Final Fantasy VII

 PlayStation
User Score
9.0

Universal acclaim- based on 2606 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,325 out of 2606
  2. Mixed: 105 out of 2606
  3. Negative: 176 out of 2606
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  1. snespowergames
    Jan 22, 2015
    8
    I Really like FFVII, I'm not a fanboy that adore this game and say "The Best Game Ever" but I really like it.
    The graphics try to look like FFVI, on a SD/Chibi Style, but... Don't get too well on 3D however, I Like a lot of the cutscenes (but they are slow), and scenerys are really beutiful.
    About the gameplay, hardly gets repetitious, because all the minigames there have, but overall,    I Really like FFVII, I'm not a fanboy that adore this game and say "The Best Game Ever" but I really like it.
    The graphics try to look like FFVI, on a SD/Chibi Style, but... Don't get too well on 3D however, I Like a lot of the cutscenes (but they are slow), and scenerys are really beutiful.
    About the gameplay, hardly gets repetitious, because all the minigames there have, but overall, it's a classic RPG gameplay and prepare yourself to grind, because you will need it.
    The history are really a mess, and it's too much riped from FFVI, the characters are ok, my favority is Cid (the best cid on FF), I like others like: Barret,Tifa and Yuffe
    It's a good game overall, have there moments, the history is good and the graphics are ok... It's a difficult game (if you have don't have pacient to grind) have o lot of sidequest (breeding chocobos are really boring), but I really don't undertend why it's so acclaimed, I think it is... a little... empty...
    (Sorry for my english, I'm Brasilian)    … Expand
  2. samuraigaiden
    Jan 11, 2015
    5
    As someone who was into gaming and JRPGs back when FF7, I can easily understand why people went nuts for it back then. Playing it for the first time in 2014, all I can say is that the game doesn't live up to the hype and has aged poorly.

    Combat is predictable and incredibly easy, with very little need strategy or the need to understand the enemies and their skills. Materia system is    As someone who was into gaming and JRPGs back when FF7, I can easily understand why people went nuts for it back then. Playing it for the first time in 2014, all I can say is that the game doesn't live up to the hype and has aged poorly.

    Combat is predictable and incredibly easy, with very little need strategy or the need to understand the enemies and their skills. Materia system is cool, but poorly implemented. They level up too slowly and make the characters feel indistinct in battle.

    The story has good moments, but really just stops in the end of Part 1 and never recovers. The necessity for one "Deus Ex Machina" solution after another in later game could be an indication that the plot changed a lot during development to appease executives and this resulted in the tonal disparity that is omnipresent in FF7's story telling.

    The thing that bothers me the most about FF7, even more than the Chocobo Farming, is the fact that it feels like an incredibly small step forward from FF6. The systems and the game flow feel so similar that it's kind of disappointing.

    All the new things introduced by FF7 are related to cut-scenes and graphics. The core game behind all the bells and whistles is 16-bit through and through.

    For me, Final Fantasy 7 has been an underwhelming experience.    … Expand
  3. Noin007
    Jan 4, 2015
    10
    Quite simply my favorite game on any system. There's virtually nothing I don't love about this game. I've played it from beginning to end more than 25 times.
    I love the characters, story, music, style, world, combat, magic system...
    About the only negative I can really give is that it is in desperate need of a serious graphical update. Hopefully someday Square will get its head out of    Quite simply my favorite game on any system. There's virtually nothing I don't love about this game. I've played it from beginning to end more than 25 times.
    I love the characters, story, music, style, world, combat, magic system...
    About the only negative I can really give is that it is in desperate need of a serious graphical update. Hopefully someday Square will get its head out of its ass and give us a proper HD remake.    … Expand
  4. banda89
    Dec 31, 2014
    6
    Most overrated game of all time? Possibly, it's definitely in my top 5, now don't get me wrong I'm not saying it's a bad game, not at all, and I'm aware that it did a lot for the genre. But that doesn't make it the best final fantasy game, most influential? maybe. It was the last of the PS final fantasies that I played, and after hearing and reading all of the wonderful things this gameMost overrated game of all time? Possibly, it's definitely in my top 5, now don't get me wrong I'm not saying it's a bad game, not at all, and I'm aware that it did a lot for the genre. But that doesn't make it the best final fantasy game, most influential? maybe. It was the last of the PS final fantasies that I played, and after hearing and reading all of the wonderful things this game had to offered I couldn't wait to play it.
    A bit overhyped? I'm sure I was, but then I played it and while I enjoyed it, I couldn't understand why it had such a dedicated group of fans. I won't say anything about the graphics because for it's time they were amazing, but they haven't aged well. Soundtrack, OMG this I gotta say has to be on par with FF IX.
    Battle System it's Ok, certainly wasn't a big fan of Materia and grinding magic and limit breaks, but hey that's just me.
    Cut Scenes, while it has some of the most memorable ones (sepiroth walking through the fire anyone?) some of them took Ages, seriously i grew a beard watching some of them.
    you have to give credit when they deserve it, Sepiroth may just be the most memorable character in FF history, and possibly in Video Game history, dude's just BA.

    While I enjoyed it, it was slow and tedious, has some moments where i could just fall asleep, and it most definitely is not the best FF out there, VI and IX are far more enjoyable.    … Expand
  5. Sintjago
    Dec 29, 2014
    10
    For the time it came out it was amazing, a trailblazer. The story remains with you years later. Yes, the graphics have aged and the UI is a bit clunky at times but when it came out it was something else. A true gem. It could be remade at some point to add more rounded edges, but its mini-games, story, and everything else was spot on.
  6. Hasuki
    Dec 17, 2014
    10
    Final fantasy 7 is a fond childhood memory. This is in my top 3 games of all time. Great story, great characters. Plenty of value for money.

    A solid 10/10. The type of game that comes along once every few generations.
  7. montero
    Dec 12, 2014
    10
    This game is perfect. Period.
    You have to keep in mind that it was released in 1997.
    And people are still asking for a remake on a high end console.
    It's like a gamer's dream. Unforgettable story and characters.
  8. Ontalios
    Dec 8, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy is without a doubt THE BEST GAME that i have ever played. Pair it up with Crisis Core (PSP) and Advent Children (animated movie), and you're in for the ride of your life. The story of each character is so perfectly described that you can only feel like you've known them for your entire life.
    Fx (SPOILER!) Aeris' death scene surprised me! the fact that Square Soft had the balls to even attempt a move like that, chills me to the my bones.
    You get so much enjoyment out of this game. There are countless possibilities. Choose your party, what materia, armour and weaponry they have. It's got amazingly entertaining stuff such as: The battling, Exploring of the map and of course the Chocobo Racing and breeding.
    I was left with a little tear about to roll down my cheek, because i felt like i was saying goodbye to a part of myself, which i invested in these characters. And also because i wanted more.
    This game woke more emotions in me than any other game, book, movie or TV-series ever managed.

    The only thing that's left to say is:
    Go play this game! and if you have already, go play it again.    … Expand
  9. Andjelico
    Nov 6, 2014
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is the best game i have played ever! The gameplay is really addictive, the music matches the atmosphere in this game, and the characters are really memorable.

    The first hours in this game can be a little boring, because you can only use a couple of magics and attacks, but everthing will get much better later. And who cares about the graphics when the game is so    Final Fantasy VII is the best game i have played ever! The gameplay is really addictive, the music matches the atmosphere in this game, and the characters are really memorable.

    The first hours in this game can be a little boring, because you can only use a couple of magics and attacks, but everthing will get much better later. And who cares about the graphics when the game is so awesome?

    The Materia system makes the player curious, because you can combine them and that does the game even more exciting and fun!

    If you are a RPG fan, then this is a must-play for you. 10/10 without a doubt.    … Expand
  10. SiAScORCH
    Nov 5, 2014
    10
    I think this game right here set the bar for RPG's and not to mention what to expect from FF series. I've been thinking of a way to put this game into words and have failed to come up with a way to describe how amazing this game is. I would honestly say this has been probably the best game I've played since, well ever really. You must play this game, if you don't then you cannot considerI think this game right here set the bar for RPG's and not to mention what to expect from FF series. I've been thinking of a way to put this game into words and have failed to come up with a way to describe how amazing this game is. I would honestly say this has been probably the best game I've played since, well ever really. You must play this game, if you don't then you cannot consider yourself a real gamer, because this is the ultimate game. It's very sad at some parts too, and how many of us can say that we've experienced games that capture our emotions?… Expand
  11. SwitSwat
    Oct 26, 2014
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is considered by many to be the best game in the franchise. Even if you don't think that, you still have to admit that it was as they would say, 'revolutionary.' The first true 3D game in the franchise contains a great story, memorable characters, and fun gameplay, overall. You'll get sucked right into this 40+ hour adventure. If you love Final Fantasy, or JRPGs, or youFinal Fantasy VII is considered by many to be the best game in the franchise. Even if you don't think that, you still have to admit that it was as they would say, 'revolutionary.' The first true 3D game in the franchise contains a great story, memorable characters, and fun gameplay, overall. You'll get sucked right into this 40+ hour adventure. If you love Final Fantasy, or JRPGs, or you are new to the franchise, definitely give this game a try. 10/10… Expand
  12. marcoballistic
    Oct 18, 2014
    10
    I'm in my mid 30's now, but I clearly remember reading a preview of Final Fantasy VII back in late 1995 when the original Playstation was still in its infancy. I loved the concept, and followed its development as best as I could in those pre internet days.

    Then it was released, in a vast hype build up and usually when you have so much hype, the game blows and sucks simultaneously... But    I'm in my mid 30's now, but I clearly remember reading a preview of Final Fantasy VII back in late 1995 when the original Playstation was still in its infancy. I loved the concept, and followed its development as best as I could in those pre internet days.

    Then it was released, in a vast hype build up and usually when you have so much hype, the game blows and sucks simultaneously... But how right all the reviews and hype was. This game defined my gaming life for years. and to a degree it still does. The story, the characters, the twists, plot development and music. It ticked every box several times. A tour de force of how to make a game that is worth 10 times its price.

