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. Shotgunsean
    Nov 5, 2003
    10
    This is the best game in the world i have been playing it since it came out and it has never gotten boring.
  2. ShinjiK.
    Jul 22, 2003
    10
    This game is so amazing it raises the question: Are humans really capable of creating something so beautiful?
  3. TylerT.
    Jul 29, 2004
    10
    This is possibly the best game ever made! The storyline is the BEST I've ever seen!!!
  4. Watermelon789
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    FFVII not only changed the history of gaming, it made a footprint impossible to fade away, this game as more time keeps passing by, much better it gets. Soothing music score, nice graphics, cool RPG system and the best story in all the FF and Maybe all the video games to date.
  5. 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
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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
  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. 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.
  13. 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
  14. 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.
  15. iddqd4
    Jan 23, 2018
    6
    Пытался играть совсем совсем далеко после выхода, в итоге забросил. Возможно окунусь в сюжет уже с выходом ремейка.
  16. 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
  17. assembler
    Apr 29, 2020
    10
    I played the original once again just before the "remake" premiere. And I must say original is still much better game, especially 2015 edition (upgraded 3D graphics) on PC or PS4. Don't even bother playing the "remake". It's not worth it. Play the original masterpiece
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. HopelessVoice
    Feb 1, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There's not much to be said about this timeless masterpiece that hasn't already been said. FFVII takes all of the ingredients which were good in the SNES entries and brought them to the PS. There's nothing this game lacks and whether one finds the graphics outdated or to "have aged badly" is a matter of taste, not fact. From the inspiring materia system to the optional characters, from the open world with hidden secrets to an amusement park with dozens of minigames, from the epic plot with twists never seen before in video games... It is silly how much backstory a game can have when you need atleast 3 playthroughs to remember it all. When I bought the PSone classic port version of the game from PSN and played the game again I was delighted to notice that Aerith notes in the beginning of the game that "there's this materia" she has which is "useless", only to remember that it is the precise materia that will save the world later on in the game.

    All the characters have well-developed motives and each are strengthened by a brilliant leitmotif ala Nobuo Uematsu. The optional bosses are fun to run with challenge runs and are in fact rather difficult if one doesn't pay attention to his/her character builds and materia use.

    This is a game that never will be forgotten.    … Expand
  24. tsakiym
    May 11, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. One of the greatest games on playstation 1. I hope some day to remaster it. I do not have to say anything more. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.… Expand
  25. VondyP
    Sep 23, 2015
    10
    A game clearly far ahead of it's time. Got this as a child (born in '90) back in 1997, only had it because my father was an RPG nerd at the time and bought a Playstation "for me" for Christmas that year and wanted this game for himself while I played Hercules, or Bushido Blade. Little did he know this game would prove to be my favorite and is the sole reason I love single player RPGs toA game clearly far ahead of it's time. Got this as a child (born in '90) back in 1997, only had it because my father was an RPG nerd at the time and bought a Playstation "for me" for Christmas that year and wanted this game for himself while I played Hercules, or Bushido Blade. Little did he know this game would prove to be my favorite and is the sole reason I love single player RPGs to this day.

    This game has it all, massive customization, GREAT storyline(the best), huge plot twists, tons of hidden things only found when using an online source or the original Brady Game Guide. This is truly the only RPG game I've 100%ed and it's not because of it's simplicity, but because the storyline sucks you in and doesn't let you go.

    When this games remake is released in 2017 I am seriously considering purchasing a PS4 just so I can play it. Playstation has paid for "temporary exclusive rights" so it will probably be on PS4 for a year or two until XBOX can have it, and I just can't wait that long.

    If you haven't played this game yet, do it. You will not regret it whatsoever.    … Expand
  26. Cloud_2891
    Aug 31, 2015
    10
    This is the best game I have ever played. There is a PS4 remake on the way and i can't wait for it. The only other nostalgic and excellent games that I want remastered are Xenogears, Breath of fire 3, Chrono cross/Trigger, Metal gear solid and Resident evil. I don't understand how someone can give FFVII a bad rating.
  27. ZankEraux
    Apr 18, 2016
    10
    Un juego mágico lleno de emoción con escenas que se quedan grabadas en la mente por siempre.
    El sistema de combate es excelente y no cansa, a pesar de sus más de 40 horas de duración.
    También hay que destacar que toca el techo gráfico de PS1.
    Destro del catálogo de esta consola, es sin duda, uno de los grandes imprescindibles.
  28. GSDGames
    Jun 23, 2017
    9
    This is the best game I have ever played. Sure, the graphics have aged, and I can see how the aesthetic can turn some people away, but I personally didn't have any other problems with it. The story is intriguing and captivating, the characters are enjoyable and relatable, the music is phenomenal, and the gameplay is great in every sense of the word. The materia system works great even toThis is the best game I have ever played. Sure, the graphics have aged, and I can see how the aesthetic can turn some people away, but I personally didn't have any other problems with it. The story is intriguing and captivating, the characters are enjoyable and relatable, the music is phenomenal, and the gameplay is great in every sense of the word. The materia system works great even to this day, and it provides an enjoyable challenge the whole way through. There is so much more praise this game deserves that I can't put it into my own words at this point. You'll just have to play it for yourself. Love it or hate it, there is a reason that this game gets so much praise. 10/10

