about FFVII

[anti_flag_army]

So i am not a fan of rpg's at all, unless you count any of the mario rpg's. My girlfriend on the other hand is a major rpg person. She has never played the coveted final fantasy VII, and with how much a copy costs these days she wasnt going to be playing it any time soon.

But i was checking out the PS store and found you could DL it for 10 bucks, so i got it for her as we have both heard its a must play game. I DL it, install it..... and am shocked at how horrible the game is (sound and graphics) I understand its a 12 year old game, but seriously those characters look so ridiculous that i couldnt take the game seriously.

The music sounds like it came from the old casio in my closet, and no VO at all?? thats a deal breaker right there.

No real point to this thread, not trying to start flame war, im not spoiled by good graphics, i just prefer my games to not make me want to gouge my eyes out. So what are your guy's opinions on the game? Best game ever? Most overrated ever? Stupidest Price for an old PS1 game ever?

[MinisterofDOOM]

I don't know why everyone seems to think FFVII is expensive or hard to find. Used copies are EVERYWHERE for <$20.

[takethewall]

A store i was at up in Columbus OH had an original non-greatest hits for $175. Talk about idiotic. I like the game but I do think its overrated.

[xekushnr]

I'm sure your feelings would have been much different in 1997. For instance I love RPGs but never played such staples as Breath of Fire, Earthbound etc. until I got into the whole emulator thing. I dont like those games. Everyone who had them when they were kids dont understand why. Of course you're not going to be impressed, it's 12 years old. You like your cell phone? Use this brick from the 80s. Your house? Why not live in a wooden hut? It's all antiquated compared to what you're used to.

If you try to get past the graphics you will see that the game is so wonderfully written and produced. The storyline is great and actually pretty dark at times. The gameplay is incredible. I havent found a fighting system for RPGs that I like better than FFVII.

[Axel Grungy]

If you try to get past the graphics you will see that the game is so wonderfully written and produced. The storyline is great and actually pretty dark at times. The gameplay is incredible. I havent found a fighting system for RPGs that I like better than FFVII.

I dont really see whats so bad about the graphics?? I mean yeah when you are running around cloud looks all blocky haha. But the fight scene graphics are not bad (frickin awesome for the time tho) i remember playing it when it came out and i was amazed lol. The map backgrounds are great IMHO. Theres still no other RPG that stacks up to this one for me. Ive played it thru a good 5 times at least.

[Nali]

I havent found a fighting system for RPGs that I like better than FFVII.

Star Ocean 4.Tales of Vesperia.Eternal Sonata - Trusty BellAnd If you can master it, The Last Remnant.

If you liked Final Fantasy VIIs' Combat system you should definitely check these games out.

[RCA]

Well those graphics are from PS1 so yeah they look like a bunch of polygon squares held together with loads of fail. But almost every PS1 looks like that.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Judging old classics by their graphics and sound is like Judging a Ferrari on it's lack of Nav and subwoofers.

Lucasarts just re-released the original Monkey Island, I game I have very fond memories of. It has a mode with updated graphics and sound but I find myself playing it in classic mode because it has so much more soul. The graphics are crap, there's no narration, and the sound is midi. But that's BETTER in a lot of ways. The new voice actors don't read the lines the way I imagined them, anyway, so I'd prefer they just shut up.

[bmike818]

for me FFIX and FFX was the best of the series IMO.

If I had to choose it would be FFX.

[takethewall]

for me FFIX and FFX was the best of the series IMO.

If I had to choose it would be FFX.

Agree, FFX was the best. VII was my second favorite. Didn't really play IX. It never really sucked me in. I'll have to give it a shot again.

[HashiriyaS14]

I don't know why everyone seems to think FFVII is expensive or hard to find. Used copies are EVERYWHERE for <$20.

I used to think this, but nowadays I see complete black labels on eBay for close to $100 and complete GH copies for like $40-70. It's nuts.

I'll buy every $20 copy you can find. I'd love to fill a box with copies of this game and just hold it for a few years.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I can get $70 for my green label copy? Time to find the box it's hiding in. I've got the PSP version now, which is all I need.

[Hijacker]

Anytime I hear someone say X is the best in the series, it makes me want to choke nuns.

VII is by far one of the best in the series. It mainstreamed a niche genre and did a good job of presenting a well polished battle system. The story was well written, even with the translation errors that were present.

