It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:23 pm

All times are UTC




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:25 pm 
Offline
Level: 7 Squire
HP: 0 / 130
0 / 130
MP: 62 / 62
62 / 62
EXP: 69 / 81
69 / 81

Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:20 pm
Posts: 69
XBL Gamertag: DBFmancini
PSN ID: DBFmancini
Steam ID: DBFmancini
After the shit state of affairs that was APOX (Check my review on the PC section and please don't buy it!) I thought I would dig out a review I wrote years ago for FF7.

This is my version of karma, because for every shite game I play there has to be a good piece of juju to even it out. And if any of you still haven't played this game, firstly WTF are you? 6? Secondly, go out, grab a cheap PS2, find a copy of the game (Your not having mine) and play it. It still kicks current gen RPG's ass

I will warn you there are spoilers in this review (Was done after the game had been out for a while) Don't read it if you haven't actually played it yet and have considered it.

Where were you?

Ask most older generation folk where they were when JFK was shot and they could probably tell you (I was on the 7th floor of the Texas book repository), in fact ask your parents where they were when Princess Di had that unfortunate meeting with the piller in Paris and they could probably tell you.

But ask them where they were when they first witness Aeris's death in FF7 and they would first ask what who Aeris was, how she had died, and then secondly why you were interviewing them for a review of a game.

Me? I can tell you exactly where I was, round my mate Martin's gaff, 3AM, we'd just managed to catch up with our missing team member and then bam, out of nowhere Seprioth nails Aeris.
I was gutted, honestly and genuinely upset, me and my mate looked at each other in disbelief, for the last 40+ hours we had followed Aeris through this adventure, slowly watching as she developed her skills, as the relationship between her and Cloud had developed. Now? Now we were watching her last moments in Clouds arms. But they wouldn't kill off one of the main characters now would they, she'll be back won't she? Won't she? Please?

This scene still remains one of the saddest genuinly heart wenching moments I have witnessed in a game, and I've played a few, heck I even bought Ridge Racer so I know what pain feels like.

But its just one part of the rich tapestry that is Final Fantasy 7, an epic story, so well told, that by the time the final cut scene had rolled, and the credits are replaced by the sweeping starry sky, you'll be planning your next playthrough, you will get a gold chocobo, and master knights of the round. You won't let Seprioth anywhere near Aeris this time...

This game is just such a perfect example of everything coming together in the right amount to make a truly brilliant game. Its like Sqauresoft were in the lab for the past 3 years trying to concoct something that had just the right balance of Jap humour mixed in with steam punk industry, steriotypical amercianised views, a massive dose of frankly genius storytelling and a mixture of game types that puts just about every other game currently on the market to shame.

I won't bore you with the story, if you are any sort of gamer you would have already gone out, bought this and be in your third playthrough by now. But what I will say is the way the story is delivered is a masterclass in getting the player involved. I felt anger when I discovered the lie in Niblehem at the reactor, I felt joy at the birth of my first coloured chocobo, heck I even laughed out loud at some of Cid's speech. The writers deserve a patt on the back and possibly a pay increase in the 5 figure region, talent like this doesn't come along very often.

I could talk about the sweeping intro which drops you right into the action, or the FMV sequences that resemble anything on at the cinema right now. I won't, I won't talk about the active battle system and how its just the right balance between intuitive and involving. I won't even talk about the variety of missions, side quests and just plain good old exploring that this game actively encourages you to do. I don't need to to be honest, because if you are still reading this then your probably not the type of person who would enjoy this game anyway.

For those of you genuinly wanting to know what this game is like, here is a teaser. For about the first 15 hours of the game you are in the big main city of the story (Midgar). Now there is plenty to do here and many smaller sections of the city to visit and do side quests in before you complete the main story arc in Midgar. Once this part of the tale is over, and you gain some understanding of how big the main story is, then you are asked to climb the wall of midgar to escape. Now at this point you might expect to have your hand held and be told just where and why you need to go to the next little village on the map. Nope, not even close.

What happens is that you are presented with a World Map that is boardering on the overwhelming, and then told that some of your group are going on to the closest town. that doesn't mean you have to follow, by all means do if you want to carry on the main story, but if you are an explorer, then FF7 is the type of game you are going to love, because once you break the surface of the side stuff in this game, then frankly you could sell the rest of your games and stick to this for the foreseeable with no concern of getting bored, there really is so much to do. It seems almost criminal to rsuh through it, hence the real replayability of the game. You probably won't see everything in your first, probably even your second playthrough. But I guarantee you that you will want to see everything, and the rewards for doing so are well worth the effort.

Weapons and matera (Magic) are in abundance in the game, powerful combinations of magic can be made by combining blue matera (Support) with the red matera (Attack), you also have a number of other 'flavours' to play with. All of which expand the types of damage of the attacks you can dish out to your enemies.