    Anyone who did not like this game, well I feel sad for them. And anyone that found this game recently who is young, and is criticising it for its dated look etc. Jog on kiddies, you have no idea what your missing. There are hundred of games I love, but this, this is my mount Everest of gaming. There is no game more perfect in my humble opinion.    … Expand
  13. jonedark
    Oct 1, 2014
    10
    the best the best the Best game of world it is Memory i love this game today i it still keep untouching. i don care about the graifc this my frist rpg that i play at games. i pround to live in this time +_+ square pleas we want ramke
  14. VillainFan42
    Aug 25, 2014
    10
    This game gets an unfair bad rap because of the damage applied via the Compilation, and a vast majority of the complaints don't even apply to this game. Sure, the graphics haven't aged well, but everything else in this game is solid. The battle system is perfect, and the storyline, though complicated at first glance, will fall into place if you play through from beginning to end. FFVII isThis game gets an unfair bad rap because of the damage applied via the Compilation, and a vast majority of the complaints don't even apply to this game. Sure, the graphics haven't aged well, but everything else in this game is solid. The battle system is perfect, and the storyline, though complicated at first glance, will fall into place if you play through from beginning to end. FFVII is a masterpiece of an RPG that no gamer should miss out on.… Expand
  15. Abrx
    Aug 13, 2014
    10
    Truly genius. Quite possibly one of the greatest games to ever exist. Square has crafted something that truly sets the bar for what makes a good game. A majority of the games released in the past 4 years don't even remotely compare to the quality in which this game contains. This epic spanning three disks hold a plethora of greatness. From some of the best fictional character of all timeTruly genius. Quite possibly one of the greatest games to ever exist. Square has crafted something that truly sets the bar for what makes a good game. A majority of the games released in the past 4 years don't even remotely compare to the quality in which this game contains. This epic spanning three disks hold a plethora of greatness. From some of the best fictional character of all time to some of the coolest attack animations I've ever seen. This game excels in basically all areas. The required boss fights are all fun & with in reasonable expectation of difficulty. The side quest for the most part follow in this vein save with some exceptions hence the reason it's deserving of a 9.5 instead of a 10 contrary to what my above rating suggests. The gameplay is turned based or more specifically ATB done debatably at its finest. The weapon, armor, magic, & summon selections are superb. Sephiroth & his battle theme hold to this day as the best of the best in regards to both villains & music. Overall a phenomenal game that outdoes others in the Final Fantasy series effortless such as Final Fantasy lll, Vl, IX, Xl, Xll, Xlll, Xlll-2, Xlll-3, & quite possibly more.… Expand
  16. actionjackson83
    Aug 2, 2014
    10
    greatest rpg of all time period. remake the damn game already. you will not find another game that has fantastic character development the way this game does. if you like hironobu style jrpg games, this is THE game to play.
  17. 666dame
    Jul 12, 2014
    10
    There is no point in spending too much time on a review for this game as it will all have been stated before, whether it is the graphics, music, story etc. It is some people's marmite / vegimite, and other people's marmite / vegimite.

    For me it was the first game which clearly defined how RPG's needed to progress, and without doubt the one which completely hooked me into playing this    There is no point in spending too much time on a review for this game as it will all have been stated before, whether it is the graphics, music, story etc. It is some people's marmite / vegimite, and other people's marmite / vegimite.

    For me it was the first game which clearly defined how RPG's needed to progress, and without doubt the one which completely hooked me into playing this genre. Unfortunately there has never been another game quite like FF7, shame on you Square.    … Expand
  18. Yankeee007
    Jul 5, 2014
    10
    This game is a masterpiece and it's perfect ,the story is one of the best ever , the graphics and visual are gorgeous ,the music is phenomenal ,the villain is one of the best villains in gaming history and the cinematics are great overal this is the best RPG game and on of the best games of all time ,buy it now.
  19. Underher
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    Interesting how this game has a 92 rating but I couldn't find it on the all-time highest rated list. Nonetheless, this game is amazing on all levels, with a story that rivals most movies then and now. The music was incredible. Definitely one of the greatest video games of all time and deserves to be on the top 10 of every greatest video game list.
  20. YakuzaSlayer432
    Jun 6, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. THE BEST GAME EVER?! YOU GOT THAT RIGHT! THIS GAME IS ONE OF THE BEST PSX GAMES IN THE HISTORY OF PSX GAMES! X is okay. VI I like, VII is called overrated, but it's the BEST GAME OF ALL TIME! TO ALL THE HATERS OF THIS GAMES, GO GET A REAL HEART AND STOP PLAYING FPS GAMES ALL THE TIME! I LIKE ALL GAMES, EXCEPT FOR THE BAD ONES, AND THIS GAME IS LEGITAMETLY THE GREATEST GAME I'VE EVER PLAYED! Hironobu Sakaguchi is a great man for this game alone. I was moved by Aerith's death, and moved even more by the Cloud and Tifa romantic tension. But after the battle was over, I felt I really accomplished something! Keep up the work! We need these games to show how it's done right unlike XIII!… Expand
  21. mugiwara84
    May 16, 2014
    10
    How many games are able to make you fall in love with a genre, and make it one of your most played genres? Not many, but it's what Final Fantasy VII was able to do with me. It's the first Final Fantasy game I touched, still remains my favorite one of the series, and certainly succeeded in making me in a lifelong fan of the series. To keep it short, I did consider it back then andHow many games are able to make you fall in love with a genre, and make it one of your most played genres? Not many, but it's what Final Fantasy VII was able to do with me. It's the first Final Fantasy game I touched, still remains my favorite one of the series, and certainly succeeded in making me in a lifelong fan of the series. To keep it short, I did consider it back then and still do the perfect game. One of the rare perfect 10s

    Graphics: Of course by todays standards they are outdated, but I can guarantee you that back then they were cutting edge, and that the cutscenes had everyone orgasming. 10/10

    Sounds: I'm not one to much care about sounds, but even to this day I easily recognize the music and themes of certain characters. If that doesn't speak volumes of the music, then I don't know what will. 10/10

    Story: How many games are able to hook you in that you can't lay down your controller? 5-10% Well add this one to the list. I could list a fun anecdote for it, but I'll spare you and keep it short and just say that this game is/was pure addictive. Especially when a certain event happened towards the end of the first disc, and set me so full of rage that I wanted to enact my revenge asap. 10/10

    Gameplay: Even to this day I absolute love turn based jrpgs, let alone that the materia system is still to this date one of the best leveling systems I've come across. Another and obvious 10/10

    That's why I do go with a 10/10. Normally I would say there's no such thing as a perfect 10, but sometimes in you life you will meet up with something you could consider perfect, and for me one of those few things was Final Fantasy VII.    … Expand
  22. SonicManEXE
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy VII is truly a work of art, and I honestly mean that with my heart and soul. This game had dazzling graphics for the time of its release, revolutionized the gameplay of the genre, has an amazing soundtrack, and beautifully delivers its central themes.

    FFVII is not like the previous entries in the series. Instead of a medieval or steampunk-like world, it takes to a world more centered around technology, but still retains fantastical elements. I feel some kind of introduction is in order: the planet in its core holds something called the Lifestream, which is magical energy drawn from the life on the planet. This energy can be harnessed as mako, and this mako is where materia and the magic materia grants its users come from. A human-like alien race known as the Cetra land on Gaia and settle with the native humans about 2000 years prior to the events of the game. Around this time a being known as Jenova arrives as well, and infects the Cetra with a terrible disease. The Cetra build massive robotic Weapons to kill Jenova, but Jenova is sealed away before they can use the Weapons. They are put into hibernation; by the time this has happened, there are only a few Cetra left in the world. The only other aspect of the story you need to know for right now is that a city known as Midgar has basically become the center of commerce on Gaia; however, Shinra, the corporation in charge of manufacturing the planet's mako and using reactors to power almost everything in Midgar, is the real entity that is ruling. Shinra is highly corrupt and is draining the mako from the Lifestream, which is killing the planet.

    Trust me, I could go into MUCH more detail, but as far as background knowledge goes, those are the essentials. Now, at the risk of skimping out on indicative game elements, I'd like to go over something most people skip: the central plot themes. Yes, FFVII is greatly inspired by both real-life and mythology, particularly from the persecution of Jews and Judaism, but what I'm talking about are the literary themes, for lack of a better word. FFVII heavily revolves around nature versus technology, loss, and identity. The entire plot is a nature vs. technology scenario: AVALANCHE, a team that vows to stop Shinra from killing the planet (also where most of our main characters come from), is fighting Shinra itself. As the story progresses, it eventually becomes the world versus Jenova, and the ones who were fighting for the planet suddenly must go against it to save all mankind. There is also loss in this game. I think we all know about the tragic loss of one of the main characters early on in the game, which was actually inspired by the passing of the mother of the producer and Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. This is definitely the most heartbreaking loss, seeing as you've spent hours and hours of game time grinding with and learning more about this character--before you know, you yourself have grown attached to this fictional character portrayed through polygons and text boxes, and you start to feel sad, maybe even hurt by the death of this character. Now, aside from loss, there is also identity. There are identity crises and regaining of identity EVERYWHERE in this game. Our primary main character doesn't even remember his memories correctly until almost two-thirds through the game! Identity is dotted throughout this adventure, and I think it is so masterfully woven into even the gameplay elements itself.

    Now, you're probably asking by this point why I gave the game a 9 and not a 10 if it seems like I love it so much. Well, to tell the truth, I do think this is the best story I've ever heard and if I could give it a 9.5 I would, but this is not a book or a movie. It is a game, and as a game it is sincerely great, but it is not perfect. I personally think that any game where grinding is basically required is automatically not perfect. The gameplay is your typical RPG, and is still engaging to this day. What's also very engaging are the pre-rendered backgrounds; that is, you have to stare at them for a while to understand where to move. They did not age very well, but they do give the game a different feel, a different style than games before it, and that I applaud. The music is one of my favorite soundtracks in the series. I love it so much because it feels like it came from the SNES Final Fantasy games and was updated with the PlayStation sound chip. The battle themes make you pumped up and the town themes fit the mood of the locales and are comfortable in the background while talking to NPCs. I seriously recommend a listen if you have the time.

