This review contains spoilers
Just about to wrap up my third or fourth run of this one. I would probably relentlessly harass anyone who said this was their favourite FF/game in general because I got that contrarian blood in me, but, deep down, I’d have to agree. It’s one of my all-time favourites — one of my most cherished comfort games. It would take too long to explain everything I like, and I’m bad at explaining things so this will probably be very unorganised.
The story is great. I do think that some of its greatness can be attributed to limitations of the hardware, leaving you to fill in the blanks with your mind, thereby making it feel more subtle than it probably is. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, though. I love how somber it is, especially after Aerith’s death. Even as the heroes regain their hope towards the end, there’s always a lingering doubt about whether or not they’ll succeed.
A slight tangent: I’ve always felt that the plot is vaguely Twin Peaks-y, mainly in regards to Aerith. I would liken her to Laura Palmer; a normal girl who, seemingly to her dismay, is destined to play a vital role in a great conflict, which takes her life. Much like Laura, Aerith’s presence can be felt even after she dies. It’s quite beautiful. I’m glad that they really stuck the landing with a risk this big. I normally hate the dumb waifu wars bullshit that dominates a lot of the discussion around games like this, but I’m all in on Aerith. I love literally everything about her. The interactions between her and Cloud are so sweet and charming. She’s an amazing character.
Besides the plot, my favourite thing about FFVII is the materia system. It’s very creative and super flexible. In the end game, especially, you can come up with some ungodly, fucked up shit. It’s so much fun just figuring out new ways to steamroll everything each playthrough. I had a lot of fun experimenting with different methods to beat Emerald and Ruby Weapon without Knights of the Round on this run.
I feel like people don’t mention how well paced the game is, too. It starts quick and knows exactly when to dial it back and when to crank it back up. I have a decently high tolerance for how slow JRPGs are, but I don’t think I’d be too upset if they were all paced like this.
Biggest con is that it’s absurdly easy. I’m always taken aback by how easy it is every time I decide to replay it. Another con, albeit less dramatic as it relates to optional content, is that, while Ruby Weapon CAN be defeated without using KotR, it’s clear that the fight is designed with it in mind, as its (to my knowledge) one of the few multi-hitting pierce attacks in the game.
Anyway, this review is a fucking mess, but consider the messy nature of it as a symbol of how much I love this game.
The story is great. I do think that some of its greatness can be attributed to limitations of the hardware, leaving you to fill in the blanks with your mind, thereby making it feel more subtle than it probably is. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, though. I love how somber it is, especially after Aerith’s death. Even as the heroes regain their hope towards the end, there’s always a lingering doubt about whether or not they’ll succeed.
A slight tangent: I’ve always felt that the plot is vaguely Twin Peaks-y, mainly in regards to Aerith. I would liken her to Laura Palmer; a normal girl who, seemingly to her dismay, is destined to play a vital role in a great conflict, which takes her life. Much like Laura, Aerith’s presence can be felt even after she dies. It’s quite beautiful. I’m glad that they really stuck the landing with a risk this big. I normally hate the dumb waifu wars bullshit that dominates a lot of the discussion around games like this, but I’m all in on Aerith. I love literally everything about her. The interactions between her and Cloud are so sweet and charming. She’s an amazing character.
Besides the plot, my favourite thing about FFVII is the materia system. It’s very creative and super flexible. In the end game, especially, you can come up with some ungodly, fucked up shit. It’s so much fun just figuring out new ways to steamroll everything each playthrough. I had a lot of fun experimenting with different methods to beat Emerald and Ruby Weapon without Knights of the Round on this run.
I feel like people don’t mention how well paced the game is, too. It starts quick and knows exactly when to dial it back and when to crank it back up. I have a decently high tolerance for how slow JRPGs are, but I don’t think I’d be too upset if they were all paced like this.
Biggest con is that it’s absurdly easy. I’m always taken aback by how easy it is every time I decide to replay it. Another con, albeit less dramatic as it relates to optional content, is that, while Ruby Weapon CAN be defeated without using KotR, it’s clear that the fight is designed with it in mind, as its (to my knowledge) one of the few multi-hitting pierce attacks in the game.
Anyway, this review is a fucking mess, but consider the messy nature of it as a symbol of how much I love this game.