Hello, dear friends. This is Calvinsora here with a special review for y'all. First off, yesterday was the birthday of one of my closest GS friends,@gdw0908 . In commemoration of this great event, I have written a review of a game he is particularly fond of, and this time, I've added pictures for this blog exclusively. I'd like to point out that my score isn't in any way affected by the fact that it's a present, I just happen to like the game a lot. Anyway, as the title clearly states, this is a review for the amazing FF7. You'll see the review below, and you can read it if you wish. Of course, all comments are welcome. Enjoy, G, you ol' barricuda you (?)
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SCORE: 9.5/10.0
Pros:
+Deep, compelling story with entertaining characters
+Smart battle system
+Materia adds a tactical element to the game
+Superb design of environments
+Amazing soundtrack
+Bunch of minigames and sidequests
Cons:
-Visual presentation has aged quite a bit
-Story can sometimes be too complex
Time spent playing to date: 40-100 hours
Difficulty: Just right
Review:
It's not often that one game's influence almost overshadows the game itself. Final Fantasy 7 is touted to be the game that thrust console role-playing games into the mainstream, was a pioneer in cinematic gaming on Sony's very first console (the PlayStation) and marks a paradigm shift in the series itself; 3D became the new dimension. However, these accomplishments in many ways distract from the reason the title has garnered its universal acclaim. FF7 is an extraordinary RPG that remains as good today as it was back then, blocky pixels and all. A touching story, clever battle system, impressive design and beautiful score blend to create something truly special.
The story starts with a literal bang, where you play as ex-SOLDIER Cloud Strife planning to destroy a mako reactor with the rebel group Avalanche. SOLDIER is the security force of Shinra Electric Company, the executives of which double as the defacto leaders of the capital city of Midgar, while mako is the main energy source of FF7's world. However, little does Cloud know that his actions here will affect his life in ways he couldn't imagine.
One of FF7's greatest assets is easily the story. Not only is it generally well-written (very rare translation errors pop up) but the development and progression of the narrative is at a pace that always keeps you interested in what happens next. The characters add to the intrigue, each having deep and often entertaining personalities. The gruff Barret's overall jovial attitude will keep you peppy, while the calm Aeris' kindness strengthens the bond between player and character. These are just two examples, whereas there are far more in-game. Occasionally, the story becomes a tad too complex. Too much information can be crammed into one cutscene and it can cause confusion instead of invoking thought. On the whole, however, FF7 tells an exciting tale that alone is worth the price of admission.
-Much like his name, Cloud's sense of direction isn't that solid.
Gameplay-wise, FF7 doesn't stray all that far from the cIassic formula its predecessors had created. You roam about in towns, forests and ruins, fighting battles, equipping and using items, saving the world. The usual stuff. However, as with most FF titles, this seventh installment puts its own twist on it. The game starts off in a linear fashion and then opens up once you reach the gigantic world map. Meanwhile, the battle system is of the active-time battle (ATB) type, where each character has a unique time bar. When these bars fill up, a character can perform an action whether that be an attack, magic, items or even a powerful summon. As always, this is a very entertaining, fast-paced system, though you'll at times feel a bit flustered. You'll also have a limit bar, which when filled, will grant you the power to unleash an incredibly powerful Limit Break. Very cool, of course.
-Attaaaaaaaaaaaack!
Where FF7 is really different, however, is how you activate abilities, spells and other actions. Most equipment (weapons and armor) has a set of slots where you can put materia. Materia acts as a sort of activation node for anything more specific than attack and item commands. Examples of this are magic, techniques, additional benefits and summons. Though this might seem simple at first, you get far more customization once you understand the more intricate aspects of the system. Materia can evolve if you wear it into battle, so you must choose carefully what materia you want to hold. The materia system also gives you the power to form your party in almost any way you like. One character can act as a powerful dreadnought while another acts as a ranged attacker and healer. All of this adds exponentially to the depth of the combat system and makes it genuinely entertaining.
There is more you can do in FF7 outside of battle. You can partake in a number of minigames, ranging from a moogle-feeding simulator (moogles are creatures indigenous to the FF universe) to a full-fledged snowboarding game. You can also complete side-quests, train chocobos (FF creatures as well) and hunt down extremely powerful enemies for fun and profit. There's always something to do, to put it simply.
As mentioned earlier in the review, FF7 is the first third-dimensional (3D) game in the series, and it shows. Needless to say, the graphics haven't aged all that well in terms of technical power, seeing as at the time of release, 3D technology as a whole was still in its infancy. This mostly applies to general character and enemy design, where it can be hard to discern between features. However, the environments and backgrounds are usually all pre-rendered (bar the world map), and the design has remained fantastic throughout the years. FF7 nails the sort of dystopian vibe that it's aiming for, while still remembering to keep the game varied in terms of color schemes and details. The bottom line, however, is that the graphics, good or bad, don't affect the game itself. Those willing to bypass the weird-looking characters won't really notice it at all.
-Occasionally, you'll get to see some genuinely impressive full-motion video.
What has remained completely timeless, however, is the wonderful soundtrack composed by Nobuo Uematsu himself. Everything from the most serene of environmental tunes to the hectic battle themes fit perfectly, and some tunes become so memorable in accordance to when they play that it will haunt the mind for weeks. This is, of course, a good thing. It's for that reason that still today, people talk of the monumental music of FF7. Not much else goes on in the sound department, to be honest, so the focus is all on the soundtrack itself. A smart choice indeed.
The game will last you a long time, around 60-70 hours in total. This isn't even including all of the extra content, so the bang for your buck is in very good proportion. The game lets you keep on playing after the credits roll, so you have as much time as you wish to play.
FF7 is in most ways simple in what it offers: traditional RPG gameplay with a grand story and great music. However, something makes it feel magical. It could be the deep materia system, the odd contrast of visuals or quirky humor. Whatever it is, it makes the game something truly memorable. This RPG milestone has remained fresh through all the years since its release, and within its multiple discs there's an experience not quite like any other.
Story: 9.6/10.0
Gameplay: 9.5/10.0
Graphics: 7.9/10.0
Sound: 9.4/10.0
Replayability: 8.7/10.0
Final score: 9.5/10.0