I've taken MM8 for a spin recently, but I've noticed that some spells don't really work as advertised.
The first culprit is Jump, and specifically in the Wasp Nest. It's clearly intended to use Jump to advance into the dungeon, and yet the platform right after the entrance is just out of reach.
I also remember reading somewhere that Haste(and the Haste portion of Hour of Power) doesn't really do anything. Oh, you'll get the buff icon on top of the screen and you'll be weakened at the end, but the spell itself has no effect. Is that true?
Installed latest GrayFace patch btw.

haste best spell, so yeah it does a lot. I remember the wasp nest problem when I first played the game 20 years ago and I guess there's still no solution to it? has anyone actually made it through the entire thing and was there anything spicy in there?

In the Wasp Nest, my experience is that you need running Jump spells to make it up. The timing is a pain, but if you're running and cast (at the right angle and distance), then you'll make it up to the next level. This is a lot easier if you hotkey the spell from someone's spell book so you can just hit "S" to cast it while you're moving, instead of dealing with the clicks and such from trying to use a scroll. Scrolls are do-able, but annoying.

Regardless of whether it helps (I don't know), Haste isn't worth the hassle, imo. Lot of extra clicks to fix the Weakness after it ends (all too soon).

if you remember to recast haste before it expires you don't have to deal with the weakness downside tho, also once you get high enough light magic it lasts the entire day so

Did the entire wasp nest once and you get a lot of jelly. Trouble is, money isn't a problem in MM8. Timing those jumps truly a pain. So I did it only once.
Never used haste much in any of the MM series.