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[3phemeral]

I'm replaying it again and I still love how the FMV sequences integrate with the in-game sections, like when the camera zooms into the train station at the open and how the camera pans upward to show the mako reactor after Cloud gets introduced to Barret. Was this the first game to employ this technique? This was definitely my first PS game, though, now that I think about it.

Considering this was Square's first attempt at a CG-heavy FF, I still think they did amazingly well, watching all of these animated sequences. They did a great job with establishing the mood and atmosphere.

 

[antitrop]

I'm replaying it again and I still love how the FMV sequences integrate with the in-game sections, like when the camera zooms into the train station at the open and how the camera pans upward to show the mako reactor after Clouds gets introduced to Barret. Was this the first game to employ this technique? This was definitely my first PS game, though, now that I think about it.

Considering this was Square's first attempt at a CG-heavy FF, I still think they did amazingly well, watching all of these animated sequences. They did a great job with establishing the mood and atmosphere.

The unfortunate downside to playing the game on a slow-ass PC CDROM drive in 1998 was that the drive would have to start spinning to load the FMV cutscenes, sometimes taking as long as like 6 or 7 seconds where the game is just frozen as the drive attempts to load the FMV. Occasionally the game would fail to properly load the FMVs and just straight up crash, losing sometimes an hour or more of gameplay.

Didn't happen on Playstation or modern PCs, obviously.

 

[3phemeral]

The unfortunate downside to playing the game on a slow-ass PC CDROM drive in 1998 was that the drive would have to start spinning to load the FMV cutscenes, sometimes taking as long as like 6 or 7 seconds where the game is just frozen as the drive attempts to load the FMV. Occasionally the game would fail to properly load the FMVs and just straight up crash, losing sometimes an hour or more of gameplay.

Didn't happen on Playstation or modern PCs, obviously.

That reminds me that I would get excited hearing that CD spin because I knew another sequence was coming up. =) I also had this tendency to walk back and forth near zoning entrances to mark where the pre-loading spots were located because of it.

 

[Omegasquash]

FF7 had me on my knees and I took it balls deep when it was released. I didn't have a Playstation, but I managed to BORROW a Playstation from a friend.

At the time, it was amazing. It set a standard for games and pushed the genre into the mainstream (at least, stateside). It was good, but we're well beyond it now. Homage for what it did, but it wasn't the second coming of Jesus Christ.

 

[charsace]

Good game that's overrated because its the first RPG that most people played. The hype it got in magazines and the commercials that showed nothing but FMV also helped. I thought BOF3 released at the time was better game.

 

[Muffdraul]

Good game that's overrated because its the first RPG that most people played.

As someone who started playing RPGs in 1980 via AD&D, and played Tunnels of Doom on my TI in 1983, and discovered FF in 1992 when a friend recommended I check out FFIV, and had played numerous JRPGs before FFVII came out, and who happens to think FFVII is one of the best console RPGs ever... I can't agree with this comment.

 

[Riddy]

A lot of people aren't giving the game enough credit when they say it purely comes down to nostalgia.

Ultimately, what makes FFVII stick with people is that it's a very accessible JRPG.

- The combat system is comparable to Pokemon in that you only have a select few options (Attack, Defend, Item, etc).
- There are no strict classes. Characters use magic based on whatever materia they have (fire materia = fire etc).
- Weapon upgrades come directly from stores in exchange for money (aside from the ones you may stumble on)
- The game is mostly a linear experience (until it opens up later)

Combine that with an interesting setting and premise and you actually get a damn good game. I wouldn't say its my favorite game of all time, but I beat it at least once every 1-2 years.

 

[FrontalMonk]

FF7 had me on my knees and I took it balls deep when it was released. I didn't have a Playstation, but I managed to BORROW a Playstation from a friend.

At the time, it was amazing. It set a standard for games and pushed the genre into the mainstream (at least, stateside). It was good, but we're well beyond it now. Homage for what it did, but it wasn't the second coming of Jesus Christ.

I rented FF7 before I bought it...and at the time, I didn't have a memory card. I didn't want my PSX to overheat or anything, so I turned it off at the end of the night...I kept playing the first couple hours of the game and getting to the train graveyard and never knew where to go to get through it because I never saw the entrance to one of the last trains you had to move. After I returned it to Blockbuster, I bought it (and a memory card, b/c god damn) as soon as I had the money.

Oh, memories.

 

[Fusebox]

Good game that's overrated because its the first RPG that most people played.

A snobby little sentiment which has been disproved many times over.