think about it this way: FFVII was the biggest game ever made when it released. It was far beyond any other videogame in terms of scale and project structure. This made it special and sort of eternal in the videogame history books.
if this remake wouldve been the full game, it would never be as "big" or "special" as the original. It wouldve only been "just another JRPG", and wouldnt do justice to the original (no way in hell). The game would either last 10 years in development and fail, or it wouldve been of the same *scale* as other games out there. Yet, the original was never so. The original was something else, something better, something greater, something very special.
by making the game in episodic format, the immensity and vision of the game can sink in with the same form as the original. This is not just another rpg.
i say this because i believe this is the better side of having this game in episodic format. It makes the game feel as FFVII in terms of wonder and importance. The gaming industry and audience will have a special focus on this game moving forward, as they did back in 1997.
of course, many will disagree, but as i keep playing this game and enjoying it, i also like the fact that this will be talked about and cherished until the second one comes along, and so it is for the third or fourth, etc. And guess what, i love the original and that game is available everywhere. The waiting is never an issue for me, i already know and love this game.
i believe this is a special aspect of this game, that places it on the same level as the original in terms of "oh my god, FFVII, now THAT game is special!"
you might disagree, but here you are reading my comment on a review webpage for the game. If you are here, then something tells me you feel the "weight" of this game. Dont you?
PS: also remember, they didnt have to do this game at all. This is a celebration of the original. Even if it were 20 hrs instead of 30-40, or even if the game was just the train intro and costed USD 20, this is irrelevant, because no one forced them to do this. They listened to the fans and made a huge project about it. You can disagree, but whining in this situation and hating on the developer is the greatest form of ungratefulness i have ever seen.
@jenovaschilld: thank you for the info on development, really makes the waiting a bit better. Also clocked 15 hrs now, and i am really enjoying the game. I will come back after i finish it with a full opinion though.
G-Corleone's comments