Review: Final Fantasy VII

I don't think there's a single gamer out there who wouldn't recognize the characters from one of the biggest games to hit the Playstation console. Characters like the spikey haired broad sword wielding Cloud Strife, the hot headed Tifa Lockhart or the psychotic mastermind Sephiroth should be familiar with gamers of all kinds. These were just a few of the familiar faces to put their mark on the gaming world when the first Final Fantasy game hit a 3D console and they're characters that we could never forget. Of course you should have figured it out by now but if you haven't I'm talking about Final Fantasy VII.

By the standards today we may look back and say that the in game graphics weren't exactly anything impressive however for the time they were average. The battle and cutscene graphics were the complete opposite as they were sleek and something we had never yet seen from a game before.

However even if the graphics weren't top par what made the game one of the best was the epic storyline. The story starts off with a revolutionary group fighting back against a corrupt corporation known as Shinra who is slowly killing the planet they lived on by draining its energy and using it for their own good. This group hired an ex-troop from the Shinra's army, a man named Cloud Strife who is only in it for the money at the start. Cloud soon got more and more involved when a nightmare from his past made a return, the man who had destroyed his hometown who had once been a fellow member of Shinra's task force, SOLDIER. His name was Sephiroth and he was always known as the strongest and Cloud even wanted to become just like him at one time. That was until Sephiroth found out about how Shinra was created. That was when he turned with the new sole purpose of bringing forth the destruction of the planet using a giant meteor.

The character design is some of the best which is something that's come to be expected from Square. Even without voice acting for their characters Square still did a great job of showing their characters personalities even if it was through only text.

The leveling system in the game isn't much different from other Final Fantasy games keeping to a very similar turn based roleplaying game format. The format is very much the same as in previous installments of the Final Fantasy series as the turned base combat is on a bit of a more real time. In order to attack you'll need to wait for an action bar for each character in your party to fill after each action. The same rules apply to the enemies too even though you won't exactly be able to see their bar.

The upgrade system which includes both the magic and abilities given to each character are developed in a unique way. They're given to each party member by equipping orb like objects known as Materia. These Materia are equip to your characters weapons, armor, and accessories giving them the magic and abilities attached to them. These Materia can include many familiar elemental magics as well as summons and even son brand new ones.

With the epic storyline crossing over three separate disks which was unheard of at the time. An all new massive world to explore as well as the all so memorable characters. The music in the game was orchestrated just for the game giving it a very similar feel to many of the Final Fantasy games from the past. At first I wasn't sure this was a game that needed no review but I couldn't exactly to pass up the opportunity to give my input on what is considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. The price of the game at this time is a little outrageous but it is a game that is worth a play for all Final Fantasy fans.