Ah your enemies, from frogs, to dragons to little blokes carrying lamps. By the time this game is over you will have killed, mugged or burnt pretty much the entire natural world. David Attenborough would be pretty pissed with you if he witnessed some of the smackdown you doled out to the enemies in this game. That's not to say you won't face other forms of baddies. The magic system really does come into its own at this point, mechanical enemies are obviously more prone to certain magic (Lightning, water) then say, fire or air. Whereas most humanoid enemies will take far greater damage from fire and land then they would from lightning. Its all a case of finding out your enemies weaknesses and then exposing them. Again this is another area of depth the game has over its competitors.

Boss battles in this game also present their own challenges. By the time the dust has settled you will have battled enemies which are 20 stories higher then you, fought underwater, in the air, in a glacier, in a volcano, jesus christ you even fight in space at one point. In all honesty if I checked my cupboard I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Barrett letting off a stream of bullets into some unfortunate.

So length of game is obviously a big question in RPG's. FF7 clocks in at around 35 hours on a standard playthrough. But to be honest, if you are running a standard playthrough then you are missing so much of the game that its really not worth your time. A proper playthrough of this game, covering just some of the side quests and the ongoign quests (Chocobo breeding could potentially take over your life) could come in at 100+ hours. that sort of value for money is pretty much unheard of now. Considering for the price of this game you could go to the cinema 5/6 times and you can begin to see why this game is so breathtakingly good value fo rmoney it hurts. For people rushing this game through you are either going to end up one of the following:-

1) Bored, because you want to see the ending quickly
2) Dead, because the game gives you some leeway on levels and xp, but some of the boss battles do actually require you to have reached a certain level of competence. he Demon Gate being a prime example.

Graphics wise the game is competent during actual gameplay, pretty during fight scenes and stunning during FMV. The first time you see a summons will take your breath away. But to be honest this game could involve stick men and the strength of the story could still command a £50 pricetag, and be paid.

Sound is an area this game really does deserve a separate CD for. The music in this game is so perfectly made for the moment that you will never get bored of the battle song, the haunting music in the northern caves, Jenovas stomping battle music, the deep choir esq Seprioth music or any of the city and village specific music pieces. The game comes on 4 discs for a reason, part of that must be to accomodate such a rich variety of music.

Putting a score on this game almost seems unjust, if you ahven't gathered by now just how amazing this game is then I urge you to go out, buy it and see if you could disagree. I have never felt so involved in a game, so moved by its storyline, so amazed by its graphics and sound as I felt playing this game. The sheer value for money you are getting which is squeezed into those 4 discs, the beauty of the world, the, the , the, I could go on for pages more. I could give so many examples of stuff that would be individual to me. I won't.

So the score then, there have been a few games that I have felt probably deserved a 9.5 on these pages, others that reflecting on them could have been a 10 if I had given them the benefit of the doubt for the few areas I felt didn't work. But this? This is honestly the first game I have felt no areas could be improved on, its the first game I think I have played where I didn't wonder why they did something the way they did, the first game I haven't felt a small amount of disappointment with when the end credits rolled. Perfection is an impossibility to achieve, that's what I always believed. Until I took this game out of the box and stuck it in the PS. Pefection is alive and well people, and its name is Final Fantasy 7.

SCORE - Without doubt the greatest title of this generation of consoles, all playstation owners need this in their collection, in fact you need just this in your collection, after this no-one else is going to be able to compete. People will talk about this game in years to come and ask the important question.

Where were you?

10

_________________
I was owning the game, bam, 20 people dead, bam, bam, a few headshots, was up to 23 kills, two more to go, bam, another headshot, one more to Nuke. Then, the motherfucker slotted me hiding in the reed bed. Bye Bye Nuke
Guy Price - MW2
The man had never had a nuke on the game, I joined his game at the point described above, the guy who stopped he's streak at 24 and not 25? Moir
5 seconds after the game I receive a message, its one word, begins with C ends in T
EPIC WIN


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:35 pm 
Offline
Level: 78 Chump
HP: 12910 / 40346
12910 / 40346
MP: 19263 / 19263
19263 / 19263
EXP: 18622 / 18735
18622 / 18735
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
Had to put some breaks in there man - wall of text!

Y'know, my thoughts on FFVII change depending on my current mood. Get me playing or watching anything FFVII related (Dirge Of Cerberus, Crisis Core, Advent Children, etc) and I instantly love it with every ounce of my being.

But give me a copy of FFIX or Legend Of Dragoon or Vagrant Story... and FFVII just doesn't cut it anymore.

Sure, its got an epic story, epic boss battles, probably one of the few games that has characters you get attached to, and is so customisable that no two parties will EVER be the same... but its no FFIX or Legend Of Dragoon or Vagrant Story.

Plotholes, incomplete quests, and no, I won't go into the Aeris resurrection thing, but it just smacks of rushed game.

Still... no matter how much I moan and complain... I'll happily play FFVII from start to finish at any given time, because despite its flaws, its just that good.

