What they do with pre-existing FF7 characters is commendable I think whilst the new characters are definitely a mix bag. Cissnei and Angeal are pretty cool and work to the strengths of Zack's character so well whilst Hollander, Genesis and to an extent Lazard (until the end) don't do it for me. This bled into my feelings on Chapter 8.

Coming out of it though, so I love what this game tries to question on what truly defines a hero, the key philosophy of honor and pride, righttousness and questioning your allegences. The sort of thing I dig with media such as Fate/Stay Night but with a FF7 twist due to Shinra and the idea of SOLDIER.

Of course, this cumilates to quite literally one of the greatest endings I've seen for a video game, utilising the DMW system as a story tool to it's strengths. It honestly shocked me just how an ending, which you already knew would occur, is expanded on and given such care that it outshines everything.

Though, story out of the way, yeah this game's issue rely solely on the repetition of the combat. I don't mind the DMW system as much as others and looking at clips of the original Crisis Core allowed me to atleast respect the developers for improving in areas that the PSP faltered in with new QOL and more.

The issue is the amount of slop and boring fights back to back slowly was more easier to notice, especially with how combat was trivialised near the end. Though I appreciate fights like the sephiroth duel in which if you fall you die, the combat doesn't help. Materia system is cool though I couldn't be asked to break away from my already levelled ones and the game is easily exploitble at times. Guard is awful, camera control is a bit bad and they should have expanded more on combos but whatever.

For starters, I was not expecting myself to have binge this game so soon after buying the game.

FF7 was not the first game I was originally intending to play in this series but I couldn't help still wanting to play it due to recommendations from friends and as rebirth has just came out.

What I hadn't expect though was a story, so entrenched in so many ideas that I think it reasons that it stands the test of time. From the beginning, insinuating a anti-corporation stance with Barret and Avalanche, it truly immerses you to midgar.

What this game does with it's protagonist has to be one of the most touching story I've seen in gaming. Cloud's character paved the way for a lot of my favourite characters in some shape or form, but that's not even the full brunt on what makes me appreciate him. His inspirations and insecurities are at the heart of the story. They somehow managed to trick me multiple times in terms of reveals that one its all said and done, it does so in such a profound and human way.

It feels like a triumph in storytelling and video games and I'm genuinely happy I got to experience this classic to it's fullest.