Final Fantasy VII

 Switch
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 128 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 128
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 128
  3. Negative: 24 out of 128

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  1. Quixe
    Mar 26, 2019
    8
    I have been on the edge of my seat in anticipation since I heard the news of the Switch getting a release of Final Fantasy Vii. I downloaded it as soon as it was released. The waves of nostalgia have been flooding my brain with every cut scene. Though this game is 22 years old I feel it still holds up as one of the best story arches I have played.
    Why not a 10/10? One reason, they made    I have been on the edge of my seat in anticipation since I heard the news of the Switch getting a release of Final Fantasy Vii. I downloaded it as soon as it was released. The waves of nostalgia have been flooding my brain with every cut scene. Though this game is 22 years old I feel it still holds up as one of the best story arches I have played.
    Why not a 10/10? One reason, they made it to easy to "Cheat" I use that term loosely, but it there is a feature that will replenish your Limit Break and Health with every battle. Though this has come in handy in random encounters to boost ones experience, it is hard NOT to use in larger battles. This might not be a problem for some but like that last piece of of chocolate when on a diet, it is very hard to resist the temptation.    … Expand
  2. sailor_n
    Apr 3, 2019
    10
    this game is still great, and having it ported to the switch in the upgraded version is awesome. the 3x speed helps get through things quicker, and being able to play it anywhere is great.
  3. Reed618
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    It's my favorite game of all time, something I first played when I was 9 :).

    I picked it up almost out of obligation but then my best friend moved to another country and I decided to play it to cheer myself up. The characters, the combat and story still blow me away today even though i've beaten it so many times i've lost count. Somehow it helped cheer me up when things feel kind of    It's my favorite game of all time, something I first played when I was 9 :).

    I picked it up almost out of obligation but then my best friend moved to another country and I decided to play it to cheer myself up. The characters, the combat and story still blow me away today even though i've beaten it so many times i've lost count. Somehow it helped cheer me up when things feel kind of crappy :).

    I'd recommend it to first timers and anyone looking to revisit this classic :).    … Expand
  4. pendelberry
    Apr 27, 2019
    10
    This is still one of the best final fantasy ever made the switch port isn't perfect but to be able to have the game on the go is great a must play for anyone new to the franchise or a returning player.
  5. ProfPlum
    Apr 23, 2019
    8
    Fun, but does not withstand the test of time. Halfway through I was wondering if I could find something better to do. I give it a score of 8 only because I loved it so much when it first came out.
  6. DingerDonger
    Jun 28, 2020
    2
    Extremely overrated, definitely the worst game out of the entire series. "Muh evil corporations ruining the environment" is such a tired and overplayed trope even by 1997. The big bad villain is an autistic manchild with a big sword. The main character is an autistic manchild with a big sword. The rest of the characters are boring or just poorly designed; the best in the cast by far isExtremely overrated, definitely the worst game out of the entire series. "Muh evil corporations ruining the environment" is such a tired and overplayed trope even by 1997. The big bad villain is an autistic manchild with a big sword. The main character is an autistic manchild with a big sword. The rest of the characters are boring or just poorly designed; the best in the cast by far is Cait Sith. Minigames can't safe this dumpster fire of a game.

    Let's talk about some redeeming qualities. The music is phenomenal, as to be expected. The materia system is also pretty good and is overall a better system than most of the games preceding it. That's... about it though.

    The only reason people still fawn over this game is nostalgia. If, say, FF8 or FF9 were released during the time that FF7 were released it would no doubt be receiving the same amount of praise from midwits who barely play JRPGs. If you want a better JRPG experience, here are my recommendations:

    Final Fantasy VI
    Chrono Trigger
    Final Fantasy IX
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky trilogy
    The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series
    Radiant Historia
    Earthbound
    Golden Sun
    Super Mario RPG
    Octopath Traveler    … Expand
  7. RyoandFlex
    Apr 1, 2019
    0
    One of the best game of all time. One of the worst and laziest port of all time at full price. Square-Enix is giving you the finger as always. Greed level Max.
  8. rosnk30
    May 28, 2020
    8
    Its a simple port with features that turns the game a movie without difficulty, maked for patience-less people...cool if you pay cheap
  9. iMetaCritic
    May 28, 2019
    10
    The best port of this game to date
    Final Fantasy 7 on the go cannot be beaten,
    One of the best games of all time, On one of the best systems of all time.
  10. bl1rt
    Jun 18, 2019
    7
    The atmosphere of the game is still as magical as it was back then.

