| Title | Final Fantasy VII |
| Year | 1997 |
| System | PlayStation |
| Developer | Square |
| Publisher | Square (US: Sony) |
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Final Fantasy VII is hugely popular, but I've never actually completed it before. As a child, I got about halfway but I abandoned it for some reason. I've actually always had a little resentment for this game, but I'm not entirely sure why -- perhaps because it has always overshadowed the previous games that I had enjoyed so much as a child. Well, now it's time for me to finally give this game a fair chance.
Immediately, the game makes a great impression smoothly transitioning from the intro FMV, to a little scene in the game engine, and into the first battle. FMVs are used with great effect in this game and it's a big improvement over the previous 16-bit cartridge era. However, I was occasionally frustrated with the 3D maps because I sometimes had difficult walking where I wanted to go, even when using a DualShock (analog) controller.
Moving even further from high fantasy and doubling down on the steampunk style, the depressing dystopian city of Midgar is such a memorable and iconic setting. The prologue in Midgar is just long enough that I was convinced the entire game would occur there -- I remember that it was a big shock for me the first time I saw the world map. Personally, I found the Shinra corporation a much more interesting nemesis than Sephiroth, so I was kind of disappointed when they became somewhat unimportant for a large portion of the game. Compared to previous villains, Sephiroth is elusive and enigmatic -- it's unclear what his goals are for a long time, and he barely interacts with the party. On the other hand, Shinra is a more traditional villain that directly antagonizes the party on multiple occasions. In particular, I think the Sector 7 plate drop is one of the most brutal and evil events in the series.
The story in this game is highly memorable for its many twists (hopefully you can somehow manage to avoid having such a popular old game spoiled for you!). In particular, Cloud's entire personal arc felt so unique and unconventional. The game even ends on a cliffhanger without clearly explaining the fate of the mankind -- the planet survives, but it's ambiguous whether mankind was eradicated. It's a refreshing change and much more thought provoking than a typical ending.
I do have a few complaints about the game. I feel the game is a little slow paced for most of disc 1. The first couple events are interweaved with a bunch of exposition, introducing characters and Midgar, which is understandable. However, after leaving Midgar the game feels somewhat like just aimless wandering across the map in search of Sephiroth for no particularly clear reason. I think this may have been why I abandoned the game in my youth. Thankfully once the story finally picks up, it gets really interesting and I had no problem finishing it.
I was not a fan of the materia system. Early on, materia is in short supply, so I was constantly juggling them between party members which was annoying. However, by mid-game it honestly felt like most of the materia were useless and I question whether it was even worth the effort to train them (remember that many materia lower a character's strength and HP). There are exceptions: Enemy Skill materia is hugely overpowered compared to most magic and summon materia, and the infamous Knight of the Round materia is possibly the most gamebreaking ability I've ever used in a video game. I actually decided to stop using it because I felt that it was ruining the game.
Overall, I enjoyed this game much more this time than I did on my first abandoned attempt. I'm happy I finally beat it so I can fully understand all the references to such a famous game.
9/10
After completing a game, I add it to my overall enjoyment ranking which orders the games I've completed from those I most enjoyed to those I least enjoyed. I didn't enjoy this game as much as Final Fantasy V, but it's more difficult for me to compare against Final Fantasy VI. Both games had overall great plots but suffered from some less interesting moments. I'll give the advantage to the game that finishes stronger: Final Fantasy VII.
More Enjoyed
- Final Fantasy V (SNES)
- Final Fantasy VII (PSX)
- Final Fantasy VI (SNES)
- Final Fantasy IV (SNES)
- Final Fantasy III (NES)
- . . .
Less Enjoyed