Simply innovative, bringing rpgs and Final Fantasy to the masses and proving to this day, graphics aren't everything!
First off, this review is for the PC version and not the original Playstation version. I will try as much as possible to refrain from comparing the two.
You begin the story playing as a young mercenary with a mysterious past. Cloud Strife finds himself hired by a rebel group conspiring against a huge coorporation, "milking" the earth of a natural resource, more important to earths survival then they realize. As Cloud, you aid this group furthermore, not only pursuing the destruction of one said coorporation, but soon thereafter, following the steps of the games main villain, Sephiroth, and prevent him from destroying the earth itself. As for the secondary characters, each are iconic in their own way. Years since having played the game, I still remember each of their personalities like I just got up from the keyboard moments ago. Cloud is mysterious to say the least and has his guard up for good reason, not letting anyone close but his close friend Tifa and Aerith (Aeris). Barret provides more then enough comic releif in a game so dark. Between the characters you will unveal love triangles, disturbing pasts and aid them each in reaching their goals.
Also notable is how each character has his/her role in combat, providing a remarkably balanced team of long range, short range, heavy hitters, spell casters, etc.
The gamplay itself is also something worth mentionning as people to this day still compare the newer installments of the Final Fantasy series to the simplisity of the materia system. Interchanging spells in weapon slots, spells gaining experience, combo slots ... It was all very easy to pick up and left the next games to come with more to desire as the leveling system in the newer games seem a little too complex. You buy materia (spells and summons and stat bonuses) in shops or you find them in treasure chests or off bosses, the usual. You can technically create each character to your own liking, giving Cloud all the heal spells if you wish and Tifa all the summons. Although this example may prove beneficial in some situations, I personaly prefer balancing out these materias amongst the characters, giving each some form of healing, a few summons and destructive spells. the controls on the keyboard did prove to be uncomfortable, granted. However, quickly attaching my gamepad, I find myself with an almost Playstation-ish experience.
The graphics are revolutionary. the differences between Final Fantasy 6 and 7 are huge, and most would say Final Fantasy 7 is the game that brought this series to the masses. By todays standards, the game may be lacking in this department, but the cinematic scenes and the battles are still very much up to par.
And the score ... where to begin ... Each theme song and citys music and the scores for certain missions add the right boost to make every moment all the bit more adrenaline rushed, sad or though provoking, giving you a blend of emotions you are not soon to forget. This game has also spun off a mass collection of fans remixes to its original soundtrack, proving once again that Fina Fantasy 7 still lives on.
The story keeps you on the edge of your seat with plot twists, memorable characters and individual character storylines and sidequests. The amount of sidequests alone give Final Fantasy 7 huge replay value, from obtaining ultimate weapons and upgrading your spells, unlocking new characters, etc. You can easily find yourself pouring over 100 hours into this game, let alone the 40-60 hours it takes to finish the main plot. Please name a game nowadays that has so much to offer? Final Fantasy 7 will never leave you with a dull moment.