    The Completionist is currently doing a multiple part review of this game and its various successors. He does more justice than I could ever hope to do in 5000 characters.

    It's not the best game ever, but it is an amazing story. FFVII really is a work of art and I hope it will forever be recognized as one.    … Expand
  23. Wolfie1987
    Mar 24, 2014
    9
    Classic Squaresoft title. Great story, great atmosphere, great soundtrack. I love the materia system, now if only the summons worked like they do in FFX. I didn't care for the Road Rash -esque racing minigame nor the snowboard minigame, but the chocobo breeding and racing minigame is so deliciously yummy. I would love to play a FF VII remake that combines the best features from the entireClassic Squaresoft title. Great story, great atmosphere, great soundtrack. I love the materia system, now if only the summons worked like they do in FFX. I didn't care for the Road Rash -esque racing minigame nor the snowboard minigame, but the chocobo breeding and racing minigame is so deliciously yummy. I would love to play a FF VII remake that combines the best features from the entire series. Midgar is so Blade Runner, would be the best open world city ever.… Expand
  24. draykorinee
    Mar 23, 2014
    10
    I'm a bit late on the metacritic front, this still gets top marks. Nostalgia, sure, but I can still play this game today and have a great experience. Hoping for an update one of these days :)
  25. KyleS
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    The first game that ever made me feel something for the characters. I cried when Aeris died and rejoiced when I beat the game. I studied the strategy guide like a text book from school. I spent a good chunk of a summer playing this game and it holds a special place in my heart. It may not have aged very well but to me it doesn't matter. I know one day they'll do a complete remake and I'llThe first game that ever made me feel something for the characters. I cried when Aeris died and rejoiced when I beat the game. I studied the strategy guide like a text book from school. I spent a good chunk of a summer playing this game and it holds a special place in my heart. It may not have aged very well but to me it doesn't matter. I know one day they'll do a complete remake and I'll purchase it no matter what. The direction the series has gone the last ten or so years is disappointing. I don't know how square enix doesn't understand what made these games so great. It was the exploration and open world feel with steady progression. There was nothing like finally getting the knights of the round summon after all those chocobo races and ripping through every enemy with that summon. I loved the materia system I wish they would do it again in another ff game. People that hate on this game only do it because they didn't play the game when it came it. It hasn't aged too well graphics wise but you can't compare it to today's graphics. It's not fair. You can't say Mario bros is a **** game because of the graphics or that golden eye is **** because of the controls. You have to have experienced the games you rate when they came out. Great story, great music, fantastic open world feel, there aren't many games that can compare to ff7. Most people that played it when it came out know that. Best jrpg ever.… Expand
  26. jiffypop333
    Mar 12, 2014
    10
    Where to begin with this great game. For an old school game it still looks really good.The characters are one of the most memorable in the series. The greatness not only comes with the story but through the character envelopment. First in the final fantasy series to go 2d with huge wide open environments to explore. The materia system is genius. Where you as a person could realisticallyWhere to begin with this great game. For an old school game it still looks really good.The characters are one of the most memorable in the series. The greatness not only comes with the story but through the character envelopment. First in the final fantasy series to go 2d with huge wide open environments to explore. The materia system is genius. Where you as a person could realistically put any materia on any person. And for the people it is great to see so many great characters that you could use where all would be exceptional to completing the game. The limit system is great 2 with many different abilities for each character that evolve and get better with each level. The exceptionally great side quest, like getting a gold chocobo, are all great that add to the fun and great story this game represents. I recommend this game for every gamer to play at least once it is a classic.… Expand
  27. greatmaster
    Feb 27, 2014
    10
    This is one of the greatest jrpg's of all time and possibly one of the greatest stories ever told in video games. The graphics may not hold up too well but the game has to be played by everyone.
  28. Dhulfiqar
    Feb 22, 2014
    9
    I remember the days when my friend bought this game in 1997 and i was stunned of how amazing it was. In those days, it was not easy task to bring 2D rpg game experience to 3D. There were only few games which succeeded amazingly. And FFVII was one of it. It brings you the most important elements that any game should strive for it, Imagination and Innovation. Because of those elements itI remember the days when my friend bought this game in 1997 and i was stunned of how amazing it was. In those days, it was not easy task to bring 2D rpg game experience to 3D. There were only few games which succeeded amazingly. And FFVII was one of it. It brings you the most important elements that any game should strive for it, Imagination and Innovation. Because of those elements it will give you good memories whenever you remember it. Those who say it is perfect, well actually it is not perfect. What makes is not perfect is the storyline after Cd1. For those who say it is overrated... it is and it is not. It depends on person RPG experience.… Expand
  29. ThatRetroGamer
    Jan 23, 2014
    4
    Kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. The game sucks, but there are some redeeming factors of the game that make me keep playing. But JohnnyD is right. I wasted 42 hours on this game. Wasn't worth it. But I've played worse RPGs. Still the graphics, story, gameplay,and characters are all a mess.
  30. Jouna92
    Dec 25, 2013
    8
    FF VII it changed the RPG genre. It provides deep and satisfying gameplay. Soundtrack is pretty neat and memorable. But FF VII story is a bit unfocused and confusing. Example: Group of terrorist(AVALANCE) thinks that the best way to earn equal rights to the people is to destroy city's powerplants. But if you are a RPG fan this game will stun you.
  31. PlotTwistSamuel
    Dec 11, 2013
    10
    This is probably the best game I've ever played. If you're not looking for a traditional RPG where you'll actually have to spend time playing, you really have no business getting this, but if you want to get involved in a deep storyline, one of the only fun turn-based combat systems available, and have a spare 40 hours, there is no reason to not play this. Graphics apart from mini-moviesThis is probably the best game I've ever played. If you're not looking for a traditional RPG where you'll actually have to spend time playing, you really have no business getting this, but if you want to get involved in a deep storyline, one of the only fun turn-based combat systems available, and have a spare 40 hours, there is no reason to not play this. Graphics apart from mini-movies aren't that great, no, but if that's a huge deal for you, there's a lot of games you shouldn't be playing, like anything from the NES or SNES. I personally found the game play to be inviting enough that I played this for well over 100 hours just trying to complete side quests and such. Just make sure you know what you're going in for if you buy this, which is a time commitment and a sometimes difficult to follow storyline (I really didn't have much trouble with it, but other people seem to have). If you're okay with that, then definitely enjoy this great game.… Expand
  32. EzzOmen
    Nov 10, 2013
    10
    A Genuine 10/10

