Final Fantasy VII: A Discussion

[Nossy]

Just out of curiosity, what was it that turned you away from the game?

Poor character development, plot holes, ability/magic system, awkward romance story...I would say everything, but there are things that I did like in it (The mini-games were fun).

Post-Game-wise, I hated the attention Square gave it, like it was the messiah of all games. It spawned a prequel, a sequel, a CG movie, and an anime (if I am missing things, I'm sorry, I'm just covering those that I know of). I felt betrayed that not only they were adding to something that was supposed to be one shot at a story, like most of the other FF's are (except FFX), but they were deserting FFVI (my favorite FF) which was one of two (FFIV, which did get a sequel...years later) of my favorite FF's.

"I despise FFVII and a lot of popular games cause they don't meet my standards of a good game"


Which are????

Like I said earlier, it's completely subjective. What I like won't matter to you at all. It will sound like any other normal gamer making a list of things they like in games. It's all about appeal. Some games appeal to me that won't appeal to you, which is fine, we probably don't have the same tastes anyways. I will still honor your request though:

Great Story - Something new and original. Something that truly captivates me (i.e. Grim Fandango, Heavy Rain, Deus Ex)

Interesting Gameplay - Depth...a challange...anything that really keeps me involved in the game (i.e. Star Wars Galaxies, Torment, Resdifent Evil 4)

Atmosphere/Immersion - Makes me feel like I'm there...or something that hits home to me involving characters or plot (Silent Hill 1-2-3, Scratches, Fallout Series)

It's all subjective, my friend.

 

[Jonny The Kay]

I think it's a really fantastic game that hasn't aged very well.

 

[InnerRebellion]

To be honest, I liked Crisis Core more than FF VII. In fact, I like it more than the rest of the series. Zack is a character I can relate to, and the story is quite good, the graphics are nice, and the combat is fun.

 

[Mr C]

FF7 is one of the most overrated games ever made. It has actually had a negative effect on the gaming industry, like MARIO and zelda and sonic, and all the other throw backs. Sequels are bad for creativity.

I feel for the OP being harassed, but its important to stand by your views.

I'm sure I won't be the first to say this, but Mario having a negative impact on the industry. The game which allowed nintendo to save said industry in the 80's. I think you are a young one, please use some sense.

On another note, I hate the term 'over rated'. This usually means said title was very successful and now has fashionable detractors. Halo has been pinned again, but I must say it was revolutionary for consoles in 2001. If you didn't play it then because Mummy wouldn't buy you an Xbox or you were still wetting the bed please stop this nonsense. You may not like the game or the fact the series has mostly ignored progression in the genre since the originals relase, fair game, but stop hating on a game that is almost a decade old. You remind of these anti-game idiots that still bring up GTA3 and DOOM, we've moved on, why can't you.

On topic, I've played all the FF except 12 which I will play before the end of the year. I really enjoyed 7 but it's not the best. Not sure which is but for me it's between 4, 6 and 9.
The only 2 I didn't enjoy so much was the uber-vanilla FF3 and part 8 because Christ I hated Squall and his 2-D cut out companions!

 

[Axle_Bullitt_19]

I personally am not a big fan of Final Fantasy VII because I never played it until I bought it on the PlayStation@Store. The main reasons I didn't like it was for the horrible graphics, confusing fights, and text dialogue, but I absolutely loved Crisis Core, Advent Children, and On the Way to a Smile - Episode: Denzel because they were rather emotionally driven stories with characters I really liked. I just wish they do a remake just so all the issues I have with the original will be gone and I can finally play through the original story.

 

[IamSofaKingRaw]

I personally liked FFXII out of all FF games simply b/c of all the freedom Square gave the user and the fact that it was my first FF game and I had no expectations.

 

[ToAsTy McBuTTeR]

i don't know if this opinion has been expressed yet or not, but to me, FFVII is often regarded as great because it was close enough to most people's first rpg experience that it became the standard. i personally like the game a lot. hell "a lot" is understating it, i have two ffvii tattoos. however much i adore it, i have played many games since that i only label as lesser because they failed to be my first encounter with lovable characters, decent set pieces, epic cut scenes, and gripping writing. so to answer the question of why people have visceral responses is because ffvii put rose colored glasses over their eyes and they arent mature enough to handle someone telling them the world isnt mired in pink. admitting that everyone has the "FFVII" experience with different things can be a large leap though. we all think we're smarter than each other. personally i wish it hadnt been as popular as it is/was so that my childhood wouldnt have been destroyed by horrible and disgustingly soulless sequels.

