Final Fantasy VII

THE BAD:
- Dated graphics in normal game time
- Short for a Final Fantasy
- Unneeded nuisances, such as bad mini-games
- Too easy in general

SUMMARY:
You’d have thought for a game to be so highly rated and hyped by millions, for it to be worthy of it’s own series of spin-off games and films, that it would be something really special - something that sets the bar above any other game to date, but honestly, it really doesn’t.

I would be lying to say that Final Fantasy VII was anything worse than a great game, because that’s what it was, a great game. It has an amazing storyline for one. Following the cold-hearted, ex-SOLDIER Cloud aid a terrorist group know as Avalanche to prevent the death of the planet, who ends up finding the real feelings inside of him as the one he is seen to love die, and is slowly finds the realisation that what he thought was his life were actually all lies and memories stolen from another. Yet he struggles on, overcomes almost death and leads an ever-growing team Avalanche to the saviour of the world – despite the agenda of the team completely remapping and instead aiming to stop also ex-SOLDIER, Sephiroth, who plans to summon a meteor to destroy the planet. Okay, I probably lied, on it’s own, the storyline itself does sound rather average compared to a lot of other RPGs floating the world today; that’s why Squaresoft were very fortunate to have a team of characters that would greatly impact the future of RPGs forever.

Without the likes of Aerith, the one name that saddens every FFVII fan to date, to the crazed Sephiroth who changes from such an innocent and heroic idol to the most sinister villain to date, FFVII would be average at max. There are lots of romance strings between the characters too, mainly the infamous love triangle between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith, which breaks hearts seeing Tifa wishing that something could be, but she knows it can’t. Even the sad story of Nanaki, who finds out that his dad was really a hero to his now extinct(besides him) tribe rather than a traitor, who then has to see his loved adopted father die grabs us in too, even if he isn’t the loudest and most noticed hero of all time. It’s these characters that grab the player, that speak to the player, that suck you into the game without letting you escape until the final credits start scrolling.

Plots and characters aside, FFVII is everything you would expect from a Final Fantasy game(well, nearly). It is fair to say, the in-game graphics are fairly shoddy(and just seem to scream LEGO in my face), but the coming of the new console, the PS1, meant that nothing at the time was expected and really, the graphics were pretty good for the standard of the current games. Thankfully though, it was that this game was released on the Playstation, rather than the N64 originally, as the FMVs that, though not very often, were shown were truly remarkable, and could never have been achieved on the ’64. Sadly, the general graphics do ward a lot of new generation gamers away, but I believe it is quite easy to adjust to within a short amount of time.

Battles and the exploring of the game were pretty much in the same style as the older FF games(besides now being in 3d) and there is nothing great about them, or that I can think of. It chooses to stick to the idea of a word map outside of every town, and other than the 3d-ness, there is not much change. However, there are several modes of transport, most importantly chocobos which were not found so often, which do provide fun and unlock several secrets used wisely.

Yes, Final Fantasy VII did have some great features about it, but some others just shined two and a half stars. In comparison, I do believe many other Final Fantasy games surpass it in terms, of well pretty much everything besides character’s personalities, but there is something else about it, maybe something that can’t be covered, that really makes it feel special in our hearts - and that something is the reason why it is and will always be my favourite game.

4/5 – Just for that special something.

THE BAD:
The dated graphics. Blocky, full of jaggy edges.. but hey, the story is so good you can look past it.

SUMMARY:
There is a very good reason FFVII is Square's best selling game of all-time. It was vaulted to the forefront due to the quantum leap in graphics, but ultimately its engaging story and complex characters were what kept it at the top.

I have heard FFVII called the greatest story ever played, and I must agree wholeheartedly. There is a true sense of urgency throughout the game that just makes you want to continue, that makes you want to see what the next twist is, that makes you want to help these characters (who quickly become friends) reach their goals. Ultimately it is a story of both revenge and saving the life of the planet, but it isn't just that. There is a love triangle, yes, that thankfully doesn't overshadow the whole story but is well-handled and serves as further motivation for our spikey-haired protagonist. The backstories of each party member are touched upon enough that it isn't only one developed character, but a cast of them each with their own motivations for defeating one of the most popular video game villains of all time.

The gameplay is your standard menu-driven RPG fare. It might be a little boring to those of you who've played action-based RPGs (Kingdom Hearts, for example), but to fans of traditional Japanese RPGs it will serve just fine. I remember playing the game when it first came out. The summons were utterly mind-blowing.

The graphics (especially overworld) are very dated, but I find that the battle graphics and FMV graphics are still pretty decent. They may not be great, but they're passable.

