what more is there to say about one of the most highly lauded games of our time? well, one thing i can say is this was my third swing at it, both times previously i stopped playing (not really losing interest but got distracted) at the snowy tundra area within disc 2. finally beat it this time!
yeah i'll cave and say it is pretty spectacular, it is pretty much all that its hyped up to be, even with its shitty tower defense minigames and roblox character models. that final battle, holy shit man. was always sort of avoiding hearing one winged angel all my life because i knew i never got to experience the moment it actually occurred, and by the time it came around.. yeah. it did NOT disappoint in any way whatsoever
there is a part of me that wishes i experienced this on original hardware though, i've seen the comparisons online between playing this game in particular on a CRT and its seemingly night and day. most old games are but y'knowwww
i'd imagine experiencing this game as a kid is probably life altering in some way.
yeah i'll cave and say it is pretty spectacular, it is pretty much all that its hyped up to be, even with its shitty tower defense minigames and roblox character models. that final battle, holy shit man. was always sort of avoiding hearing one winged angel all my life because i knew i never got to experience the moment it actually occurred, and by the time it came around.. yeah. it did NOT disappoint in any way whatsoever
there is a part of me that wishes i experienced this on original hardware though, i've seen the comparisons online between playing this game in particular on a CRT and its seemingly night and day. most old games are but y'knowwww
i'd imagine experiencing this game as a kid is probably life altering in some way.
Absolutely phenomenal game. It has hailed as one of the best RPGs ever made for a reason. The story is incredible, the best in video game history in my opinion. The gameplay, while dated, is still incredibly fun and strategic. The music is especially amazing. Each track is memorable and iconic. And that final boss was just chefs kiss perfect.
Although, I'm not the biggest fan of JRPGs as a genre and much more prefer a proper fast and to the point game, I however, found myself loving a great majority of this game as it felt like a much better intro in the world of JRPGs. Amazing characters with a perfect soundtracks makes this an experience i will never forget.
This review contains spoilers
reasons why i think cloud strife is a woman:
- the thing most people will think of is the cross-dressing section. this is not what makes me think that cloud is a woman. in the original game here, the section is at best played for laughs with a couple lines that hint at something deeper. this section in remake is maybe one of my favourite changes, in that it is much more complex. cloud is embarrassed by "cross-dressing", but never does cloud explicitly say that they hate it. rather, they avoid the situation entirely, being unable to look aerith in the eye, choosing to refuse to engage in conversation regarding the situation. i believe this is because they cannot admit to themselves that they maybe don't completely hate this entirely?
- the core themes of the original game especially (as this is something that pokes its head more towards the end - i'm very excited to see how this is adapted in the remake series), searching for your true identity, releasing that your assumptions about your own identity aren't true, learning to live as yourself rather than what you think you have to be, these are all things that will be extremely familiar to any trans person.
- sephiroth represents the Masculine Man (even if he's a bit of a pretty boy too) that multiple young boys in the game idolize and aspire to be like, including cloud - supposedly. i think cloud chases the idea of sephiroth so hard in their childhood, up until the nibelheim incident, because they believe they too need to be a Masculine Man.
- cloud's childhood relationship with tifa supports this also. how cloud thinks and acts towards tifa is different to how they think and interact with the boys, despite being an outsider to both. this can be interpreted as (and is likely intended to be) more about cloud having romantic feelings towards tifa, but i think it is a situation of confusing romantic attraction with dysphoric envy (though i also do think there is an attraction in there too - the cloud/aerith/tifa polycule is a delusion i love).
- it is only through the acceptance of their true identity that they are able to move forward, to be more honest, to truly connect with others unlike before. the party members act as cloud's support network. tifa would accept her immediately, maybe she even guessed that cloud's gender was more complex than meets the eye. maybe she even thinks more about her sexuality, having thought she couldn't be a lesbian because she seemingly liked a boy, even if she's never liked a "boy" other than cloud. barret hasn't met a trans person before, but he tries his best. maybe takes some time getting used to cloud's new pronouns, and maybe asks awkward questions, and maybe is just generally awkward at first. but he's always trying his best, and he'll get there in the end. cloud wishes she could have shared this moment with aerith, because she knows aerith would have had a lot of fun with it. doing each others makeup, going clothes shopping - aerith would have been the most affirming by far.
there's probably a dozen or two other more specific examples of text that support this idea that i could dig to get. but these are more the pillars that support this idea for me. i've never really been so convicted in regards to a trans headcanon before - usually it's just a fun idea to think about, how a character intended to be male exploring their gender. in the case of cloud, there is so much, narratively, that i feel supports this idea, that it actively enriches the game's narrative as a whole.