    I mean, I guess the FF7 series has been milked to death at this point, and the fanbase is pretty toxic... 9/10    … Expand
  29. Malakia
    Apr 21, 2018
    7
    A revolutionary game that sadly aged really poorly and not just because of its blocky graphics (which were absolutely mindblowing at the time and still hold a special place in my heart), but mostly because of the poor level design, bad English adaptation and glitches scattered here and there including Materias not working as intended.
    Remains a solid title to this day and one every RPG    A revolutionary game that sadly aged really poorly and not just because of its blocky graphics (which were absolutely mindblowing at the time and still hold a special place in my heart), but mostly because of the poor level design, bad English adaptation and glitches scattered here and there including Materias not working as intended.
    Remains a solid title to this day and one every RPG fan should play at least once in their life.    … Expand
  30. sebastianali
    Jan 6, 2020
    6
    Este tiene que ser uno de los juegos mas sobrevalorados de la historia. Lo siento, pero a pesar de que este juego innova y tiene muy buena historia, la historia no lo es todo en un videojuego e innovación no quiere decir calidad. El sistema de materia si bien me pareció interesante y permite tener mucha personalización en parte no me gusto, ya que se van perdiendo estadísticas alEste tiene que ser uno de los juegos mas sobrevalorados de la historia. Lo siento, pero a pesar de que este juego innova y tiene muy buena historia, la historia no lo es todo en un videojuego e innovación no quiere decir calidad. El sistema de materia si bien me pareció interesante y permite tener mucha personalización en parte no me gusto, ya que se van perdiendo estadísticas al equiparlas... Que ha pasado con el sistema de magia de los anteriores Final Fantasy? No es justo que tener magia te perjudique. Lo que mas me agrado del juego es la historia, la música y la cantidad de escenarios que recorres (y se siente muy bien el progreso). En este apartado es sobresaliente. Sin embargo, la jugabilidad que es muy lenta y la dificultad poco balanceada hacen de esto un juego algo mediocre.
    Pd: También Sephirot esta muy sobrevalorado como villano. Si bien tiene sus momentos, el no habla en la ultima parte del juego, no están claras sus intenciones y solo obtuvo la fama que obtuvo por matar a Aeris.    … Expand
  31. arcade23pl
    Dec 22, 2020
    10
    Icon! Absolute number one, Story, music amazing combat system. I love this game
  32. Crysouls
    Jan 17, 2020
    10
    Esse game é incrivel !!! que combate excelente esse turno em real time , limit , barra de atb tudo muito funcional , vilão que me deixou confuso mas ao mesmo tempo curioso , enfim nota 10 e espero que o Remake faça tão bem quanto ff7 classico fez
  33. PSGaming
    May 24, 2020
    7
    Its difficult to rate such an old game like this in 2020.But the experience i've got with Final Fantasy VII is mixed.Lets talk the good things.The story is very interesting, characters are interesting, enemies are interesting,environment are interesting and combat is interesting.Sound effects and music are good for its time.Graphics also are great for the time of the firstIts difficult to rate such an old game like this in 2020.But the experience i've got with Final Fantasy VII is mixed.Lets talk the good things.The story is very interesting, characters are interesting, enemies are interesting,environment are interesting and combat is interesting.Sound effects and music are good for its time.Graphics also are great for the time of the first PlayStation.Now...with the good things come the bad.I have deleted the game half way,because there was no waypoint,where to go.I tried to find the way to progress,but avery 5 steps i make, enemies attacked me.And that made me very angry.Forcing me to delete the game.I tried to play till the end ,but this things with the monsters appearing every 5 steps i make,made me to do this.I know most of the people are very happy with this game,but for me it is very annoying.Maybe if i have played it on the original PlayStation back in the days i maybe have love it,like many other people.Maybe one day i'll give it another try,bit for now,i am gonna play other games.… Expand
  34. PasseGaming
    Mar 28, 2020
    7
    Word of warning; this is coming from a fan of the series since day one, waaaay back on the NES. An while the truth may hurt, it is none the less the truth. Final Fantasy VII was a technical achievement in the gaming industry. It was only of the first times I really took.notice of gaming ads, as they had been all over. The game look impressive for the time (now a days it doesn't quite goldWord of warning; this is coming from a fan of the series since day one, waaaay back on the NES. An while the truth may hurt, it is none the less the truth. Final Fantasy VII was a technical achievement in the gaming industry. It was only of the first times I really took.notice of gaming ads, as they had been all over. The game look impressive for the time (now a days it doesn't quite gold up in that respect.) Before I drop the bomb I should say that it is a solid game all around. Fun to play.. but the plot was a dumpster fire. It was confusing and frustrating with many holes. Not to mention that many of the characters were wooden and uninteresting. I replayed this game when it was released on the PS4 after not having played it in over a decade. Boy those rose colored glasses had been stained white real quick as I seen the truth of the games state. It's kind of ulgy and I found the story even more baffling. I am really hoping with this remake they do some special with it and maybe add some sense to it all.white real… Expand
  35. SpewPuke
    Apr 14, 2020
    10
    After playing the "Remake" I was hooked with that introduction to the story, but felt quite confused with the ending. I then tried the original and I really wish they hadn't made some choices for the "Remake" because this game was amazing.
  36. Onlyclassicvg1
    Sep 21, 2022
    9
    olid Snake returns in Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, the expanded edition of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with all-new game modes, hidden characters and storylines. Top-secret weapons technology is being mysteriously transported under cover of an oil tanker to an unknown destinatio
  37. Faustfrank13
    Jan 10, 2021
    10
    FF7 isn't a great game, it is an experience that can change your life, at least, that's how it was for me. It is the first FF I ever played and I loved it from the beginning to the end: I loved its story, its themes, its characters, the gameplay, the soundtrack (the best I ever experienced in a videogame)... I can never thank this game and whoever developed it enough for what they wereFF7 isn't a great game, it is an experience that can change your life, at least, that's how it was for me. It is the first FF I ever played and I loved it from the beginning to the end: I loved its story, its themes, its characters, the gameplay, the soundtrack (the best I ever experienced in a videogame)... I can never thank this game and whoever developed it enough for what they were able to give me. If you are looking for a game out of the ordinary, that's FF7… Expand
  38. MaxRave
    Jul 25, 2020
    10
    With no doubts, this is one of the most important games of the history. It redefined what a RPG means, and left a mark in the heart of an entire generation. Must-play for anyone that claims to be a gamer
  39. RafiFR
    Dec 18, 2020
    10
    This game, this **** game is so Amazing. The character, story, gameplay, bosses, enemies, world and design is blow my mind.

