This review contains spoilers
To tell you the truth, I thought I would hate this game.
Growing up the only RPG I played was like, Pokémon. And that was it. I was aware of the others, but the more complex battle mechanics always put me off. I was probably going to avoid this game for the entirety of my life.
So, Sephiroth gets into Smash. Everyone's talking about the remake. What the hell - why not? "This is probably going to suck", I think going in.
I was so, so, so, wrong. Finished at 43~ hours within the span of four days and I don't feel burned out, even grinding. I didn't even think I'd care for the story, but I got sucked in anyway.
This game is a landmark. Immediately it hits you with that music and the train, that shot of Midgar and you're immediately ready to play. At first, I was a little overwhelmed, the story had me invested but I didn't get the battle mechanics, I didn't understand Materia, so the first couple of hours were rough, but I pulled through anyway. Then it hits you with that plate falling scene, and you're like "oh shit..." Then you see Jenova inside of the tank and you're like "oh SHIT..." Then you see the Shinra president on a sword and you're like "OH SHIT..."
This game is full of stuff like that and I love it. It's all over the place in a good way. It goes from a rag-tag resistance trying to stop a greedy company from getting their way to a quest to save humanity from extinction. When Aerith dies, that's genuine sadness you feel. These characters are so likable, that the possibility of one of them dying is genuinely upsetting.
Barrett with his gruff, harsh appearance makes you think he's stone cold, but he turns out be way softer on the inside. Cid comes off as an unlikable asshole, but when the Rocket Town revisit hits you learn who he really is. You HATE Cait Sith when you find out he's a spy, but you end up warming up to him near the end anyway. Every character's motive is the player's motive. You want to settle the score with Sephiroth. You want to see Marlene live. You want Shinra to fall.
And Sephiroth, oh my god that reveal. The whole game you're fighting against Shinra, but then you see Sephiroth for the first time and immediately you get that feeling of "oh no." Let me tell you, after Cloud snaps in Disc 2 - when Meteor starts falling I was really on the edge. Not quite, but almost there. And when Tifa jumps into the airship and the fanfare kicks up - that. That is the moment when I fell in love with this game.
The Hojo twist aswell is really cool. When you learn Sephiroth snapped for nothing, you really want to beat the shit out of him. The first few chapters are a little slow, but after that it just keeps kicking and kicking and kicking. Then I reach the Northern Crater, hand Jenova's ass to it, demolish Sephiroth's phase 1, then get ROLLED by phase 2. Then I grind and go back, and get rolled. So when I got those ribbons, and I made it past the first Supernova, I was filled with fucking adrenaline. I have never felt fear in an RPG boss. That was until Safer-Sephiroth.
You beat him, get your powertrip Omnislash, and that final CG cutscene rolls and it's all just so great. Seeing Midgar at the end, reclaimed by nature is fulfilling.
My only real gripes with the game is that the story is a little messy w/ the Cloud self-discovery arc, in turn taking you out of it, and the depth perception can be a little wonky at times.
Other than that, fantastic game. 5/5
Growing up the only RPG I played was like, Pokémon. And that was it. I was aware of the others, but the more complex battle mechanics always put me off. I was probably going to avoid this game for the entirety of my life.
So, Sephiroth gets into Smash. Everyone's talking about the remake. What the hell - why not? "This is probably going to suck", I think going in.
I was so, so, so, wrong. Finished at 43~ hours within the span of four days and I don't feel burned out, even grinding. I didn't even think I'd care for the story, but I got sucked in anyway.
This game is a landmark. Immediately it hits you with that music and the train, that shot of Midgar and you're immediately ready to play. At first, I was a little overwhelmed, the story had me invested but I didn't get the battle mechanics, I didn't understand Materia, so the first couple of hours were rough, but I pulled through anyway. Then it hits you with that plate falling scene, and you're like "oh shit..." Then you see Jenova inside of the tank and you're like "oh SHIT..." Then you see the Shinra president on a sword and you're like "OH SHIT..."
This game is full of stuff like that and I love it. It's all over the place in a good way. It goes from a rag-tag resistance trying to stop a greedy company from getting their way to a quest to save humanity from extinction. When Aerith dies, that's genuine sadness you feel. These characters are so likable, that the possibility of one of them dying is genuinely upsetting.
Barrett with his gruff, harsh appearance makes you think he's stone cold, but he turns out be way softer on the inside. Cid comes off as an unlikable asshole, but when the Rocket Town revisit hits you learn who he really is. You HATE Cait Sith when you find out he's a spy, but you end up warming up to him near the end anyway. Every character's motive is the player's motive. You want to settle the score with Sephiroth. You want to see Marlene live. You want Shinra to fall.
And Sephiroth, oh my god that reveal. The whole game you're fighting against Shinra, but then you see Sephiroth for the first time and immediately you get that feeling of "oh no." Let me tell you, after Cloud snaps in Disc 2 - when Meteor starts falling I was really on the edge. Not quite, but almost there. And when Tifa jumps into the airship and the fanfare kicks up - that. That is the moment when I fell in love with this game.
The Hojo twist aswell is really cool. When you learn Sephiroth snapped for nothing, you really want to beat the shit out of him. The first few chapters are a little slow, but after that it just keeps kicking and kicking and kicking. Then I reach the Northern Crater, hand Jenova's ass to it, demolish Sephiroth's phase 1, then get ROLLED by phase 2. Then I grind and go back, and get rolled. So when I got those ribbons, and I made it past the first Supernova, I was filled with fucking adrenaline. I have never felt fear in an RPG boss. That was until Safer-Sephiroth.
You beat him, get your powertrip Omnislash, and that final CG cutscene rolls and it's all just so great. Seeing Midgar at the end, reclaimed by nature is fulfilling.
My only real gripes with the game is that the story is a little messy w/ the Cloud self-discovery arc, in turn taking you out of it, and the depth perception can be a little wonky at times.
Other than that, fantastic game. 5/5