- the thing most people will think of is the cross-dressing section. this is not what makes me think that cloud is a woman. in the original game here, the section is at best played for laughs with a couple lines that hint at something deeper. this section in remake is maybe one of my favourite changes, in that it is much more complex. cloud is embarrassed by "cross-dressing", but never does cloud explicitly say that they hate it. rather, they avoid the situation entirely, being unable to look aerith in the eye, choosing to refuse to engage in conversation regarding the situation. i believe this is because they cannot admit to themselves that they maybe don't completely hate this entirely?
- the core themes of the original game especially (as this is something that pokes its head more towards the end - i'm very excited to see how this is adapted in the remake series), searching for your true identity, releasing that your assumptions about your own identity aren't true, learning to live as yourself rather than what you think you have to be, these are all things that will be extremely familiar to any trans person.
- sephiroth represents the Masculine Man (even if he's a bit of a pretty boy too) that multiple young boys in the game idolize and aspire to be like, including cloud - supposedly. i think cloud chases the idea of sephiroth so hard in their childhood, up until the nibelheim incident, because they believe they too need to be a Masculine Man.
- cloud's childhood relationship with tifa supports this also. how cloud thinks and acts towards tifa is different to how they think and interact with the boys, despite being an outsider to both. this can be interpreted as (and is likely intended to be) more about cloud having romantic feelings towards tifa, but i think it is a situation of confusing romantic attraction with dysphoric envy (though i also do think there is an attraction in there too - the cloud/aerith/tifa polycule is a delusion i love).
- it is only through the acceptance of their true identity that they are able to move forward, to be more honest, to truly connect with others unlike before. the party members act as cloud's support network. tifa would accept her immediately, maybe she even guessed that cloud's gender was more complex than meets the eye. maybe she even thinks more about her sexuality, having thought she couldn't be a lesbian because she seemingly liked a boy, even if she's never liked a "boy" other than cloud. barret hasn't met a trans person before, but he tries his best. maybe takes some time getting used to cloud's new pronouns, and maybe asks awkward questions, and maybe is just generally awkward at first. but he's always trying his best, and he'll get there in the end. cloud wishes she could have shared this moment with aerith, because she knows aerith would have had a lot of fun with it. doing each others makeup, going clothes shopping - aerith would have been the most affirming by far.
there's probably a dozen or two other more specific examples of text that support this idea that i could dig to get. but these are more the pillars that support this idea for me. i've never really been so convicted in regards to a trans headcanon before - usually it's just a fun idea to think about, how a character intended to be male exploring their gender. in the case of cloud, there is so much, narratively, that i feel supports this idea, that it actively enriches the game's narrative as a whole.
Que dire....
Final fantasy VII est un excellent jeu. Certains élément on mieux vieilli que d'autres. Tel que l'histoire, la narration et la mise en scène qui n'ont pas pris une ride et sont toujours aujourd'hui un modèle pour l'industrie. Mais le gameplay.... c'est différent, on a du mal à se situer sur les environnements pré-calculés, il y'a TROP de rencontre aléotoires mais vrm TROP, le jeu est punitif si tu ne joues pas de la manière dont il le souhaite et il ne va pas te rendre les choses accessible (ne pas confondre accesible et difficile). Réessayer contre un boss ne me soûle pas MAIS ME RETAPER 2 MIN DE DIALOGUE OUI EN PLUS DES 3 MIN DE RENCONTRE ALEATOIRE DANS LE COULOIRRR AHHH. Mais même par certains moments, la rigidité du titre m'énervait énormément. On est tellement emporté par les personnages et l'univers que l'on continue à jouer pour voir où va se terminer ce périple. Moddez le jeu si vous vouler y jouer le port pc est dégeulasse sinon
Final fantasy VII est un excellent jeu. Certains élément on mieux vieilli que d'autres. Tel que l'histoire, la narration et la mise en scène qui n'ont pas pris une ride et sont toujours aujourd'hui un modèle pour l'industrie. Mais le gameplay.... c'est différent, on a du mal à se situer sur les environnements pré-calculés, il y'a TROP de rencontre aléotoires mais vrm TROP, le jeu est punitif si tu ne joues pas de la manière dont il le souhaite et il ne va pas te rendre les choses accessible (ne pas confondre accesible et difficile). Réessayer contre un boss ne me soûle pas MAIS ME RETAPER 2 MIN DE DIALOGUE OUI EN PLUS DES 3 MIN DE RENCONTRE ALEATOIRE DANS LE COULOIRRR AHHH. Mais même par certains moments, la rigidité du titre m'énervait énormément. On est tellement emporté par les personnages et l'univers que l'on continue à jouer pour voir où va se terminer ce périple. Moddez le jeu si vous vouler y jouer le port pc est dégeulasse sinon
Final Fantasy VII? Yeah, it's got clout for days as the RPG that changed the game. But let's spill the tea: when you really get down to it, it's not all that and a bag of chips.
