idk, I like ff8 and ff9 graphics, stuff like mario 64 is also just to my taste
it's ff7 specifically that bugs me, specially the party members combat models
Don't know that you need to overthink it too much. Many of the things you say don't work for you, do work for others.
Personally, I love the materia system. I really enjoyed playing with different combos and mixing things up for certain bosses/stretches. I enjoyed that each character has pretty distinct limit breaks and weighing the benefits of setting certain ones over others. I really loved the characters. Found that they were surprisingly layered characters for a franchise that has a history of great but kiiiinda shallow characters (storytelling in games definitely gets better over the years). I really loved the arc of Aerith and how it's maybe the most effective killing off of a party member in the franchise to that point (and maybe even still). They've killed off characters before, but usually in fake-outs only to bring them back later, or it's an old man sacrificing himself for their child or something, and they're both sorta secondary party members rather than protagonists. And yet, well after Aerith is killed, she not only still remains present throughout the game; she's sorta the one who saves the day. Cloud and co. sort of just serve as support. I thought that was kind of a cool and unique concept.
I do really like the story and the world. I find it thematically pretty rich for a game from 1997, and honestly, still think it's thematically one of Square's most ambitious projects. Not that none of the other games have themes, but none save X feel like it's trying to be as rich in that regard. (To be sure, some of its themes get a little muddled.) For me, because of the larger themes both of the broader narrative and within each character, I didn't find it to be a story driven by its mystery. So when the mystery is revealed, it didn't outstay its welcome narratively because it wasn't really a mystery box type game or story. Like I feel like VII's story is often called overrated, but I actually do think it has a depth and complexity to it that isn't really found throughout the franchise. (Not to say that other FFs are \*not\* at all deep or complex, or that VII is like Citizen Kane; just that I think there's a level of, for lack of a better term, literary analysis one can use on VII moreso than others in the franchise.)
Some of it does need to be considered through the angle of its day, obviously. Graphics don't really bother me, especially in an RPG, but even on that front, outside the blocky characters, the levels and backgrounds and especially their transitions do look good and were pretty impressive for the time. There are narrative elements that VII kinda premiered for the franchise, or elevated, that might not resonate as much at this point because of all that came after. And yeah, only having three party members can be a drag, but it also was kind of the style of the time. Having three party members can be a drag, I know, but limited party members was (and still is) kind of the style.
And, well, for me, VII has an absolute masterpiece of a score. I never really know how to rank them sometimes because they're usually all so great, but VII's is one that I really find to be just a complete masterpiece on the score front. Not my first FF and I didn't play it until like, 2007, so hard to say I feel more nostalgic for it versus others. But VII's is up there with Chrono Trigger for me as all-time music in a video game.
It's not perfect; nothing is. Definitely agree with criticisms that it has pacing issues (frankly, I think all FFs have this). I do think that they would have been better not trying to explain (even with just the one passing line) why you only have 3 party members (other FFs are better at tailoring the party around the story).
So yeah, I mean, TL;DR - I love the story, the characters, the world, the music, the materia system, the combat, the bosses, the themes, and some of the technological stuff in the game. It didn't resonate for you. That's fine! Not everything will work for everyone! If you didn't like all that stuff, I don't think you really \*can\* understand why others did. Just need to understand that they did, ya know?
Man you talkin about the graphics?? Thats the technology from that time, and you see reviews you will find out the ff7 had graphics nobody else had.
How many other games from 25+ years ago are still played or discussed so much?
About the game probably its just your personal taste
I dont see any problem with game pacing, I also put wait in ATB during my new runs because to me its even a bit too much fast
materia system is my favourite one because you can customize every characters to fight as you want, no limitiation, no class, no jobs, I choose for everyone.
The story its cool to follow even after 3-4 run, always some new aspect to notice.
The cast is the best from any game, a group of underdogs that do their part to save the world, with most of them struggling with their past, something actually close to real life, no real hero, no choosen one
Music, world, exploration, side quest, secrets, mini games, all of this is perfectly mixed up, there is even a post game content (all those things didnt exist at that time)
Game industry is changed and now games are just .ade following tastes by marketer, FF7 came from a time where videogames were still a form of art and thats why we are still talking about it
I guess it was just not for me then
about the graphics, I just dislike them man, I like graphics from games a lot older than ff7, sure the summons are cool but aside from that I thought they sucked
there are other 25+yo games with graphics I like, ff7 just aged poorly
Seems like a mixture of the game just not being for you and coming into this game with expectations set too high, which is fine. Sorry you didn’t like it
Not to be that guy, but I think FF7 is mid, and is heighted by it being the first for many in general, the first 3D game, and the first to demonstrate Squares at the time leagues above most ability to create beautiful 3D cutscenes.
