Final Fantasy VII

[Matt Young 0]

I recently (a few months ago) became seriously interested in RPG's. I had played some older SNES ones, but never owned any and thus I hadn't beaten any until recently. I played through Paper Mario and loved it. I'm still playing Chrono Cross (I keep getting sidetracked and end up not playing it for weeks at a time) and it is one of the most amazing games I've ever played. I have also dabbled in Skies of Arcadia somewhat. The one franchise I have yet to really get to play, though, is Final Fantasy.

 

Not too long ago, I saw that Final Fantasy VII is selling for $15 new. I have heard from tons of friends that it is the greatest game ever, etc. as well as some people saying it sucks. I'm starting this thread because I just got a call saying I have $15 in store credit at GameCrazy, and I'm trying to decide whether to pick up a cheap GameCube game, some old NES/SNES/Genesis games, or FFVII (or some other PSX/N64/DC game used). Also, since most people have such strong opinions on FFVII one way or another, I figured this would spark an interesting discussion. So please, fill me in, debate, whatever. PLEASE mark all spoilers with the tags so as not to ruin the game for me or anyone else. Thanks.

[EricMM 0]

It's a great game...

 

About five years ago.

 

I mean it's fine and all, but SO ugly...

 

It's a fine RPG tho.

 

If you're not a Graphics whore buy Anthologies and Play FFVI and Chronicals and play Chrono Trigger

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Average, decent

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I hope you're enjoying Chrono Cross now, because the ending is brutally retarded.

 

For $15, FFVII is entirely worth it. When it came out, it was visually far and above any other game out for any system at the time, and even though it looks way dated in 2003, it's still more than visually tolerable with some beautiful rendered backgrounds. The game has one of the better Final Fantasy stories and a lot of great, nuanced characters. The game's one big flaw is that, unlike the other FF games, no character is really defined by any special skill or ability. The materia system gives you all your abilities - it's just a bit disappointing that no character is really special in a fight until you make them that way.

 

Eric is totally right, though. You MUST play FF6 and Chrono Trigger. Even after all the Square games on Playstation and PS2, they remain probably their two best overall efforts. Forget graphics, these rule. Tremendously. And they still look pretty darn good.

 

And hey, that's a pleasant sig right above me.

[Jer 0]

Eric is teh graphics whore. Although he's right, early polygons <<<<<<<< sprites. I prefer NES graphics over 1994-1996 polygons. FF7 isn't quite that bad, but it still looks a lot worse than the later SNES stuff. The low poly count, big hand characters are a little jarring. The environments are pretty, though.

 

In terms of quality, it's my second favorite game in the series behind FF6. To me, it's truly great. Looking back, there were some tedius parts and some plot inconsistancies, but playing it was one hell of an experience, and I can go back and play it now and still enjoy (most of) it. I'd definately recommend it. It's hard to say if it'd have the same impact now (probably not), but it's still a good game with a very good plot. Great music too.

[Youth N Asia 0]

It's a good game, but at the time it was the first FF game on the Playstation, and that was such a big deal then. The first Final Fantasy in 3D.

 

I liked FF2, 3, and Chrono better on the SNES though.

[Matt Young 0]

I appreciate getting a few replies already, but I just wanted to chime in with something. I actually did own Chrono Trigger for a couple months (I got it in exchange for F-Zero X, which I also got free, heh) but I sold it for like $75 to some guy since I had heard that Final Fantasy Chronicles was coming out soon. I loved that game, although I only got about 6 hours into it.

 

As far as whether or not I care about graphics... I grew up on the old school shit. My first system was an ATARI about 17 years ago. I actually prefer SNES graphics to a lot of PSX games' visuals. I've contemplated purchasing Final Fantasy Chronicles or Anthology for the classics, but I already know about those and I don't know about FFVII, hence this topic. I've also been trying to score the originally (supposedly superior) SNES carts on eBay before I cave in and buy the PSX versions.