    Brilliant in every sense of the word, maybe the characters animations could have been perfected, but hey,its from the 90's, it can be forgiven. Guaranteed cinematic wonder.
  33. Infielozo
    Oct 29, 2013
    9
    Storyline is excellent, even with the all too common cheesy moments in JRPGs, the battle system is easy to pick up and the characters are very memorable. I admit, I kept falling in and out of sleep during the first hour the game, but the story eventually picked me up. There are a decent amount of extras and they too deliver. FFVII does have it's flaws, but they eventually become minor andStoryline is excellent, even with the all too common cheesy moments in JRPGs, the battle system is easy to pick up and the characters are very memorable. I admit, I kept falling in and out of sleep during the first hour the game, but the story eventually picked me up. There are a decent amount of extras and they too deliver. FFVII does have it's flaws, but they eventually become minor and the game takes over. Overall, this is the RPG that created the hype behind RPGs and you would do yourself a disservice to miss out on this experience.… Expand
  34. AlienSpaceBats
    Oct 28, 2013
    8
    Visually dated (looks like a polygon's backside), but can still incredible. Obtuse in the way most JRPGs are; no journal, unmarked map, poor localisation ("This guy are sick"), withholds information and penalises organic gameplay (whilst rewarding systematic obsessive-compulsive behaviour) but over the space of two discs and a few months I thought Final Fantasy VII was the most beautifulVisually dated (looks like a polygon's backside), but can still incredible. Obtuse in the way most JRPGs are; no journal, unmarked map, poor localisation ("This guy are sick"), withholds information and penalises organic gameplay (whilst rewarding systematic obsessive-compulsive behaviour) but over the space of two discs and a few months I thought Final Fantasy VII was the most beautiful game in the world.… Expand
  35. Augument
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    I like that all the negative reviewers in this game are from the ps2/ps3 era and cry about grapichs. Prob 12-y.o who don't know a about gaming and what they are talking about.. St33rpike don't even know which company who did the game. That the original Final Fantasy series came from Square, not Square enix It was two different companies nad I still liked and will prob always like Square,I like that all the negative reviewers in this game are from the ps2/ps3 era and cry about grapichs. Prob 12-y.o who don't know a about gaming and what they are talking about.. St33rpike don't even know which company who did the game. That the original Final Fantasy series came from Square, not Square enix It was two different companies nad I still liked and will prob always like Square, the only reason why I'm still having hope for SE is beacuse of Nomura's games. the other one's that he have no buisniess with aren't even worth playing immo. And this game is avtually his first official game together with Uematsu and they are just a great team together. I'm nog gonna talk about non-releated FFVII stuff here but I'm just saying. Give this game a shot. There is alot of skill costumazion, a very nice story that you'll like. the plot twist nad graphics are very good for it's time. It's a fun game that you easily sunk into and it's somewhat enoyable for at least disc 1-2. then it beacomes a little dull but it is still enjoyable.… Expand
  36. elitefour
    Oct 18, 2013
    10
    Final fantasy VII is an experience so exciting. it begins a new era for the rpg generation in the world
    im really impressive. this game teach me a lot of thing about life,hope and dreams,no videogame could give me a reason to love videogame. in 1997,this game made a step forward to the 3d era. it was amazing and still be...a legend of squaresoft
  37. ihatecheez
    Oct 18, 2013
    7
    final fantasy vii is a great game no doubt about it, and some people consider it as one of the best games ever made. which i can understand. but this is a game that you had to play back in the day. i just finished it and there are a lot of aspects to the game that make the game feel very old. im not talking about the graphics they are amazing! but the menus, combat, story, are eitherfinal fantasy vii is a great game no doubt about it, and some people consider it as one of the best games ever made. which i can understand. but this is a game that you had to play back in the day. i just finished it and there are a lot of aspects to the game that make the game feel very old. im not talking about the graphics they are amazing! but the menus, combat, story, are either horrible or missing key elements. the story goes everywhere but you can forgive it a bit since the characters are some of the best in video game history. (ps: what the hell was that ending?)… Expand
  38. Devilofgaming
    Sep 29, 2013
    7
    the graphics are EXTREMELY dated but the battle system is handled really well plus the story is decent so i guess its worth a buy on the PSN or an actual copy.
  39. Segacritic1998
    Sep 16, 2013
    9
    One of my favorite Playstation 1 games of all time! The story is great the graphics are classic the gameplay is smooth what more do you want from a game like this? if you own a Playstation and don't own final fantasy VII you are missing out.
  40. FogCityRoller
    Sep 12, 2013
    10
    The fact that Metacritic has FFIX above FFVII is criminal. The former was hardly innovative and had to make up for its lackluster story with mesmerizing graphics that utilized the best that the PS1 had to offer. FFVII was the seed that helped make the Playstation console into the best-selling unit of its generation. Everything about it was new, captivating, and incomprehensibly immense.The fact that Metacritic has FFIX above FFVII is criminal. The former was hardly innovative and had to make up for its lackluster story with mesmerizing graphics that utilized the best that the PS1 had to offer. FFVII was the seed that helped make the Playstation console into the best-selling unit of its generation. Everything about it was new, captivating, and incomprehensibly immense. Anyone knocking on the story while praising FFIX's is a joker. The fate of a central female character in FFVII reduced countless fans to TEARS. When in history has a video game event had such a profound impact on its players? Never. Certainly nothing in FFIX. I don't think FFVII was the best RPG ever made, but it is one of the most pivotal games ever made, period. The only thing more obnoxious than fanboys claiming that FFVII was the best game ever made are the people who think they're being new and exciting by exacerbating the faults of FFVII to make it out to be an overrated game. FFVII is not overrated--an undeniable fact for anyone who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to talking about revolutionary video games.… Expand
  41. FilFestuccia
    Sep 6, 2013
    9
    A traditional RPG when it comes to gameplay, Final Fantasy VII does not stay shy of novelty providing to the player a huge adventure in a very well-thought setting. Despite average in-game graphics, the visual impression is top-notch. It is undoubtedly advantaged by the fact that in 1997 there weren't many RPGs outside Japan, but it is a game so devoutly crafted that has virtually no weakA traditional RPG when it comes to gameplay, Final Fantasy VII does not stay shy of novelty providing to the player a huge adventure in a very well-thought setting. Despite average in-game graphics, the visual impression is top-notch. It is undoubtedly advantaged by the fact that in 1997 there weren't many RPGs outside Japan, but it is a game so devoutly crafted that has virtually no weak point. The plot is excellent, and keeps the player hooked even after 30+ hours of gameplay.… Expand
  42. pacoda
    Aug 30, 2013
    10
    Incredible depth, gripping music(the best soundtrack of all games i heard), interesting characters, amazing storyline, cool combat mechanics and a ton of content and secrets. This is the game i played the most in my life. Perhaps one run each year. The graphics are a bit outdated today but there are mods around to make it prettier if you want. No game has moved as much as this have. ItsIncredible depth, gripping music(the best soundtrack of all games i heard), interesting characters, amazing storyline, cool combat mechanics and a ton of content and secrets. This is the game i played the most in my life. Perhaps one run each year. The graphics are a bit outdated today but there are mods around to make it prettier if you want. No game has moved as much as this have. Its strange though. The first time i played this game i turned it off after 1 hour cause i got bored of the talking. Then i gave it another shot and just couldnt stop playing.… Expand
  43. ZeRo_Bahamut
    Aug 27, 2013
    10
    Easily my most played and most favourite game of all time, played on release date and between then and now I have surely finished it 6 times or more. While some say that the graphics did not age well in this day and age, I view this product for what is was back in 1997 and everytime I see any footage of FFVII I immediately get drawn in, that is the effect this game has on me ever since.Easily my most played and most favourite game of all time, played on release date and between then and now I have surely finished it 6 times or more. While some say that the graphics did not age well in this day and age, I view this product for what is was back in 1997 and everytime I see any footage of FFVII I immediately get drawn in, that is the effect this game has on me ever since.

    It is a near perfect RPG with an amazingly deep story (including various hidden scenes to explain the story even more) and some of the most famed protagonists (Cloud, Aerith, etc...) and antagonists (Sephiroth, Jenova, etc...) alike, an overworld with secrets to discover and last but not least an incredible battle/materia system to get to know.

    The pacing is good, especially at the start of the game to get you into things, it slows down a bit after a few hours, but still goes strong, once the world opens up you are free to continue to your next story destination, do side quests or just battle away and level up...Completionist can easily sink 100+ hours into the game.

    In short, whether this is your cup of tea or not, this game was a revolution back then and has a legacy for many many years to come...    … Expand
  44. Caestus
    Jul 31, 2013
    9
    It has the most complex story in the FF Franchise and a deep batte system offering you much variety with the materia system. The OST is very good, altough FF VIII and FF IX are better in this point. One of the best ff games.
  45. MusicCream
    Jul 29, 2013
    6
    Great game, but certainly overrated. This game is beautiful in your own right. Materia system is so cool. But this game have its flaws, the history is weaker comparated with FF VI. Great game but is far from the best RPG in PsONE.
  46. tripled24
    Jul 18, 2013
    10
    This game being less acclaimed than FF9 is just plain wrong. This is an absolute RPG classic that any fan of the genre must play. The dialogue is sometimes a bit confusing due to a sub par translation job from the original japenese, and yes the characters blocky polygon build is a bit funky, but other than those two minor complaints the game is great in every aspect. The story is very goodThis game being less acclaimed than FF9 is just plain wrong. This is an absolute RPG classic that any fan of the genre must play. The dialogue is sometimes a bit confusing due to a sub par translation job from the original japenese, and yes the characters blocky polygon build is a bit funky, but other than those two minor complaints the game is great in every aspect. The story is very good and you will have an attachment to some of the characters, the materia battle system is fantastic, allowing you to explore the entire world for hidden multi colored crystals that each have different magic abilities you can equip to any character and learn through experience points. Even more awesome you can link different materias together to give yourself a unique battle edge from character to character. There is tons of side quests to do that are very fun raising your own chocobos and breeding them to make better and faster ones to compete with and win prizes like weapons and rare materia) the search for the 3 ultimate weapon bosses that are very difficult and reward you with the most rare and best materia in the game, the flying saucers fun filled mini games, and more. The soundtrack is one of the best in a video game you will ever hear. Its arguable to put this as the best RPG game of all time, if not the best.… Expand
  47. drlowdon
    Jun 12, 2013
    9
    Building on the JRPG traditions established in previous entries Final Fantasy VII was the first released on the PSone and for my money still remains the best in the genre. The games characters, storylines and freedom to explore are perfectly balanced and while it may now look a little dated graphically it is difficult to imagine how, apart from reducing the frequency of the random battles,Building on the JRPG traditions established in previous entries Final Fantasy VII was the first released on the PSone and for my money still remains the best in the genre. The games characters, storylines and freedom to explore are perfectly balanced and while it may now look a little dated graphically it is difficult to imagine how, apart from reducing the frequency of the random battles, it could possibly be improved upon.… Expand
  48. jasx00
    Apr 27, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Final Fantasy VII is the jazz music of Final Fantasies; if you have to ask why it's a great game, you will never know. In order to appreciate the game, the person has to fall into a certain age range. The game represents a special time in the life of contemporaries.

    It was the first RPG of its kind with a truly original story. It still jerks a tear thinking about Aeris' story when she and her mom escape the Shinra lab and her mom dies on the train, or when Red finds-out his dad who he thought abandoned him really sacrificed himself to save the tribe.

    Great memories with this game.    … Expand
  49. Runa
    Apr 25, 2013
    5
    The people think, "The Best FF". Sorry but i disagree. This game is overrated because just have a big change in graphics and the mode of play of previous FF's. Just that.
  50. comiekilla
    Mar 20, 2013
    10
    This game is a definition of a perfect game. Even if played today, this game is amazing. The story line is complex and engaging. The leveling system is great and it is consistent so you will always be getting stronger and better weapons. The way you can customize your characters is completely different from any other game I have ever played. The less you know about this game beforeThis game is a definition of a perfect game. Even if played today, this game is amazing. The story line is complex and engaging. The leveling system is great and it is consistent so you will always be getting stronger and better weapons. The way you can customize your characters is completely different from any other game I have ever played. The less you know about this game before you play it the better. If you have not played this game before or recently, get it. It is out on several different systems. Go get it!… Expand
  51. MissFelixia
    Mar 13, 2013
    5
    this is the first one i ever played and i loved it however i was young back then so things never affected me much. after playing it these days i just cant go past disk 1 unless i get a save after it. its fun playing but lost its replay value for me. i would recomend final fantasy 6 over this
  52. Reddywicks
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    Best Final Fantasy games of all time. Great story, side quests and longevity. This game took months upon months to complete with a story that was intriguing and had me wanted to play more and more.
  53. Azrael
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Let me start this review saying this: All the people giving this game low scores shouldn't be taken in consideration. The one thing all of them say that deserve credit is that the game is overrated (and that is the very reason why they feel like the game is not good, also, playing a game with either too much expectation or too much scorn has quite a few chances of making it feel and looksLet me start this review saying this: All the people giving this game low scores shouldn't be taken in consideration. The one thing all of them say that deserve credit is that the game is overrated (and that is the very reason why they feel like the game is not good, also, playing a game with either too much expectation or too much scorn has quite a few chances of making it feel and looks bad).

    But how could not this game be overrated? This game saved Square-Soft from its doom, it was the second that sold the most in the PlayStation, and if revolutionized RPG, the graphics and game-play were way ahead of its time (interesting to see that people say that the game has bad graphics, well, aside from the fact that the game is from the PlayStation [and it is not the most beautiful game on the platform], did any of these people have taken in consideration the time in which the game was released? Because it was incredible for its time).

