Final Fantasy VII has aged extremely well
- Thread starter jon bones
- Start date
I get that, but it makes every character nearly identical in battle and I don't like that. You do and that's cool. But that turned me off in VII (even moreso in VIII).
The only instance I wish I could change that in any RPG is in the latest Star Ocean game (my goodness, Lymle is terrible...I wish I could give her Symbology to Edge).
Agreed on the fact that A Realm Reborn actually feels like a Final Fantasy game. I picked it up on sale and am surprised I like it so much.
Can't argue with scientific studies like those.
CharminUltra
Member
Ehhhhhh how does being able to customize your party automatically result in nearly identical characters? Wouldn't it mean you're doing so on purpose? In fact, I would argue that it adds to the replayability since you can try a different build on your next playthrough. Honestly, it doesn't sound like you've thought this argument through.
I wholeheartedly agree. Game is still fantastic after all of these years. Still remains to be my fav FF in terms of a whole package. It really was something special.
That said, OP is really asking for the jrpg snobs to come and shit this thread and then proclaim how much the SNES FF's are "so much better".
That said, OP is really asking for the jrpg snobs to come and shit this thread and then proclaim how much the SNES FF's are "so much better".
H_Prestige
Banned
Crisis Core and Advent Children show that even the original FFVII staff have no clue what made FFVII so endearing. It was a hardass cyberpunk drama that had heart, inspired by the superior 90's school of anime. They can't faithfully recreate the original game so it's better to leave it untouched.
And yeah, FFVII has always looked phenomenal. Glad to see more people realize it. So much easier on the eyes than that mess of pixels known as FFVIII.
KoopaTheCasual
Junior Member
Can't speak for 1-4, but it's my favorite from 5 onwards. I really don't understand the GAF hype for FF6. It was good, but not mind blowing.
It has aged well enough, because it's a good game. But I think it's hard to deny that a proper remake would do it wonders. At the very least, a fully 3D world would add a lot to the immersion.
Barring a remake, a remaster would be nice. Surely Square has the hi-res versions of those backgrounds sitting around?
Yeah. It's funny; usually the FF6 lovers accuse FF7 fans of being blinded by nostalgia, but I think it's generally the other way around. FF6 is a great game, don't get me wrong, but it has aged worse than FF7. While FF6 has a fairly typical fantasy JRPG plot, FF7 has the advantage of being post-modern, with its tortured villain, corrupt corporations, and cyber-punk leanings.
Barring a remake, a remaster would be nice. Surely Square has the hi-res versions of those backgrounds sitting around?
Yeah. It's funny; usually the FF6 lovers accuse FF7 fans of being blinded by nostalgia, but I think it's generally the other way around. FF6 is a great game, don't get me wrong, but it has aged worse than FF7. While FF6 has a fairly typical fantasy JRPG plot, FF7 has the advantage of being post-modern, with its tortured villain, corrupt corporations, and cyber-punk leanings.
Conciliator
Banned
I think the Materia system is really solid but it looks terrible and having played so many JRPGs since then it's hard for me to see the story as more than overcooked anime-bullshit. Music is super great obviously.
stargateheaven
Member
if there ever is an HD remake, it needs to be just better character models, and improved pre rendered backgrounds. i dont want this fancy 3d camera shit. just upgraded in everyway. that means orchestrated versions of the music, pretty high quality models, and re rendered cg backgrounds. still pre rendered though.
and maybe voice work, but im not sure about that.
and maybe voice work, but im not sure about that.
Unknown One
Member
Leave everything alone. That's the only way. That goes for plot and gameplay.
DidntKnowJack
Member
It looks great on my Vita that's for sure. Hell, it even looked pretty good on my old PSP.
PierrePressure
Neo Member
Loved the mini games available at gold saucer, snowboarding, etc.
Added variety to the game.
My personal favourite game ever.
Added variety to the game.
My personal favourite game ever.
See You Next Wednesday
Banned
It's one of the best games ever for a reason. The graphics get a lot of hate, but I think the blocky characters are endearing and you never really see that design in other games (possibly for good reasons). The backgrounds of this game are absolutely incredible.
This makes me want to replay it again!
pillowtalk
Member
As much as I love ff6, the camera angles of the newer FFs are really refreshing and drew me in a lot more during cutscenes.
and also: This guy are sick.
and also: This guy are sick.
kubricks
Member
I played it again last year, it's just as good tbh.
The materia system still hold up very well!
xBladeM6x
Member
Fortunately, you can make the parts that haven't aged well, look nice again on PC.
