To both lovers and haters of FF7

[Flying Arrow]

There are people who have always legitimately disliked the game, even on release. As far as gameplay goes, it's quite a bit easier than the previous games (although VI isn't necessarily a shining beacon of challenge either) and kind of simplifies the combat and strategy aspect of the series. Some people also disliked the Materia system and how most of the characters were very similar in terms of stats... but I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing, and I really enjoy experimenting with different weapon/armor/accessory/Materia set-ups. The translation and dialogue is also pretty dog, and makes most of the characters come across as having Tourette's or something. Other than that, I think Square were at the top of their act with the FF series at VII. As far as plot goes, they haven't told a story as well in any game since.

But also, and more obviously, there are people who backlash against it because of internet hype - a stupid reason to dislike something, but the overbearing relentlessness of the game's fans can't be overstated. The FF7 fan community is a hideous collection of Lennie Smalls who have probably turned away a lot of people who would have otherwise enjoyed the game.

I don't think FF7 is overrated, actually. Playing it at release was wonderful, but I don't necessarily think other games haven't taken elements from FF7 and done them better - they just haven't been able to match the whole package or replicate the effect with today's technology that FF7 had in its own day. What I'm trying to say is FF7 was a really incredible step in a new direction for JRPG fans at the time, and very few games in the genre have been able to take it all that much farther. For a while after release, it felt like a ton of games were deriving elements from FF7 to varying degrees of success. But lately, I feel like a great deal of the genre has become pretty apathetic when it comes to making a fresh, intriguing and engaging product.

Bottom line: I think FF7 has endured because of the impact it had on gamers for the 4 or 5 years after its release. It's still a very good game, but while I don't think it's totally dated, I'm unsure why a young gamer in 2010 (even one with experience in the genre) would pick up FF7 for the first time and proclaim it the greatest game ever the way most VII fans think they should. These days I kind of see FF7 the way I've grown to look at the original Legend of Zelda: to really appreciate it, one had to be there when it was first new and fresh and before what it tried to do had been done already, basically.