 

[Arkley]

I don't like it, and I'm not a fan of JRPGs in general. I could explain in great detail every little thing that's wrong with it, from terrible writing and poor characterisarion to extreme linearity and dull repetitive turn-based battles, but that's not actually what I'm here to say.

The argument I'm here to make is, love or hate it, FF VII is one of the most important games of its generation, if not all time. It was the game that brought JRPGs to mainstream in the West, introduced millions of people to their first story more complex and emotional than "rescue the princess/president from monsters/aliens", and do doubt contributed massively to the outburst of Japanophilia in the US.

It certainly hasn't, in my opinion, stood the test of time. Its many flaws are showing now more than ever. That said, like the original Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid (two other adored classics which show their flaws more and more with age) it defined and popularised a little known and little cared for genre, and hand in hand with those two afforementioned classics-to-be, it propelled the PS1 to greatness. Whatever terrible things can be said of the game's quality, they certainly cannot be said of its impact.

 

[DarkPanda XIII]

True enough, people need to calm down about the game. I really don't see why people foam at the mouth..but I guess that's just me and the fact that my preference is a little bit more like Final Fantasy 9 more.

 

[Sneaklemming]

FF7 is one of the most overrated games ever made. It has actually had a negative effect on the gaming industry, like MARIO and zelda and sonic, and all the other throw backs. Sequels are bad for creativity.

I feel for the OP being harassed, but its important to stand by your views.

I'm sure I won't be the first to say this, but Mario having a negative impact on the industry. The game which allowed nintendo to save said industry in the 80's. I think you are a young one, please use some sense.

On another note, I hate the term 'over rated'. This usually means said title was very successful and now has fashionable detractors. Halo has been pinned again, but I must say it was revolutionary for consoles in 2001. If you didn't play it then because Mummy wouldn't buy you an Xbox or you were still wetting the bed please stop this nonsense. You may not like the game or the fact the series has mostly ignored progression in the genre since the originals relase, fair game, but stop hating on a game that is almost a decade old. You remind of these anti-game idiots that still bring up GTA3 and DOOM, we've moved on, why can't you.

On topic, I've played all the FF except 12 which I will play before the end of the year. I really enjoyed 7 but it's not the best. Not sure which is but for me it's between 4, 6 and 9.
The only 2 I didn't enjoy so much was the uber-vanilla FF3 and part 8 because Christ I hated Squall and his 2-D cut out companions!

I bought and played FF7 around it's release. It was a fantastic game when I played it. However we have moved on -like you said. I just feel that we should let by gones be by gones, and embrace new ideas and franchises. FF7 and Mario just don't fit into an industry which can tell even greater stories, and be more artistic. The industry has matured, but the marios of the gaming culture, (see here FF7) hold us back.

And before anyone says anything about the "epic" story of FF7 - lets be honest here, for anyone who has played through the whole game, the story is a mess, and the game world doesn't make sense. It's forgiven because of the time it was made in, but it still should be a noted flaw of the game. It did things no other video game did with the story, to have such an impact on the player - and maybe that was it's value once upon a time; now however we can and do tell much greater stories.

 

[Wordslinger]

I picked up FFVII on the PSN a while back. 'Twas meh. I played until Kalm before getting bored of it. FFIX is loads better, in my opinion.

 

[Akihiko]

I don't find FFVII to be that great these days, either. I did enjoy playing the game back when I first played it, but I have to admit, over the years I have gone more and more off the game. Still think it's a decent game, but no where near as good as the fans seem to suggest. I also never thought OOT was as good as the fans seem to suggest either, but that's another game and story entirely. Both have aged badly over the years, in my honest opinion. More so with VII admittedly. Random battles is a thing of the past, that old style turn based system is incredibly dated too. I question when people say games should go back to those style systems. They really want to go back to all that annoyance? I guess nostalgia only remembered the good.

