Final Fantasy VII needs no introduction. It’s one of the most well known video games ever made. There’s barely much I can say that hasn’t been said by someone already. Still, I’m going to say why I think this game still matters all these years later.
FFVII is the definition of a classic. Sure age may have brought up some of its flaws or it was never really perfect to begin with, yet it still remains something unforgettably enjoyable and distinctly so amongst many games both new and old. There are plenty of games that do what FFVII does but better, however no other game IS Final Fantasy VII. FFVII is one of a kind game. It doesn’t really matter how many things had or will surpass it, because nothing else will feel exactly like it.
Everything, the good and even not so good just comes together here. The characters, story, settings, and music have all become worldwide icons and for good reason. Even things like the low polygon models, pre rendered backgrounds, animations, and sound effects. It feels like if even one thing was changed it would not have the same impact. There’s just a vibe here that is created through the combination of every single one of these things and could not be replicated otherwise. It all culminates into something uniquely profound. Evoking feelings of not just an amazing game, but a delicate work of art. Even in its weaker moments, you always know this was a project of pure love and passion.
Things are not only great because they are classics, however. They still need to hold up with their own merits, which Final Fantasy VII absolutely does. As I’d mentioned before, this game has incredibly strong story, world, and cast of characters just to name a few things. FFVII’s story sends a great message, strung together by a ton of mysteries that all have fantastic payoff. It can get so creative that I often find myself wondering how they were even able to think of some of this stuff. It makes replaying the game a treat every time as it recontextualizes the hints you’re been dropped throughout your journey. It’s incredible how some of these scenes are put together thanks to the cinematic direction and especially Nobuo Uematsu’s legendary soundtrack. Even with the limited technology at the time, many of these scenes were a level of tense and atmospheric above the rest. The soundtrack still speaks hundreds of words with only sound and the pre rendered backgrounds honestly still look beautiful.
No story would feel complete without its characters though, and FFVII has a truly memorable cast. This game has one of the most recognizable video game casts from their designs alone. They’re colorful and distinct from each other, and in one way or another have something immediately recognizable. Whether that be Cloud’s hair or his Buster Sword, or Barret’s gun arm. Tetsuya Nomura absolutely shines as a character designer here. The cast’s personality shines even brighter. You really grow a personal bond with them and they all feel valuable to the story. Each character gets a compelling character arc and even outside of their respective arcs, they’re always growing. FFVII does a fantastic job of having a story/character progression that feels naturally earned. This is something that is super important as a number of RPG’s suffer from casts that feel irrelevant or don’t share much of a bond, but that isn’t the case here.
All of this culminates in what feels like a fully realized vision. No matter what limitations it may have faced, it rarely feels held back by it. All these years later, a lot of these “limitations” honestly only improved the game’s overall charm and identity such as the animations or low poly models. The development team made maximum effort work out of what they had, and what they made from it was art. Because of that, it’s allowed a game that many could try and criticize for feeling outdated…actually feel pretty much timeless. No matter how many times I go back to Final Fantasy VII, I don’t see it as “oh just this old 90’s RPG”…rather, I see it as a capsule of artistry, largely unaffected by the passage of time even where it should be. A defining gaming experience while not downright flawless overall, is pretty much perfect in so many of the areas where it counts.
No matter how old Final Fantasy VII grows, it shouldn’t be difficult to see why this game still matters. Even when “better” games come and go, there’s a reason why Final Fantasy VII is the one that still gets talked about…that’s because better or worse, only one game is Final Fantasy VII.
FFVII is the definition of a classic. Sure age may have brought up some of its flaws or it was never really perfect to begin with, yet it still remains something unforgettably enjoyable and distinctly so amongst many games both new and old. There are plenty of games that do what FFVII does but better, however no other game IS Final Fantasy VII. FFVII is one of a kind game. It doesn’t really matter how many things had or will surpass it, because nothing else will feel exactly like it.
Everything, the good and even not so good just comes together here. The characters, story, settings, and music have all become worldwide icons and for good reason. Even things like the low polygon models, pre rendered backgrounds, animations, and sound effects. It feels like if even one thing was changed it would not have the same impact. There’s just a vibe here that is created through the combination of every single one of these things and could not be replicated otherwise. It all culminates into something uniquely profound. Evoking feelings of not just an amazing game, but a delicate work of art. Even in its weaker moments, you always know this was a project of pure love and passion.
Things are not only great because they are classics, however. They still need to hold up with their own merits, which Final Fantasy VII absolutely does. As I’d mentioned before, this game has incredibly strong story, world, and cast of characters just to name a few things. FFVII’s story sends a great message, strung together by a ton of mysteries that all have fantastic payoff. It can get so creative that I often find myself wondering how they were even able to think of some of this stuff. It makes replaying the game a treat every time as it recontextualizes the hints you’re been dropped throughout your journey. It’s incredible how some of these scenes are put together thanks to the cinematic direction and especially Nobuo Uematsu’s legendary soundtrack. Even with the limited technology at the time, many of these scenes were a level of tense and atmospheric above the rest. The soundtrack still speaks hundreds of words with only sound and the pre rendered backgrounds honestly still look beautiful.
No story would feel complete without its characters though, and FFVII has a truly memorable cast. This game has one of the most recognizable video game casts from their designs alone. They’re colorful and distinct from each other, and in one way or another have something immediately recognizable. Whether that be Cloud’s hair or his Buster Sword, or Barret’s gun arm. Tetsuya Nomura absolutely shines as a character designer here. The cast’s personality shines even brighter. You really grow a personal bond with them and they all feel valuable to the story. Each character gets a compelling character arc and even outside of their respective arcs, they’re always growing. FFVII does a fantastic job of having a story/character progression that feels naturally earned. This is something that is super important as a number of RPG’s suffer from casts that feel irrelevant or don’t share much of a bond, but that isn’t the case here.
All of this culminates in what feels like a fully realized vision. No matter what limitations it may have faced, it rarely feels held back by it. All these years later, a lot of these “limitations” honestly only improved the game’s overall charm and identity such as the animations or low poly models. The development team made maximum effort work out of what they had, and what they made from it was art. Because of that, it’s allowed a game that many could try and criticize for feeling outdated…actually feel pretty much timeless. No matter how many times I go back to Final Fantasy VII, I don’t see it as “oh just this old 90’s RPG”…rather, I see it as a capsule of artistry, largely unaffected by the passage of time even where it should be. A defining gaming experience while not downright flawless overall, is pretty much perfect in so many of the areas where it counts.
No matter how old Final Fantasy VII grows, it shouldn’t be difficult to see why this game still matters. Even when “better” games come and go, there’s a reason why Final Fantasy VII is the one that still gets talked about…that’s because better or worse, only one game is Final Fantasy VII.