    This game make you care and feels every character in the game. The music is phenomenal and the world design is so unique and original, it's really rare to see this kind of creativity and "Fantasy" especially these day. Gameplay is really fun too (materia, i see you)    This game, this **** game is so Amazing. The character, story, gameplay, bosses, enemies, world and design is blow my mind.

    This game make you care and feels every character in the game. The music is phenomenal and the world design is so unique and original, it's really rare to see this kind of creativity and "Fantasy" especially these day. Gameplay is really fun too (materia, i see you) its make it worth to encounter every enemy to level up your materia. And i got a lot of fun and weird moment too LOL.

    My all time favorite game alongside GTA:SA    … Expand
  40. Marsbarista
    Dec 20, 2020
    10
    A true classic. Don't let the visuals make you believe otherwise. The story, the world, the music, they all hold up. The gameplay is turn-based which may be a barrier to some, but sincerely, I recommend you try to get your head around that, if only to experience the beautiful world. It is best enjoyed during the dark and cold winter months. The game is not always mechanically perfect, butA true classic. Don't let the visuals make you believe otherwise. The story, the world, the music, they all hold up. The gameplay is turn-based which may be a barrier to some, but sincerely, I recommend you try to get your head around that, if only to experience the beautiful world. It is best enjoyed during the dark and cold winter months. The game is not always mechanically perfect, but it is still fairly solid. Beyond that, it is a game that is more than the sum of its parts, and its beauty is not easily expressed. A lot of nay-sayers will try to call it dated, criticize the visuals, or the turn-based combat. I would say that those might be deal breakers for you, but I genuinely believe that if you give this a shot you will see what people see in this classic.… Expand
  41. Gilium
    Jan 3, 2021
    10
    Every gamer should experience this masterpiece,age hasn't slowed it down one bit.You're looking for a great,engaging story with full of twists?It's here.Looking for deep and complex turn-based combat?It's here.Looking for memorable characters and soundtrack?It's here.Final Fantasy VII nearly makes everything perfect,if you still haven't played this classic,don't waste your time more.NotEvery gamer should experience this masterpiece,age hasn't slowed it down one bit.You're looking for a great,engaging story with full of twists?It's here.Looking for deep and complex turn-based combat?It's here.Looking for memorable characters and soundtrack?It's here.Final Fantasy VII nearly makes everything perfect,if you still haven't played this classic,don't waste your time more.Not even a single game this close to perfection for me.… Expand
  42. supdude80
    Jul 26, 2022
    2
    most overrated game I've ever played, how do people think this is good..? it isn't memorable, enjoyable, or well-written, and it isn't impressive in any way either. the only thing stopping this from being a 1/10 is how iconic it is which is arguable since it has nothing to do with my opinion, but I don't want to sound like a review bomber while writing this, so I'm giving it an honest 2/10.
  43. 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.
  44. Ozard
    Jun 8, 2015
    5
    I really cannot understand all of the praise which this game gets, in my opinion it is average at best.

