A strange way to show a flashback (VII and VIII)

[Bolivar]

I think it is one of those story telling mediums that works well in video games, but not nearly as well in other media. This is the kind of thing I like about video games. With the new trend to essentially splicing in little cinematic movie cut-scenes into games I feel that they are focusing on trying to tell stories like movies, and less on how they can use the medium they have to their advantage. (By and large)

Wow insight ftw. Reminds me of how Sakaguchi stated he wanted to make games that surpass films, and FFVII was the culmination of that desire and ongoing effort.

It seems like a technique they probably picked up from plays, or maybe it's something that's been used in Japanese cinema. Yoshinori Kitase, the director of FFVII, was a film student and it shows. The use of camera angles, incredible FMV's, and above all the way the story is presented are probably all insights he drew from film school.

But then again, this seems like a technique from theatre moreso than film, so I'm guessing he studied that as well.