Why do we love this game?

[cloud21zidane16]

this is a similar thread to one from the ff6 forum and i wondered why do so many people including me love this game:love:
is it because it was a lot of peoples first final fantasy they played or because it really is one of the greatest games ever;)

[Jowy]

It made RPGs more mainstream with it's release and 'coolness' factor, hence why it's so critically acclaimed.

[Elfen]

Not to say this only, I loved every FF game.
I love it mainly because it is the game that get me so into it that I wanna play everything so perfectly.
And it is also my first Final Fantasy's RPG.

[vorpal blade]

I love this game becuase:
the graphuics are amazing
the music is mindblowing
the story is weird
Vincent
Chocobos
Vincent
Side quests
Gold Saucer
Seophiroth
Vincent

[Firo Volondé]

This game is definitely the most popular because it was the first to go mainstream. I'm not saying that it's bad, but it didn't have anything to justify it being "the greatest game ever". The story and sound was good, but besides battles and some FMVs, the characters were just a bunch of blocks stuck together. There's no real 'best' Final Fantasy game, it all depends on your personal opinion.

[Zeromus_X]

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i166/Zeromus_X/508px-Cait_Sith_art.jpg

[Cloudane]

I think because it had such a powerful storyline.

You had the death of Aerith, probably the biggest part to that subject... how many other fantasy games do you know - usually with a "living happily ever after" type ending to them - where you get to know a character, get to have her in your team etc, heck you've even worked hard on levelling them up... and then have them permanently die half way through the game.

Also how you 'led' Cloud from being "Mr. I-don't-care" to a fairly caring person who couldn't help making friends after all, and then you go through a time when you're worried that he was 'constructed', then you lose him, then finally you get the 'real' Cloud. And all the amazing twisty-turny storyline elements that made it so thought provoking, even after the end (or given the abrupt ending at the time, *especially* after the end). I never did 100% understand every element of the story, especially Jenova/Sephiroth and combinations and locations thereof.

Of course, you can't help but admire the story of a group of terrorist underdogs saving the world either :D

Or the fact that had it not been for Cloud's personal problems, the big disaster they were fighting against at the end wouldn't have happened in the first place....

[Skyblade]

I think because it had such a powerful storyline.

You had the death of Aerith, probably the biggest part to that subject... how many other fantasy games do you know - usually with a "living happily ever after" type ending to them - where you get to know a character, get to have her in your team etc, heck you've even worked hard on levelling them up... and then have them permanently die half way through the game.

Also how you 'led' Cloud from being "Mr. I-don't-care" to a fairly caring person who couldn't help making friends after all, and then you go through a time when you're worried that he was 'constructed', then you lose him, then finally you get the 'real' Cloud. And all the amazing twisty-turny storyline elements that made it so thought provoking, even after the end (or given the abrupt ending at the time, *especially* after the end). I never did 100% understand every element of the story, especially Jenova/Sephiroth and combinations and locations thereof.

Of course, you can't help but admire the story of a group of terrorist underdogs saving the world either :D

Or the fact that had it not been for Cloud's personal problems, the big disaster they were fighting against at the end wouldn't have happened in the first place....

All of that is true.

Add to it one of the greatest gameplay styles of all time (Materia is my favorite Magic/Ability systems of any FF), and you have the makings for a wonderful RPG. In depth characters, fun gameplay, awesome plot all unite to make this a great game.

[RiseToFall]

In all honesty, there too many things to say as to why I love it.

[Goldenboko]

Chocobos


Wins.

[Cloudane]

Chocobos are in every FF :D

Except maybe the first 1 or 2, I can't remember.

That said, the FFVII breeding system has got to best there is out of all of them (FFIX's comes close). The challenge of catching the ones you need, the fun of racing them up to the necessary standard - great fun. All those different colours, really cool.

There is of course the fact that it was quite far graphically advanced for its time. And there was something very cool about the fact that FMVs were only used for "special" moments (something which they apparently did for XII), gave them more of an impact.

However the graphics are absolutely dire by today's standards and yet it's still probably my favourite - so that's why I say the storyline must be the main reason.