The music.. oh man, the soundtrack is brilliant. EVERYBODY knows Still More Fighting. It is -the- boss theme to end all boss themes. The overworld theme is as grand and expansive as the world map. Aeris' theme is calming, and maybe even a little sad after you've been through disc one. One Winged Angel is simply epic, a fitting end boss battle theme. The orchestrated versions as well as the Advent Children remixes are mind-blowing as well. Nobuo Uematsu is a genius.

I recommend this game to everyone. If you are a fan of RPGs you should play it. if you are a fan of stories you should play it. If you're curious about RPGs you should play it!

I'd give it higher than 5/5 if I could.

THE BAD:
Poor Graphics by today's standards and a few mistranslations here and there

SUMMARY:
I started this game on its initial release. I then proceeded to make it to the Northern Crater when my memory card erased. 8 years later I finally finshed it and have completed every FF game to date.

The story revolves around Cloud Strife, a young former Shinra SOLDIER who is constantly struggling to find his true identity. He is accompanied Tifa Lockhart, childhood friend and part head of the AVALANCHE rebel group along with Barret Wallace, and Aeris Gainesborough, a flower girl from the slums of Midgar.

Cloud is initially hired by AVALANCHE to derail Shinra, a monopolistic corporation who uses Mako Energy from the earth as a power source for the world. After a few strategic strikes against the organization, Cloud and company discover that there is an even more volatile foe in the form of the once Ultimate Shinra Soldier who was once thought to be dead, Sephiroth. Sephiroth began as a loyal servant to Shinra and fought in the Wutai wars and is known throughout the world as the best warrior to ever live. After discovering his true identity 5 years prior to the present, with Cloud as a witness to this event, Sephiroth became insane and after wrecking havoc on the town of Nibelheim... disappeared.

Cloud follows Sephiroth throughout the game in hopes of foiling his plot to destroy the world with "Meteor." The game concludes with a showdown between the two one time friends.

The game itself is amazing and there are so many side quests to complete in order to get the actual feel for the game. The ending battle sequence was phenomenal, but as difficult as I had hoped for.
Overall this game gets an A+ rating.

Square will never top Sephiroth when producing villains for videogames.

THE BAD:
I can't think of anything bad about this game. It's one of the best and will always be one of the best.

The Bad:

None! Enough said!

SUMMARY:
If you're playing an RPG that's so addictive and looks so great, then you're playing this. The storyline is so compelling that replaying it over again is worth it. The graphics were the best at the time... no doubt! The Music fits all scenes perfectly. The battle sequence is perfect. A little bit of Active and Wait mode can get you going. The side quests are great insuring great life span. The materia system is the best among all Final Fantasy. Grab this even if it's almost a decade old. 5 Thumbs up! (if it's possible)

THE BAD:
The graphics aren't as good as what they are today especially when walking around on locations and on the map. Hard to see many facial features on the characters and with their bulky bodies, it made people look odd. Another thing that was a disappointment was Caith Sith only has Three limit Breakers. The plot can get very confusing, which is why you have to focus on it.

SUMMARY:
My comments on this. A complete winner and is definitely worth buying, though these days it's rare to find.

My opinions on this is my favourite feature has to be the music. Very creatively done by the great Nobuo Uematsu who even had a band named The Black Mages who did great metal covers of some of the Final Fantasy music. Some of my favourite pieces has to be Aeris's Theme, One Winged Angel, and Battle 2 also known as Those Who Fight Further in Black Mages's case.

Some of the event have been exciting and touching. Some which have made me laugh, some that have made me cry. It certain has emotional scene you just can't miss out on. All in All, this game has been amazing. I've played it many times with it being that good, so be sure to buy it if you see it.

THE BAD:
Graphics are quite ugly in comparison to today's games.
The Storyline gets really deep and those who are impatient players will probably get confused.

SUMMARY:
For It's time, this game was unparalled.
And even today, it still is.

First off, the character developement in this game is outstanding, and well above that of other RPGs.

Each character has their own deep backgrounds, even the hidden ones. As you play through the game, you are introduced to the many characters, but unlike many RPGs, they are not just introduced and then dropped to simply follow you around, but they evolve with you as you continue to the end of the game. Each character has their motives and connections to the world. Each character has their own story and sidemissions to complete. This makes the connection players have with the game's characters much closer then in any other game I have played. Character design is also unique and unforgetable. Any Role-playiong gamer can recognize Cloud's spikio hairdo or Sephiroth's cool demeanor and flowing silver hair.