 

Just another little note- Despite the fact that I can get all those SNES RPGs, as well as any PlayStation game, burned for me, free, I still feel the urge to buy legitimate copies, and I don't know why. Oh well... That's all for now. I'm going to go play some Chrono Cross, but I'll be back in periodically to chek this thread. Once again, thanks to all who have helped thus far. Sorry for rambling in every post. I'm tired.

[EricMM 0]

If you're not a graphics whore, pick up suikoden one and two.

 

Suikoden is probably as good as FF7.

 

And I'd say it looks a LOT better.

 

FF7's graphics are just offensive to the eyes in today's day and age. They look like the really hokey special effects from the 50's.

 

Do the characters even have mouths?

 

The big popeye arms, the jaggies, it's all ugly.

 

There is still a lot of style and art there, a great story, a Infamous villan, The first (and only?) swear word in a final fantasy (besides spoony ) and seriously it's really really memorable.

 

I've seen it replayed in 2002. It's not pretty. I think I've made that clear. But I also marked out a few times.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It would be #3 in the series behind IV & IX, but it is overrated. The character Sephiroth is probably even more overrated than the game is.

 

And yes, run out and pick up the Suikoden series if you can find them.

[Anya 0]

It's my favorite game ever.

[Guest belgarion]

man final fantasy seven is the bomb and for fifteen dollars it's a steal no doubt not since ff3 was i taken back by a game and let me tell you i had alot of sleepless nights at the hands of final fantasy three but when seven came out that was raised to a whole new level of insomnia but i beat the game four times all the way thru ruby and emerald everytime and i wasn't disappointed

[Guest Coffey]

It's alright. Nowhere near as good as FF3 (6) and it has WAY too many fan boy followers. A lot of whom never even knew of the series before VII. Hell, some of them won't even acknowledge it!

 

That's why FF7 sucks. If I see one more person named something like "Sephiroth789" on-line, I think my head will fucking pop.

 

Personally, I'm just not a fan of polygon FF games. I like 2 + 3 the best.

[Anya 0]

I didn't play FF before VII. What's wrong with that?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

man final fantasy seven is the bomb and for fifteen dollars it's a steal no doubt not since ff3 was i taken back by a game and let me tell you i had alot of sleepless nights at the hands of final fantasy three but when seven came out that was raised to a whole new level of insomnia but i beat the game four times all the way thru ruby and emerald everytime and i wasn't disappointed

Alright, I've already warned you about using proper punctuation. Now you're gone.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Belgarion??? THAT BASTARD WAS USING BELGARION AS HIS NAME???

 

...ugh... That little punk does not DESERVE to be associated with the Belgariad and Malloreon Series of books done by David Eddings.

 

 

And to keep this thing on track, FF7 was good, but definitely a tad overrated. Not the greatest of FFs, but definitely one of the better ones.

[LaParkaMarka 0]

...ugh... That little punk does not DESERVE to be associated with the Belgariad and Malloreon Series of books done by David Eddings.

Or any other book that Eddings has written, since they're all pretty much the same. What a hack. Belgariad was a very fun read back in the day though.

 

Getting back on topic: FFVII is not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, there are some plot holes, but if you go into it not spoiled at all with the story, you should like it. Much better than IV or IX, that's for sure.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I thought Final Fantasy VII was a great game, but I hated the way the characters themselves looked. Spells, music, backgrounds, everything else, all great. But in retrospect, those people do look lame.

 

But yeah, play Final Fantasy II (or the emulator version of Final Fantasy IV it's like II but better!) and III if you haven't. I think they're better overall.

[Guest Coffey]

I didn't play FF before VII. What's wrong with that?

Well, to sum it up, you're the stereotype that I loathe.

[Anya 0]

Well, to sum it up, you're the stereotype that I loathe.

Why do you care which FF someone played first or likes the most?

[Slayer 0]

Goods:

-Did its job in bringing FF from the 16-bit era to the 32-bit era

-That really shocking moment, you know the one I mean. If you don't, fuck off.