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/07/how-to-make-final-fantasy-vii-look-like-an-hd-remaster/
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/07/how-to-make-final-fantasy-vii-look-like-an-hd-remaster/
ZombiePlatypus
Member
I don't get how people can think it has aged visually poorly. Yeah, it totally looks like it's from another era, but the backgrounds are still amazing and the character polygons look like adorable legos.
It's gone from cutting-edge and bad-ass to just endearing and cute.
With that said, I'd still day-1 a PS4 remake in a heartbeat if SE can pull it off.
It's gone from cutting-edge and bad-ass to just endearing and cute.
With that said, I'd still day-1 a PS4 remake in a heartbeat if SE can pull it off.
Played the game years ago, a little before Advent Children came out. So 2005? Graphics made my eyes bleed back then, pre-rendered backgrounds confused the fuck outta me too. Overall found it pretty enjoyable though, gameplay was still solid, story still interesting. But how it could be considered the best rpg or game of all time, was completely lost on me.
Had to be there I guess.
Had to be there I guess.
Mentallyerect
Neo Member
I don't think you had to be there man. Its all everyone's opinion but I was there when the game launched and I was dumbfounded at why they let the game ship with those character models. They were, and still are, horrendous and so jarring compared to how great everything else looked. I'm not a graphics whore but to this day I can't get myself to finish the game as a result of those models. They completely take me out of the experience. I really wish they would've went with 2d sprites at the same resolution as the backdrops. I think that would've gelled a lot better in the end. The 3d models during fights were good so no complaints there.
Quick question, looking at the mods out for the PC version that allow you to use updated 3d models in the game, would it be possible for someone to create sprites for the game's characters and replace the in game models with them? If so, who do I have to speak to to get that mod in motion lol. I'd even throw money on a job like that lol.
ZombiePlatypus
Member
Sounds like you would have liked Star Ocean: Second Story more.
There's no denying the characters are very low-poly, but 3D was so novel back then so it didn't really matter for most.
Mentallyerect
Neo Member
Yeah, I played Star Ocean, enjoyed it but I didn't like its setting and atmosphere as much as FF7's.
What made it even worse for me though was that I remembered seeing the demo of FF6 Square made for the N64 which, although being blocky itself, looked a lot better overall than the models used on FF7. I would've taken some sacrifice elsewhere in the game in order to push out a bit better detail out of those models. Looking at screenshots of the game almost make it look like bad photoshop images. The characters just stick out in the worst of ways.
What made it even worse for me though was that I remembered seeing the demo of FF6 Square made for the N64 which, although being blocky itself, looked a lot better overall than the models used on FF7. I would've taken some sacrifice elsewhere in the game in order to push out a bit better detail out of those models. Looking at screenshots of the game almost make it look like bad photoshop images. The characters just stick out in the worst of ways.
I have to say it's the one thing (besides the Turks and Rufus) that I really enjoyed from the movie - seeing all those backgrounds in 3D and brought to life.
I'd argue the characters(Only kefka lets the side down really) are just better in FF6 though and the graphics hold up far better. This isn't nostalgia speaking either. I'm European, we didn't get the game till 4 or 5 years after 7.
I have to question the bolded part there, although perhaps it boils down to personal preference. I find full 3D in RPGs detracts from the immersion, for a few reasons. Firstly it removes from the game's arsenal the cinematic angles that FF7 wields so well. The director surrenders control of the camera to the player, to the detriment of whatever the gaming equivalent of cinematography is. In my eyes this:
is far superior to this
and not going just by those particular screenshots. I felt no kind of immersion in Crisis Core despite getting to run around Midgar and the reactors in 3D - it felt bland. You could argue that a proper remake wouldn't be limited by the PSP tech, but then there's a second point that I don't think technology solves so well.
Many field maps in FF7 are actually quite small, but successfully give the impression of being part of a larger area. I'd argue that this is because with a controlled camera and an often bird's eye view of the game - as opposed to a full 3D over the shoulder setup - your imagination fills in the gaps. You are often unable to see what's off to the north, south, east or west, but your mind makes the leap that there's something there and you happily play on, feeling part of that world. In a full 3D game where your view is one remove from a first person perspective, you can turn and see the entire environment. The developers then have no choice but to put something there other than empty space, and I think it is a rare game indeed that manages to put something that's not some type of unsatisfying wall that makes you feel boxed in. When running around the Crisis Core slum market, to me if felt smaller, despite probably being bigger than the FF7 original. I'm convinced it's because the walls are in your line of sight, and you can run up to them and properly see how small the play area is.