    A poor storyline, sub par graphics (even for when it was released nearly 15 years ago), terrible voice acting, painful inventory system. There are some redeeming features, such as the hard battle encounters, numerous side quests and the large number of characters, but they just cant    I really cannot understand all of the praise which this game gets, in my opinion it is average at best.

    A poor storyline, sub par graphics (even for when it was released nearly 15 years ago), terrible voice acting, painful inventory system. There are some redeeming features, such as the hard battle encounters, numerous side quests and the large number of characters, but they just cant make up for all of the other disappointing aspects. I have finished the game twice now, with a gap of over 10 years in between, and it hasn't aged well    … Expand
  45. benignus
    Dec 14, 2010
    9
    Mmmm...........................materia......................
  46. 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.
  47. 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
  48. 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
  49. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    10
    A masterpiece.
  50. 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.
  51. 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
  52. Edymnion
    Jun 16, 2015
    10
    Almost 20 years ago I got my first part time job, and spent my very first paycheck to buy FF7. I didn't even own a Playstation at the time, I just got the game because it was the most beautiful thing ever made that would ensure I'd save up money from my new job to buy the PS1 with. And it was worth it. FF7 was simply the greatest game of it's generation.

    Sure, other PS1 games had    Almost 20 years ago I got my first part time job, and spent my very first paycheck to buy FF7. I didn't even own a Playstation at the time, I just got the game because it was the most beautiful thing ever made that would ensure I'd save up money from my new job to buy the PS1 with. And it was worth it. FF7 was simply the greatest game of it's generation.

    Sure, other PS1 games had better graphics... years later when the PS1 had been pushed to it's limit. But FF7 was the best of the best at the time it was made.

    Ignore the hipsters who hate things just because the masses enjoy it. There is a reason FF7 is considered one of if not the greatest Final Fantasy games ever made. It pretty much single handedly created the US market for JRPGs.

    And remember, just because a slightly emo main RPG character is cliche these days, this is the game they were all trying to copy. The original is never cliche, no matter how overused the concepts became afterwards.