Materia was cool, like. Much much better than, say, FFVIII's draw, draw, draw, draw system :p

[Kryton87]

All points mentioned granted. However, what about all the elements of it that were not so good?
I personally do not think Sephiroth was that great a bad guy. Hojo was the real enemy. Why did Sephiroth want the black materia anyway? Why did he want to summon Meteor? If he summons Meteor, the planet dies, and what's he got? Nothing! There's nothing he has to gain from that, and yes, he is insane, but not that insane.

It was good, but I do not think it deserves anything more than the game that turned Final Fantasy into Anime.

[cloud21zidane16]

Chocobos are in every FF :D

Except maybe the first 1 or 2, I can't remember.

That said, the FFVII breeding system has got to best there is out of all of them (FFIX's comes close). The challenge of catching the ones you need, the fun of racing them up to the necessary standard - great fun. All those different colours, really cool.

There is of course the fact that it was quite far graphically advanced for its time. And there was something very cool about the fact that FMVs were only used for "special" moments (something which they apparently did for XII), gave them more of an impact.

However the graphics are absolutely dire by today's standards and yet it's still probably my favourite - so that's why I say the storyline must be the main reason.

Materia was cool, like. Much much better than, say, FFVIII's draw, draw, draw, draw system :p

Agree wht you said about the chocobos, they were really fun:p

do you all remember the first time you spent a whole day trying to breed a gold chocobo:choc2: :mad2: :choc: :love:

[Goldenboko]

If a game includes Chocobos I instantly love it.... except X-2.

[Emerald weapon]

I think because it had such a powerful storyline.

You had the death of Aerith, probably the biggest part to that subject... how many other fantasy games do you know - usually with a "living happily ever after" type ending to them - where you get to know a character, get to have her in your team etc, heck you've even worked hard on levelling them up... and then have them permanently die half way through the game.

Also how you 'led' Cloud from being "Mr. I-don't-care" to a fairly caring person who couldn't help making friends after all, and then you go through a time when you're worried that he was 'constructed', then you lose him, then finally you get the 'real' Cloud. And all the amazing twisty-turny storyline elements that made it so thought provoking, even after the end (or given the abrupt ending at the time, *especially* after the end). I never did 100% understand every element of the story, especially Jenova/Sephiroth and combinations and locations thereof.

Of course, you can't help but admire the story of a group of terrorist underdogs saving the world either :D

Or the fact that had it not been for Cloud's personal problems, the big disaster they were fighting against at the end wouldn't have happened in the first place....

All of that is true.

Add to it one of the greatest gameplay styles of all time (Materia is my favorite Magic/Ability systems of any FF), and you have the makings for a wonderful RPG. In depth characters, fun gameplay, awesome plot all unite to make this a great game.
Enough said!

All points mentioned granted. However, what about all the elements of it that were not so good?
I personally do not think Sephiroth was that great a bad guy. Hojo was the real enemy. Why did Sephiroth want the black materia anyway? Why did he want to summon Meteor? If he summons Meteor, the planet dies, and what's he got? Nothing! There's nothing he has to gain from that, and yes, he is insane, but not that insane.

It was good, but I do not think it deserves anything more than the game that turned Final Fantasy into Anime.

Sephiroth called meteor so that the planet would gather so much energy to heal its wound and sephiroth would absorb it and become a ''god'' and the anime was created to tie up all lose ends bout clouds past! anyhu the first 2 quotes are all that need to be said why its a great game plus its music!

[Goldenboko]

You had the death of Aerith, probably the biggest part to that subject... how many other fantasy games do you know - usually with a "living happily ever after" type ending to them - where you get to know a character, get to have her in your team etc, heck you've even worked hard on levelling them up... and then have them permanently die half way through the game.

Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet. In FFIV half of the people that are party members get paralyzed, or blown to bits

[Dragon Mage]

The storyline (which has been explained excellently already by others) and the characters.

So why these characters in particular? *shrugs* who knows. But just about everybody loves 'em. And that's a fact. Go figure.


Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet.

Because in X and II you wanted those people to live. In VII, you want her to die.

[cloud21zidane16]

Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet. In FFIV half of the people that are party members get paralyzed, or blown to bits

Yeah i agree there about the death part, i think a lot of people think the death in ff7 was the first one because a lot of people played from 7 onwards and it was in a lot of gaming magazines and all that kind of stuff
Wow! ive never played ffiv but i still read the spoiler what a sad ending for some the characters to die the way you explained it

[Octavious]

Because nothing will ever beat it, hands down.

[Nasarian Altimeros]

FFVII was released at a time in which everyone would literally cream themselves at the sight of relatively elaborate graphics. FFVII was the first real game to turn cRPG gaming into a more cinematic experience due to way it mixed FMV sequences with gameplay. After the ‘breathtaking’ movies, unorthodox/bizarre cutscenes and a soundtrack which supported the visuals quite successfully, no one really noticed that the gameplay, characters and story really weren’t anything more than standard cRPG fare for the time it was released.

[The Crystal]

FFVII was released at a time in which everyone would literally cream themselves at the sight of relatively elaborate graphics. FFVII was the first real game to turn cRPG gaming into a more cinematic experience due to way it mixed FMV sequences with gameplay. After the ‘breathtaking’ movies, unorthodox/bizarre cutscenes and a soundtrack which supported the visuals quite successfully, no one really noticed that the gameplay, characters and story really weren’t anything more than standard cRPG fare for the time it was released.

Quoted For Truth

[Firo Volondé]

Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet. In FFIV half of the people that are party members get paralyzed, or blown to bits

Yeah, but everyone who seemed to die actually survived (except for Tellah) and were even re-playable again in the GBA remake (except for Tellah and FuSoYa). Also, Aeris was Cloud's love interest. Love interests in basically all non-tragic storylines never NEVER NEVER die. Period. Or if they do, they're always a way to revive them later on. When people realised Aeris was never going to come back, it made the game instantly memorable. Personally, I cried and cried when Aeris died - she had my best materia on her.:D

[Dr. Acula]

why do so many people including me love this game:love:


Why not?

[Goldenboko]

Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet. In FFIV half of the people that are party members get paralyzed, or blown to bits

Yeah, but everyone who seemed to die actually survived (except for Tellah) and were even re-playable again in the GBA remake (except for Tellah and FuSoYa). Also, Aeris was Cloud's love interest. Love interests in basically all non-tragic storylines never NEVER NEVER die. Period. Or if they do, they're always a way to revive them later on. When people realised Aeris was never going to come back, it made the game instantly memorable. Personally, I cried and cried when Aeris died - she had my best materia on her.:D
Never ever compare the GBA version with the original, or hardtype. Plus I think we can all agree Cid should be dead. He jumped out of a freakin' airship, blew himself up, and then splattered on the ground! What where they going to do? Find his splattered remains throw them in a pile and cast life1? Smae thing with Yang, he blew up!

Also when In FFVII there are two main love interests it would have been way too confusing at the end if one didn't die. I think that Aeris's death should show that Tifa was in fact the main love interest

[cloud21zidane16]

Why does everyone think that FFVII was the first to introduce death? FFII didn't have a happily ever after storyline. FFX's was very bittersweet. In FFIV half of the people that are party members get paralyzed, or blown to bits

Yeah, but everyone who seemed to die actually survived (except for Tellah) and were even re-playable again in the GBA remake (except for Tellah and FuSoYa). Also, Aeris was Cloud's love interest. Love interests in basically all non-tragic storylines never NEVER NEVER die. Period. Or if they do, they're always a way to revive them later on. When people realised Aeris was never going to come back, it made the game instantly memorable. Personally, I cried and cried when Aeris died - she had my best materia on her.:D

when aeris leaves you after the temple of the ancients all her materia is removed and given back to you, she will take the armour she had eqipped and the accesory

[Duncan]

I personally loved the story and gameplay. The whole thing with Cloud's past was sufficiently convoluted that it made his character interesting. I also agree with Nasarian about the whole Materia magic system. I think it's one of the best in the series. Graphically, it wasn't as strong as VIII or IX but then again it was the first FF PS game Square did so they were still 'learning'. As a side note, I also remember that this was the first game I ever saw advertised on TV.

