Forgive me if I'm wrong but isn't the longest load time the one where you load your save off the memory card and that's that? The load times may not be instantaneous, but it's pretty damn close, especially compared to later games. Sakaguchi also laid a ground rule that the team will have failed If the load times become noticeable. Honestly this is the first I've heard someone say this, so for 16 years of no complaints on the loads I'd say they did a Pretty good job!

Anyway, I thought IX surpassed it when it came out, but since then I feel that game plays it too safe and the combat is sluggish. X and XII were amazing in their own right. But imo 7 is has the most original story and setting in the series. It's also my favorite soundtrack with tons of variety. The combat is the most responsive with the best use of a battle camera to date. What seals the deal is the game's pacing, intermingling combat and plot revelations with a continuously fresh use of minigames to make every part unique. Games today settle too much into one gameplay format accompanied by voice acted narrative. And in the words of the series creator, the previous games are puppet shows compared Final Fantasy 7.

I just wish Wolf Kanno was here to dispute this