First off, the gameplay mechanics are kind of a vibe check. The materia system? Innovative, sure, but also kinda sus, making things more complicated than your last relationship. And don't get me started on the random encounters – talk about a major oof! They're like that one person who keeps interrupting your story, totally killing the vibe.
Now, about that pacing... Yikes! It's all over the place, like trying to binge-watch a show that just can't stick to its plot. And those graphics that were once everything? Sorry, but they've aged like milk. For real, it can be a struggle to get into the story when it feels like you're watching a vintage pixel dance-off.
But here's the real tea: the soundtrack. I know, I know, it's got its stans, but hear me out. That overuse of string sections? It's not giving what it was supposed to have given. Instead of serving epic fantasy realness, it kinda ends up feeling like the same track on repeat – major yawn.
So, let's keep it 100: Final Fantasy VII is iconic, but it's also kind of a hot mess. The gameplay's got more twists than a soap opera, the pacing is trying to find itself, and the soundtrack? Babe, it's just not it.
In the end, while FFVII will always have its name in the lights, it's not the undefeated champ of RPGs it's hyped up to be. It's more like that throwback track you bop to for the nostalgia but skip for something with more vibes. So, is it worth the hype? IMO, it's a no from me, dawg. #SorryNotSorry
First off, the gameplay mechanics are kind of a vibe check. The materia system? Innovative, sure, but also kinda sus, making things more complicated than your last relationship. And don't get me started on the random encounters – talk about a major oof! They're like that one person who keeps interrupting your story, totally killing the vibe.
Now, about that pacing... Yikes! It's all over the place, like trying to binge-watch a show that just can't stick to its plot. And those graphics that were once everything? Sorry, but they've aged like milk. For real, it can be a struggle to get into the story when it feels like you're watching a vintage pixel dance-off.
But here's the real tea: the soundtrack. I know, I know, it's got its stans, but hear me out. That overuse of string sections? It's not giving what it was supposed to have given. Instead of serving epic fantasy realness, it kinda ends up feeling like the same track on repeat – major yawn.
So, let's keep it 100: Final Fantasy VII is iconic, but it's also kind of a hot mess. The gameplay's got more twists than a soap opera, the pacing is trying to find itself, and the soundtrack? Babe, it's just not it.
In the end, while FFVII will always have its name in the lights, it's not the undefeated champ of RPGs it's hyped up to be. It's more like that throwback track you bop to for the nostalgia but skip for something with more vibes. So, is it worth the hype? IMO, it's a no from me, dawg. #SorryNotSorry
Most mainstream Final fantasy game, but not in vain.
This game was the biggest leap in terms of visual quality and gameplay.
Many people would say that it is the best for this very reason, it is the one that stood out the most and attracted attention as it was an innovation, but in my opinion, although it is still very good, it would be top 3-4 at best.
This game was the biggest leap in terms of visual quality and gameplay.
Many people would say that it is the best for this very reason, it is the one that stood out the most and attracted attention as it was an innovation, but in my opinion, although it is still very good, it would be top 3-4 at best.
This review contains spoilers
An incredible story that makes you feel all the emotions, and makes you think hard on what the fuck just happened. the graphics have aged poorly and some of the minigames are annoying but for the most part, this is a great experience that aged better than most games of its time. the soundtrack is something else, too. every song is perfect. the characters are well written and lovable, and sephiroth is a truly terrifying villain, who for the most part, is more of a psychological force rather than a physical threat for most the game.