Arugably the reason why it's so popular, even if you don't think the game was that good, was because it was a defining game for the genre. Everyone played it, and everyone loved it, consequently they all had nostalgia. The same goes for OOT too coincidentally, although I don't have any nostalgia for that, didn't play it till WW, as I didn't own an n64. That said, I still think fanboys go over the top, but, thats the same with any game, and also the reason I dislike fanboys.

 

[Rarhnor]

You are fully entitled to your opinion. Even more stagnant is that FF series IS all about personal preference. The FF series is one of the most subjective games out there.

My personal favorite is FFXIII. I actually liked the more linear structure and gameflow.

 

[wooty]

This is the internet, your hated for not being part of the "right group"

people are idiots too, I had a friend call me allsorts of derogatory names because I got rid of MW2, he hasnt spoken to me in 2 months either. Thats the price we pay for trying to be individual.

 

[Kurokami]

So, I got a good chunk of hate mail for something I said earlier today in regards of my utmost disgust of Final Fantasy VII. I got the usual sort of stuff, from "You're an [idiot] and it was the greatest game of all time" to "You [person of homosexual nature], I will [really] kill you.".

My question is: why? Like all gamers in the world, we're subjective. Sure, I despise FFVII and a lot of popular games cause they don't meet my standards of a good game, but I shouldn't be out right ridiculed for my distastes.

Here's what I want to know, Escapists: what are your views on FFVII as well as your views on subjectiveness. I really feel sorta put off by this whole thing, but I won't name any names because their entitled to their own opinion.

I personally enjoyed FF8, 10 and then Tactics, but 7 couldn't keep me... Sorry, couldn't get me intrigued for even a moment, and I spent quite a while on it trying to find that utter perfection others have spoken about. Its by no means a 'bad' game by my standard, I simply don't have the nostalgia of when it would have been considered so great to hold my head up from my arms whenever mashing the button X.

As for subjectiveness, my view on it? Sure games are subjective, sure I judge some people based on how they recommend or condemn another game but so long as they're reasonable I don't pin a title to them.

Did you condemn the game by chance? If you did that I suppose the hatemail is deserved as your whole ordeal on subjectiveness would be rendered hypocritical.

I think the Final Fantasy franchise on a whole is overrated, so I didnt care for FF7 when it came out, after my friend told me how awesome if game it was, and so on and so forth. I also think anyone who flames me for my opinion is a fucking mindless fanboy, but that another matter.

It's like with anything, cept in here you just get annoying idiots trying to annoy you to make themselves feel better and "revenge" what they look up to or whatever. From most people if you were phyiscaly next to them, and there a idiotic fanboy like that, I'm pretty sure it'd land you a punch in the gut or somethin.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure that most of the people that think that "Oh FFVII r god, YOU KNOW NOTHING, I R KILL YOU", haven't even played the game. They think what other people think. >_> <_<
Just ignore them, they'll probably be alone for a very very long time, wishing for what can never be. Personaly, I hate FFVII. The story's just ughhh, the combat looked annoying, and mainly just the idiotic fanboys. It's as badly overhyped as Halo, and Twilight. Alot of the time they don't even have good combacks and points. It's ususaly just insults, and rosey glasses over there eyes. FFVIII was WAY better story wise then FFVII. I'll admit, the combat system was a bit bleh, but it's still fun, and I still play FFVIII.

Avenge* (and many more)

By the way, you're a bit hypocritical right there, don't you think? Insulting FF7's fans because... They're fans of FF7?

 

[Kurokami]

Ignore away, double post.

 

[Fallen-Angel Risen-Demon]

It's a good game, not my favorite FF (By far FFX is the best for me) but still good. Largely overrated though.

 

[AvsJoe]

It is my favourite video game of all time, but I am not the guy who goes on a rampage defending it. I know that one of the biggest reasons (if not THE biggest) why it sits on the highest seat was the fact that I played it at such a young age and was influenced mightily by it and I haven't taken off my rose-coloured glasses. But this is my opinion and I respect those who don't share it.

 

[TelHybrid]

I found it enjoyable.

I liked the battle system, the setting, the story. Sure there were some parts that were annoying, but no game is perfect.

The main thing I hate about the game is the majority of its fanbase. The kind of people you described sending you death threats Mr OP, claiming it's the best game of all time.

Personally I've played better RPG and games in general. I still find FFVII enjoyable though. I also do not consider it the best of the series either.