    You have to wonder though why they stuck with the old translation, which is abysmal. All dialogs are borderline incoherent to the point where I assume that the translator had to work without any context - it reminds a lot of Google Translate. Also, I think they accidentally mixed up some of the lines. You still get what    The atmosphere of the game is still as magical as it was back then.

    You have to wonder though why they stuck with the old translation, which is abysmal. All dialogs are borderline incoherent to the point where I assume that the translator had to work without any context - it reminds a lot of Google Translate. Also, I think they accidentally mixed up some of the lines. You still get what is going on, but there is no flow or character in the storytelling.

    Besides that, it is a lot of fun to see how Square went nuts testing out all the possibilities of the new platform, and how that playfulness and creativity is still apparent today. However, being less blown away by its tricks and effects, the game feels imbalanced today:
    Strong emphasis on a story - which is told in an incoherent way. Tons of mini-games and short action sequences - but they suffer from clunky controls and often lack balance and pace. An abundance of items, equipment and magic, and an interesting concept of how they interact with each other - yet most of it is utterly useless in battle.

    Still a great game, but I have to admit that the appeal for me is nostalgia and technical fascination. It does not hold up as well as the older Square greats like FFVI, Secret of Mana or Chrono Trigger, which I believe I would enjoy if I played them for the first time today. With FFVII, I am not so sure.    … Expand
  11. ragnarokandroll
    Nov 18, 2019
    10
    Final Fantasy 7 is a masterpiece.

    Story is engaging. Character development is engaging. Materia system is excellent (best system of any Final Fantasy game IMO). Music is amazing and spot on for the mood of the story throughout. Battles are fun and there's multiple ways to customize characters/parties. There are lots of great subquests that help make the game. Chocobo racing and breeding    Final Fantasy 7 is a masterpiece.

    Story is engaging. Character development is engaging. Materia system is excellent (best system of any Final Fantasy game IMO). Music is amazing and spot on for the mood of the story throughout. Battles are fun and there's multiple ways to customize characters/parties. There are lots of great subquests that help make the game. Chocobo racing and breeding is amazing. Replay value is high; I have played FF7 6 times now (I think).

    With regards to the port to the Switch they did a great job. I notice no issues and the ability to fast forward makes this game even better. I love being able to fast forward through the summons when I want to (a really nice option and addition).    … Expand
  12. Superderpy
    May 18, 2020
    9
    Solid port and also the best game ever made. Do I need to say anymore? The things that they add to make and game more accessible I say could go
  13. El1s0n
    Jun 28, 2020
    10
    Jamás tuve la oportunidad de jugarlo en su tiempo, y me arrepiento bastante de no haberlo hecho. A la fecha puedo decir que este juego es una obra maestra en todos los sentidos y que a pesar del tiempo no ha envejecido tanto. Es de admirar las cinemáticas que este juego podía ofrecer en 1997. La historia es asombrosa, mientras más avanzas mejor se pone. La música es extraordinaria.Jamás tuve la oportunidad de jugarlo en su tiempo, y me arrepiento bastante de no haberlo hecho. A la fecha puedo decir que este juego es una obra maestra en todos los sentidos y que a pesar del tiempo no ha envejecido tanto. Es de admirar las cinemáticas que este juego podía ofrecer en 1997. La historia es asombrosa, mientras más avanzas mejor se pone. La música es extraordinaria. Simplemente un juego que ningún gamer debería dejar pasar.… Expand
  14. 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.
  15. Lorack
    Apr 27, 2020
    10
    Pro
    +Great addicting story
    +Some of the most unpredictable plot twists ever
    +Amazing soundtrack
    +Some of the most well written Final Fantasy characters ever
    +Perfect difficulty
    +Memorable world and main villain

    Con
    -You're always forced to have Cloud in your team
  16. DinoBeam
    Aug 21, 2021
    4
    God I was so hyped for this, and the first few hours of the game that take place in the cyberpunk city TOTALLY live up to the hype. After that it is awful.

