What made this game mainstream?

[Forsaken Lover]

(SPOILER)




I dunno, probably the foul-mouthed black man.

[qwertysaur]

The fact that it had 3D graphics and was released all around the world. (First FF in Europe and Australia)

[Rase]

The timing (the RPG audience had been growing in places other than Japan steadily), the advertising (every ad I remember and can think of for this game was 90%+ CGI sequences and made it look like an action movie), and the environment (anime and Japanese pop culture as a whole was slowly building steam abroad). Those are the main things I think. I guess the story was part not so much because it was any good, but because it played the the audience that was going to be interested in the game.

[Heath]

I must admit, I can't entirely remember if there was much advertising for the game in the UK. I have a sneaking suspicion there was and I vaguely recall an advert for it, but I honestly couldn't say. I imagine it's critical acclaim would have played a large part in it though; RPGs of its type weren't really that widespread at the time and gaming magazines were much more popular then than now.

In terms of what about the game itself made it so popular, I think I'll echo what other people have said. I think the graphics played a major part of it. Growing up on Mega Drive and SNES games, this game looked incredibly good, ludicrous as it might sound now.

I honestly can't remember how I came across it. I could certainly tell you where it would have been bought from. I suspect that my Dad just bought it for me, but no idea why. I don't think I would've asked for it.

[WhiteStorm]

I think it was due to RPG's slowly gaining popularity through the years. FFVII came out at the right time.

The game had good graphics, especially during the battles (which were countless) and though it was developed in a new platform, it wasn't that different from its predecesors, so it combined the new elements (such as Limit Breaks) with the old ones, creating a wonderful, classic and at the same time innovative game which was highly recommended among players and that, I think, is the best publicity a game can have.