And most importantly, the relationship between the main character and the villain in this game is incredible. At times, you can truely feel the hatred between the two, and the mystery behind it keeps you interested from beggining to end. One act in the game will really open your eyes. The suspense and surprises are plenty and the pacing is very good.

Secondly, this game has one of the deepest yet simple ability-customization system in the entire FF series.
If you enjoyed other FFs, no doubt you've witnessed the amazing gameplay each one has to offer.

With the Materia system, there are a thousand different combinations you can create. Attaching a Fire Materia to an All Materia allows you to target all your enemies with the Fire spell. Attaching a Counter Materia to a 2xCut allows you to Counter attack with 2 strikes instead of one. W-Summon attached to MP absorb allows you to summon a creature twice and gain MP back in the process. Materia can also level up with you as you gain AP, and at Master level, a new Materia is born from it. Brilliant!

Really, the only flaw this game has is that it's graphics, today, are not very good, and possibly that the story may be a little too deep for the non-hardcore or those that don't pay attention.

However, even so, this game is a great game even for those who are in their first venture with an RPG. The gameplay system is easy to understand, and the characters are all interesting. No one calling themselves an RPG-fan should miss out.

THE BAD:
The graphics were amazing when it was released, but they don't quite match up to new games. Don't worry, the rest of the game easily makes up for this. There is nothing else that lets this game down. The WEAPONS can be a challenge, but that doesn't mean they're completely invincible!!

SUMMARY:
Quit your job, dump your boy/girlfriend and unhook the phone. Your only reason for living is here!! For all of those people on the hunt for a perfect RPG, this is the closest you'll ever get to one!!! This game has yet to be bested, even with all the new technology.

THE BAD:
only one ending, like all final fantasies it's easy to beat (except ruby and emerald weapon) and sometimes too slow.

SUMMARY:
this is it folkz, the ultimate rpg!!
some people don't like this game cause it's old and because of that the graphics sucks, ooh i feel sorry for them i really do.
if you are into rpg then you must play this one cause even if you don't like it as much as i do you'll still find it a great game!
especially if you like final fantasy in general, this is no doubt it the best final fantasy yet!
as for me, all i can say is that this is the best game i've ever played!!

THE BAD:
.:Blocky 3D rendered character models:.

SUMMARY:
This time, the world is controlled by a conglomerate company known as ShinRa. The President behind the company rules the world with an iron fist, yet does so with money and gifts.

At the onset of the game, you play as Cloud Strife, an ex-Soldier (ShinRa military body) that has signed up with a rag tag bunch of mercenaries to take out a Mako Reactor, which is the power source for the large sprawling metropolis known as Midgar.

From the moment he enters the reactor core he has a vision of something distant. A recalled past that isn't quite tangible. From here, the journey begins.

The cast of characters that join him on his adventure are quite colourful and likable indeed. There is a total of seven characters with an additional two that are bonus characters that you will most definitely have to find, to make the most of this game. Even the NPCs are likable and you wish that you could put them in your party. From Sephiroth, to the Turks and Rufus.

The plot line of the story is very diverse and original. The overall goal of the game changes a few times as you progress, leaving you thinking if it will ever end. Overcoming one problem will often give you another to dispatch.

The musical score of the game is one of the best of the Final Fantasy series. The melodies are most fitting to the environments, and the personalities that they are based upon. They are most definitely memorable to say the least, and you'll find yourself with a tune stuck in your head long after you switch off the console.

The locations are magnificent, for a game of it's age. The back grounds are incredibly detailed and awe inspiring and the cinematics are just the icing on the cake. The only set back to this would be the character animations during cinematics and on the field. But I guess you can't get everything. To complain about the graphics would lose you the awesome storyline, as has been evident in the later installments of the series.

The battle system is turn based and consists of the Action Time Battle Gauge which slowly builds up and when it hits the end, the character may take a turn. There are three different styles of this which can allow you to have it so that the game freezes while you make your choice, or the enemies can attack. It depends on your experience, I guess.

My favourite part would have to be the Materia system, though. Materia is the essence of magic and you need to have it equipped in battle into slots on either your weapon or armour to use it. There are five different types that govern the effects of the inherent Materia the type pertains to.

Magic, Command, Independant, Support and Summon.

Each respective Materia type allows you to do certain things, and some can be combined with others to create different effects. It's fun to just play around with them to see what you can come up with.

I would seriously recommend this game, if you have never played a Final Fantasy game before. It was my first and got me hooked. Even if it isn't your first, it is always good to go back and play a classic.

Get this game. You won't regret it.