Ariz. (13 News) – Final Fantasy 7 is arguably the most famous Japanese RPG of all time. Regardless of how into video games you are, you probably know the big twist that shocked gamers in 1997 and remains one of the most iconic moments in the medium. Fans of Final Fantasy tend to have other favorite games in the franchise, but for most mainstream gamers, Final Fantasy 7 remains a favorite
It was only a matter of time until Square Enix decided to capitalize on their late-90s success and introduce a new generation of gamers to Midgar and its beloved characters.
Final Fantasy 7: Remake is a technical marvel and doesn’t wait to tell you so. From its opening cutscene, you’re pulled into one of the most detailed and gorgeous fantasy worlds ever committed to a video game. The sheer detail of everything is awe-inspiring and makes for a world that feels real and lived in. As you take the role of Cloud and take on your first group of Shinra security forces, you can’t help but be immediately immersed.
Let’s start with a quick overview of the story. Which is kind of impossible because the story is Hideo Kojima-level complicated, with so many characters and events that new players will likely not just enter the game kind of confused but leave much the same.
The gist is that Cloud Strife is a former SOLDIER, a Mako-infused heavy for the Shinra Corporation. Shinra controls Midgar and is a massive corporation that builds cities, protects the citizens, and harvests the Earth’s energy (Mako). Cloud left SOLDIER and now operates as a mercenary. As you take control of him, he’s been hired by the eco-terrorist group Avalanche, a ragtag group set on destroying the Mako reactors and protecting the planet. He teams up with the gun-armed Barret Wallace and others in their first attempt to stop a reactor’s operations.
As Cloud grows closer to Avalanche and their operations become of greater consequence, he becomes entangled in deeper political and magical intrigues, most of which are centered on the unassuming flower girl Aerith.
There’s also a long-haired, shirtless one-winged angel dude with a massive sword, Cloud’s childhood friend turned bartending martial artist, an angry talking lion, Pitbull, a K-Pop star with a stun baton – and so many more great characters.
The biggest complaint the FFVII remakes get is the fact that it’s taking a single game and splitting it into 3 – and the breadth of characters and their interactions is my answer to why that strategy works in the remakes’ favor. The original game could only do so much because of the limitations of the hardware. With gaming tech light-years beyond where it was 30 years ago, being able to really expand on the world and build the characters and their dynamics.
That is essential for making Remake as good as it is. Because, again, the core of this game is its characters, and Cloud’s interactions with Tifa, Barret, and Aerith are exceptional. The writing can fall into goofy anime territory, and there are some moments that are jaw-dropping in their tonal whiplash from the rest of the game, but you will wholly invest yourself in most of these characters.
Gameplay-wise, the turn-based style of the original has given way to a hybrid of button-mashing action and slowed-down strategy. Each character brings a new dimension to battle, with Cloud and Tifa being up-close-and-personal attackers and Barret and Aerith serving as long-range attackers. At any time, you can stop the action and command your characters to either perform magic, use items, or do a special attack. As you progress, enemy types get more complicated, requiring specific magics to help you stagger them and deal immense damage. To accomplish this, you’ll need to equip the right materia, which allow you to utilize magic. On harder difficulties, being deliberate in using your limited magical resources and approaching battles with the correct materia is a must; though easier difficulties are more forgiving with that.
There is enough enemy variety to keep you on your toes and a bevy of intense boss battles that will test your mettle. While a good combat system, I will say it isn’t too satisfying overall. Effective, but not worth writing home about.
The few glimmers of variety to the gameplay tend to be related to the story or quarantined to side content. At one point, there is a fantastic rhythm mini-game that is never capitalized on. You can also do the squat mini-game, which…is fine. But for the most part, the game is focused on the plot and combat, with even side quests tending toward action rather than variety.
My biggest complaint about the game is that it uses its expanded runtime to great effect but also to its detriment. There is clear bloat at certain points: little side quests that don’t move the plot forward and drag. I’m looking at the trainyard and Hojo’s lab especially. The latter is near the very end of the game and takes a lot of forward momentum out of that last act.
Despite a handful of issues, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a stunning game and one of the best modern remakes out there. It manages to respect the legacy of the original and update it in a way that makes Remake distinctly its own. There is bloat; the side content is underwhelming, but those are minor criticisms in the face of all that Remake accomplishes.
Pros:Fantastic storytelling, endearing characters, a gorgeous and fully realized world.
Cons:Some areas drag on too long, side content is underwhelming
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