How Final Fantasy 7 Was A Game Changer
Oh, how difficult it is, to even talk about how much Final Fantasy 7 means to me.
This single game alone brings back specific and fond memories of the PlayStation; I still remember that *pop* sound the lid would make when I pressed the large, circular button on the front -my first PlayStation One was a hand-me-down, and it had my uncle’s Charlie Brown-like smiley face doodle draw around the top of the lid-, I remember that specific *snip* sound when the CD was put into the console, and the *click* closed that signaled a new world was about to open. Even the COVER of the original Final Fantasy 7 illicits unconscious, physical reactions in me, and usually of the emotional kind.
This game explained so much about pressing subjects in the world even before its time; the greed of big corps ambition and their degradation and exploitation of the very planet we live on, self-identity and the journey to define who one is, and even the often joked on but can never be understated power of friendship and real camaraderie in the face of increasingly grim and devastating odds. Even though by that point in my childhood I had already played and adored the wonder that is Chrono Trigger, I have to say that Final Fantasy 7, especially its story and narrative, was the first time I really felt not only seen by videogames, but completely and utterly moved by what videogames can do. Simply put, I was inspired.
As I know for a fact, I am far, far from the only one to feel this way, as Final Fantasy 7 was a game-changer in the industry on every metric you could count, and thank God for that.
Final Fantasy 7 -a Role-Playing Video Game seen by many as one of the greatest if not THE greatest PlayStation RPG of all time- was released in 1997, and was the (ahem) 7th game in the longstanding, classic Final Fantasy Series published by Square. The game follows the main character Cloud, a mercenary who joins AVALANCHE, an organization dedicated to the destruction of the mega Corp Shinra. Shinra’s HQ is in the heart of the city of Midgar and siphons the lifeblood of the planet (called “Mako”) in order to power their various experiments and further their technological empire. Cloud and his numerous allies pursue a former legendary soldier named Sephiroth (who previously worked for Shinra) who looks to destroy the planet at the same time.
The games development began in 1994 and combined veteran Final Fantasy staff together to bring this masterpiece to life; director Yoshinori Kitase, composer Nobuo Uematsu, and legendary producer Hironobu Sakaguchi. Utilizing the new PlayStation’s graphical power in comparison to other video game systems of the time, FF7 was the first game in the series to use 3D Computer graphics instead of pixel sprites, including adding full-motion videos. Yes, looking back now we can say that the chunky character models and the pre-rendered backgrounds don’t look like much when put up to today’s standards, but this “toylike” style still stands the test of time when combined with all the elements that make FF7 so great. Up to this point, not many games at all were able to have this realized, breathing, and compelling world so easily displayed right in front of you. It took all the things we loved already about science fiction and combined them with an almost endlessly customizable and fun progression system (focused on shiny orbs called Materia containing different types of magic and abilities), loads and loads of mini-games, epic screen-filling limit breaks, and deep, enthralling character arcs. Final Fantasy 7 was a commercial success, a success with critics, and enormously huge with fans (read: I was one of them) selling over 12.8 million copies worldwide and spawned spin-off movies, orchestras, animes, cosplayers, cameos in other games, and a litany of Game of the Year awards. Not only did it help boost the PlayStation One’s sales to astronomic proportions, a popular and superb remake (where were YOU when the FF7 remake got announced? Ah yes, a beautiful moment) more than two decades later would turn around and do the same thing, further solidifying the original as a benchmark in game history. It’s not hard to find Final Fantasy 7 in most gamer’s lists of top 5 games of all time. (1)
A common aspect of video games is having enough cool things for the player to do, and FF7 set the standard for giving players a huge sandbox of minigames to play in. Through the course of the game you can; get into wild situations with brawny and hulking men at squalid brothels, end up dressing like a sailor (and more), end up playing an eternally addictive snowboarding game, choreograph a march of soldiers, fight god-like soldiers and beasts under the water, ride golden birds that are a mixture between big bird and some type of mystical ostrich/rooster called Chocobos (I STILL have Chocobo riding dreams…) and can slap box on top of a giant cannon. Fun side quests that feel substantial and not rote are still a hard thing to come by in modern games, and FF7 holds up in its ability to consistently keep up the sense of discovery and immersion in its world through its characters and gameplay despite being over two decades old. There were simply so many secret areas, optional bosses, and party members to find… Do you know how long it took for me to find Lucia’s Cave the first time? Or, how long it took to get the Knights of the Round Table summon Materia? There was so much in FF7, it would inspire the game development term “gold saucer”, defining an area of the game map where a bunch of mini-games are packed in one place, referring to a specific area in FF7.
Do you know how many times during those hours of quests and grinding I wanted to put the controller down?
Not once. Not a single second. There was simply nothing else like it before.
Beyond its amazing combat system, impeccable soundtrack, and interesting, multi-faceted, endearing characters and scenarios (that are refreshing in their wackiness and yet even heavier, moodier, and thought-provoking in their seriousness all at the same time) FF7 features some of the most heart-wrenching moments in videogame narrative ever. The cutscenes and their ability to convey overwhelming emotions and keep the player engaged even without words contributed to this, and I believe pushed what could be done with cutscenes in both JRPG’s and other genres further than before. When this game was finally released and played by anyone who could get their hands on it, collectively we all experienced how much the medium could really pull out our heartstrings and make us care for characters like we would our own kin. This game is the blueprint for making more out of less and making great design choices given the limitations of the current tech to tell a story that transcends all of its disparate parts (2). The flawed but relatable personalities of the characters resonated the more you adhered and had fun with the game's mechanics, and the story is the fuel that would drove you through the game. Also, because of its aesthetic choices and narrative FF7 is able to shift tone and environment often, adding even more to its depth and making it feel like you’re on an actual adventure to save an actual planet from destruction with your pals. (3) The stakes carry actual weight and magnitude.
The game was one of the first EVER to showcase how these incredible moments that we experience in video games can stay with players long after they put their tear-stained controllers down. I don’t care what happens in my life as a human, I will always love Tifa Lockhart, Barret, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, and Aerith (I love you forever Aerith) like old friends. When it comes to game-changers, Final Fantasy 7 is it. (4) (5)
Works Cited:
1. Wikipedia. 2021. “Final Fantasy VII” Last modified August 4th, 2021.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Fantasy_VII
2. Schreier, Jason. 2017. “Final Fantasy VII Retrospective: Great Because It’s Weird”. Kotaku. https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-vii-retrospective-the-weirdest-rpg-ever-1797547869
3. Petit, Carolyn. 2020. “Why the original Final Fantasy 7 remains, essential, even after the remake”. Polygon. https://www.polygon.com/2020/4/16/21221953/final-fantasy-7-remake-original-playstation-worth-playing
4. Sterling, Jim. 2011. “Final Fantasy VII is not overrated”. Destructoid. https://www.destructoid.com/final-fantasy-vii-is-not-overrated/
5. Heaney, Duncan. 2019. “What’s so good about…Final Fantasy VII?”. Squareenixgamesdotcom. https://square-enix-games.com/en_US/news/whats-good-final-fantasy-vii
