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[Mario007]

At the time, it was unheard of to think that the first time you would see the world map in an RPG was ~7 hours in. Pretty risky move, but they executed it so well.

They sure did. FF7 was my first RPG so I did not know what I was getting into. I just assumed we'll go around blowing up the Mako reactors in each of Midgar's sectors. I thought that was gonna be the primary focus of the game. How wrong was I...


I love that about FF games in general. The first 5-10 hours are literally just an excuse to introduce the real story to you. FF10 deviated from this but I thought it was excellently paced so even if you knew your primary objective pretty much from the start it was still great.

 

[papersleeves]

I just started playing it again earlier this week. Just got out of Midgar. Man, this fucking game...I can play it over and over and will probably never be tired of it.

The battle system, the music, the characters, the story, the art design, the environments, the locations, every fucking things...

I'll admit I'm the kind of guy that keeps changing his opinion on his favorite game he has ever played every time he plays said game, but I think this one takes the cake for real.

I'm not so enthusiastic over a remake though. A part of me wants it, very badly. On the other hand I simply do not trust current Square Enix. I think they would fuck it up badly by trying to fix shits that didn't need fixing, or simply because of a lack of talents to pull off this project decently. They would probably nerf the environments by reducing the amount of exploration, also make the game over the top, less gamey and more cinematic, includes bad remixes of the OST, stuff like that.

No, I really don't trust them. Fuck it...

 

[Mario007]

I just started playing it again earlier this week. Just got out of Midgar. Man, this fucking game...I can play it over and over and will probably never be tired of it.

The battle system, the music, the characters, the story, the art design, the environments, the locations, every fucking things...

I'll admit I'm the kind of guy that keeps changing his opinion on his favorite game he has ever played every time he plays said game, but I think this one takes the cake for real.

I'm not so enthusiastic over a remake though. A part of me wants it, very badly. On the other hand I simply do not trust current Square Enix. I think they would fuck it up badly by trying to fix shits that didn't need fixing, or simply because of a lack of talents to pull off this project decently. They would probably nerf the environments by reducing the amount of exploration, also make the game over the top, less gamey and more cinematic, includes bad remixes of the OST, stuff like that.

No, I really don't trust them. Fuck it...

Well seeing that Kitase is still with Square and judging by his immediate involvement with the FFX HD, I'd say he'd be in charge of the remake and I would trust him not wanting to ruin his own game.

Also I can't wait to buy a Vita to play FFVII again. I have it on the PS3 but I'd just much prefer to play it on the Vita. Coming to think of it, that'll be like the ultimate FF machine!

 

[orioto]

Finished it recently.
I really love the gameplay of the game, the system is really smart. it looks simple compared to what we have nowadays but the fact that you can for exemple choose what magic will be multy or not makes you actually think about your choices. It's really strategic.

Now...
The writting eeew, i found it so boring 50% of the game is about going in random places and asking if they saw seph. And after that it's random scifi/Anime clichés on top of each other.

 

[eternaLightness]

I just put in about an hour of the game so far. Made it to the

Spoiler

Train Graveyard

. This is really my first time playing it. Played only a small part of the game years ago when i had no idea what Final Fantasy was. I've enjoyed the very little I've played so far. I'm playing it in little chunks on my Vita so it may take awhile for me to get deep into it. This and Persona Portable are the only games I'm playing on the Vita at the moment. Playing through small chunks of both which is actually quite nice.

 

[Fusebox]

Getting right near the end of the game now, so many amazing small touches that get to me. Like

Spoiler

my airship pilot levelling up and hitting his Limit break, or all the crew on my airship lining up and saluting all my guys as we leave the ship to parachute into Midgar.

Feels like I've got somewhere around 5 hours or so of the main story left and I don't want it to end!

 

[pikablu]

I feel like all the fans have been brainwashed or something into believing a remake would be a bad thing nowadays. It seemed like back when it was first brought up around Ps3 launch that everyone else's opinions were totally different. I for one am still for a remake. This game could really use a makeover. It would be neat to see the game looking as good as it originally did for its time, in a new time period.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I feel like all the fans have been brainwashed or something into believing a remake would be a bad thing nowadays. It seemed like back when it was first brought up around Ps3 launch that everyone else's opinions were totally different. I for one am still for a remake. This game could really use a makeover. It would be neat to see the game looking as good as it originally did for its time, in a new time period.