    Graphics: 10/10

    If I was going to take in consideration all the games released for the PS One, I would probably give FF VII a 8/10, but I'm taking in consideration the time it was released. Simply because it was something ahead of its time, and that is why it received so much praise regarding this, people were stunned by how beautiful this game was, specially when the summons were used.

    Sound: 10/10

    The soundtrack of this game is a masterpiece. The tracks are either beautiful or awesome, from the Fighting Theme to the World Map's theme (Cloud's theme) to the final boss theme (One Winged Angel), they are all good. Sound effects were also good, though I think some of them could have been a little better, there is nothing wrong with them.

    Game-play: 10/10

    The combat system is really good even for today's standards. The game features the Materia System, in which the player will use these "crystals" called Materia, which are the materialized source of the planet's energy to use their abilities. The Materias are divided in five types: Command Materia (which allow extra commands in battle), Magic Materia, Summon Materia, Support Materia (can be linked to other Materia to enhance their effects), and Independent Materia (which have many functions, such as stat increases and auto-abilities). Equipment are divided in three main sections: Weapon, Armor and Accessory. Both Weapon and Armor have Materia Slots, and this is where you will place then, there will be a limited number of slots, so think carefully about your strategy. The player will use the Materia accordingly to his needs, it won't be all the time, but there will also be times when it will be required of the player the use of a better strategy to fight some bosses (or even mini-games such as the ones in the Golden Saucer). The characters also have special abilities called "Limit Break", this is basically their strongest attack, which can only be used after the player has received quite some damage and the limit bar is fulfilled.
    The battles work with a turn based system with real time elements, meaning each character and enemy will have its turn, but time also counts here, and if the player takes to long to make a decision that means he is gonna get hurt.

    Story: 9,3

    - Setting: The world of FF VII could be called a cyberpunk medieval world. It has beasts, legendary monsters, magic, guns, machines and other technological equipments. And the combination results in a very unique and incredible world that will never cease to amaze you. (10/10)
    - Character Delopment: This is what FF VII lacks the most. And yet, it doesn't lack much. Yes, characters could have received more time, but each one of them, except for the side characters, has a moment or two in the story where they are the focus, they're all there for something, and at times, not for the best of reasons, but what can they do? Another very good point of the characters, is that they're all really human, the don't really fall for the "hero stereotype". (8/10)
    - Story Progress: The plot is complex. Aside from the obvious criticism (which is not bad) towards the fact the mankind is ruining the planet by exploring the nature way too much, what stands out is that FF VII is a psychological thriller. You will be taken on a ride to discover the true psyche of the main character, and though at times confusing, it is really rewarding. The plot is also very subtle, as many relevant details tend to be either implied or mentioned only once. Many people still argue about who is the villain of the game because they fail to notice what is implied. Still, it is one of the best, if not the best aspect of the game. (10/10)

    Replay Value: 8/10

    The main reason to replay FF VII is it story and battles, the game itself is good enough to keep people coming even years after they have finished it, the world offers much to do, and there are quite a few side quests to keep people entertained even after they have finished the game.

    Overall: 9, 46/10    … Expand
  54. eldarkness
    Feb 27, 2013
    10
    I dont understand people saying its overrated. The only thing overrated is their inteligence...Its a perfect rpg game with a good development and argument...I can stay long time saying things but it will take me all night long so i leave you with only one word: Masterpiece.
  55. DarkFlamesZM
    Feb 14, 2013
    10
    I love how people say that it has bad graphics, horrible sounds and music, lame story and bad character development. Can't you people see that it's from 1997? It's the FIRST 3D game in the series. How can you expect a fully-HD realistic game when it's that old? Sure, it's a tad overrated, but that doesn't change the fact that it's awesome. I give it a 10 because it gives me large doses ofI love how people say that it has bad graphics, horrible sounds and music, lame story and bad character development. Can't you people see that it's from 1997? It's the FIRST 3D game in the series. How can you expect a fully-HD realistic game when it's that old? Sure, it's a tad overrated, but that doesn't change the fact that it's awesome. I give it a 10 because it gives me large doses of nostalgia.… Expand
  56. Johnny_Thunder
    Jan 17, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. How people can say this game is bad... I have no idea.

    No attachent between gamer and characters? I F*****G cried when Aeris died. I was pissed off when Yuffie stole my materia. Every single part of this game had me gripped.

    The visuals were great for their time. I know it;s not all about visuals but at the time of creation this was top notch stuff.

    The fact that I can still play this today without caring about the visuals AT ALL speaks to the greatness of the story. Epic story arcs and emotional scenes

    How many hours of gameplay? a lot more than call of duty : 'let's release the same game again 4' I promise you.

    You because you didn't get it.. don't hate on it. Especially when all of your objections are total bull    … Expand
  57. sviskon
    Dec 24, 2012
    10
    Perfect 10!
    Still holds up fine today, and completely outclass most newer games... just have to get used to the dated graphics abit, but after an hour or so into it, you wont even think about graphics anymore.
  58. Vandral007
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    I can't believe I'm going to review a game that's 15 years old, but I'm bored so here it goes. When FFVII first came out I was absolutely blown away by it. Asked me then and I would have told you it was the best game ever. Now 15 years later, I will attempt to review it in a more objective manner. I recently made a FF pilgrimage of sorts, playing through every game in the main series,I can't believe I'm going to review a game that's 15 years old, but I'm bored so here it goes. When FFVII first came out I was absolutely blown away by it. Asked me then and I would have told you it was the best game ever. Now 15 years later, I will attempt to review it in a more objective manner. I recently made a FF pilgrimage of sorts, playing through every game in the main series, so my impressions are still fresh in mind. Obviously, I cannot really talk about the graphics as being 15 years old, that's hardly going to be fair. But I do remember how awesome I thought they were as a kid. The battle system made me very nostalgic for the way JRPG's used to be. Simple but deep, and you can clear this game without having to resort to grinding out levels. The game features a wide variety of mini-games, most of which are a great amount of fun (I must have done that snowboarding game about 50 times before I moved on). The big question though is how does the story and characters hold up. I truly hated Advent Children, and honestly I have been pretty disappointed by the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII as a whole. After playing through the game , it was crystal clear why there is a Compilation: The story is one of the finest told in the series. Cloud isn't as emo as he has become, Sephiroth is still a menacing figure, Barrett is still a racist Mr. T. Ripoff, and Rufus Shinra is still the most interesting character. Overall, for all younger gamers I recommend picking this one up on the PSN. Don't miss out on one of the best games in the franchise!… Expand
  59. Rossjudas
    Oct 2, 2012
    10
    A little tear is coming down on my face thinking that with the horrible games we have today there will never be a masterpiece like FF VII. Long live FF VII and good old J-RPGs.
  60. terrychelseaxp
    Sep 27, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy 7 is a decent game. i have played 7-8 times. Everytime i play, the scene and atmosphere make you seems to living inside the game. This game not only RPG Genre, One part of it is Adventure,
    Full of secret area, bosses in the open area, you can use highwind travel in the air, or submarine in the sea or chocoboo(like a bird) to explore secret area. In early stage of the game,    Final Fantasy 7 is a decent game. i have played 7-8 times. Everytime i play, the scene and atmosphere make you seems to living inside the game. This game not only RPG Genre, One part of it is Adventure,
    Full of secret area, bosses in the open area, you can use highwind travel in the air, or submarine in the sea or chocoboo(like a bird) to explore secret area. In early stage of the game, you are in the city of Midgar, a future-like design city impress you. Soon You will then go to open map and start your trip,
    the Open Map main theme is very enjoyable, i sometimes stop a while listen to it until it ends. Also many BGM is enjoyable. Such as Tifa scheme, Aerith theme, Battle scheme, one winged angel(boss theme)etc. Character design is epic, each character has their own story. And look like they have soul even this is a game. When Aeris died, Cloud driven to crazy, and with BGM, i sure you must be in touch. In later stage of the game, after 20-30 hours, you come back Midgar city, it feels like i am back home. FF7 most impress me is the cut-scene CG, the Opening scene is epic and has something to do with ending scene(aeris appear first and last). FF7 give you not epic gameplay, but what you are in touch with the story by incredible CG, BGM, Character design. It is the best RPG game ever, since i have played FF9, 10, 13-2
    which not comparable with FF7. i give a 10+1 score.    … Expand
  61. chronoT
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    What an epic game this was/is. I absolutely love how this game starts out, I'd say the best beginning ever in a video game (The city of Midgar). Every aspect of this game is awesome, whether it's the battles/bosses, music, or story, they are all amazing!!! I would have to say that this game is hands down the best FF ever made, and that's saying a lot for such an incredible series. If youWhat an epic game this was/is. I absolutely love how this game starts out, I'd say the best beginning ever in a video game (The city of Midgar). Every aspect of this game is awesome, whether it's the battles/bosses, music, or story, they are all amazing!!! I would have to say that this game is hands down the best FF ever made, and that's saying a lot for such an incredible series. If you can get passed the boxy character models in this game, you are in for one truly enjoyable ride! A bit of advice, this game is definitely challenging and is what makes it great. You could be doing fine and then all of a sudden a boss will decimate you. You then have to go out and level up, which is fun to do. The secrets and Golden Saucer adds a lot of fun content as well and FF7 has some serious end game content. Not to mention this game also has one of the slickest end bosses and the most beautiful soundtrack of all.… Expand
  62. hydravalera
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    A game that blew me away then and is just as much fun now. Called "The game that sold the Playstation" and I can see why. It's fun and entertaining, with hours and hours of gameplay and more if you like exploring and levelling up to be mega hard come the boss fights. Plus lots of the coolest characters and definately coolest bad guy. Once you can explore the world it's truly epic, withA game that blew me away then and is just as much fun now. Called "The game that sold the Playstation" and I can see why. It's fun and entertaining, with hours and hours of gameplay and more if you like exploring and levelling up to be mega hard come the boss fights. Plus lots of the coolest characters and definately coolest bad guy. Once you can explore the world it's truly epic, with side quests. With FFXII and Persona4, this is a stand out game, it's just epic, as simple as that. One of the best games I've ever played, which is saying a lot, and even though it seems ancient now and dated its still a game i come back too. With Suikoden and Grandia II its the cream of RPG… Expand
  63. Helladen
    Aug 11, 2012
    10
    This is by far my favorite RPG of all time. I consider Legend of Zelda OoT/Chrono Trigger close to it though, and still playing Final Fantasy 6, but the mood in this game just appeals to me so much more. The spin offs they released are utter crap though, so I'm not some blind fanboy. Being one of the only games to really get me attached to the story, even though people consider itThis is by far my favorite RPG of all time. I consider Legend of Zelda OoT/Chrono Trigger close to it though, and still playing Final Fantasy 6, but the mood in this game just appeals to me so much more. The spin offs they released are utter crap though, so I'm not some blind fanboy. Being one of the only games to really get me attached to the story, even though people consider it overrated, but the flawless mood the game sets is beyond anything I have ever seen in another game since it.

