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What is it about FFVII in particular that made people crave a remake so badly?
- Thread starter Durden77
- Start date
TheStruggler
Report me for trolling ND/TLoU2 threads
Nostalgia is a very incomplete explanation, kinda fallacious, even. I recognice that I cannot speak objectively about this game, for it was indeed my first foray into the Final Fantasy saga, so it would be better explained by a different perspective.
Many years after its debut, about 13 years later, my young cousins had their first contact with the ffVII universe. Unlike myself, they didn't had any rose tinted glasses, mind you. They grew up the PS2, ffX was their first RPG, they were already moving into the PS3 and simply couldn't understand what the fuss was all about since ff VII had butt-ugly graphics and a "nosensical waiting to hit each other" combat system. I explained that it had to do with the plot and characters, and they of course didn't buy it.
Until they stumbled with a copy of Kingdom Hearts. They inmediately fell in love with the Sephirot and Cloud characters, hard. "The coolest characters in the entire game, better than Sora!" they claimed, and needed to know more about them. Out of their own volition, they bought Crisis Core asap for their PSPs in order to get their ffVII fix, and were blown away by its world and mythos. After that, they really, really needed to play the original and see the origins of Sephiroth and what the hell happened to Cloud.
Thing is, ffVII is massively appealing to teenagers, regardless of whetever they grew up with this game or not. The game oozes coolness (longass swords! trenchcoats! beautiful warriors as love interests!) the main character's struggles have to do with forming their identity and distinguish what is real from what is made up (a pretty existential issue for any teenager) and its mood swings wildly between brooding drama and ridiculous, unpretentious cheesefest (kinda like teenagers theirselves). So of course this game is going to impact whoever is in their formation years, which is different from merely "nostalgia" per se.
In addition to that, and as a videogame critic, the game was a prime example of videogame narrative done right due to its nature as a transitional game between the more artisanal, personal videogame making of the 16 bit generation, and the blockbuster nature of the massive AA titles that would define the next generations to come. Yes, it had cutscenes and bombastic production values (for their time), but the game truthly shone when the less typical narration kicked in. Playable flasbacks. Showing the strenght of your antagonist trought combat, not cutscenes. Player-controlled love triangle. Cross-dressing sections. And a long etc of other neat, experimental narration tricks impossible to replicate in any other medium. Now, mix it with a hefty, crazy mix of wildly politically incorrect elements (terrorists as heroes, transexuality, etc) you get the kind of game that would be almost impossible to get greenlighted today. And yet here we are, celebrating its remake. Incredible.
Many years after its debut, about 13 years later, my young cousins had their first contact with the ffVII universe. Unlike myself, they didn't had any rose tinted glasses, mind you. They grew up the PS2, ffX was their first RPG, they were already moving into the PS3 and simply couldn't understand what the fuss was all about since ff VII had butt-ugly graphics and a "nosensical waiting to hit each other" combat system. I explained that it had to do with the plot and characters, and they of course didn't buy it.
Until they stumbled with a copy of Kingdom Hearts. They inmediately fell in love with the Sephirot and Cloud characters, hard. "The coolest characters in the entire game, better than Sora!" they claimed, and needed to know more about them. Out of their own volition, they bought Crisis Core asap for their PSPs in order to get their ffVII fix, and were blown away by its world and mythos. After that, they really, really needed to play the original and see the origins of Sephiroth and what the hell happened to Cloud.
Thing is, ffVII is massively appealing to teenagers, regardless of whetever they grew up with this game or not. The game oozes coolness (longass swords! trenchcoats! beautiful warriors as love interests!) the main character's struggles have to do with forming their identity and distinguish what is real from what is made up (a pretty existential issue for any teenager) and its mood swings wildly between brooding drama and ridiculous, unpretentious cheesefest (kinda like teenagers theirselves). So of course this game is going to impact whoever is in their formation years, which is different from merely "nostalgia" per se.
