Final Fantasy VIII is one of the most divisive titles in the entire franchise. While the visual upgrade was spectacular in every sense of the word, gamers were less than enthused when it came to the several other gameplay mechanics present in the game. From the Junction system to the largely ineffective leveling system, there were several problems that people pointed out when it came to this particular title.
However, there's a massive section of the fanbase that will still stand by Final Fantasy VIII as a great title that bolstered the franchise's reputation even further. While there are a number of elements that they praise in the game, one aspect of note is the main cast, which feels like a quintessential Final Fantasy party in every way possible.
11 Zell Dincht
Anybody who's played Final Fantasy VIII would understand why Zell is placed so low on this list. As the strongman of the group, Zell doesn't really apply his brain much in situations, preferring to use brute strength instead.
This headstrong nature leads to a ton of situations where he becomes the butt of some jokes, but this never stops him from being an endearing character regardless.
10 Selphie Tilmitt
The second airhead of this group gets the nod over Zell simply because there are times when she's actually managed to use her brain and didn't have to be spoon-fed at every moment when it came to what was happening.
However, there's no denying the fact that Selphie would be the last person anyone would rely on when it came to forming a battle strategy, or anything else along the same lines.
9 Ward Zabac
One of three playable characters who the player gets to control during a flashback sequence, Ward doesn't really show anything of note when it comes to his intelligence.
While it must be commended that he managed to deal with being rendered dumb in a rather quick and admirable fashion, that is the only time when this lumbering brute shows that he's capable of rational thinking.
8 Irvine Kinneas
The self-proclaimed ladies man of the group might have a knack when it comes to calculating his precise shots, but there are no other scenarios where one can point out that Irvine has truly shown his smarts in the game.
In fact, he even ends up hiding the fact that he knew all the party members were from the same orphanage instead of slowly getting them familiarized with the fact that they might be losing their memories because of an as-yet-unidentified reason.
7 Rinoa Heartilly
The love interest of the game can certainly apply her brain in a given situation whenever required — after all, there's a reason why she was chosen to lead a resistance movement in the first place.
However, whatever amazing intelligence Rinoa might've possessed is thrown away in favor of making her look like the sweetest love interest Final Fantasy has ever included in their games. While they might've succeeded to a large extent, this did come at the cost of Rinoa looking more and more airheaded over time.
6 Seifer Almasy
While he might seem like your run-of-the-mill rival, there's no denying the fact that Seifer can definitely put his mind to the test if need be.
The only reason why he's not ranked as highly on the list is that he prefers satiating his ego as opposed to listening to the voice of reason — a course of action that only puts him in deeper trouble as the story progresses.
5 Laguna Loire
The protagonist of the flashback scenes might seem like an absolute goofball, but there's no denying the fact that Laguna can definitely apply his mind in any given situation if need be.
As is the case with most of the individuals on this list, a few intelligence points are docked from Laguna since he always preferred listening to his heart over his mind... with one exception that would haunt him for the rest of his life and prevent him from witnessing the birth of his son.
4 Squall Leonhart
Laguna's son went through a rather tough childhood, which is perhaps why he remained so emotionally cold and distant for the majority of Final Fantasy VIII before going through a character arc that redeemed himself in the best way possible.
Squall was more of a cold and calculating character because of his stoic nature, preferring to analyze a situation properly and put forth a rational train of thought without getting his emotions muddled up in the process... well, right up until the end of the game, when Squall realizes his love for Rinoa.
3 Kiros Seagill
Out of the three party members that the player controls in intermittent flashbacks, Kiros is easily the most intelligent of the lot. The mere fact that he was able to track Laguna down all the way in the small town of Winhill by tracking down the faintest trail of breadcrumbs is proof enough of just how smart Kiros really is.
2 Quistis Trepe
A student of Balamb Garden who managed to become a teacher in record time, it's easy to see why Quistis Trepe is ranked so high up on this list. She's shown her critical thinking abilities time and time again throughout the series, acting as the voice of reason in the majority of situations when the party is stuck at an impasse.
The only times when she doesn't think with her head is when her own emotions get entangled in the situation, such as when she mistook her sisterly feelings for Squall as love.
1 Edea Kramer
When one talks about the smartest playable character in Final Fantasy VIII, one really can't go wrong with Edea Kramer. While her mind might've been overtaken by a powerful sorceress for a large portion of the game, there's no denying just how great her mind really is.
After all, one doesn't become the head of an orphanage and the vessel for a sorceress' powers without having a ton of intelligence to back all this up.