    You jump right into the gameplay without some long boring cinematic and it is one of the best execution of story progression in RPG history. This game is a must play for everyone, no matter how your preferences for games are.

    I just wish Square-Enix could make games like this again. You will unlikely see another classic fantasy for a long time, so you better play the classics until then.    … Expand
  64. St33rpike
    Jul 18, 2012
    3
    With Final Fantasy VII, it became clear to me that SCEA had no idea what makes me actually want to play an RPG. Sure, the graphics were interesting, but the game play was so ridiculously slow. Also, the graphics often made the game MORE difficult, because it isn't clear where you can travel and which areas are merely background. The linear storyline left little room for exploration. AndWith Final Fantasy VII, it became clear to me that SCEA had no idea what makes me actually want to play an RPG. Sure, the graphics were interesting, but the game play was so ridiculously slow. Also, the graphics often made the game MORE difficult, because it isn't clear where you can travel and which areas are merely background. The linear storyline left little room for exploration. And the ridiculously long cinematics that accompany some of the combat maneuvers were just unbearable. I totally understand how many people love this game: the story was more complex than most games up to this point. However, the obsession with story and graphics over gameplay made this one a game I wish I could have returned to the store.… Expand
  65. moonman1994
    Jul 13, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is a classic game and it deserves to be a classic game. It has a great story and great characters that make you want to play the entire game and also give it a high replay value. The only down side of the game is the turn based combat but that was the norm for the time in which it was made. If your looking for a good classic RPG to play Final Fantasy VII is defiantly aFinal Fantasy VII is a classic game and it deserves to be a classic game. It has a great story and great characters that make you want to play the entire game and also give it a high replay value. The only down side of the game is the turn based combat but that was the norm for the time in which it was made. If your looking for a good classic RPG to play Final Fantasy VII is defiantly a must play and that is why it deserves a 10 out of 10.… Expand
  66. Tubey
    Jul 2, 2012
    10
    As close to perfection in a game as you're ever likely to see. The finest sound track in gaming history, orchestral and oozing with atmosphere which suits the beautifully drawn scenery. The character graphics, whilst not A-grade stuff, have charm in abundance, radiating atypical JRPG at every turn (see Cait Sith for details!) Speaking of the characters, every single one of them areAs close to perfection in a game as you're ever likely to see. The finest sound track in gaming history, orchestral and oozing with atmosphere which suits the beautifully drawn scenery. The character graphics, whilst not A-grade stuff, have charm in abundance, radiating atypical JRPG at every turn (see Cait Sith for details!) Speaking of the characters, every single one of them are memorable by name, even if you haven't played the title for a decade. The Turks, Yuffie, Vincent... these are side characters yet they roll off the tongue. Even the enemies do; Emerald Weapon remains ingrained in the minds of a whole generation of gamers.

    And the story... I doubt that we'll see anything that comes close to it ever again. To this day the only game to have legitimately made me cry with a scene that anyone who has played this game will know about.

    In short, it's a classic in every sense of the word. If they ever re-release this on a modern platform it will sell out again and again, because even if you've put 100+ hours into this title you still want more.

    There are minor faults, don't get me wrong. But they really are minor to the point of not worth mentioning - for example, there's a few translation issues, one or two of the mini games are frustrating, the world map can be confusing and chocobo breeding is nigh on impossible without a guide, but that's literally it. If you're a gaming enthusiast and haven't played this title, go out now, buy a PlayStation 1 from a second hand store and pick up a copy of FF7 - because your gaming career isn't complete without a showdown with Sephiroth on your CV.

    It's probably the only game I'll ever score a legitimate 10/10 for, because when taken as a package, in terms of duration, replayability, storyline, atmosphere, gameplay... it's perfect, and I don't think it'll ever be beaten.    … Expand
  67. Revane
    Jun 5, 2012
    10
    From nowadays viewpoint the graphics might be terrible. Since this aspect doesnt make a game worse for my part, I can still say: epic game. Deep story, interesting gameplay, awesome characters, challenging fights, fine balancing... Today still one of the best games ever made.
  68. bestbloodyday
    May 29, 2012
    9
    You just can't consider yourself a serious gamer if you haven't tried this game. Everything here is great: great story, great battle mechanics, great character development, great amount of items, great characters, great length... So, basically, you need to play this game at least once in your life.
  69. gordofredito
    May 28, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy has only been able to do something better than this once: Final Fantasy X. This is THE game of the PS1, flawless. Beautifully made and it also has the best story line ever.
    This game must never be seen as "overrated" for it truly stands up to its legendary title
  70. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    10
    A masterpiece.
  71. pookie
    May 21, 2012
    9
    In short, the most defining RPG of the 32-bit era! It's existence spawned a slew of inferior spin off games and movies, but most importantly helped establish the genre and it's transition from 2D to 3D. Good Plot, hours worth of side quests, great music, rewarding, & addictive. Visuals are obviously dated, but remain charming and were amazing for it's time.
  72. nogburt
    May 15, 2012
    10
    Perhaps the greatest video game ever made. The story is engrossing, the graphics...were...awesome, the gameplay is awesome, and then there's Chocobo racing.
  73. elijah254
    May 11, 2012
    10
    VERY GOOD GAME! People *cough* I mean kids think the game is bad because of the bad graphics and bad gameplay. Yet the graphics are very good for that time. The gameplay is solid and very well written.
    People so say this game is bad never played through it OR are very young. go back to playing call of duty you kids.
  74. reepnorp
    Apr 26, 2012
    6
    Decent game, not as strong as the other titles in the series. Interesting character development but the plot seemed forced at times. Audio is about what you can expect for an early PS1 game, nothing too impressive. Same goes for graphics, unfortunately these graphics do not age well at all. Notable exception to that is the cut scenes, which do look good even today. Gameplay itself isDecent game, not as strong as the other titles in the series. Interesting character development but the plot seemed forced at times. Audio is about what you can expect for an early PS1 game, nothing too impressive. Same goes for graphics, unfortunately these graphics do not age well at all. Notable exception to that is the cut scenes, which do look good even today. Gameplay itself is alright, the materia system is very well done, but other than that not much stands out to me about the battle system.

    Now, I fully admit I didn't play this game until a few years after it had been released. As such many people may disagree with my comments about the graphics since I was indeed comparing them to other, later titles on the PS1.    … Expand
  75. K9boy
    Apr 9, 2012
    10
    Please excuse me if at any moment i offend any one,but i was just reading all of the bad reviews and i can't believe it.... this game is not only a classic, but its amazing in every way especially for its time. the main character is a mystery. That provides curiosity to the player "whats going on?" "who is this guy?" "what is SOLDIER?" and a billion more questions. Its has everything itPlease excuse me if at any moment i offend any one,but i was just reading all of the bad reviews and i can't believe it.... this game is not only a classic, but its amazing in every way especially for its time. the main character is a mystery. That provides curiosity to the player "whats going on?" "who is this guy?" "what is SOLDIER?" and a billion more questions. Its has everything it needs to engross a player in to the game the music is catchy and nice. I feel the graphics are good for its time other disagree that's fine because in any case the story makes up for it. this game was and could still be considered one of the best games ever. the fact there is no voice act provides for the mind to work its imagination a bit. if u like sure some things some times make little sense, but these things are just part of what makes it that much better it leaves you wanting more. this game is so good that i freaking played 6h straight slept 4h only to play another 6h. this game is awesome and i still cant believe there exist people who don't like it... it makes me sad. But, seriously get this game u'll love it and if u don't your'e one of the few who can't appreciate true genies. No offense.… Expand
  76. Irohma
    Apr 3, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is a true classic, one of the greatest pieces of videogame ever made and still cherished by many. It brought a graphical revolution to consoles in its release and also added a deep and powerful storyline that slowly evolves into the typical save-the-world stuff that is a mark of the Final Fantasy series. The characters are extremely charismatic, with an extremely goodFinal Fantasy VII is a true classic, one of the greatest pieces of videogame ever made and still cherished by many. It brought a graphical revolution to consoles in its release and also added a deep and powerful storyline that slowly evolves into the typical save-the-world stuff that is a mark of the Final Fantasy series. The characters are extremely charismatic, with an extremely good protagonist (people hate him because he is lazy and traumatized, but that's exactly where he's a good character) and the whole game system (from battle to menu) is extremely addictive. You'll have plenty of time of fun here, about 60 hours for those who take their time and make some of the sidequests, more if you wish to unravel every detail of this huge game that tops the content of many of today's behemoths. If you consider yourself and RPG fan and is not a crying boy who wishes only top-notch graphics of the Xbox and PS3, Final Fantasy VII still tops most of the others games of the genre.… Expand
  77. Carlitoxic
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is the epic RPG ever made. It came in 1997 with pure magic, dreams and a beauty never dresses. Those that we it play it, we discover a video game with heart.
  78. Tripe4Life
    Mar 17, 2012
    5
    I really do not want to give this game a poor rating, because I truly believe that this game succeeded in living up to the hype... but only the first time I played it. After that, the more glaring holes in the story began popping up. Other than that, the characters are lifeless tropes upon tropes. Only a few characters did I actually like, those being Red XIII, Cid, Cloud before he becameI really do not want to give this game a poor rating, because I truly believe that this game succeeded in living up to the hype... but only the first time I played it. After that, the more glaring holes in the story began popping up. Other than that, the characters are lifeless tropes upon tropes. Only a few characters did I actually like, those being Red XIII, Cid, Cloud before he became all emo and whiny in Advent Children, and Cait Sith. Yes, I actually like Cait Sith. Please don't kill me. But other than those three, the other characters are lifeless, emotionless, and are pretty much there to fill their cliche. And despite the lame main characters, I also think that the main villain, Sephiroth, is also one of the weakest in the franchise. His motivations are honestly very stupid, and his final form was very lame. The music is... okay, I guess. Only Crazy Motorcycle really stood out to me in the game's massive soundtrack, but other than that, I either dismissed the rest of them or just did not like them (ONE WINGED ANGEL IS OVERRATED). And the story is a pretty flawed one, which I'm sad to say, because this is STILL one of the better storylines in the Final Fantasy series!