    First, it is so beautiful, each shop, each house, each room is hand drawn and unique, which makes the world feel so real, this is a special accomplishment [no assets used]. The city feels real. The grind feels well paced and fun.    God I was so hyped for this, and the first few hours of the game that take place in the cyberpunk city TOTALLY live up to the hype. After that it is awful.

    First, it is so beautiful, each shop, each house, each room is hand drawn and unique, which makes the world feel so real, this is a special accomplishment [no assets used]. The city feels real. The grind feels well paced and fun. The art style with the music is complimentary.

    After you leave, you instantly feel that tugging in your heart that you should stop; seriously even with a guide and the speed and deathproof boosts that the Nintendo Switch version offers (which I forced myself not to use for 16 hours], even with that it feels like a lifeless hollow grind with no point. This game falls off a cliff taller than the one in Death Note. I do not joke. So many of the reccomendations from people are people who played it back in the day and use the annoying, time wasting, dumb grind as a way to wind down because they don't bother to deep breath or meditate so they can play a real game like Bloodborne or Dragon Quest IV on the DS.

    I seriously warn you that overall the game is **** and, if you can get it very cheep on sale, if you truly love jrpgs, I highly encourage you to get it just for the first few hours, because at first it really is actually as good as they say!    … Expand
  17. jocariba
    Mar 2, 2023
    10
    Es increíble que este juego tenga tantos años, me duele no haberlo jugado en su momento, pero es sin duda uno de los mejores juegos de la historia, gran historia, música maravillosa, gran variedad de movimientos y personajes, gran villano, me parece increíble, recomendado a todo mundo, solo jugar en inglés o japonés
  18. elolugo
    Nov 11, 2021
    4
    I don't think this game has age well. Pre rendered background makes paths difficult to know which of them are accessible. Played for 4 hours and dropped it
  19. ghost8809
    Feb 7, 2022
    4
    Nostalgia brought me back to this game but, nostalgia couldn’t save this game, as about halfway I got tremendously bored and had to use a Nintendo boost to get me through the rest of it. Everything felt meaningless and annoying. I’m sure the game was amazing to me back in 97 as I was only 8 but in 2022 at the age of 33 this game is pretty lame
  20. JAG7
    Jan 21, 2022
    10
    Wao!! Amazing game. This is the OG of games and RPGs. The graphics are dated but who cares. That makes it unique. Everything in this game is made out of pure love . Everything’s done in detail and perfection to the story and character building. The music score is one of the best and most beautiful ever. This is by far one my favorites of all time . Some people unfairly complain about theWao!! Amazing game. This is the OG of games and RPGs. The graphics are dated but who cares. That makes it unique. Everything in this game is made out of pure love . Everything’s done in detail and perfection to the story and character building. The music score is one of the best and most beautiful ever. This is by far one my favorites of all time . Some people unfairly complain about the “retro “ look, which I didn’t and don’t care at all. I truly love dearly this game.… Expand
  21. beastmodeilleri
    Feb 9, 2023
    10
    Insanely good. A true masterpiece. I didn’t expect as much from it before playing it, but now it has invaded my top 3 of greatest games of all time.
    Yours truly
  22. IamSquid
    Jan 2, 2022
    9
    I'm not even going to review this game, we all know its great. I'm going to review the port to Nintendo Switch: Its great!
  23. Ventuski
    Apr 6, 2022
    8
    I would only recommend the purchase if you haven't played the original one. Otherwise is not worth the money.
  24. Rhex98
    Jan 7, 2023
    10
    El juego que hizo explotar la popularidad de la saga Final Fantasy y una de las obras maestras de la primera PlayStation, Tiene algunas novedades que hacen la experiencia un poco más agradable.
  25. Strife69420
    Jun 29, 2022
    8
    Contains some minute spoilers

    Since it's initial release in the 90s, Final Fantasy 7 has been revered as this "amazing game that you have to play". And for the most part, that does hold true. The overall plot, and executions were great. Great tension building when revealing the villain. The combat had nice progression, alongside some fun weapons and magic. The map and scenery was    Contains some minute spoilers

    Since it's initial release in the 90s, Final Fantasy 7 has been revered as this "amazing game that you have to play". And for the most part, that does hold true.