-Sephiroth was a pretty sweet villain... even if he didn't have a personality, he did have "the look", IMO

-Brought console RPGs to the mainstream

 

Bads:

-Could be considered a rehashing of VI (swapping "Empire" for "Shinra", and "Kefka" for "Sephiroth")

-Tended to rely too much on the graphics in leu of a cohesive plot (I still don't get what the fuck happened at the end)

-Materia system did deprive characters of individual traits and skills that were prevalent in previous FFs

-Brought console RPGs to the mainstream

Edited December 11, 2003 by Angelslayer

[Anya 0]

Besides FF IV which FF game has individual traits and skills for the characters?

 

I don't see how going mainstream is a bad thing. You liked it better in the early days when the US got 2 RPGs a year that were like 80 dollars?

[LaParkaMarka 0]

Jesus, Angelslayer, the guy asked to mark all spoilers. That's a pretty giant spoiler.

[Slayer 0]

Besides FF IV which FF game has individual traits and skills for the characters?

VI, perhaps?

 

There's one of many reasons why those two are considered the best

 

I don't see how going mainstream is a bad thing.

I put it on both lists just because, while it's an undeniable fact, it's also one of the most divisive consequences of the game, depending on who you ask.

 

You liked it better in the early days when the US got 2 RPGs a year that were like 80 dollars?

Do you remember those days? I can't imagine someone whose first RPG was FFVII would remember the days before then, since that was the one that a majority of console RPGers first cut their teeth on.

 

Plus in light of the fan emu-translation industry, I've found out that one of the reason why a lot of RPGs in the old days didn't come over here was because they just plain sucked (and the ratio is still the same today). It goes to show my old point that not everything Japan produces = gold

[Slayer 0]

Jesus, Angelslayer, the guy asked to mark all spoilers. That's a pretty giant spoiler.

He did? That's what I get for ignoring his posts.

 

I'm trying to decide if I care or not... I consider that right up there with "Vader = Luke's father" in terms of public knowledge

 

Allright I'll change it, but with a big middle finger, just because I feel like it

[Anya 0]

VI's individual traits are just like limit breaks, except you can do them at any time(which is actually pretty overpowered). How's that any different from VII? Magic and stat wise their characters are pretty much the same(a blank slate) in VI and VII.

 

 

I remember the old days. Just because I didn't play the games doesn't mean I didn't follow the industry. We would have never got stuff like FF Tactics and Lunar: SSSC back then. That sucks.

[Slayer 0]

quality > quantity, Miss Sakura

 

FFT = beyond overrated anyway IMO

[EricMM 0]

Now now, FFVI's chars did have different stats and stat caps (IIRC)

 

It was just that no one was the weak mage or stupid fighter.

 

Even Sabin could bust out the 9,999 Ultimas.

 

It was too easy to level too strong.

 

Terra and Celes (the magic users) had access to the strongest weapons in the game (Atma blade and I guess technically Illumina)

 

Ack someone tell me I got the right sword name.

 

I guess you could say strago and relm had no good weapons but come on. Ultima + Conservator.

[EricMM 0]

On a different topic, I'm so sick of the backlash against FFVII.

 

Just because there ARE FMV marks doesn't mean FFVII is any less a quality game.

 

It's not like FFVI wouldn't have benefited from a CD format. Oh, you prefer Mode 7 cutscenes?

[Anya 0]

Now now, FFVI's chars did have different stats and stat caps (IIRC)

Well, so does FF VII but at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. You can manipulate the stats in both.

 

 

The FMV in modern day FF's is incredibly overhyped. People put over how the entire game is those yet the reality is there's not THAT many and few are over even 30 seconds long.

[Slayer 0]

While I wouldn't consider this to be an issue in the later FFs, to me with FFVII there apparently seemed to be a lot of time devoted to "Hey look at all the shit we can do now" graphical wankering rather than actual plot development

 

It was like the video game equivalent of a Malmsteen solo...