    So, as a final say, this game really suffers from cliched characters, really gaping plot holes, a dismissible soundtrack, and    … Expand
  79. ssp_87
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Loving all the 0 rage on this page, really...a lot of people saying poor graphics haha really? These graphics were mind blowing when this game came out in the 90's. Game play is incredible and the game takes many many hours to complete. This may not be your favorite game but when you bash it and rate it a 0 you fail at life... this game is PERFECTION PERIOD.
  80. JDMars
    Mar 8, 2012
    10
    Best RPG of all times if not the best game of all time. Considering that the last PlayStation game to be released was in 2005, or 2004 depending on the region, of course there are going to be games with better graphics. You also have to consider art direction and the context of the game. Saying Minecraft is a terrible game because it isn't as pretty as Skyrim isn't a valid argument, andBest RPG of all times if not the best game of all time. Considering that the last PlayStation game to be released was in 2005, or 2004 depending on the region, of course there are going to be games with better graphics. You also have to consider art direction and the context of the game. Saying Minecraft is a terrible game because it isn't as pretty as Skyrim isn't a valid argument, and how much VO do you want out of a game. As I recall, possibly incorrectly, game like chrono cross, released 2 or 3 years later had about as much as FF7. 327-18 is a substantial enough lead for me however.… Expand
  81. ImUnavailable
    Feb 27, 2012
    10
    A sprawling and enthralling game that always has a new trick up its sleeve. This game is seen as a classic and deserves the title. Though not quite as brilliant as FF6, this game is still bursting with originality, heart, action and just about anything else you would ever want from a video game.
  82. rafael07
    Feb 21, 2012
    10
    Simply the best. Of course, perfection doesn´t exist, but I think this is the videogame most near it. Why? Everything is incredible: its story, its characters, music, battle system. Also the graphics were amazing by the time it was released. I was not interested at all in Final Fantasy until I finished it. Now I´m a final fantasy fan, only because of it. Trust me,Simply the best. Of course, perfection doesn´t exist, but I think this is the videogame most near it. Why? Everything is incredible: its story, its characters, music, battle system. Also the graphics were amazing by the time it was released. I was not interested at all in Final Fantasy until I finished it. Now I´m a final fantasy fan, only because of it. Trust me, this game will learn you to appreciate the world of videogames and to value how a good game must be. If you don´t like it, it´s because you haven´t played it well. Anyone who loves videogames should have it.… Expand
  83. Hakaze
    Jan 25, 2012
    10
    One of my all-time favorite games, and my favorite Final Fantasy game. It's a long and good game with lots of character and excitement. The combat system and game mechanics i general is rock solid, the characters deep and the plot complex, but not too over the top either. A must-play for all fans of the series and RPG's alike
  84. birrml
    Jan 4, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Some people commenting here are very jaded. I recently tried to re-play this game, and over 15 years later, it was to a certain extent tedious, but considering how many great RPG's have come out and how far game development has come in that amount of time, it's really no surprise. However, to those saying the story was horrible, perhaps you play alot of shooters with extremely linear and copy pasted stories. I am HUGE on story development, and must say in today's era of gaming, that aspect is truly lacking. The story of FF7 was one of the deepest and most immersing I have experienced. It was intricately written and placed, each main character had their own background fleshed out (which is alot more than most games can say these days), how they all came together, some purposely, some seemingly random. The characters played off each other very well, to the point that you feel as if you're part of it while they convey their emotions into you. When Aeris dies, you almost feel yourself die a little inside. When you learn of Cloud's mysterious past, you find that most of what he believes is not necessarily true, and that he lived vicariously through Zack n Sephiroth. His tortured, twisted, demented mind shows exactly why he is a man of few words, and little emotion. The many twists throughout the story, I found at the time to be quite unexpected and enthralling. Each little FMV sequence and dialogue tying this illustrious narrative together. Not to mention the sand-box aspect of the game, where there are so many side-quests, that involve more than just stupid fetch quests (the side quests of today's RPG's), that sometimes also add to the story, or tie up a loose end, were imaginative and great. The arcade! Awesome! In today's RPG's fetch quests are all of the sidequests. That and crafting items, lame... If you can honestly say you dislike this game, or think it's overrated, you are missing a part of your soul. Or you enjoy the horrible re-hash of Oblivion that is every RPG coming out these days, which every single one is lacking in story, but it's ok, you can mash the A button all day and feel satisfied. I'll enjoy what yesteryear has to offer, while you drone the simple minded, lackluster stories, un-artistic, button mashing crap of today's generation. You are probably the same people that hated the new Duke Nukem, because it didn't have really-real-realistic graphics and it wasn't MW3. It's people like you that killed awesome epic gaming, in exchange for marketing research that makes every game these days a remake of last year's game of the year... Bring on some more epic Turn-based RPG's, screw these brainless idiots!… Expand
  85. dmetzger2187
    Dec 26, 2011
    10
    best game ever. No videogame storyline has ever affected me in such a way. I've probably played it around 7 or 8 times. But about 6 months after I play it, i want to again. No other game is like that for me. Also, best music. The piano collections are incredible. 8, 9, and 10 are great, but the stories aren't nearly as good. Thats why I'm always surprised to hear 7 isn't somebody's favorite
  86. dluo
    Dec 26, 2011
    7
    Maybe it's the fact that I played this game too late. First time I beat it beginning to finish was freshman year in my college career back in 2009 so the impact on me was not so great vs those fans who played it as a kid back in 1997. But nonetheless the story is alright along with game play and the character. The biggest thing I didn't like was the music and the moody atmosphere. MaybeMaybe it's the fact that I played this game too late. First time I beat it beginning to finish was freshman year in my college career back in 2009 so the impact on me was not so great vs those fans who played it as a kid back in 1997. But nonetheless the story is alright along with game play and the character. The biggest thing I didn't like was the music and the moody atmosphere. Maybe its because I already had standard for video games and this was far from the first video game I ever played so impression I got from this game was not as good as some other RPGs. But I pay my respect to what is consider one of the greatest video game ever made.… Expand
  87. Enkrona
    Dec 13, 2011
    10
    Final Fantasy VII is one of the greatest video games of all time, amazing characters, amazing story and amazing soundtrack, there is no other final fantasy like it and or ever will be, an amazing video game a complete Masterpiece
  88. Mandalorian_12
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    This game is fantastic. By far the best of its time and my favorite and likely the best pure rpg ever. The plot is well written and despite bad graphics this game managesn to make every pixel count. The story is shrowded in mystery and you uncover many twists in the plot that will affect you emotionnaly. It is a game with many secrets and skills at your disposal. Im on my secondThis game is fantastic. By far the best of its time and my favorite and likely the best pure rpg ever. The plot is well written and despite bad graphics this game managesn to make every pixel count. The story is shrowded in mystery and you uncover many twists in the plot that will affect you emotionnaly. It is a game with many secrets and skills at your disposal. Im on my second playthrough and there are still things i want to go back and do. Still secrets i find. Still a game that amazes me… Expand
  89. Acquiredempire
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    The game that made me love gaming. If you never played it, do yourself a favor and do so. A little outdated graphics wise but nothing a remake will not fix, hint hint Square. But don't let that stop you from playing this great game.
  90. Camille
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    I have recently begun a playthrough of all of the Final Fantasy games I own including some I missed out on as a child (I, IV and V). I was bitterly disappointed with the newest effort and wanted to lose myself in a time when I really loved this series. I hadn't played this game in 6 years so I was looking forward to it. As soon as the camera pans down from the stars and you see Aerith II have recently begun a playthrough of all of the Final Fantasy games I own including some I missed out on as a child (I, IV and V). I was bitterly disappointed with the newest effort and wanted to lose myself in a time when I really loved this series. I hadn't played this game in 6 years so I was looking forward to it. As soon as the camera pans down from the stars and you see Aerith I got chills, and I realized while playing that the atmosphere and the edge Final Fantasy used to have is long gone, as well as the ability to make me care for characters. Now this game isn't perfect no matter what the overzealous fans say; the mechanics are dated, the translation is botched and the disc 2 pacing is weird to say the least....but the charm of the game is so powerful that I was able to overlook it. And the music is truly magnificent.… Expand
  91. moholdt
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    If someone asks me what my favourite game of all time is, the answer is quick and blunt; Final Fantasy VII. I bought this game solely because on the back there was a man on a snowboard. Little did I know of the magnitude of my decision. FFVII introduced me to the JRPG genre, and I fell in love. The story starts small but evolves into a brilliant, thorough, engaging epic. You connect withIf someone asks me what my favourite game of all time is, the answer is quick and blunt; Final Fantasy VII. I bought this game solely because on the back there was a man on a snowboard. Little did I know of the magnitude of my decision. FFVII introduced me to the JRPG genre, and I fell in love. The story starts small but evolves into a brilliant, thorough, engaging epic. You connect with each and every character in the game. Be it the ones you control or the ones you face. You never lose track of your main goal but can spend hours exploring and then continuing on your focus. As you progress you develop your characters, learn more about their history and the major plot. Everything is just so perfectly synchronized. The atmosphere, music, scenery, characters, combat and enemies ties together in such a great epic adventure I had never in my life experienced. It's now been 13 years since the release and at the time the graphics and cinematics were beyond what you would expect for the console. As time went by and the Final Fantasy franchise slowly rotted into the ground, releasing games that would never compare to this classic. Changing a system that was far from broken and generally tearing up the name, this game stands out as the best achievement of Squaresoft. I keep trying out their newest installment only to stop half way ending up back where I started. Graphics is not as important anymore. I would rather play a good game with outdated graphics than a shallow cosmetic excuse of a game. If you haven't tried this game yet, you're in for a treat irrelevant of the graphics.… Expand
  92. Mutto
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    A great game. Not the best in the series though. Sure, it had newer 3D graphics, but it has 2D characters and a plot that really needed some refining. And as many people know, graphics do not make a game awesome. A new wave of FF (and rpg) fans surged in with the release of this game and has become a demi god amongst them. Definitely pick it up.
  93. DBZ19
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    Best game ever made PERIOD. Everything about it was incredible characters, customization the works so detailed. Its this very game that got me into RPG and gaming altogether
  94. review_hater86
    Nov 19, 2011
    10
    By far my most FAVORITE game of all time. Everything in this masterpiece is a living work of art, and is truly what every gamer should experience. We follow Cloud, an ex-member of SOLDIER, who soon joines a group AVALANCHE, and tries to stop midgar from sucking up all of the earth's life. The story is greatly emotional, from twist after twist. The game also features only the greatestBy far my most FAVORITE game of all time. Everything in this masterpiece is a living work of art, and is truly what every gamer should experience. We follow Cloud, an ex-member of SOLDIER, who soon joines a group AVALANCHE, and tries to stop midgar from sucking up all of the earth's life. The story is greatly emotional, from twist after twist. The game also features only the greatest villain of all time, Sephiroth. The music is the best in the industry, and in my opinion better than Mario or Zelda (OPINION!), and the graphics may not be the best, but it was 1997, what do you expect? The fighting is a turn-based style, and works not only in a RPG way, but can be action-like, and have a lot of strategy to it. If you're breeding chocobos one place, or riding down snow mountains in the other, FF7 has as much content to last for a couple of days. The characters are the best part, from cloud, to tifa, to cid, you will get many memorable characters who are known today as the best ever imagined by Square. Ultimately, this is the BEST Final Fantasy ever made, and will always be in my heart as my favorite game of all time.… Expand
  95. Peteypoo
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Hands down the best game I've ever played. Surprising since the first few hours were shaky, and I was only spurred on by my friend telling me I needed to keep going....

