, I hope you had as much fun playing this game as I had writing this walkthrough. As you may have noticed, there are quite a few other walkthroughs on this site. Please play the other Final Fantasy games and use my other walkthroughs, if you had fun with this one. If you enjoyed this, drop me a line. See you around!