    FF7 was a generation defining game, like Pong. If you can get past the graphics these days (they are unbelievably crude by today's standards), this is a must play. If you can't get past the graphics, well then I can only assume you only care about shiny graphics and there's always Fast and Furious N+1 for you.    … Expand
  53. 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
  54. 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.
  55. Super_Cloud
    Jan 1, 2016
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I finally finished this game for the first time and it was pretty good but i feel like the game is kinda overrated though, the story was good but really not the best, i liked FF6 alot more, i really liked the part when they are in the Lifestream, the game was really easy for a ff, Sephiroth was surprisingly easy to beat. I feel like the game aged really badly, i'm really curious out the remake will be. Good game but i played better ff.… Expand
  56. RezzaDee
    Jun 19, 2011
    8
    I liked this game but 8 and 10 are by a clear mile the best ever final fantasy games. Square soft made the good games and square Enix are just total garbage!
  57. 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
  58. notacarebear
    Jan 15, 2016
    8
    Solid game when it first came out. Materia system was good on paper but in reality it was very limited by forced links and dev design, and at the end of the day, because the game offers no real challenge till the end, you were leveling most of that materia just because you could. Playing 19 years later can get frustrating.
  59. 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
  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. 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
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. 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
  66. 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 :)
  67. 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
  68. 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
  69. Pocketchange
    Mar 14, 2015
    10
    This game may be the benchmark that all other story-based games can be compared to and modeled after. The storyline keeps you hooked, wanting to play more and more despite your body telling you that you need sleep and food.
  70. Fabio199618
    Jul 21, 2015
    10
    Rating a game almost 20 years after its original development may sound quite strange.
    You basically cannot have high expectations on graphics, mainly because our modern consoles look like reality, i think we have achieved a peak in graphics nowadays, nothing can compare to these modern graphics.
    However, the main role of a gamer is not complaining about graphics. That's easy indeed, our    Rating a game almost 20 years after its original development may sound quite strange.
    You basically cannot have high expectations on graphics, mainly because our modern consoles look like reality, i think we have achieved a peak in graphics nowadays, nothing can compare to these modern graphics.
    However, the main role of a gamer is not complaining about graphics. That's easy indeed, our role is to contextualize a game for the period it was released. For example, i cannot give a 4 to the original super mario because of the graphics, that was the best they could do at the time, it doesn't matter if there is another, better-looking NES game, that was released 5 years later. Technology evolves continually and dramatically and even FFXIII graphics look very aged for a 2015 player (when it was released, about 5 years ago, it looked like a film).So we are in 1997. The environmental graphics are pre-rendered and let me say that(even today) they look beautiful. The character's graphichs, however, aren't that good. They barely resemble a person, but i honestly don't think this is important. Final Fantasy VII world is beautifully constructed, it has a lot of places, villages and cities, forests, caves, all very well designed and rendered. Villages look alive, tons of things to do, places to explore, who could ask for more?
    Characters and story are probably the best part of FFVII. Characters are more complex than they appear on first sight. Even the apparently most stupid character in our party has his own dreams, likes, dislikes, loves and interests, and a story behind that defines and fits him/her perfectly.
    Story is very good, full of plot-twists, complex but well explained and music...well, Nobuo Uematsu is a genius of soundtrack... what are you expecting from him?
    Overall, this game is truly a masterpiece in every aspect. Great story, Great combat system, Great Music, Great graphics. Do yourself a favor and play it if you've never done it. You won't be disappointed!    … Expand
  71. bugalugz
    Jun 1, 2015
    10
    What can i say the best rpg game i have ever played oh probaly the best rpg game ever made nothing comes close its a classic i wish they would do a remake my fav game of all time.
  72. Absolut1l
    Jan 13, 2016
    10
    No matter how many other games I play, no matter how much time goes by, I cannot think of a game I enjoyed more than FFVII. Perhaps it was the fact that I never had a PC or console of my own as a kid, until I was about 11 or 12 years old when I got a Playstation, and the first game I really spent a lot of time with in my own home was FFVII. Perhaps it's the excellent soundtrack; one inNo matter how many other games I play, no matter how much time goes by, I cannot think of a game I enjoyed more than FFVII. Perhaps it was the fact that I never had a PC or console of my own as a kid, until I was about 11 or 12 years old when I got a Playstation, and the first game I really spent a lot of time with in my own home was FFVII. Perhaps it's the excellent soundtrack; one in which every single track sticks with you for a lifetime. There's nothing generic about any of the music, it's all just sublime nostalgia nearly 20 years later. OR maybe it's just the epic story line that brought us one of the most memorable, intriguing villains in video game history, and one of the most iconic heroes of the time. There's a lot of different aspects of this gamer that make it not only a 10/10, but my favorite game, above all else. My second favorite game of all time is Starcraft - I spend hundreds of hours in UMS games in Starcraft. But the overall quality and experience of FFVII was unreal at the time. In modern times it is rare that we get a game with so much heart and soul poured into it, one with a soundtrack that sticks with you for years and years and one that has a long, interesting story to go along with a unique gameplay experience. That simply doesn't happen much anymore, if at all. FFVII is much more than a mere video game. It's a work of art and a powerhouse ofa consoel seller. How many people do you know who bought a Playstation back in the day jsut to play FFVII? That's precisely how I ended up with mine. Before that, video games were casual fun for me. FFVII left me in awe and lusting for more. It shocking my imagination into overdrive and propelled me into the world of the wonders of technology. I couldn't believe how beautiful the game was at the time. The game is simply a wonder of technology, art and storytelling for the time. And it's loved so deeply and broadly that now, even after they said it would never happen, Square is remaking this masterpiece. We can only hope that the remake brings us a fraction of the joy and wonder we had with FFVII way back in 1997.… Expand
  73. Remakes_Rule
    Dec 22, 2021
    0
    Way worse than 2020 remake. In fact, remake improves in almost every aspect, characters, visuals, story, music, world feels more alive in remake, etc. 2020 did basically same that 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake did. Both remakes are better than originals. Sadly this old FF7 doesn't appeal to me at all, without this remake, i wouldn't even care about this story. Obviously it's cool that it wasWay worse than 2020 remake. In fact, remake improves in almost every aspect, characters, visuals, story, music, world feels more alive in remake, etc. 2020 did basically same that 2019 Resident Evil 2 remake did. Both remakes are better than originals. Sadly this old FF7 doesn't appeal to me at all, without this remake, i wouldn't even care about this story. Obviously it's cool that it was made, so thanks to that gamers have this masterpiece remake now, but original is just extremely outdated.… Expand
  74. theshallows
    Oct 25, 2022
    1
    Never liked it, everything feels so outdated and childish in this one, but remake is absolutely amazing. I would suggest just ignoring the original and play way superior remake.
  75. 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.
  76. Wrathsputin
    Jul 5, 2011
    6
    A decent game with various flaws including two-dimensional characters, lackluster gameplay and a story that suffers from being too complex and pretentious for it's own good.