Okay, Final Fantasy VII is a classic for a reason, but some parts haven't aged super well. The story is wild and totally got me hooked, plus characters like Cloud and Sephiroth are iconic. But dude, those blocky character models are kinda rough on the eyes now, and the turn-based combat can feel slow. Still, if you're into JRPGs and want to see where the hype came from, it's worth experiencing...especially if you play the remake afterwards!
No one actually talks about how weird and stupid this game is on top of being legitimately great. It's both stupid clown shit AND genuinely well written and designed. There's a big dumb RTS game for no reason. Characters act like maniacs. It's like if Deadly Premonition was a giant, mainstream hit that changed the industry. It's awesome.
I'm sorry game, I tried but I don't like your gameplay. I'm sure your narrative is great, in fact from the litany of video essays I've watched on you, you seem to be perfectly competent and genuinely great, but I don't have 40 hours to spare for something that just doesn't engage with me on a purely interactive level. sorry xx
Happy to report that 25 years later this game is still good! I've never been the biggest fan of random encounters, and this game was not able to turn me around on that, but mechanically the game still feels pretty good to play. Obviously theres some cruft like the UI in and out of combat can be janky. I could list all of the specific jank, but I won't. None of it was bad enough to ruin my time with this game. It's obvious in a lot of ways where this game could be improved, but what it is still shines very brightly.
People weren't kidding about how little time you spend in Midgar though, it's really only like 4 hours. FF7 develops this complex city and then just goes "okay we're done." It feels almost like a complete waste, and yet it lends this almost ethereal quality to the rest of the game. It's difficult to describe, but it's very enthralling. I played Remake in 2020 before I played this in prepartion for Rebirth and it makes me feel like I've learned some secret from a longtime friend that makes me wonder if I ever actually knew them at all. At this point the Aerith stuff is no secret, but I was suprised by just how much stuff I didn't know about.
Long story short I'm really really glad I took the time to play this and I think it's worth checking out still in 2024.
People weren't kidding about how little time you spend in Midgar though, it's really only like 4 hours. FF7 develops this complex city and then just goes "okay we're done." It feels almost like a complete waste, and yet it lends this almost ethereal quality to the rest of the game. It's difficult to describe, but it's very enthralling. I played Remake in 2020 before I played this in prepartion for Rebirth and it makes me feel like I've learned some secret from a longtime friend that makes me wonder if I ever actually knew them at all. At this point the Aerith stuff is no secret, but I was suprised by just how much stuff I didn't know about.
Long story short I'm really really glad I took the time to play this and I think it's worth checking out still in 2024.
This game hasn't aged well at all, neither the gameplay nor plot-wise.
What I did enjoy in this game was the big twist and Cloud's whole character Arc. I also liked Tifa as a character. And I can acknowledge how revolutionary it would be for the time it was released.
But other than that, I don't think I enjoyed this game much. The insane amount of random encounters issue in most PS1 JRPGs just makes the game so annoying and this is no exception. I also hate how after the Midgard section the other party members have so less interactions, other than the part when it's their character Arc. The Battle UI is so horrendous, especially when you're trying to find an item to use and during the time you find it, you realize the enemy has already killed two of your party members. Another major problem I have with this game is how there's not much build-up regarding the events and the plot keeps going which makes those events not as exciting as they could have been.
I don't think I'll ever come back to this game, but I do plan to play the remake as it's divided into 3 games which I feel is gonna solve some issues I had with the plot, and it being a modern game will at least make it fun to play.
What I did enjoy in this game was the big twist and Cloud's whole character Arc. I also liked Tifa as a character. And I can acknowledge how revolutionary it would be for the time it was released.
But other than that, I don't think I enjoyed this game much. The insane amount of random encounters issue in most PS1 JRPGs just makes the game so annoying and this is no exception. I also hate how after the Midgard section the other party members have so less interactions, other than the part when it's their character Arc. The Battle UI is so horrendous, especially when you're trying to find an item to use and during the time you find it, you realize the enemy has already killed two of your party members. Another major problem I have with this game is how there's not much build-up regarding the events and the plot keeps going which makes those events not as exciting as they could have been.
I don't think I'll ever come back to this game, but I do plan to play the remake as it's divided into 3 games which I feel is gonna solve some issues I had with the plot, and it being a modern game will at least make it fun to play.