Genre: RPG | Players: 1 | Developer: Square Product Development Division 1
At last, we have come to this. This isn’t the greatest game ever made. This isn’t a 5. It isn’t even a 4. Come at me.
Surprisingly, there was a period of my life where I forsook this game. This was much at odds to how I felt about it upon its release. You can be critical about anything you please as ‘free-thinking’ human beings, but I don’t feel bringing the full-force of your logic to bear on a series called Final FANTASY is the best use of your time. Weird shit happens in these games. Shit that sometimes doesn’t make a lick of sense. That’s okay, because whether or not you enjoy something ultimately comes down to how it makes you feel. The allusions to Norse mythology and modern philosophy are peachy-fucking-keen, though, don’t get me wrong. For a title focusing on protecting ‘the planet,’ this doesn’t even feel particularly influenced by hippie propaganda.
This game gives me a huge nostalgia boner, I’m not going to lie. The gameplay is polished (if overly, OVERLY simple) even if the spelling is not. Expect a large handful of typos in the PSX release. VII is the stock-standard prototype for menu-based, multi-disc Japanese rpgs with big hair, big swords, and big optional bosses. In some ways it even outshines the other FF games of that console generation. Someone please tell me why IX looks like kitty litter—especially after VIII. I think it holds up well enough, but then again I've been playing it off and on since release. *shrug*
There are problems, however, no doubt. I, literally seconds ago, learned something from a FAQ about the plot that I have been oblivious to for 16 years. Why have I never learned this from the game itself? Still, the problems with it are not nearly as jarring as some would have you believe. If you enjoy jrpgs and somehow haven’t played this, fix it. You don’t have to become a blind, raving fanboy (calamity from the internets, mir?) and you don’t have to revile it in some holier-than-thou manner, either.
You can like it for what it is (or not), and ignore the drama and bullshit.
It’s not worth the hype, or inflated black-label prices, but it is worth the price PSN is charging.
Buyer’s Guide: It’s an original playstation game, but unless you want to pay out the nose get it from the PSN and enjoy it on your PS3 or PSP. Patching the PC version is increasingly a nightmare, or so I hear.
Buyer’s Guide: It’s an original playstation game, but unless you want to pay out the nose get it from the PSN and enjoy it on your PS3 or PSP. Patching the PC version is increasingly a nightmare, or so I hear.
3 ‘I fucking know which way the cannon is, guys’ out of 5
2 comments:
I didn't play it at time of release. I got it years later when it hit PSN. As such, I didn't have that WOW experience that it was something new and unseen, because I'd already played some of the later entries.
There were moments I found really exciting. I adore an over-world map, so it had that in its favour. And the materia system was good. It was logical, and easy to shuffle around.
Conversely, there were moments I found dull as paint, and irritating.
But overall, it was an enjoyable game.
I’m going with either a 3½ or a weak 4 out of 5. :p
I like VIII better.
There was a project on the go by a bunch of fanboys to render the PC version in higher res but I don’t know if it ever came to fruition.
Haven't played it in years. Last time I tried my fucking eyes started to hurt from the god awful polygonal 3D. Other than that though, it is still pretty solid RPG even though the interesting plot (rebels against a corrupt corporation) was eventually supplanted by a more grandiose, but stereotypical one that is par for the course in these games. I enjoyed it.
3½ Cutscene disconnect causing flame wars out of 5
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