    It is a good game and very enjoyable and I do recommend it, however various elements of the story are not quite what the game's die-hard fans will want you to believe.
  77. 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
  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. 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
  80. 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.
  81. 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
  82. 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
  83. setuis
    Sep 5, 2016
    7
    Played 9 first back in the old days. its just preference and pure predujice as people under apprechiate 9. Seven also gltiched on disc 2 and i was never able to finish it.
  84. RaxsahW
    Jan 20, 2010
    5
    Incredibly overrated. Don't get me wrong, it is a good game but I think that this 'cult' following that it has going on is way over the top. For one, there is really no attatchment between gamer and character. I mean, come on Cloud, where is your sense of personality? I know why he's like that, I know the background so you cannot tel me I do not know what I'm Incredibly overrated. Don't get me wrong, it is a good game but I think that this 'cult' following that it has going on is way over the top. For one, there is really no attatchment between gamer and character. I mean, come on Cloud, where is your sense of personality? I know why he's like that, I know the background so you cannot tel me I do not know what I'm talking about and it's perfectly understandable, it just doesn't make for good gameplay. The storyline is average at best. You have an evil scientist experiment with human and alien DNA, off the rail Soldier who goe mad after learning about the experiments he underwent and a giant meteor about to hit the planet. Which part of that storyline is terribly imaginative I ask you? The only thing that particularly strikes me as interesting is the story of Jenova. Graphics. Need I go on? Even the graphics on the earlier N64 games are better than that. I will admit that graphics aren't everything in a good game, but they do help and if they are too poor then the overall enjoyment of the game is lowered. The only game I lthroroughly enjoyed in the FF7 series would have to be Crisis Core, but I won't go into that because that shoudl be saved for a different thread =] Overall, I do not believe that people should hold this game on a pedestal as they currently do as it is simply not worth the effort. However, I would recommend at least playing part of it; borrow it off a friend maybe? It's a bit like marmite this game, you either love it or you hate it so it's best to try it out before you make an opinion on it.… Expand
  85. 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
  86. Scooterrito
    Jan 24, 2016
    3
    I don't normally complain about the graphics in a game, especially one this old, but the art in this game has such low resolution that there were times when I couldn't tell what was going on. I didn't know where the floor ended and the walls began, so I spent an inordinate amount of time on every section. It was horrible. The characters were sort of interesting, but the turn-based combatI don't normally complain about the graphics in a game, especially one this old, but the art in this game has such low resolution that there were times when I couldn't tell what was going on. I didn't know where the floor ended and the walls began, so I spent an inordinate amount of time on every section. It was horrible. The characters were sort of interesting, but the turn-based combat is dull and there are lengthy walls of text explaining the overly complicated combat system. This game hasn't aged well at all, and I have a feeling that I wouldn't have liked it much even if I'd played it when it first came out.… Expand
  87. ChrisP.
    Nov 11, 2005
    4
    From what many people say, "The Best Game Ever". Unfortunately, I can't disagree more. What we are presented with here, is a game with a mediocre at best storyline. They tried to infuse it with so much psychological meaning, that they ruined it. The music is good, for the most part. Unfortunately, most people only remember the song, "One Winged Angel". There are many other songs in From what many people say, "The Best Game Ever". Unfortunately, I can't disagree more. What we are presented with here, is a game with a mediocre at best storyline. They tried to infuse it with so much psychological meaning, that they ruined it. The music is good, for the most part. Unfortunately, most people only remember the song, "One Winged Angel". There are many other songs in this game, most of which being subpar when compared to previous Final Fantasy soundtracks. All in all, it is a shame that this is how the Final Fantasy series was immortalized when much of the groundwork of this game was started in Final Fantasy VI. But hey, who wants to hear that?… Expand
  88. BenL.
    Mar 10, 2006
    2
    Indeed, I can't agree with Chris P. any more. People call this "the best game ever", and I honestly cannot see why. Alright, I'll hand it to you, it has good music, okay graphics (the regular animation was pretty icky, but the fmv's were pretty nice for the time), and a mediocre badguy. But, the plot was weak in many place, and the character development was terrible. Cloud Indeed, I can't agree with Chris P. any more. People call this "the best game ever", and I honestly cannot see why. Alright, I'll hand it to you, it has good music, okay graphics (the regular animation was pretty icky, but the fmv's were pretty nice for the time), and a mediocre badguy. But, the plot was weak in many place, and the character development was terrible. Cloud has the personality of a rock, and when it comes to RPG's a game may be better looking then the rest, but if its story clunks, then it will never pass for me.… Expand
  89. 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
  90. JohhnyD.
    Dec 25, 2007
    0
    Waste of time, poor graphics poor gameplay.
  91. MarkB.
    Aug 9, 2007
    0
    Final Fantasy 7 is probably the worst Final Fantasy in the entire series. I don't understand the cult following that It has. The music is bad, the gameplay is just abismal, the graphics look like crap, there is no character development and the story line is just retarded. Every time I play it I have to force myself just to finish the first disc, after that i fell like I want to drill Final Fantasy 7 is probably the worst Final Fantasy in the entire series. I don't understand the cult following that It has. The music is bad, the gameplay is just abismal, the graphics look like crap, there is no character development and the story line is just retarded. Every time I play it I have to force myself just to finish the first disc, after that i fell like I want to drill a hole in my head. If I could, I would go back in time and stop this game from ever being made.… Expand
  92. MaxW.
    Aug 13, 2005
    0
    A horribly overrated game. No voice whatsoever, the whole game is mute. Bad storyline and poor selection of characters. A bad RPG if it even is one.
  93. JesseR.
    Sep 23, 2008
    4
    The most overrated game ever. Lots of ADD-afflicted kids worship this game and refuse to try anything 2-D. This is sad.
  94. DonLaGGerGG
    Sep 15, 2020
    0
    My first RPG game I ever played and I consider it one of the greatest game of all time.
  95. gLoMeR
    Mar 11, 2017
    0
    El peor videojuego de la historia. Gráficos 0, Las cinemáticas muy bonitas pero en el gameplay los personajes no tienen manos, llevan dos piezas de jamón cocido en su lugar. Sistema de intercambio de golpes por turnos, no se puede considerar ni sistema de combate. Una auténtica basura.
  96. TheObjectivist
    Aug 13, 2015
    0
    Time to rip off the nostalgia beer goggles. This game is bad. It is not bad because of how poorly it aged. No, this was just never good to begin with.

