- 1 Player.
- RPG.
- 3 Disc Set.
- Excellent graphics, sound, story and playability.
.com
----
Long recognized as role-playing games par excellence, the Final
Fantasy series gets a technological makeover in this installment
(and series debut on the PlayStation). Shedding the
two-dimensional graphics and limited sound capabilities of its
predecessors, Final Fantasy VII features lush 3-D graphics,
beautifully animated "movie" sequences, and soundtrack-quality
music. Coupled with the game's intricate storyline, endearing
characters, and immense yet highly imaginative world, these new
advancements make for a quite an engrossing experience.
The story of Final Fantasy VII centers around a solider named
Cloud Strife, who joins forces with Avalanche, a group of
resistance fighters, to take down an evil mega-corporation known
as Shinra. (The e of the world hangs in the balance, of
course.) Truly epic in , this four-disc game requires a
considerable a of time to complete---this reviewer gladly
gave up over 80 hours of his life to finish it. But it's
definitely a rewarding adventure that every PlayStation owner
should consider undertaking, especially since it's now one of the
low-priced "Greatest Hits" titles. --Joe Hon
Pros:
* Intricate and absorbing storyline with endearing characters
* Immense and highly imaginative game world
* Special battle system
* Beautifully animated movie sequences Cons:
* Your friends and family may feel neglected
Review
------
Never before have technology, playability, and narrative
combined as well as in Final Fantasy VII. The culmination of
Square Soft's monumental effort is a game that will enrich just
as it will entertain. Yet, for all the boundless praise it so
rightfully deserves, Final Fantasy VII is not without its
shortcomings and occasional design problems. These are enough to
make some gamers (who are unfamiliar with RPGs, to be sure)
wonder just why anyone would bother playing through it in the
first place.
This is the most dazzling visual experience to date on any
console. Film-quality computer-generated cinematics blend
seamlessly with pre-rendered background artwork to create the
strikingly realistic world of Final Fantasy VII, both beautiful
in its grandeur and terrifying in its detail. The overworld and
battle sequences are presented in full polygonal splendor with
just a touch of texture ping for good measure. But you haven't
seen anything until you witness some of the more powerful magic
spells in the game. Massive dragons heed your bidding, dwarfing
your gigantic enemies tenfold; an earth titan tears the ground up
from beneath your enemies' feet, flinging them aside like toy
blocks. Some of these summoning spells cut to over half a dozen
different camera angles as the catastrophe unfolds. Meanwhile, a
masterfully orchestrated soundtrack - courtesy of veteran
composer Nobuo Uematsu - is a major force behind the intense
emotion of Final Fantasy VII. The synthesized musical score
hearkens Final Fantasy's golden age on the Super Nintendo,
consciously staying true to its roots.
Yet for all its top-notch graphics and sound, truly the best
aspect of Final Fantasy VII is the plot that these peerless
aesthetics help weave. Join the enigmatic mercenary Cloud Strife
in a journey that will take him to the very source of his being
in an incredible quest where the e of the world hangs by a
precious thread, threatening at any instant to be torn by the
charismatic, tormented villain of the story. Final Fantasy VII's
moving plot is influenced by some of the greatest works of
science fiction film and literature, including Frank ert's
Dune, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and even Godzilla.
If you were to strip away the story, scenery, and musical score,
Final Fantasy VII would otherwise be very much like any other
Japanese RPG you've ever played. You still must face countless
random monster encounters while keeping a close eye on your hit
points and magic points, and you will witness your characters
grow stronger with every experience level they attain. Battles
are fought in typical Japanese RPG fashion (albeit with fully
polygonal graphics), with your team on one side and any number of
nents on the other. You exchange blows until you or the enemy
is defeated. Fights are made interesting with the introduction of
Limit Breaks (devastating desperation attacks) and Materia, the
curious colored crystals that let your party use magic and other
special abilities. Materia can be found or purchased and mixed
and matched to create all sorts of interesting effects. Best of
all, there are more than enough hidden Materia, weapons, and
optional plot sequences in the game to merit playing it through
at least twice.
Some have gone as far as to call Final Fantasy VII the hands-down
best game ever made. And if you enjoy a good Japanese-style RPG,
chances are you will agree. However, Final Fantasy VII, for all
its astonishing features, is not a game with the sort of mass
appeal that its massive marketing blitz may lead you to believe.
For one thing, you can't finish it in a sitting, as Final Fantasy
VII will be a solid 40 to 50-hour commitment for the average
role-playing gamer. Otherwise, you might be taken aback by the
extensive, text-heavy dialogue; there is no speech at all in
Final Fantasy VII, in the interest of letting your imagination do
a little work. Though you will make many small-scale decisions
over the course of the game, on the whole, the story follows a
very linear path. This linearity is a by-product of the plot's
complexity, however - certainly a respectable sacrifice.
Sony's translation of the original Japanese dialogue is direct
and first-rate, much to the of Final Fantasy purists
everywhere. Nitpickers may identify a very occasional spelling or
grammar error ("Off course!" agrees Cloud at the Golden Saucer
battle arena), but otherwise this text-heavy game reads just
right, flawlessly conveying each character's distinct
personality. Even the foul-mouthed costars of the game retain
their affronting attitudes, as Sony went as far as to translate
certain four-letter words in the interest of staying true to the
Japanese script. --Greg Kasavin
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot
logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc. -- GameSpot Review