In addition to that, and as a videogame critic, the game was a prime example of videogame narrative done right due to its nature as a transitional game between the more artisanal, personal videogame making of the 16 bit generation, and the blockbuster nature of the massive AA titles that would define the next generations to come. Yes, it had cutscenes and bombastic production values (for their time), but the game truthly shone when the less typical narration kicked in. Playable flasbacks. Showing the strenght of your antagonist trought combat, not cutscenes. Player-controlled love triangle. Cross-dressing sections. And a long etc of other neat, experimental narration tricks impossible to replicate in any other medium. Now, mix it with a hefty, crazy mix of wildly politically incorrect elements (terrorists as heroes, transexuality, etc) you get the kind of game that would be almost impossible to get greenlighted today. And yet here we are, celebrating its remake. Incredible.
FF7 was a weird transition period for the series. In many ways it is shares a lot with the previous NES and SNES games, but also ushered in a new era.
It's art style is classic Final Fantasy in that it's artstyle is insanely inconsistent but it also has a focus on cinematics which later games have.
Seeing that classic FF7 world, which has some of the most memorable locations in all of gaming, in HD would be incredible, and i'm not even that big of a fan of the game.
The game is also the most iconic FF. I don't think many people could tell you the famous weapon Cecil or Zidane wields. Or all the names of the optional bosses or airships from other games. (well some could, but people know names like buster sword, Masamune, Emerald weapon, Highwind, knights of the round.) I have a friend who has never played more than a few hours of any final fantasy and he knows plot points of 7.
It's art style is classic Final Fantasy in that it's artstyle is insanely inconsistent but it also has a focus on cinematics which later games have.
Seeing that classic FF7 world, which has some of the most memorable locations in all of gaming, in HD would be incredible, and i'm not even that big of a fan of the game.
The game is also the most iconic FF. I don't think many people could tell you the famous weapon Cecil or Zidane wields. Or all the names of the optional bosses or airships from other games. (well some could, but people know names like buster sword, Masamune, Emerald weapon, Highwind, knights of the round.) I have a friend who has never played more than a few hours of any final fantasy and he knows plot points of 7.
I put well over 100 hours on FF 7. I enjoyed it back in the day, but I believe the only reason it deserves a remake is the game has aged terribly. That goes across the board from graphics to sound to story.
I wouldn't be surprised at some backlash with how much will be modified and people will scream that the remake was trash and wasn't worth the wait.? It will certainly be interesting on how they do it.
I wouldn't be surprised at some backlash with how much will be modified and people will scream that the remake was trash and wasn't worth the wait.? It will certainly be interesting on how they do it.
MemoryHumanity
Member
I'm not even THAT into Final Fantasy, but Midgar is one of the coolest settings for a game ever. Such an incredible sense of atmosphere.
It was the first FF that had a major release everywhere, and also the first JRPG that many people played. Nostalgia is really something, but I doubt it'd have been this strong were it not for the PS3 tech demo that square did like a decade ago.
It's also not the best FF, FF games are far too different and divided in fan base for one game to be the best.
It's also not the best FF, FF games are far too different and divided in fan base for one game to be the best.
Hero_of_the_Day
Member
All the reasons in this thread are correct for different people.
Personally, I love the characters and settings. It was also the last FF I really loved, outside of Tactics.
Personally, I love the characters and settings. It was also the last FF I really loved, outside of Tactics.
I liked how, just as you were getting comfortable in dark and dreary Midgar after 5-10 hours, you suddenly exit the city and realize you have a large and varied world to explore.
- People's 1st RPG
- Critically acclaimed as one of the best games of all time (It always makes it to someone's top 100 games.)
- Graphics Aged Horribly
- Cool Cloud/Sephiroth from Kingdom Hearts made new Fans or people interested in a remake.
- Advent Children made people want better graphics
- Tech demo showed that better graphics game was possible.
- Crisis Core rekindled love for the series, and was also the first title in the series from some.
Just the first few things on the top of my head. The better question is to why the Final Fantasy 7 series is so popular when 6 was a much better game.
- Critically acclaimed as one of the best games of all time (It always makes it to someone's top 100 games.)
- Graphics Aged Horribly
- Cool Cloud/Sephiroth from Kingdom Hearts made new Fans or people interested in a remake.
- Advent Children made people want better graphics
- Tech demo showed that better graphics game was possible.
- Crisis Core rekindled love for the series, and was also the first title in the series from some.
Just the first few things on the top of my head. The better question is to why the Final Fantasy 7 series is so popular when 6 was a much better game.
