Ok, there definitely are a lot of people who thought VII was insane because it was their first RPG, who didn't play FFIX for arbitrary reasons, etc. But you honestly shouldn't sweat over their opinions.
Quite frankly, a lot of true, honest "gamers" (eugh, i hate labelling myself) love this game and can give you a substantial analysis of why they feel it stands on its own merits.
But one thing you can't deny is that it had an impact on gaming. If it wasn't for Resident Evil, Final Fantasy VII, and Metal Gear Solid, gaming would've been held back a couple years.