(Playstation/PC, Square, 1997)
As of this writing, I'm not feeling very good at all. I'm miserable beyond sin and full to bursting with a horrible sense of despair and melancholy. That isn't important to this blog. What is however, is the next game on the list is Final Fantasy VII and in my present state of mind my ability to discuss this game without overwhelming levels of intolerable emo cannot be guaranteed.
Oh, and this, like all my entries, may contain major spoilers.
What can be said about FFVII that hasn't be documented in the thirteen years since it was thrust upon Playstation as one of the absolute must-haves for the console? Nothing. Its all been said before, so all I can do is add my voice to the lifestream and record what this game means to me.
Final Fantasy VII is a breath-taking masterpiece. An epic RPG telling the story of a young man and an adventure that begins with an act of terrorism and ends with a cataclysmic event that could end life itself. Along the way, Cloud Strife will meet many friends and adversaries and the player will be called upon to use their very best skills to help our heroes reach the destinies awaiting them some fifty or so hours later.
In doing research for this entry I was reminded of the incredible size of the FFVII universe and timeline, with a cast of hundreds and a history spanning back far enough to warrant a prequel (FFVII: Crisis Core) FFVII truly went above and beyond the call of duty when it comes to providing players with a fully inhabited world of colourful and unique individuals with deep backstories given to as many of these characters as possible.
The beautiful, lavish FFVII soundtrack is in the safe hands of the celebrated Nobuo Uematsu, a man of amazing talent who can bring any required emotion he pleases out of his audience. From excitement and fear to reflection and overwhelming sadness, Uematsu's soundtrack reigns as one of the finest VGMs ever created.
I won't spend any time discussing how the game plays, that is documented everywhere else, I'll just say that I hadn't played an RPG in a very long time before FFVII but found the system easy to pick up while still being reasonably deep. The same applies to the combat which is friendly to new players but still has underlying levels of depth and strategy for RPG veterans.
The story is the heart of FFVII and it's one of the most emotional stories written for the medium. Whilst suffering from FF's trademark self-indulgence, it is a deep, complex (occasionally confusing) intelligent and touching series of epic events. FFVII truly drew me in to its world and did what any story-based videogame HAS to do to even warrant my attention: It made me care about the characters as if they were real people.
The death of Aerith Gainsborough was a sudden and brave move by the writers, a move that also broke me. I am completely cool with admitting to the incredible sense of loss and tragedy I felt at the fate of a fictional character. In fact, I'm glad I was so upset by it, it's one of the signs that no matter how long I have played or will continue to play videogames for, there has been no desensitising of my feelings toward good storytelling.
The remake rumour mill has churned for years now, with a new release of the game seeming more likely by the year. I'm not on that bandwagon. To me, re-making FFVII would mean remaking every important game in history. While you're at it, why not remake Resident Evil 2? and Secret of Mana? and Fable? and Metal Gear: Solid? and FFVIII?
No. Leave FFVII in 1997, without speech, without sultry-anime CGI and without Leona Lewis songs. If you truly love this game, you won't want to play it any other way than the way it was originally intended.
I'm aware it is cliched and seemingly taboo to praise FFVII as a masterpiece, I have to feel pity for all those "holier than thou" gamers who take much delight in loudly proclaiming to anyone who will listen about how the game is "overrated" Whilst I believe everyone's argument is valid, some critics are trying way too hard to be cool and different.
This is a game beyond my writing capabilities, so I'll leave it at this:
Final Fantasy VII has a indelible mark in history and in the hearts of many gamers forever, it is undeniably one of the best videogames ever made...
..quite possibly THE best.
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