However, VI is the all time best final fantasy. Anyone that says X is, I want them to spend time with an SNES and VI. They will quickly change their mind when they play one of the best stories in RPG history backed with a great iteration of the ATB system and where each character was inherently different. Also, non-linear questing == fun in a video game.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Chrono Trigger > Final Fantasy anyway.

[KC240SR]

FFVII is the best in the series, IX and X were also good, but in my opinion VII blows them out of the water. Its more about the impact the game had at the time and the story than the graphics. Hell, when FFVII was released it was pushing the boundries of graphics in video games, those cut-scenes were some of the highest quality rendering of the era. So if a lack of good graphics will keep you from taking this game seriously and playing it, then just play FFX and be done with it.

Also, I had no idea about the prices of these games, I have an original all black case one, and I didn't know it was worth a decent chunk of change.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Hell, when FFVII was released it was pushing the boundries of graphics in video games

Not really. I hear people say this a lot, but I think they must not really remember much about other games the era. What made FFVII's graphics notable at the time was not that they were great, but that it was the first 3D FF title. The graphics themselves were completely average, even the cutscenes.

They weren't even outstanding by playstation standards. Plenty of games for the system had demonstrated prettier graphics and superior 3d models on a larger scale. FFVII tended to concentrate on disproportionate, low-poly character models in confined, low-poly environments. Even early PSX games did better than that. But it didn't really matter, because the game still had a great atmosphere...something I'm sure it could have pulled off even with 2D graphics.

Look at some other games from 1997:OddworldTotal AnnihilationTomb Raider 2Wing Commander ProphecyQuake IICarmageddonMDKMythGran TurismoRiven

All of those blew FFVII away in terms of graphics, and many of them were also PSX titles.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

OMG, Total Annihilation....sweetest freaking RPG...if only it weren't for the crappy unit intelligence. You could even modify the game by adding units to the already long list. The 3d terrain system was incredible at the time.And yeah...anyone bashing on FF7 are clearly victims of mind worms.

[Hijacker]

Total Annihilation was an RTS. One of the most baddest assed RTSes of all time. Supreme Commander was good, but it was no TA.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Oops...yeh I meant RTS. You can download unit packs and they prolly have AI upgrades available now...I never got the expansion though.

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

Oops...yeh I meant RTS. You can download unit packs and they prolly have AI upgrades available now...I never got the expansion though.

...downloading now

[MinisterofDOOM]

I enjoyed TA but never picked up Supreme Commander out of fear of disappointment.

[bmike818]

And yeah...anyone bashing on FF7 are clearly victims of mind worms.

[HashiriyaS14]

When people say "FFVII had good graphics", they're not talking polygon counts versus Tomb Raider 2 or whatever.

FFVII was the first truly cinematic RPG. It used 3D and FMV to really tell a story in a much more immersive way than, say, FFVI could manage. This is why it was so revolutionary, it was the first real mainstream modern RPG.

Of course, Wild Arms did exactly the same thing on a smaller scale and did it first, but everyone always forgets about that.

Regardless, FFVII is the first *mainstream* RPG to really use the power of 3D and FMV to involve the player. It utilized that generation of graphics to actually DO something, which is why it is so well remembered.

If you're going to compare FF7 and Wild Arms to anything, you have to compare them to 2D RPG's, as that was really all there was before those two games came out.

I think there was another 3D Saturn RPG also around the same time, don't recall the name.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Well...be that as it may...technical graphics prowess is not restricted to genre. It was not impressive technically, regardless of what JRPGs did before it. My good friend who happens to be a FF nut blows a fuse when I point this out, and starts mentioning the 3D "backgrounds" (which right there says all you need to know to realize they're not that special). Small single-angle 3D backgrounds aren't much to brag about. Very little detail.

Though, again, I will admit that FFVII managed to achieve a lot of atmostphere with those limited graphics. But they're not impressive. Good, sure. But amazing or first or best? No way. Only if you restrict them to PSX JRPGs do they even stand out at all. I would never hold any other game to those narrow criteria for judging. FFVII can be no exception.

[segadrm]

yea the graphics are bad but u got to remember is a ps1 game and plus ff7 at the time the cutscenes where amazing for ps1 u got to luv the cut scenes!! but it has a really good story to it and game play is awsome!