    First few hours review: The graphics seem dodgy, your character is made out of a triangle or two. You get text instead of voice acting. You get dumped into a battle system that seems unnatural and clunky. The story is an infantile anti-corporate mess. The main character has no personality. 3/10

    Final review: The graphics are great, the crappiness of your characters becomes loveable and the technique used for the backgrounds creates a unique and beautiful world, that actually looks great. The world map is awesome, and the variety and sheer character of the environments is breathtaking. At one point you return to the city you started in after being away on your travels for a while and it's an utter joy just because you get to experience the place again. An utterly immersive world.
    The text dialogue overcomes the uselessness of every piece of voice acting ever in a video game, and the script is amazing. I actually care what each person has to say, and I find myself emotionally invested not only in my own character but every one of the supporting cast I pick up along the way.
    The battle system is the best I have ever used, you will find yourself using every technique it has to offer, magic, summons and melee all have their place and you will use them equally. The balance is perfect, if you follow the story without spending hours levelling up for the sake of it each battle is just the right difficulty.
    The story itself is a piece of artistic genius. I never cared so much about a computer game, ever. It has all the action, comedy and drama you would ever want, and then goes further to touch on deeper subjects like destiny, good and evil, the meaning of life, love, death, self worth, all of that stuff. Just beautiful. At times you will struggle to hold back tears and in other moments you will be punching the air with win. Your character is a heavily flawed guy, and his victories are not only defeating his enemies, but defeating the significant emotional issues he has been carrying around. It was brave on the part of the writers to put such weaknesses into a main character, but for me it made me root for him way more than if he was standard hero dude with a "kind of troubled" past. This fella is actually a total freak, and to pull himself out of the mental rut he's in gives him more power than could be achieved otherwise. Another wonderful thing about his flaws is they are pretty much the same weaknesses as the bad guy, but because of how Sephiroth deals with them you hate him equally as much as you love Cloud. That's a lot, by the way. This guy is the ultimate badass, and two of his scenes in particular (fire in a village, sword in a back) are the most frightening and shocking things you will see in a video game. A guy that is genetically the same as Cloud, starting with the same identity crisis, but by the end battle so hateful that you are hell bent on annihilating him. Shakespearean I tell ya. And you will be rewarded after the battle with the simplest but most badass automated showdown you could ever see. OOOOOMMMNIIIISLLLASSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
    Oh and the soundtrack is one of the best ever. Unforgettable.

    I could go on, I mean I really could go on for a long time describing all the good things in this game. I've played it over 1000 hours (really) since it came out all those years ago, and nothing has surpassed it for me since. Metal Gear Solid is sitting all scratched up in a press somewhere, Gran Turismo gets whipped out every couple of years for a race or two. Medal of Honour has had about 100 better successors and I don't know where that disc is anymore. Final Fantasy 7 on the other hand will always have a place under my TV. Impossible to beat. If you've never played it, find the game and a psx if necessary. And as my friend told me all those years ago, stick through the first couple of hours, by god will you be glad you did.    … Expand
  96. RPGROB
    Oct 7, 2011
    9
    Sephiroth is an example of one of those game villains who just "don't" die. The earlier villain offering, Kefka, from Final Fantasy VI was manical, psychotic, and succeeded in scorching the earth. When he died, that was it, he died. Playing whack-a-mole with Sephiroth got boring. It's hard to tell he's even the villain. You start the game fighting Shinra corp. You might ask yourself whySephiroth is an example of one of those game villains who just "don't" die. The earlier villain offering, Kefka, from Final Fantasy VI was manical, psychotic, and succeeded in scorching the earth. When he died, that was it, he died. Playing whack-a-mole with Sephiroth got boring. It's hard to tell he's even the villain. You start the game fighting Shinra corp. You might ask yourself why you have to even fight Sephiroth. I wondered the same thing.

    Onto the parts I loved. I loved having a nice variety of characters to choose from. I loved the materia system, exploring the world and finding new bosses to kill. The Golden Saucer was awesome, lots of minigames and other things to do. More RPG developers need to learn players love having a mid-game hub to do other tasks rather than advancing the story. It's a shame square hasn't learned from their success though, as newer games in the series usually lack anything with 10% of the depth of the Golden Saucer.

    Main villain was weak, but it's still a great RPG experience, a far gap between a 9 and 10 though.    … Expand
  97. BlacksitePSU
    Oct 6, 2011
    8
    A game with a well-written story that broke ground for showcasing its revolutionary 3D visuals. Not my favorite title in the Final Fantasy series, but still an enjoyable ride nonetheless. Unfortunately, the success of said title has spawned its own mediocre sequel in the form of a movie, Advent Children. The game itself is not as overrated as some people would lead you to believe. It'sA game with a well-written story that broke ground for showcasing its revolutionary 3D visuals. Not my favorite title in the Final Fantasy series, but still an enjoyable ride nonetheless. Unfortunately, the success of said title has spawned its own mediocre sequel in the form of a movie, Advent Children. The game itself is not as overrated as some people would lead you to believe. It's just... really popular.… Expand
  98. Tayskasi
    Sep 10, 2011
    10
    I am going to give it a 10, just because of the mini games. I have not seen any other game with so many different mini games: snowboarding, motorcycling and the strategy game where you defended the base with different troops.

    Of course there is still: arm wrestling, boxing, basketball, piano, chocobo racing, shooting game at speed square, torpedo attack the submarine simulator and many    I am going to give it a 10, just because of the mini games. I have not seen any other game with so many different mini games: snowboarding, motorcycling and the strategy game where you defended the base with different troops.

    Of course there is still: arm wrestling, boxing, basketball, piano, chocobo racing, shooting game at speed square, torpedo attack the submarine simulator and many other for example in Gold Saucer.    … Expand
  99. Daematune
    Sep 7, 2011
    10
    If there was such thing as a perfect game, this would most likely be it. It still outmatches many titles to this date. It's a serious shame there are not many games as good as Final Fantasy 7.
  100. c0mmander
    Aug 15, 2011
    10
    This game is still one of the best RPG's ever made, let alone one of the best games ever made. A fantastic narrative, with a story line that builds up enough tension to warrant continuing to play through the rest of the fantastic campaign that this game is based around. Some of the people below who gave it 0 are abosolutely ridiculous and they clearly don't know what makes a well developedThis game is still one of the best RPG's ever made, let alone one of the best games ever made. A fantastic narrative, with a story line that builds up enough tension to warrant continuing to play through the rest of the fantastic campaign that this game is based around. Some of the people below who gave it 0 are abosolutely ridiculous and they clearly don't know what makes a well developed game. As someone who is studying game development I know what I'm talking about and the design aspects are fantastic. Someone below in their review talks about 'no voice'. Voice acting doesn't make a game and also consider the time this masterpiece was made back in 1997 for the rise of the playstation home console system. NOT at all overrated an absolute gem everyone should try, now just need a remake :)… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS1 Game of 1997
1
#1 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1997
2
#2 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1997

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. GMR Magazine
    90
    Brought RPGs into the Western spotlight and contained the most debated plot twist of an era. [Feb 2003, p.97]
  2. Gamestyle
    90
    You can play the game time and time again. Always finding something new, from a new piece of materia to a new place, to defeating the ultimate weapons. The story twists and turns all the time always keeping you guessing as to what will happen next.
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  3. Thunderbolt
    90
    Without a doubt, FF7 is one of the top Final Fantasy games out there. It is also one of the best RPG adventures of all time.
    Read full review
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