I'm really torn. The game could definitely use a fresh coat of paint graphically and script-wise. But, I think some things would need changed up like level designs and some of the goofy moments may not translate well to HD graphics.

It could all be done successfully, but I'm afraid of them failing with some of the changes. I'd also not be interested if they changed the battle system, and would really not be interested if they added any of the shit they added with Crisis Core and whatnot. I enjoyed CC as a kind of "expanded universe" thing, but if you bring Genesis into my FF7, I'm out.

I think that's the only reason Sqaure hasn't done it yet. There will be no way to do it without pissing a ton of people off. There will be so many people wanting different things out of a remake.

 

[Dice]

They have spent every single year since it came out retconning all the personality out of it in people's minds. A remake would either turn it into utterly boring shit or piss off people who forgot what it is. It's an incredibly unique artistic piece for the medium, a real mixed bag that all somehow works together. It's not something really coherent that would translate to newer technology naturally like Resident Evil did. It would be hard to modernize it without the shifts the game takes being really jarring, or sometimes too defined to sell as goofy charm.

 

[Esura]

I'm really torn. The game could definitely use a fresh coat of paint graphically and script-wise. But, I think some things would need changed up like level designs and some of the goofy moments may not translate well to HD graphics.

It could all be done successfully, but I'm afraid of them failing with some of the changes. I'd also not be interested if they changed the battle system, and would really not be interested if they added any of the shit they added with Crisis Core and whatnot. I enjoyed CC as a kind of "expanded universe" thing, but if you bring Genesis into my FF7, I'm out.

I think that's the only reason Sqaure hasn't done it yet. There will be no way to do it without pissing a ton of people off. There will be so many people wanting different things out of a remake.

But Genesis is one of the best new addition to the FFVII series. Such swag.

 

[pikablu]

If they throw in a few new sidequests (totally optional) but retain the same exact battle elements and story as well as original designs in tact, I don't understand how it's possible to piss off original or new fanbase alike. A lot of people I feel complain about an updated art style. That's not needed with a nice cell shading update of some sorts. Better yet they could just design them based upon their cutscene looks as well. I might catch some flack for this and I realize its totally different since it won't be as much as an upgrade (graphics wise) but I really like what they did with the PSP Final Fantasy IV collection. It was probably the most faithful upgrade anyone could ask for, that still retained the original feel of the game, while updating the graphics vastly.

 

[Fusebox]

I think it's sad that people can't appreciate the originals anymore.

Same with movies, all these remakes coming out when the originals are still perfectly fine.

It's like the whole planet has ADD.

 

[tearsofash]

Spent the last few days playing this on Vita after messing around with a modded PC version.

I really love how the backgrounds and FMV hold up. The shoddy chili characters sometimes are grating, but sometimes they look just fine. I've played worse.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

I think it's sad that people can't appreciate the originals anymore.

Same with movies, all these remakes coming out when the originals are still perfectly fine.

It's like the whole planet has ADD.

You are in a thread filled with people appreciating the original, including those of us discussing the idea of a remake. Also, remakes have been going on for forever, even in movies. Were you "sad" when Nintendo put out Mario All-Stars or every time a new Dracula movie came out?

If they throw in a few new sidequests (totally optional) but retain the same exact battle elements and story as well as original designs in tact, I don't understand how it's possible to piss off original or new fanbase alike. A lot of people I feel complain about an updated art style. That's not needed with a nice cell shading update of some sorts. Better yet they could just design them based upon their cutscene looks as well. I might catch some flack for this and I realize its totally different since it won't be as much as an upgrade (graphics wise) but I really like what they did with the PSP Final Fantasy IV collection. It was probably the most faithful upgrade anyone could ask for, that still retained the original feel of the game, while updating the graphics vastly.

I completely agree with all of this. Honestly, I'll be there day one when the inevitable remake finally happens. But, I would prefer they go for something like cell shading or have it kind of cartoonish looking like the Kingdom Hearts games rather than go for strictly realistic looking. That way I think all the goofy humor would be fine.

 

[anaron]

I feel like all the fans have been brainwashed or something into believing a remake would be a bad thing nowadays. It seemed like back when it was first brought up around Ps3 launch that everyone else's opinions were totally different. I for one am still for a remake. This game could really use a makeover. It would be neat to see the game looking as good as it originally did for its time, in a new time period.

Nah, those are just the VII fans with some semblance of intelligence. The brainwashed are the ones saying shit like this:

But Genesis is one of the best new addition to the FFVII series. Such swag.

