I just can`t get enough of this game.
Game Review Sections
*Overall (10/10)
~Gameplay (10/10)
~Story (10/10)
~Graphics (10/10)
~Sound (10/10)
~Effort/Innovation (10/10)
~Replay value – Medium-High
Before I start the review, let me give you some background information on the game and the series.
The Final Fantasy series is a well respected franchise that has been alive for over 15 years, and is Square-Enix`s most cherished asset. Probably very few people today do not know the name Final Fantasy. It's arguably one of the most popular (and sure-fire console-seller) series that ever existed.
From what I heard, Final Fantasy (I) was to be the Square's last game ever made before going into bankruptcy. They decided to make one last effort and give it their all to produce one last game, one “Final Fantasy”. Surprisingly, the game had a very huge success and had saved the company form its dark future.
After a while the company released Final Fantasy II, which also had resounding success. After this the series continued, each title, while very different from the rest in terms of story, had its share of success. It's possible that the “near-death” situation Square was in made them to give their all and look at what people want.
Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997 for the PSX and PC. It was the first in the series to come to the PC, and the Square really put a lot of hard work on all parts of the game. Because of this, Final Fantasy VII has been Square's best sold game, even beating Final Fantasy X (by not too much, though).
Even today, Final Fantasy VII has set some standards in the RPG industry, and is the most memorable RPG, if not the most memorable game at all. Gamespot itself said that every year, when they organize a “favorite character/villain” poll, it was impossible for the name Cloud or Sephiroth not to appear on top. It was crowned a classic by Gamespot and sits comfortably as one of “The Greatest Games of all Time”.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gameplay (10/10)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>Combat (10/10)
>>Options (10/10)
>>Fluidity (10/10)
FF7, like all of its predecessors, features a 3rd person perspective of the areas around the character. In battle you can control various characters (though one at a time), while when you are out of battles you control only one character (usually Cloud, the main character), while the others follow you.
>>Combat (10/10)
The combat system is rather un-interactive, as you can only issue commands that the characters will do. You don't control the movement of the characters in combat, or the way the attack, you just select a command from a list (like Attack or Item).
Most will find this boring, but unfortunately this is a FF trademark (the battle menu, that is). Instead of criticizing it for how it should be, I look at how other RPGs were when FF7 was released…not much different. Possibly because of some technical impossibility due to hardware limitations or whatever reason, most (if not actually all) of the RPGs in that time where like this. So, thinking about it, it does not deserve to be bashed.
In terms of what you can do in battle, you can choose from a variety of options including the 4 basic commands (attack, magic, summon and item), 7 materia-activated physical commands (steal, mimic, coin throw), 2 defensive commands (defense and switch to back row), and one special command, the Limit Break, a disastrous mega powerful attack of fury that can be a life saver in some situations. Truly a beauty. :D
>>Options (10/10)
Although considered by most pretty linear, FF7 does offer a variety of options for you to chose, although they're not very story-influencing.
For example, in some cases you are given a choice as to what you want to what to do or what you want to say to a character. These choices usually affect how much a character likes you, expressed in “approval points”. At some points in the game, these points determines which scenes will appear and which not, but these scenes don't change the ending or the story in general.
Square has also done some innovations in the character class department. You don't have character classes anymore, the game letting you choose what class each character should have by equipping them the appropriate materia (magic like orb that gives you some physical and magical abilities). Your characters can even be cross-class, and can you can even change their class whenever you want by switching their materia.
>>Fluidity (10/10)
The game will never get boring if you are an RPG fan. There are no dull moments or times where you don't know where to go (well, except for one time at the middle of the game).
You have a variety of environments to explore and lots of things to find out. This game can make you play it 10 hours a day without you even noticing how much time passed by. It did to me. :D
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story (10/10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Surely, one of the most important parts in an RPG is the story. And FF7 surely won't disappoint you.
You start off as Cloud Strife, a mercenary ex-Soldier working for Avalanche, a group devoted to stopping Shinra from further using Mako (the planet's life energy) as an energy source (replacing electricity).
As the plot thickens, you uncover Cloud’s forgotten dark past as you try to save the planet from being destroyed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Graphics (10/10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While it may be considered outdated, FF7 had the best graphics you could find at the time.
Most of FF7`s areas are 2D with 3D characters (usually made out of few polygons, making them look like children) on them, with the exception of the world map (which is completely 3D, but low-poly thus making everything seem small), and the battle screen.
The battle screen is completely 3D and is the only circumstance in which you will find high-poly (more detailed and realistic) models. Still, these too can arguably be considered low-poly if compared to later games because of the little detail on the characters.
There is one scene though, as a teaser, where Square show's you a rendered battle with very high-poly 3D characters, just to make you want a remake even more. ;)
Compared to the PC version, the PSX version can be considered inferior in terms of graphics. BUT, in order to use 3D acceleration on the PC version (which is the only feature that makes the PC version stand out compared to the PSX version in terms of graphics), you MUST have an older graphics card that supports the out-dated and no longer supported 8-bit pallet textures (below GeForce 6 and most ATI cards).
So if you want better graphics, I strongly advise you to remain to the PSX version, and put the game in an emulator, in which you can enhance the graphics beyond that of the PC version of FF7 (higher resolution, screen smoothing, etc.).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sound (10/10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you are an RPG fan that craves for a perfect story that is accompanied by a superb music, then FF7 is for you.
In my opinion, FF7 has the most beautiful music ever heard of in video games. From rock-solid heavy-metal, to melancholic and sad, all of it at the right time.
The sound effects aren’t that good though, but after comparing it to the Nintendo version of similar games, FF7 had more than pleasing effects at it's time.
This time, the PC version has inferior sound compared to the PSX version, as it uses MIDI to produce the music. As each of today's sound cards reproduces MIDI sounds differently, the music can be very denaturized from how it should have been. So for PC owners, I advise you play the PSX version on an emulator.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effort/Innovation (10/10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Truly, Square has put a lot of effort into the making of this game. From story to graphics, all are beautiful.
Square has tried a new approach to what kind of world should be in an RPG, and it truly paid of. Gone are the kingdoms, the kings and knights, and all clichés that have plagued most RPGs. Instead, a new, Neo Sci-Fi world was introduced, where technology and magic co-existed.
The characters also had their share of innovation, as the game tries to show the psychological evolution of each character, something that wasn't probably even thought of before.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replay value – Medium-High
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One thing was certain for me after I finished the game…I wanted more!!!
I didn't know back then if there was a sequel, but I really wanted to play the game again to understand things better.
As in other games, in FF7 some things you can only understand if you played the game a second time, so it is like an incentive to play the game again.
In total, I think I played the game 7 times up until now…and I still want to play it again soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall (10/10)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the end, Square made an excellent game that will always be worshiped and never forgotten.
I know some of you may think that I over-rated this game, but I gave this score for the value the game had at it's time. Sure, if the game had been released now, it would have received a lower score because of the graphics and sound, but seeing as it was in 1997, I think the score is just right for the value it had then…After all, what matters most in an RPG is the story, the gameplay, and lastly the music, which gives the game's atmosphere.
In a nutshell, FF7 was, by me, the greatest game of it's time, and probably still is if you only take the story and music into account.
Lastly, I want to say one final word to Square: WHAT`S TAKING SO LONG FOR YOU TO DECIDE TO MAKE A PS3 REMAKE!?! :D