2. Final Fantasy VII (1997) – PC
A great deal of time has passed since the release of Final Fantasy VII in 1997, and I have often heard the word “overrated” used to describe Square’s masterpiece in recent years. Due to the constant progress of technology and graphics, it is difficult to look back upon many games and appreciate them within the context of the era in which they were released. But make no mistake, this game is a behemoth of excellence. The story, as long and multi-faceted as it is, remains as a high-point in videogame history. The quality of its premise, world, characters, plot arcs, and climaxes stands up against all other forms of media. The ending is perhaps one of the most touching and evocative I have ever seen, with rich eschatological messages and meditations about the meaning of life, the universe, and spiritual energies. This is perhaps the only time I have ever been moved to tears during a videogame. And looking back at Cloud’s blocky fists and triangularly-spiked hair, looking back at the rudimentarily-textured over-world (by today’s standards anyway), and remembering the countless hours I spent trying to kill that red desert dragon that just would not die, there must have been something particularly special about the game’s characters, and the world they so vividly inhabited, to have generated the diverse array of emotions that they did from me during the 40 plus hour experience.
Final Fantasy VII is a game that needs no introduction. Those who have experienced its charm know what I am talking about. Those who haven’t better track down a Playstation or pray that their computer will still run a game designed for Windows 95. It could be one of the greatest books I ever read, or one of the greatest movies I ever watched. The fact that it is a videogame only limits its audience and deprives those with stigma of the medium from a sensational narrative. The game was so popular that it nearly bankrupted Nintendo who had a long relationship with Square and the franchise, but stubbornly refused to utilize optical disc media for its upcoming console, the N64, instead choosing to stand by the aging cartridge format. Square knew that their ambition for Final Fantasy VII could not be realized on Nintendo’s cartridge so they severed ties with the big N and signed a legendary deal with Sony: a deal which propelled Sony’s new console, the Playstation, to commercial success over their rival Sega’s console, the Saturn. Both consoles had been neck and neck in sales reports up to this time, but Square’s deal with Sony assured singular victory and Sega would never recover despite yet one more last effort.
Final Fantasy VII’s tale of a world whose lifeblood is being drained and harnessed for energy by a global conglomerate is more pertinent today than ever. FFVII’s planet nearly gives up on its inhabitants who must prove that they are worthy of its beauty and splendor. Let’s hope ours doesn’t give up on us.
A great deal of time has passed since the release of Final Fantasy VII in 1997, and I have often heard the word “overrated” used to describe Square’s masterpiece in recent years. Due to the constant progress of technology and graphics, it is difficult to look back upon many games and appreciate them within the context of the era in which they were released. But make no mistake, this game is a behemoth of excellence. The story, as long and multi-faceted as it is, remains as a high-point in videogame history. The quality of its premise, world, characters, plot arcs, and climaxes stands up against all other forms of media. The ending is perhaps one of the most touching and evocative I have ever seen, with rich eschatological messages and meditations about the meaning of life, the universe, and spiritual energies. This is perhaps the only time I have ever been moved to tears during a videogame. And looking back at Cloud’s blocky fists and triangularly-spiked hair, looking back at the rudimentarily-textured over-world (by today’s standards anyway), and remembering the countless hours I spent trying to kill that red desert dragon that just would not die, there must have been something particularly special about the game’s characters, and the world they so vividly inhabited, to have generated the diverse array of emotions that they did from me during the 40 plus hour experience.
Final Fantasy VII is a game that needs no introduction. Those who have experienced its charm know what I am talking about. Those who haven’t better track down a Playstation or pray that their computer will still run a game designed for Windows 95. It could be one of the greatest books I ever read, or one of the greatest movies I ever watched. The fact that it is a videogame only limits its audience and deprives those with stigma of the medium from a sensational narrative. The game was so popular that it nearly bankrupted Nintendo who had a long relationship with Square and the franchise, but stubbornly refused to utilize optical disc media for its upcoming console, the N64, instead choosing to stand by the aging cartridge format. Square knew that their ambition for Final Fantasy VII could not be realized on Nintendo’s cartridge so they severed ties with the big N and signed a legendary deal with Sony: a deal which propelled Sony’s new console, the Playstation, to commercial success over their rival Sega’s console, the Saturn. Both consoles had been neck and neck in sales reports up to this time, but Square’s deal with Sony assured singular victory and Sega would never recover despite yet one more last effort.
Final Fantasy VII’s tale of a world whose lifeblood is being drained and harnessed for energy by a global conglomerate is more pertinent today than ever. FFVII’s planet nearly gives up on its inhabitants who must prove that they are worthy of its beauty and splendor. Let’s hope ours doesn’t give up on us.
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