Not only is Final Fantasy VII one of the best RPGs of all time, but one of the best games of all time.
THE GOOD
-Excellent Story and characters
-Beautiful Music and Graphics (Cut-Scene and In-game)
-Materia Leveling System is Unique and Fun
-Lots of good Mini Games to play
-Lots of good side quests with interesting stories
-Difficult Bosses to fight which makes you use different strategies
THE BAD
-Story can be confusing in some parts of the game
OVERVIEW
Final Fantasy VII is considered to many as an epic masterpiece. There is no doubt that Final Fantasy VII will be used as a template for future RPGs. The setting puts you in a place that is fairly industrialized. Some of the major cities have advancements in technology that aid people greatly in their everyday lives. Outside of these metropolises, you'll find a vast world with quiet rolling country sides and communities to match. The largest city on the planet is Midgar which is setup like a typical metropolitan town with skyscrapers that fill the air. Unfortunately, like all cities, the wealthy live the high life and poor live in the slums and the ruthless Shinra Company is mainly the reason why.
The story begins a tough ex-soldier named Cloud who joins forces with AVALANCHE. AVALANCHE is small group of vigilantes from the poor region of Midgar known as Sector 7. This anti-corporation group is performing a series of raids on Shinra's Mako reactors because they feel that they are hurting the planet. After this intense introduction you realized that there is so much more to this tale and Cloud is going to need the help from heroes of all walks of life.
The story is extremely compelling and offers plenty of exciting plot twists. Although an adventure this extensive can also be hard to follow in some parts. The characters also have interesting side stories which give you plenty of information about each of their personalities. FF7 goes to great lengths to provide an amazing gaming experience.
GAMEPLAY
Apart from the excellent story, Final Fantasy 7 also offers plenty of great RPG features. The leveling system in this game uses gem like jewels called Materia. Now your characters level up based on the EXP (experience points) gained by defeating enemies but your Materia also gains experience (AP). As your Materia levels up it will unlock better skills and spells for the user. For example, a healing Materia might have Cure1 unlocked at the beginning and could unlock Cure3 in the future. Your Materia is infused into your character's weapons which lets you freely customize your heroes in battle. Another thing to keep in mind is that each character uses different weapons and some of those have AP multipliers. So, each character is slightly different on the battlefield and since the Materia can be freely exchanged between heroes, you'll find that you won't be restricted to a cast system but also have unique characters. It is the best of both worlds just like in Final Fantasy VI.
Battling in this game utilizes the active time system. As you roam around the entire world, in Final Fantasy VII, you'll encounter random and location specific battles. When these battles occur, your party is lined up on one side with the enemy on the other. Since the active time system is used you have to think and act quickly because the enemy can attack at anytime. Now each of your protagonists can fight or use an item. Other spells and skills can be accessed based on which Materia they're using at the time. This game has also included character specific "super" attacks called Limit Breaks. When your characters take damage their Limit Break gauge fills up and when it maxes out you'll be able to unleash their true power. Some Limit Breaks deal tons of damage while others offer incredible buffs for your party. The Limit Break is a really exciting feature in this game. FF7 offers plenty of difficult boss fights that will test your skills in the heat of battle. Plus, there are two optional bosses (Emerald and Ruby) on the last disc that will prove to be a huge challenge, even for the most experienced RPG player. Each of these mammoths have over one million hit points and can even make your level 99 party look feeble but trust me the reward is well worth it and so are the bragging rights too!
Aside from the main part of the game, there are plenty of other side quests and mini games to keep you occupied. Most of the side quests involve interesting bits of story that greatly adds to the character development throughout the game. You'll have the option to find out more about your party. The mini games will happen in the game at various points and most of them can be played again, at your leisure, in the Gold Saucer. The Gold Saucer is an amusement park that lets you play a bunch of mini games like the motor cycle fighting/racing game and the enemy challenge. Each game lets you build up reward points so that you can purchase unique Materia and even Limit Breaks. It is very easy to spend many hours here. The abundance of side quests and mini games offer a nice break from the main story which is fun and entertaining.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
The graphics for Final Fantasy VII are cutting edge for the series with 3D characters and environments. The game utilizes the 3D environments greatly to its advantage and the cut-scenes are jaw-dropping.
The music was composed by the famous Nobuo Uematsu and is one of his best arrangements. You'll be blown away by how great the sound quality is in this game. There are plenty of memorable songs like the main theme, the boss fights and Aeris's theme. Uematsu paints a beautiful picture with his music by combining classical with rock.
CONCLUSION
Final Fantasy 7 is a masterpiece in the gaming industry. With its stunning cut-scenes, likable characters and a well-written adventure, I would have to recommend this game to any RPG fan. Even if you've never played RPGs before, I would still recommend this game to you because it might just make a believer out of you. So get ready for extraordinary adventure with everyone's favorite spiky haired, huge sword wielding, hero Cloud Strife.