 

[Espada]

I completely agree with all of this. Honestly, I'll be there day one when the inevitable remake finally happens. But, I would prefer they go for something like cell shading or have it kind of cartoonish looking like the Kingdom Hearts games rather than go for strictly realistic looking. That way I think all the goofy humor would be fine.

Absolutely. My biggest fear for a FFVII remake (aside from shoving in a ton of that Compilation junk like Gack- I mean Genesis) is if they go with a realistic style for the game. That one decision would destroy the game's charm and characters because much of it frequently exploited the chibi models to humorous effect.

And then there's the issue of recreating the nearly flawless atmosphere the prerendered backgrounds provided. There's just too many ways for them to screw it up, and Square-Enix has been nothing but incompetent lately.

 

[Eric the Red]

Update time:

Been putting in 30 minutes here and there this week. About 12 hours in and I am surprised I am still on the first disc. So far so good. Thankfully I haven't hit anything that would cause me to grind.

I just participated in my first Chocobo race and I am now free to continue my travels.

I am starting to enjoy the music more with the great piece featured in the desert prison thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYKgfhOuqQA

When thinking of the OST, that one doesn't usually pop into my mind but listening to it again it's pretty great. I remember having one of those moments when exploring some mountains with this playing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0-Be9ArZYc&list=PL9DC8126225567A3D Found that little bird's nest up a latter, the xylophone started and realized how great this little moment was.

I finished this earlier today and boy, it definitely lived up to its reputation. While some things are very archaic today, or downright bad (pretty much any section that involved different gameplay: motorcycle riding, snowboarding, the submarine -god, that was BAD-), I understand how incredible it all must have been 16 years ago and that made it better. The story was good, the characters were likable and I wow'ed a few times at the ending and the epilogue. Very good game, will probably replay in the future.

Now onto VIII and IX.

I'm glad it can still get this kind of reaction 15 years later, in this the year of our Lord twenty thirteen. I hope you enjoy the beginning of VIII because that part's pretty great.

They sure did. FF7 was my first RPG so I did not know what I was getting into. I just assumed we'll go around blowing up the Mako reactors in each of Midgar's sectors. I thought that was gonna be the primary focus of the game. How wrong was I...

That's funny, I thought the same thing when I first played it. "This Barret guy with a short fuse, he's gonna go bad and I'm totally gonna fight him as a boss later. We're gonna go around each sector blowing up Reactors. Yadayada I know how vidyagames work."

 

[Fusebox]

At approximately 2:30AM last night, with around 56 hours on my save file, I finished the epic journey that was, and continues to be, FFVII.

I actually had genuine feels at the end of this game. Got a bit emotional. I spent the next 30 mins or so just letting the ending song loop and reflecting back on the game before passing out on my couch.

One of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.

Now for FFVIII..!!

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

At approximately 2:30AM last night, with around 56 hours on my save file, I finished the epic journey that was, and continues to be, FFVII.

I actually had genuine feels at the end of this game. Got a bit emotional. I spent the next 30 mins or so just letting the ending song loop and reflecting back on the game before passing out on my couch.

One of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.

Feels good ma...

Now for FFVIII..!!

Oooh...

 

[antitrop]

Feels good ma...



Oooh...

His body is not ready for the disappointment... just like mine was not in 1999.

 

[disappeared]

I'm really tempted to replay VII. It's been a good... holy shit... fifteen years!? since I wrapped it. Blew my adolescent mind, but it'd be interesting to see how it holds up after this much time.

 

[antitrop]

I'm really tempted to replay VII. It's been a good... holy shit... fifteen years!? since I wrapped it. Blew my adolescent mind, but it'd be interesting to see how it holds up after this much time.

The graphics and the translation are pretty embarrassing, but it's still a masterpiece.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

If you dont use a guide you'll miss most of the best side stuff, these games were made to sell guides.

 

[papersleeves]

Now for FFVIII..!!

As good old Illidan would say, you are not prepared.

 

[Muffdraul]

At the time, it was unheard of to think that the first time you would see the world map in an RPG was ~7 hours in. Pretty risky move, but they executed it so well.