HeavenlyStriker
Member
i had a nes and snes, but ffvii was hype as hell and pictures in gaming mags looks so friggin' nice.
i bought psx/ffvii over n64/mario.
worth every hard earned penny.
and the materias in the game is so broken. lol
i bought psx/ffvii over n64/mario.
worth every hard earned penny.
and the materias in the game is so broken. lol
Indeed. I played through it again 2 to 3 years ago and I wished I hadn't.
Aged very bad, graphically and the writing/story was atrocious. Hammy as all hell. Still lives on in my heart though! And the music held!
I'm not replaying Final Fantasy Tactics though. I'm scared to see if that one aged as badly as FF7.
Yeah, and thats out of necessity because the models were goddamned atrocious. I'm not sure how that is supposed to be a positive mate.
nelsonroyale
Member
Blew me away back in the day.
Why is FFXIII so crap?! Why?!
Why is FFXIII so crap?! Why?!
One thing I noticed when I replayed this game after about 12 years was how fast the battle system is. Nowadays, I always put Final Fantasy ATB on Active, and highest speed. Compared to the other PSX Final Fantasy games, VII is in a speed of its own. It was part of the reason why I could get into the game again. The slow combat in VIII and especially IX put me off. Even VI has ungodly slow combat, although I still love that game.
Materia system also surprised me with its depth as well.
I still love this game and every time I see a picture or remember a scene, I'm always reminded of how memorable the music is.
Materia system also surprised me with its depth as well.
I still love this game and every time I see a picture or remember a scene, I'm always reminded of how memorable the music is.
Fortunately, you can make the parts that haven't aged well, look nice again on PC.
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2013/07/how-to-make-final-fantasy-vii-look-like-an-hd-remaster/
Whatever the hell that is in the gif is hideous
I'm actually really wish Final Fantasy hadn't given up on the pre-rendered backgrounds, in fact I don't get why games in general gave up on them. The amount of detail and atmosphere you can achieve is unbelievable. I know the blocky character models look terrible today but the backgrounds are just beautiful. For a game like Final Fantasy that isn't so much about interacting with the environments I think the set camera angle was perfect and lent the games a certain quality, like every setting was a new page in a picture book.
I think people blaming nostalgia goggles are just desperately trying to find an excuse for why other people like something they don't like.
FFVII is a fantastic game, and to be honest, i find the character models charming. I like them a billion times more than the horrendous messy pool of pixels they call characters in FFVIII. IX was better because they were more chibi. I think FFIX is the best FF game though, with FFVII a close second. I've also played FFVI a few times, and despite being a good game, I don't like the characters as much as in FFVII or IX. I could easily blame nostalgia goggles for people who prefer FFVI, but I don't because that's just arrogant and extremely close minded.
Well, of course VII still holds up graphically. Hand painted/pre-rendered backgrounds can never really age. I still love VII dearly, and I'd hate a remake, since those backgrounds and general environment is what makes VII so enjoyable to me.
This is also why Bravely Default is an instant classic to me.
This is also why Bravely Default is an instant classic to me.
Acquiescence
Member
Sterling post, well done. Really sums up my same feelings toward the use of pre-rendered backgrounds in JRPGs, and why Crisis Core's attempt at re-creating the world of FFVII was an abject failure in comparison to the mainline game.
Game of the Eternity. I love everything about this game including how broken it can get.
I'm also extremely thankful for the battle speed slider in the menu. Ignoring my love for the game and speaking purely from a mechanics standpoint, that alone makes it more playable to me today than FF8 or FF9.
I'm also extremely thankful for the battle speed slider in the menu. Ignoring my love for the game and speaking purely from a mechanics standpoint, that alone makes it more playable to me today than FF8 or FF9.
Sterling post, well done. Really sums up my same feelings toward the use of pre-rendered backgrounds in JRPGs, and why Crisis Core's attempt at re-creating the world of FFVII was an abject failure in comparison to the mainline game.
Holy shit, I got a citizenkaneclap.gif, that's made my day
Holy shit, I got a citizenkaneclap.gif, that's made my day
Well, you earned it, because your post was spot-on. Certain games are best suited to having a fixed camera, either to give the impression of a greater world beyond what we can see (e.g., FFVII) or to constrain us and make it feel even more claustrophobic (e.g., Silent Hill). In both cases, it gives the author more control over the player's experience, which is sometimes desirable.
If I remove one character's materia and give it to someone else, they've essentially become that character with different Limit Breaks and a different weapon set. No character has a unique, inherent skill, which is something I like in RPGs.
If you don't agree with me, that's fine, but don't say I haven't thought it through. I never liked the materia system. I get why other people do, but I don't.
That's cool. Personally, I dislike being forced to use characters I hate just because they've got abilities that are better than the characters I love. I much prefer being able to alter the characters abilities to suit my tastes rather than being forced to use characters because the game makes me.