Yet, while the graphics weren't nearly as strong as VIII and IX it still blew the compitition away. Games like Suikoden and Wild Arms still were still using 2D for their overworld maps and looked alot like SNES games unless you were in a battle.

[Goldenboko]

I personally loved the story and gameplay.
I loved the game and all but... what really stood out about the gameplay? There where no serious improvements to the battle system


Graphically, it wasn't as strong as VIII or IX but then again it was the first FF PS game Square did so they were still 'learning'. As a side note, I also remember that this was the first game I ever saw advertised on TV.

Yet, while the graphics weren't nearly as strong as VIII and IX it still blew the compitition away. Games like Suikoden and Wild Arms still were still using 2D for their overworld maps and looked alot like SNES games unless you were in a battle.

I'd like to point out something...


This is the most dazzling visual experience to date on any console. Film-quality computer-generated cinematics blend seamlessly with pre-rendered background artwork to create the strikingly realistic world of Final Fantasy VII, both beautiful in its grandeur and terrifying in its detail. The overworld and battle sequences are presented in full polygonal splendor with just a touch of texture mapping for good measure. But you haven't seen anything until you witness some of the more powerful magic spells in the game. Massive dragons heed your bidding, dwarfing your gigantic enemies tenfold; an earth titan tears the ground up from beneath your enemies' feet, flinging them aside like toy blocks. Some of these summoning spells cut to over half a dozen different camera angles as the catastrophe unfolds.
Don't compare the graphics to VIII and IX's ever. Even if you where doing it to make the game look better, it is impossible to get an accurate measure of a game's graphics by comparing it to future games, of course it wasn't as graphically as strong as VIII or IX.

[Firo Volondé]

when aeris leaves you after the temple of the ancients all her materia is removed and given back to you, she will take the armour she had eqipped and the accesory

Really? I could have sworn I had an extra 'restore' materia... maybe Yuffie got to it:D

[Bolivar]

Most likely the deepest story in an FF game. It dealt w/ our journey of life, and what happens when it is over. It dealt with industrialization. It delved into poverty like no game ever had before. People play video games because they have the mean to do this. But this game gave these people insight into the reasons behind poverty. "No one lives in the slums because they want to" is a line I'll always remember.

Yes, characters have died in previous FF's, but they were 2D sprites either being blasted by some weird magical "force" or falling out of something. Sephiroth jumped-down Setzer style on the maiden. And then impaled her. After which Cloud holds her dead body in his grief. Nothing even remotely close had ever been done (or could have been done) in an FF before.

The game expressed characters emotions in a way Square would never have been able to with IV-VI. When Cid loses his dream of making it into outer space, you feel it. When Nanaki howls up to the moon w/ his petrified dad, crying petrified tears, you feel that sh!t. You can't have it on this level in the previous games.

The music was crazy. It was the last time Uematso would use the MIDI type instruments of the previous games, which is where I think his true genius as a composer really lies.

The battle system was great. Having it in 3D, like it or not, made it much more enjoyable. Materia was great. If you wanted a Black Mage, you can make someone a black mage. if you want to give them a random set to essentially make your own class, go for it.

The characters all have in-depth backstories, and segments of the game that develop each character. Most of the Final Fantasies have at least a few characters that don't need to be in the plight to save the world.

And you can't forget mini-games. Possibly the best selection in a Final Fantasy (Motorcycle, snowboarding, submarine), and one of the best chocobo breeding systems, where you can actually race them.

All of these elements come together to form "quite possibly the greatest game ever made."

[Wuggly Blight]

Its annoying people moan about graphics, the younger generation are spoiled rotten with them. When FFVII came out, there was little to none 3d games, no fmv's, The Saga generation only ended a while before, and when sonic came out that was amazing with great graphics, and some of us watched these games evolve and then came along FFVII, The first game I ever played with full FMV's, prerendered 3d backgrounds, it wasnt the first 3d game but it was a pironeer, There wasnt all this modern great 120 bit whatever stuff like the kids today have and the graphics was mindblowing.

