How do you reinvent a classic? Well thanks to this being the first of a few games in the FFV7 Remake series, we do not currently know. However, if FF7R is any indication of where this project is going, I have high hopes.
Though Tetsuya Nomura has a catalog riddled with some of the worst games to come out of Square Enix within recent memory, he is a legendary game designer and artist and came through with a masterpiece with help from FF7 veterans. Seeing iconic scenes from the Midgar route like Shinra Tower, Wall Market, and the Bombing Mission come to life in glorious 3D with a fully orchestrated soundtrack made my jaw-drop. Upon hearing the FF7 main theme play in the demo I simply set my controller down and was nearly brought to tears.
This game features great music, most of which are redone and updated versions of songs that existed in the first game, yet new music is also added. Most of this new music is not very good, except for the Nobuo Uematsu composed "Hollow" which plays at the end credits and again, nearly got me to tear up.
Combat is the best Final Fantasy has seen since... ever? FF12, FF13, and FF15 were all experiments as to how Square-Enix could evolve from its beloved ATB turn based combat and none of these three hit the mark perfectly (though 12 did have a fun combat system.) FF7R did succeed though with a perfect blend of standard action combat with skillfully timing magic and heavy based attacks. The Materia system was rewarding, and players feel good experimenting with playing different characters through the story.
I can't even get started on characters, everyone in this game looks so dang GOOD. Series icons like Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Sephiroth all return in the most extravagant brain melting fashion. You could spend hours looking at how much they've improved from the few polygon days they saw in 1997. The job the 7Remake team did to make this happen is nothing short of a miracle and a true love letter to fans of Final Fantasy and the 7 story in general.
I'm excited to see where the franchise takes one of the most famous stories in gaming.
Though Tetsuya Nomura has a catalog riddled with some of the worst games to come out of Square Enix within recent memory, he is a legendary game designer and artist and came through with a masterpiece with help from FF7 veterans. Seeing iconic scenes from the Midgar route like Shinra Tower, Wall Market, and the Bombing Mission come to life in glorious 3D with a fully orchestrated soundtrack made my jaw-drop. Upon hearing the FF7 main theme play in the demo I simply set my controller down and was nearly brought to tears.
This game features great music, most of which are redone and updated versions of songs that existed in the first game, yet new music is also added. Most of this new music is not very good, except for the Nobuo Uematsu composed "Hollow" which plays at the end credits and again, nearly got me to tear up.
Combat is the best Final Fantasy has seen since... ever? FF12, FF13, and FF15 were all experiments as to how Square-Enix could evolve from its beloved ATB turn based combat and none of these three hit the mark perfectly (though 12 did have a fun combat system.) FF7R did succeed though with a perfect blend of standard action combat with skillfully timing magic and heavy based attacks. The Materia system was rewarding, and players feel good experimenting with playing different characters through the story.
I can't even get started on characters, everyone in this game looks so dang GOOD. Series icons like Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Sephiroth all return in the most extravagant brain melting fashion. You could spend hours looking at how much they've improved from the few polygon days they saw in 1997. The job the 7Remake team did to make this happen is nothing short of a miracle and a true love letter to fans of Final Fantasy and the 7 story in general.
I'm excited to see where the franchise takes one of the most famous stories in gaming.