On that note-- I don't think people really appreciate just how risky FFVII was in general in its day. With 20/20 hindsight it's easy to fall into the notion that everyone knew it was going to be a runaway success. But just moving from the whole pseudo-medieval motif that was the standard for the reigning JRPGs back then (i.e. DQ and the previous FFs) was pretty damn ballsy. (Granted, FFVI had already taken a few baby steps away from that.) I don't know what the fan reaction was like in Japan in '96 from the unveiling up to release, but I remember a lot of nay-saying from the US fan community, which was pretty small back then. Most of the bitching was about Square betraying Nintendo, but there was also a lot of "WTF is this sci-fi shit? This doesn't look anything like FF."

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

On that note-- I don't think people really appreciate just how risky FFVII was in general in its day. With 20/20 hindsight it's easy to fall into the notion that everyone knew it was going to be a runaway success. But just moving from the whole pseudo-medieval motif that was the standard for the reigning JRPGs back then (i.e. DQ and the previous FFs) was pretty damn ballsy. (Granted, FFVI had already taken a few baby steps away from that.) I don't know what the fan reaction was like in Japan in '96 from the unveiling up to release, but I remember a lot of nay-saying from the US fan community, which was pretty small back then. Most of the bitching was about Square betraying Nintendo, but there was also a lot of "WTF is this sci-fi shit? This doesn't look anything like FF."

I don't remember anything but hype, granted I wasn't taking part in any fan communities online or shit like that. But, I know of at least three playstations that were bought just for FFVII (mine included). I also had three other friends I remember who weren't even into RPG's who wanted it after the commercials started popping up everywhere showing off the cutscenes.

 

[Muffdraul]

I don't remember anything but hype, granted I wasn't taking part in any fan communities online or shit like that. But, I know of at least three playstations that were bought just for FFVII (mine included). I also had three other friends I remember who weren't even into RPG's who wanted it after the commercials started popping up everywhere showing off the cutscenes.

FFVII was surely the biggest Playstation console seller, at least up to that point. It was the first PSX game and the first JRPG for a shitload of people. The nay-saying came from a subset of people who'd been following FF for a while up to that point. I've been online since 1994 and one of the first communities I joined was some university BBS where everyone badgered me into playing FFVI even though I didn't like FFIV very much.

 

[pikablu]

Skip to IX after finishing VII.

 

[y2kenjination]

My favorite game of all time. My party: Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie.

Enjoy the ride!


Edit: Looks like you already finished it. I used to love VIII, but in retrospect, it was pretty mediocre IMO. I'd honestly play IX first, then Tactics!

 

[PetriP-TNT]

Still my favorite game of all time. I was just thinking that I cleared it on that GAF group play but that was in 2008! Whoa, times goes by fast.

But yeah, I have sank more hours to that than any other single player game out there and I have cleared it only like 4 times! My first save from 1997 must have clocked like 2500 hours on it alone. I was completely obsessed with it.

 

[antitrop]

Skip to IX after finishing VII.

....................................................

 

[TheJollyCorner]

Skip to IX after finishing VII.

I agree.
Get the 'Final Fantasy: Muppet Edition' over with next, then move to the more creative, superior FFVIII.

 

[Narolf]

Kidding aside, VIII remains the most controversial out of the three so it's indeed a smart move to play it last.

 

[falastini]

Make sure you play FFVIII with the fan-made theory that the main character actually dies early on in the game. That revelation makes the story amazing.

 

[Narolf]

Yep. Spoilers: http://squallsdead.com/

 

[Eric the Red]

I'm saying, the beginning of VIII is really good when it's still all potential and setup. It's just the rest of it that...yeah.

 

[GAMERG0D]

FFVIII is the last great love story of the 20th century.

 

[Seik]

I may get some hate for this, but I rather play VIII than XIII or XIII-2.

On topic: FFVII is the game of life!!!

 

[disappeared]

I may get some hate for this, but I rather play VIII than XIII or XIII-2.

On topic: FFVII is the game of life!!!

Not surprising at all. VIII at least had some classic JRPG tropes to fall back on. Can't say the same for XIII or its followup.

 

[antitrop]

I may get some hate for this, but I rather play VIII than XIII or XIII-2.

On topic: FFVII is the game of life!!!

I never played XIII-2, but even though I consider VIII to be a mediocre and disappointing entry in the series, it is not nearly on the same level of franchise assassination as Final Fantasy XIII.

That game is a disgrace.

 

[BosSin]

Bleh, I couldn't even bring myself to finish ff8 back in the day. Thought it was terrible

 

[Yasae]

At approximately 2:30AM last night, with around 56 hours on my save file, I finished the epic journey that was, and continues to be, FFVII.