And also FF6 was only really popular in America on top of being a bug riddled mess. And that's not counting that most folks introduction to FF6 was the ps1 port which released well after 7 and 8 and went up against 9.
Nameless
Member
It's not just about nostalgia. FFVII was an instant classic with one of the best stories and casts gaming has ever seen. People never stopped wanting more from the universe. Square announced plans to remake the PSX 'trilogy' for PS2 starting with VII, and it stuck. If they'd flirted with the idea of making VII-2 for well over a decade you'd see the same response if it had finally been announced.
Xilium
Member
While it's not my favorite of the franchise, I certainly see it as the most iconic. So on one hand, it's because of nostalgia and other the other, it's because it's the poster child of both the Final Fantasy franchise and Square(soft)Enix as a company.
I also think that it's the one (along with VIII) that would most benefit from a graphical overhaul.
And despite all the hate it gets now from some, it was and still is a beloved game (made evident by trailer reactions).
I also think that it's the one (along with VIII) that would most benefit from a graphical overhaul.
And despite all the hate it gets now from some, it was and still is a beloved game (made evident by trailer reactions).
What FF7 did is raise the standards for presentation. There was nothing quite like it at the time (and if you disagree, feel free to name off some games).
People say its aged awfully, but meh. It was unrivaled at the time. The consistency of the presentation is what hasn't aged so well, namely the chibi field models and battle models, which also occasionally swap in FMVs. There's a sense that Square hadn't gotten down their process yet. This was refined greatly in subsequent games.
People say its aged awfully, but meh. It was unrivaled at the time. The consistency of the presentation is what hasn't aged so well, namely the chibi field models and battle models, which also occasionally swap in FMVs. There's a sense that Square hadn't gotten down their process yet. This was refined greatly in subsequent games.
Ploid 3.0
Member
Also Square never held back using FF7 to make sells with other games.
Kingdom Hearts but that's more understandable.
They are probably done milking and want to sell the cow now.
I hear FF6 is the better game a lot but I never even knew FF games existed until I saw the FF7 demo in a Block Buster Kiosk. I was interested in that game from that point and made it my business to get it even though I had never even played a RPG. It felt so fresh.
Yeah. I've replayed it on the PSTV (which allows you to remap controls), and it was so nice to be able to use the stick.
crimzonflame
Member
What pissed me off with VI is that we never know what happened between Locke and Celes in the end? Like do they hook up? Same with VII's ending. Like are Tifa and Cloud together or not?
The Tifa and Cloud situation is much more obvious than the Locke and Celes situation.
One of the reasons.
Shoulda been the first post
Ploid 3.0
Member
FFVII's had Advent Children and it seem like they are just good friends. Cloud is very messed up in the head it seemed.
encephalon
Member
Grandia was released in 97, also featuring FMVs to tell its story and fairly well done 3D environments at the time. It was late to the west, however.
Head.spawn
Junior Member
It was made on archaic hardware that didn't do 3d particularly well at all. Most early 3d games could benefit from an update to relevant hardware at the very least.
I rewatched that Tech Demo video probably once every 6 months or so since it first came out, dreaming of what could have been.Yep.
Ten. Years. Ago.
And people were saying it looked like crap.
I don't need to dream any more.
It's the level of presentation, not the elements which are unique. Other games did FMVs - but very few had as many. Other games had nice backgrounds - but very few had as many.
It is essentially a budget thing.
Unknown One
Member
Shame Xenogears was incomplete thanks to budgeting issues.
royox
Member
It was not my 1st FF
It was not my 1st JRPG
It's not even my fauvorite FF (VI is better and you all know that)
But it's the ugliest FF on EARTH. All the 2D FF are playable as 2D sprites aged well.
FFVIII and IX aged bad as PS1 games but they are still playable and the models of the characters at least look like humans (or rats...or wathever they are)
FFVII was THIS
Even when it was released it was shit.
It was not my 1st JRPG
It's not even my fauvorite FF (VI is better and you all know that)
But it's the ugliest FF on EARTH. All the 2D FF are playable as 2D sprites aged well.
FFVIII and IX aged bad as PS1 games but they are still playable and the models of the characters at least look like humans (or rats...or wathever they are)
FFVII was THIS
Even when it was released it was shit.