    The overall plot, and executions were great. Great tension building when revealing the villain. The combat had nice progression, alongside some fun weapons and magic. The map and scenery was beautiful. The music helped give a great atmosphere to the locations, and are just some great songs in general. The character designs were also great, and the characters were enjoyable.

    The combat was really slow due to animations. Area themes would be interrupted by the battle theme in some areas. The graphics were quite ugly, and did not age well. Most areas felt incredibly time consuming and annoying to complete. The random encounter rate felt like you’d be getting a random encounter every 10 seconds. The characters felt really flat as well. The ending was also quite lackluster.

    Overall, I really did enjoy the game, I really did. The graphics are ugly, the characters didn't hit me like I thought they would, the animations in the combat were incredibly annoying, the random encounters and some areas were an absolute pain in the ass, and the ending was incredibly disappointing. But... I did still like the game though, really. Great story, great music, great locations, great and memorable character designs, nice magic system, and great overall feel and theme of the game. If you do want to get into the JRPG genre, and want to experience a great story and music as well, or if you're just interested in playing it because of Final Fantasy Remake, do play it because it is still a great game. However, do be warned as it's definitely not the phenomenal JRPG you've been told it is.

    Overall Score: 8/10, didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to because the characters didn't hit me all that hard. Emotional scenes also didn't hit me that hard as well.

    As an extra side note, I really wanted to give a more in-depth review but I sadly couldn't because I'd be getting a 404 because of **** **** engine but it's fine. :///////

    Port review portion:

    Positives:
    + God mode
    + x3 time to skip tedious cutscenes and annoying deaths
    + Hardly encountered any bugs
    + Translation wasn't too bad

    Negatives:
    - Graphics changes looked odd
    - Some bugs with the CG would pop up from time to time
    - Resolution was quite odd
    - I would get massive frame drops, seemingly dropping from around 60 FPS to a good 15-30 FPS at certain areas

    Overall, a pretty competent port with nothing being too game breaking, alongside some nice boosts. The switch frame rate at some areas was also quite annoying, but wasn't too big of a deal to complain about.    … Expand
  26. RetroGamesMania
    Sep 29, 2022
    5
    Capolavoro indiscusso come genere rgp, ma dopo anni dalla sua uscita una localizzazione in italiano poteva essere inserita , visto che esistono traduzioni o meglio localizzazioni fatte molto bene da gruppi di appassionati. Per carità l’inglese serve , ma se si vuole assaporare meglio la storia senza passare ore a tradurre il tutto era meglio pensare ad un localizzazione anche in italiano .
  27. LastResource
    Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this seventh game in the series.

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Best Switch Game of 2019
63
#63 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
53
#53 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Apr 7, 2020
    65
    As a piece of game history, Final Fantasy VII is indispensable. As a piece of entertainment today, it's hit-and-miss, especially in this half-baked port. [Issue #39 – May/June 2019, p. 26]
  2. Nintendo Insider
    May 28, 2019
    90
    Whether it’s Nobuo Uematsu’s incomparable soundtrack or the game’s characterful cast, Final Fantasy VII will forever be remembered as a genre-defining classic. Now on Nintendo Switch, it’s the perfect chance for newcomers to uncover the truth about Cloud’s lost past for the first time, and, for those that have beaten it before, to relive the adventure both at home and on the move.
    Read full review
  3. Switch Player
    May 13, 2019
    70
    Final Fantasy VII is a game that everyone should experience. It’s a pioneering JRPG that remains to this day one of the most influential titles of all time. That said, if you’re entering Midgar for the first time, just keep in mind that time has not been kind this game.
    Read full review
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