I actually had genuine feels at the end of this game. Got a bit emotional. I spent the next 30 mins or so just letting the ending song loop and reflecting back on the game before passing out on my couch.

One of the best gaming experiences I've ever had.

Now for FFVIII..!!

Fusebox with the drive-by completion.

 

[flyover]

The graphics and the translation are pretty embarrassing, but it's still a masterpiece.

That's exactly how I feel. And I think what's tricky about a new FF VII is that there are four different ways they can go with it. Each choice risks either upsetting some contingent of the fanbase or failing to bring in new fans.

1) Remaster. This is what I'd like best, but I think may be most unlikely. I'd just like the graphics reworked (with in-engine cutscenes), an option for a cleaner translation (with the original also available), and the ability to use the analog stick to move (and not just the d-pad). No voice acting. New optional dungeons would be fine, but honestly, I'd just be happy with the graphics/translation/controller update.

2) Remake (standalone). A remake with a new script (voice acted), new areas, and probably some changes to the gameplay (to keep it more in line with more recent FF entries). The story could be changed here and there, but this version would incorporate none of the FF VII stuff that's come afterward. I'd be okay with this, except that I don't trust SE with dialogue and voice acting. I kind of liked the shorthand of the pre-voice days (though I thought XII's translation and voice direction were fantastic).

3) Remake (updated canon). Like above, except the story will incorporate the new canon that's been introduced since the original game. Probably the most likely option, for better or worse. Probably for worse.

4) Reboot. An all-new game with all-new canon -- just with the same characters, same basic skeleton of a story, and plenty of callbacks to the original. Risky, but would at least be bold.

 

[antitrop]

Remake with updated canon would destroy my will to continue on this planet.

Remaster would be the best case scenario.

 

[pantsmith]

Remake with updated canon would destroy my will to continue on this planet.

Remaster would be the best case scenario.

I totally agree, especially because I like to pretend that the spin-off and revisionist content never happened.

Don't really know how they could remaster the game without breaking what made it what it was (being a product of its time), but I guess a Vita/3DS re-release with marginally cleaned up graphics/sound/translation might be alright. The OoT re-release is a pretty faithful remaster, I think, and would make a good example.

VII is such an amazing game, and still touches on human themes and emotions that other games have yet to revisit. I'd like to think the "overrated" comments are just a negative reaction to how much (seemingly excessive) love the game gets, not its actual quality.

 

[Narolf]

FFVIII is the last great love story of the 20th century.

To date if you ask me.

 

[y2kenjination]

I never played XIII-2, but even though I consider VIII to be a mediocre and disappointing entry in the series, it is not nearly on the same level of franchise assassination as Final Fantasy XIII.

That game is a disgrace.

I enjoyed the hell out of FFXIII .____. Can't say the same about XIII-2...still need to finish that one up. I know I'm in the minority camp, though.

Edit: Not going to deny that XIII was absolutely polarizing to the franchise. Incredibly linear gameplay, but I thought the Paradigm Shift system was a stroke of genius. If only they took auto battle out of the frickin game, less people probably would have complained about it. And the hand holding for the first 15+ hours.

But hey, FFXII also had the gambit system, and the game could essentially play itself like an MMO. Far less seem to complain about that for some reason.

 

[antitrop]

I enjoyed the hell out of FFXIII .____. Can't say the same about XIII-2...still need to finish that one up. I know I'm in the minority camp, though.

Edit: Not going to deny that XIII was absolutely polarizing to the franchise. Incredibly linear gameplay, but I thought the Paradigm Shift system was a stroke of genius. If only they took auto battle out of the frickin game, less people probably would have complained about it. And the hand holding for the first 15+ hours.

The best things I have to say about the game are the graphics (though I played on 360 with low-rez and 20-something fps), the combat system, the Paradigm Shift, and the fact that you heal at the end of each battle (which makes each individual encounter far more intense and urgent). Everything else is blaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

The music was a respectable effort, but obviously the lack of Uematsu is notable.

 

[y2kenjination]

Haha. I couldn't stand the draw system in VIII. Far too redundant for me...I generally don't grind these days, so XIII presented more of a challenge than any of the other FF entries in recent years. I actually died in a couple of boss battles; a rare occurrence.

Edit: Oh, and the "Pokemon" management of the GFs in VIII...didn't really care for that either.

 

[Yasae]

To date if you ask me.

But really though, Squall is not dead.