Yep.
Ten. Years. Ago.
And people were saying it looked like crap.
It looks amazing tbh.
Now that I think of it SE was bullshitting.There's no way a PS3 game can look this good.
I want to see this video in HD quality though.The video on YT is too old.
Eric the Red
Member
From my experience of the climate at the time, this is false. Around the time after the PS2 was first shown, actually, the remake discussions became very prevalent. In fact, the July 2003 EGM had a Quarterman rumor of a FFVII remake coming for PSP (which was the reason I bought a PSP day 1 - damn you ShaneB!) Our anticipation was instead met with the Compilation of FFVII announced a few months later at TGS.
To address the OP, I think FFVII's ambition was always short of it's reach and we knew that. In 1997 we KNEW those blocky characters looked dumb. Just think of how disjointed FFVII's presentation was. Most of the scenes were pantomimed by blocky polygons, then you have the battles with much better animated, higher quality models, and then STILL you have the CG models. This is a easy way to see how the player's gaze was always being drawn upwards hoping for more.
One common thing I always hear about FFVII from both casual admirers and big fans is that the setting is special and really atmospheric. I think everyone intuitively knew how much more that would hit home with a more believable and lived-in world on better hardware.
encephalon
Member
I don't know, I think Grandia was pretty above and beyond most other JRPGs at the time. But you're right, VII was on a different level.
I think this is a compelling argument VII itself trained players to want more.
Ghost_Messiah
Member
One of the greatest games of all time that was severely restricted by limitations of the hardware of the time. The game is beautiful but a remake has the potential to carry that beauty in to the modern age. Personally speaking I never returned to the game because of the limited graphics. A remake on modern hardware would remedy that,
Very interesting about the graphics never being able to truly describe that universe, not something Ive thought about. I think that is a very good interpretation of why people need a remake, and why FF7 is so revered. FF7 requires far more imagination to fill in the characters and enemies than any other Final Fantasy. The battles that take place require one hell of a leap in suspension of disbelief and a another leap in imagination to fill in the polygons. So everyone has their own perfect idea of how these characters really look. So I can understand the pining for a definitive answer to the universe and hopefully a confirmation of player's individual imagination.
SimpleCRIPPLE
Member
For many it is:
1. Their first RPG.
2. First game where a major character died.
1. Their first RPG.
2. First game where a major character died.
I'm more an FFVIII guy (FF8 remake, plz Squeenix??) but FF7 was just one of the pioneers of "cool" and "mature" gaming. While incredible games, the fantastical settings of FF1 to FF6 didnt help shatter the notion that video games were for kids.
Then bam, in comes the PlayStation with its futuristic-looking console and fancy FMV sequences. Along with it came FFVII, a futuristic game with a spiky-haired, long-sword wielding badass as its protagonist. Naturally, people were drawn to it and the kids who grew up playing 8-bit/16-bit consoles had become teenagers. They were looking for "cool" now.
I think that's also why Zelda Ocarina of Time is revered so much - it was released to the same maturing audience, and gamers immediately connected to the game as soon as they came out of the Temple of Time as adult Link.
Then bam, in comes the PlayStation with its futuristic-looking console and fancy FMV sequences. Along with it came FFVII, a futuristic game with a spiky-haired, long-sword wielding badass as its protagonist. Naturally, people were drawn to it and the kids who grew up playing 8-bit/16-bit consoles had become teenagers. They were looking for "cool" now.
I think that's also why Zelda Ocarina of Time is revered so much - it was released to the same maturing audience, and gamers immediately connected to the game as soon as they came out of the Temple of Time as adult Link.
entremet
Member
Remember the PS2 FFVIII tech demo too?
And the N64 (Project Reality at the time) tech demo of FFVI?
I think that demo whetted the appetite for remakes.
SoulUnison
Banned
I personally love VII because the Materia system made combat super customizable and possible to break wide open.
Eric the Red
Member
This is the standard catch-all comment posted in every bi-weekly FFVII gaf threads. But it's only trying to answer the question: Why do so many like FFVII? OP's actual question is more nuanced and decidedly not that.
SenjutsuSage
Banned
It's simply one of the best games ever made. A masterpiece in the truest sense. No bullshit.