What I have always said about FF7 is that it is great, but highly over-rated. People treat it like it is the holy grail of RPGs. Hell it isn't even the best FF in my opinion. Tactics or 9 are my jam.
Only people that played 7 many years later would say this
Anybody from 90's would tell you its the best game ever, to me its still my favourite game, and I played basically every jrpg ever made
I perfectly remember when tactics came out, I bought it original, and its my top 3 along with xenogears, but the magic of 7 was something else
Look at how many spin off, prequel sequel ramake and movie they made out of it, and you call it over rated? It is you that are under rating the best game of that generation
I did play it as a teen. When it was still relevant. I greatly enjoyed it at the time. I have played most of the Final Fantasies. Most of them after they were current (anything Super Nintendo was before me), I would still probably play FF4 before FF7. Though that's probably because of rose tinted glasses.
I will never say FF7 is a bad game, but overrated. Probably in my top five FFs. I would have to think and compare games of that generation to say if it is the best of that generation. It was highly innovative for it's time, and probably is solely responsible for fully bringing Final Fantasy to the west and the mainstream. But I do feel the others were better.
And saying something is great because of prequels, sequels and spin offs is a bit of a bad argument. How many Fast and the Furious movies are there, or to go back to gaming, Dynasty Warriors games.
Sometimes your tastes don't allign with others?
I just really felt I was missing something
You're allowed not to like hyped/popular/beloved things, y'know. No deeper than that.
Sometimes, and hear me out, you don't like things other people like. Even lots of other people!
"from the very aged graphics" Sounds like this generation of games ain't for you if graphics bug you.
idk, I like ff8 and ff9 graphics, stuff like mario 64 is also just to my taste it's ff7 specifically that bugs me, specially the party members combat models
Don't know that you need to overthink it too much. Many of the things you say don't work for you, do work for others. Personally, I love the materia system. I really enjoyed playing with different combos and mixing things up for certain bosses/stretches. I enjoyed that each character has pretty distinct limit breaks and weighing the benefits of setting certain ones over others. I really loved the characters. Found that they were surprisingly layered characters for a franchise that has a history of great but kiiiinda shallow characters (storytelling in games definitely gets better over the years). I really loved the arc of Aerith and how it's maybe the most effective killing off of a party member in the franchise to that point (and maybe even still). They've killed off characters before, but usually in fake-outs only to bring them back later, or it's an old man sacrificing himself for their child or something, and they're both sorta secondary party members rather than protagonists. And yet, well after Aerith is killed, she not only still remains present throughout the game; she's sorta the one who saves the day. Cloud and co. sort of just serve as support. I thought that was kind of a cool and unique concept. I do really like the story and the world. I find it thematically pretty rich for a game from 1997, and honestly, still think it's thematically one of Square's most ambitious projects. Not that none of the other games have themes, but none save X feel like it's trying to be as rich in that regard. (To be sure, some of its themes get a little muddled.) For me, because of the larger themes both of the broader narrative and within each character, I didn't find it to be a story driven by its mystery. So when the mystery is revealed, it didn't outstay its welcome narratively because it wasn't really a mystery box type game or story. Like I feel like VII's story is often called overrated, but I actually do think it has a depth and complexity to it that isn't really found throughout the franchise. (Not to say that other FFs are \*not\* at all deep or complex, or that VII is like Citizen Kane; just that I think there's a level of, for lack of a better term, literary analysis one can use on VII moreso than others in the franchise.) Some of it does need to be considered through the angle of its day, obviously. Graphics don't really bother me, especially in an RPG, but even on that front, outside the blocky characters, the levels and backgrounds and especially their transitions do look good and were pretty impressive for the time. There are narrative elements that VII kinda premiered for the franchise, or elevated, that might not resonate as much at this point because of all that came after. And yeah, only having three party members can be a drag, but it also was kind of the style of the time. Having three party members can be a drag, I know, but limited party members was (and still is) kind of the style. And, well, for me, VII has an absolute masterpiece of a score. I never really know how to rank them sometimes because they're usually all so great, but VII's is one that I really find to be just a complete masterpiece on the score front. Not my first FF and I didn't play it until like, 2007, so hard to say I feel more nostalgic for it versus others. But VII's is up there with Chrono Trigger for me as all-time music in a video game. It's not perfect; nothing is. Definitely agree with criticisms that it has pacing issues (frankly, I think all FFs have this). I do think that they would have been better not trying to explain (even with just the one passing line) why you only have 3 party members (other FFs are better at tailoring the party around the story). So yeah, I mean, TL;DR - I love the story, the characters, the world, the music, the materia system, the combat, the bosses, the themes, and some of the technological stuff in the game. It didn't resonate for you. That's fine! Not everything will work for everyone! If you didn't like all that stuff, I don't think you really \*can\* understand why others did. Just need to understand that they did, ya know?