    The graphics were actually terrible even in their time. The Playstation was in no way a weak system, ever. But this game seemed to mistake the system for an N64 with cutscene capability, and was designed as such. Even for the Nintendo 64,    Time to rip off the nostalgia beer goggles. This game is bad. It is not bad because of how poorly it aged. No, this was just never good to begin with.

    The graphics were actually terrible even in their time. The Playstation was in no way a weak system, ever. But this game seemed to mistake the system for an N64 with cutscene capability, and was designed as such. Even for the Nintendo 64, a consumer would balk at the graphic design student quality textures, with terrible shading and singular drab colours. Note that the PS1 was a 128-bit system, and the N64 was a 64-bit system, and the two had wildly different graphics capabilities. Square Enix did not seem to take that into account when making this. Everything looks unpolished and deformed, with even the titles of that year all exceeding it in graphical quality by a significant degree.

    The music also suffers, being below even MIDI quality at points. Even entries of the series on the same system grossly surpassed it. Hell, even Final Fantasy VI, which was on the SNES, a 16-bit cartridge system, had higher audio fidelity at points. I can only surmise Square Enix did not have a very easy time understand the system specifications or what a CD-ROM could hold.

    The characters are bland, seeming like either cliches or characters from a dime store novel. Here's what you have: Brooding Character 1 w/ past regrets and obligatory big sword, Innocent young flower girl, Angry black man with machine gun arm, Brooding Character 2 with a gun, Obligatory airship engineer, Mutant dog, Cat with Megaphone, Obligatory ninja, Love interest, and last but assuredly least: Generic psychopath with obligatory big sword, watered down Oedipus Complex, Messiah Complex, and the personality of styrofoam. These are terrible even for a low budget game.

