FFVII has an often incoherent plot and Cloud and Sephiroth have been turned into terrible characters by their many appearances in sequels and AU material. The game would have been much better if it had continued along the lines suggested by the opening in Midgar (as an exploration of corporate greed, environmental depredation, and so on), and while the feeling of finally getting out of Midgar is one of the most liberating experiences given by any Final Fantasy game, it was all downhill from there.

That said, the beginning sequence of the game is one of the most flawlessly executed sequences in any video game ever made.