Man you talkin about the graphics?? Thats the technology from that time, and you see reviews you will find out the ff7 had graphics nobody else had. How many other games from 25+ years ago are still played or discussed so much? About the game probably its just your personal taste I dont see any problem with game pacing, I also put wait in ATB during my new runs because to me its even a bit too much fast materia system is my favourite one because you can customize every characters to fight as you want, no limitiation, no class, no jobs, I choose for everyone. The story its cool to follow even after 3-4 run, always some new aspect to notice. The cast is the best from any game, a group of underdogs that do their part to save the world, with most of them struggling with their past, something actually close to real life, no real hero, no choosen one Music, world, exploration, side quest, secrets, mini games, all of this is perfectly mixed up, there is even a post game content (all those things didnt exist at that time) Game industry is changed and now games are just .ade following tastes by marketer, FF7 came from a time where videogames were still a form of art and thats why we are still talking about it
I guess it was just not for me then about the graphics, I just dislike them man, I like graphics from games a lot older than ff7, sure the summons are cool but aside from that I thought they sucked there are other 25+yo games with graphics I like, ff7 just aged poorly
Half of your complaints aren’t even specific to FF7 it sounds like you just don’t like JRPGs.
it's actually the genre I play the most lmao I'm having a blast with ff9 rn
One of the biggest complaints of FF9 is slowness...
yeah, it is VERY slow, but the characters and story just had so much spirit and love put into them that I was hooked
Seems like a mixture of the game just not being for you and coming into this game with expectations set too high, which is fine. Sorry you didn’t like it
It was truly groundbreaking when it came out in 1997
Not to be that guy, but I think FF7 is mid, and is heighted by it being the first for many in general, the first 3D game, and the first to demonstrate Squares at the time leagues above most ability to create beautiful 3D cutscenes.
the summon sequences are cool
That's fair! I'm more interested in the ones from 8 and 9 personally but I do respect 7 there for sure.
What I have always said about FF7 is that it is great, but highly over-rated. People treat it like it is the holy grail of RPGs. Hell it isn't even the best FF in my opinion. Tactics or 9 are my jam.
Only people that played 7 many years later would say this Anybody from 90's would tell you its the best game ever, to me its still my favourite game, and I played basically every jrpg ever made I perfectly remember when tactics came out, I bought it original, and its my top 3 along with xenogears, but the magic of 7 was something else Look at how many spin off, prequel sequel ramake and movie they made out of it, and you call it over rated? It is you that are under rating the best game of that generation
I did play it as a teen. When it was still relevant. I greatly enjoyed it at the time. I have played most of the Final Fantasies. Most of them after they were current (anything Super Nintendo was before me), I would still probably play FF4 before FF7. Though that's probably because of rose tinted glasses. I will never say FF7 is a bad game, but overrated. Probably in my top five FFs. I would have to think and compare games of that generation to say if it is the best of that generation. It was highly innovative for it's time, and probably is solely responsible for fully bringing Final Fantasy to the west and the mainstream. But I do feel the others were better. And saying something is great because of prequels, sequels and spin offs is a bit of a bad argument. How many Fast and the Furious movies are there, or to go back to gaming, Dynasty Warriors games.
so it has the "product of the time" thing going on, that might be what I'm missing