    The story is nothing special, although it decides to condone eco-terrorism and make the main villian need a patsy in order to have any definite power. It basically is this: Bad company poisons the world, Captain Planet and his crew come to save the day, then main character crossdresses, and then more Captain Planeting until the story basically whittles down to two almighty balls, fetch quests spanning many hours, meaningless exposition on an already cringeworthy cast, and bad Freudian element implementation. And then apotheosis, followed by battling inside a person's brain against someone you just killed. Then sequels.

    Gameplay isn't anything to write home about. Dumbed down to an insulting point, the game handholds you through poorly designed linear plot areas, makes the magic system a brainless chore, throws constant minigames at you that serve no purpose, and ultimately just wastes your time. Three discs of pain, and nothing more.

    This game, most notably, has some of the most obscenely terrible quality control, as there was a debug enemy in a plot-relevant point of the game in the NTSC-J region.

    I only wish there could be -1.    … Expand
  97. HannahL.
    Jan 14, 2006
    0
    This game is boring. Graphics are horrible, and they could've done better. I wouldn't be so angry if that was the best they can do, but I saw other ps1 games that have WAY better graphics than this. Cloud has like horse hands. And it's always so dark. And, it's SUPER boring. It's impossible to finish this game.
  98. jrh23
    Dec 25, 2015
    0
    Story,Characters,Twists, Blah Blah Blah. It's good for a game to have a decent story once in a while, but the gameplay still has to be good for it to be a good game. All you do in this is sit through cutscenes, walk around a little, go through a tedious combat section, sit through more cutscenes, read some dialogue, walk around, another boring combat section, more dialogue, more cutscenes,Story,Characters,Twists, Blah Blah Blah. It's good for a game to have a decent story once in a while, but the gameplay still has to be good for it to be a good game. All you do in this is sit through cutscenes, walk around a little, go through a tedious combat section, sit through more cutscenes, read some dialogue, walk around, another boring combat section, more dialogue, more cutscenes, and then it's over. The outdated graphics don't help either.… Expand
  99. sufflaminandus
    Apr 14, 2019
    3
    I will be brief.
    jRRG: automatic base score of 1 (almost total linearity, infantile predictable story consisting almost completely of stereotypes, one-line dialogues, lack of character development, trivial linear equipment system, random encounters, lack of role playing in role playing game (!!!), lack of quests, grind)
    Feel of adventure: +1 Combat system: +1 (though I got through    I will be brief.
    jRRG: automatic base score of 1 (almost total linearity, infantile predictable story consisting almost completely of stereotypes, one-line dialogues, lack of character development, trivial linear equipment system, random encounters, lack of role playing in role playing game (!!!), lack of quests, grind)
    Feel of adventure: +1
    Combat system: +1 (though I got through almost all of the game by pressing one command: attack)
    =
    3/10.

    P.S I'm sorry, all you fans of childhood memories, but 1997 is the year when Fallout was released and, at last, we have something to compare jRPG against. And, excuse me, but I consider scoring FF7, or any other jRPG, higher then 3 an offence to creators of Fallout, Baldur's Gate, Planescape: Torment.    … Expand
  100. Broyax
    Mar 28, 2017
    2
    Bien sûr, il faut se replacer dans le contexte et graphiquement (on parle de la PS1) c'était fort joli. C'est la seule espèce de "qualité" qu'on pourra dénicher en fouillant méticuleusement un tel étron, si on espére y trouver quelque chose, cela va de soi. Ce jeu est l'ambassadeur en Occident des otaculs et autres **** ceux qui se déguisent et dont la cervelle dégouline par les oreillesBien sûr, il faut se replacer dans le contexte et graphiquement (on parle de la PS1) c'était fort joli. C'est la seule espèce de "qualité" qu'on pourra dénicher en fouillant méticuleusement un tel étron, si on espére y trouver quelque chose, cela va de soi. Ce jeu est l'ambassadeur en Occident des otaculs et autres **** ceux qui se déguisent et dont la cervelle dégouline par les oreilles sirupeusement.

    En effet, on y retrouve la quintessence de la japoniaiserie et du prétendu jeu de rôle ; prétendu, car il n'y a rien de rôliste là-dedans (un inventaire et des points d'expérience ne suffisent pas...). Prétentieux, niaiseux à souhait, débordant de mauvais goût artistique, FFVII est par ailleurs dirigiste et sclérosé par des mécaniques de jeu bordéliques et bâclées, la faute à des choix de design balourds et non assumés.    … 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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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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