[Cloudane]

When Nanaki howls up to the moon w/ his petrified dad, crying petrified tears, you feel that sh!t.


I forgot about that bit. That bit made me cry, too.

Excellent points, more or less what I was trying to say but much better put.

[Pure Aerisbeauty7]

I liked the characters and the places in the game. The events were up-to-date. The romance was beautiful. Regardless if they all had problems or not, each character worked together to save the world.:) :kaocheer:

[Dragon Mage]

Aeris was Cloud's love interest. Love interests in basically all non-tragic storylines never NEVER NEVER die.

NO!
1) Cloud was Aeris' love interest, not the other way around. 2) Some of the most tragic stories are those that have romance in them. Why do all FF's have a love story in them? Because it makes a good conflict, and it's easy to make. That's why. So actually, love interests do die, quite often I might add. Hell, look at Vincent. A perfect example of lovedeath. Aeris was just the only one you couldn't revive, and had great graphics at that time. So Aeris' Ides of March scene was no different that the others previous, except for the latter two reasons.

[Serpentarius]

Hey Vorpal Blade, You can't forget Yuffie, Imagine her when she turns 26 or so.....eh....eh.....I think she would be a fairly destructive force.

[Riana]

Gameplay, story, longevity, sound.

My God, everything about FFVII works! It was simply a masterpiece. I was quite reluctant about there being a sequel that was turned into a film. But that seemed to work too.

FFVII is just plain awesome! I think perhaps the fact it was the first FF after quite an absense in the market made a difference. People created such a big deal out of it, they got more than they bargained for. I don't think Squaresoft themself realised how big it was going to be.

Personally, I loved how you get attached to some of the characters, and how one can relate to some of the events that happened along the game. Love, loss, betrayal, deception, greed and many more. It all came together so wonderfully~

[Raistlin]

It's hard for me to justify liking this game. Gameplay-wise, it is far inferior to many other FFs. However, I do like it, a lot. The story and characters make up for the lack of... well, mostly everything else. I typically like more strategic, complicated RPGs (FFT), but FF7 is just a fun game.

[Darkja]

the thing that got to me most wasn't aeris' death, it was when you lose control of cloud and he's removed entirely from the party. that was a sick turn of events.

/

[chrisfffan]

it wasnt the first ff game i played but i love it! its got the most heart.

[feioncastor]

It wasn't the first FF I played, by any stretch.

But I was quite moved by the story. The first time I watched Sephiroth kill Aeris, I felt really weird. I figured the next thing that would happen is that we all would embark on a Chrono Triggerish attempt to revive her. But we never did.

Plus, FF7 had the best mini games in the series, in my opinion. The Motorcycle thing, the Submarine, the Snowboarding, Fort Condor, Chocobo Racing... The list goes on for a while. I mean, these may not have been my primary reason for playing FF7, they certainly were awesome.

I don't think FF7 was the best. But it certainly seems to be the most revolutionary. It is the game that brought the Final Fantasy series into mainstream gaming. Prior to FF7, only nerdy guys like me played Final Fantasy. I knew many other kids my age with Nintendos and Super Nintendos, but I was the only one I knew who had any Final Fantasy games.

It wasn't like that with Final Fantasy 7. Just about everyone I knew had that game. It was weird because suddenly a Final Fantasy game was getting as popular as Mario and other popular video games.

Plus, in my opinion, Final Fantasy VII was the last GREAT entry in the series. The games after have been okay, but none stack up to what FF7 achieved.

[Nerevarine]

i had played the series a bit but never really got into em until i played 7. After i completed it i had to finish the other i had played. like 1,4 and 6.

[Cloudane]

It's funny, I actually played Chrono Trigger after FF7, so when Crono was killed I was shocked and expected that to be the end of it. It was a pleasant surprise and yet a little cheesy that you could rebuild him from a clone or whatever.