Dammit I hate you Ben. :evil:

_________________
Image

╔══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╗
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
╚══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╝


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:47 pm 
Offline
Level: 7 Squire
HP: 0 / 130
0 / 130
MP: 62 / 62
62 / 62
EXP: 69 / 81
69 / 81

Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2011 10:20 pm
Posts: 69
XBL Gamertag: DBFmancini
PSN ID: DBFmancini
Steam ID: DBFmancini
Yeah cut and paste jobby this one, hence the strange abscence of breaks in the text.

I know what your saying about the FF series. Some of them have been excellent (FF7 obviously, FF8) but then some have been complete balls (FFx-2????). The thing that has been consistent has been a level of story telling that is lacking in many other games. I have played all of the other FF games now and the thing that stands out from all of them (However iffy some of the later ones have been) is the story.

Vagrant Story - played, liked, but didn't grab me on the same level as FF.

The whole Aeris resurrection thing is partly urban legend, partly yes an unfinished segment of the game but even now looking back on it, its a very small part of an epic tale.

Its one of very few games I can revisit on an old machine, boot it up and not be disappointed with what I see.

I think this type of game is more and more unlikely to actually get made now, not with the demand for killa releases and guaraneteed fast buck sales. And that is an incredible shame because when FF7 was released it became the most popular title on PS. It outsold the entire chart at one point.

I also think that Sqaure are unlikely to ever have the talent they had on FF7 to make anythign near as A class as that game was.

Sucks

_________________
I was owning the game, bam, 20 people dead, bam, bam, a few headshots, was up to 23 kills, two more to go, bam, another headshot, one more to Nuke. Then, the motherfucker slotted me hiding in the reed bed. Bye Bye Nuke
Guy Price - MW2
The man had never had a nuke on the game, I joined his game at the point described above, the guy who stopped he's streak at 24 and not 25? Moir
5 seconds after the game I receive a message, its one word, begins with C ends in T
EPIC WIN


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:21 am 
Offline
Level: 51 Squire
HP: 914 / 10164
914 / 10164
MP: 4853 / 4853
4853 / 4853
EXP: 5025 / 5110
5025 / 5110
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:33 am
Posts: 5025
Location: South Gate, CA
XBL Gamertag: HoFKSugaFree
PSN ID: HoFKSugaFree
Steam ID: SugaFree
Wii-U ID: SugaFree3000
3DS code: 4167-4952-3231
Nintendo ID: SugaFree3000
DBFmancini wrote:

I know what your saying about the FF series. Some of them have been excellent (FF7 obviously, FF8)


BACK THE FUCK UP

Blokey, forgive him for he does not know what he has done.

_________________
Image

Smokey wrote:
Godspeed, brave adventurer, and keep your pimp hand strong.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 12:00 pm 
Offline
Level: 26 Bard
HP: 16 / 1637
16 / 1637
MP: 781 / 781
781 / 781
EXP: 863 / 917
863 / 917
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 6:01 pm
Posts: 863
i think you should review Wild Arms

_________________
My Precious!!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:21 pm 
Offline
Level: 78 Chump
HP: 12910 / 40346
12910 / 40346
MP: 19263 / 19263
19263 / 19263
EXP: 18622 / 18735
18622 / 18735
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
bill goat wrote:
i think you should review Wild Arms

Bast RPG ever.

11/10.

There, hows that?

_________________
Image

╔══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╗
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
╚══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╝


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:14 pm 
Offline
Level: 41 Machinist
HP: 268 / 5376
268 / 5376
MP: 2567 / 2567
2567 / 2567
EXP: 2797 / 2806
2797 / 2806
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 2797
Location: Brampton, Canada
XBL Gamertag: J58P4
PSN ID: MadSketch
Steam ID: afororange
Blokeymon wrote:
bill goat wrote:
i think you should review Wild Arms

Bast RPG ever.

11/10.

There, hows that?


33.3% of the words in this review are incorrectly spelled.

Don't worry, IGN would have fucked up "RPG" as well, so you aren't as bad as them :P

_________________
Image

Inspired by PhoenixGamma.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:19 pm 
Offline
Level: 78 Chump
HP: 12910 / 40346
12910 / 40346
MP: 19263 / 19263
19263 / 19263
EXP: 18622 / 18735
18622 / 18735
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
thegamecubist wrote:
Blokeymon wrote:
bill goat wrote:
i think you should review Wild Arms

Bast RPG ever.

11/10.

There, hows that?


33.3% of the words in this review are incorrectly spelled.

Don't worry, IGN would have fucked up "RPG" as well, so you aren't as bad as them :P

Which word did I "spell wrong"?

Be warned... I'm holding a ban-shaped hammer... :twisted:

_________________
Image

╔══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╗
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
╚══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╝


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:30 pm 
Offline
Level: 41 Machinist
HP: 268 / 5376
268 / 5376
MP: 2567 / 2567
2567 / 2567
EXP: 2797 / 2806
2797 / 2806
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 2797
Location: Brampton, Canada
XBL Gamertag: J58P4
PSN ID: MadSketch
Steam ID: afororange
:'(

_________________
Image

Inspired by PhoenixGamma.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:49 pm 
Offline
Level: 78 Chump
HP: 12910 / 40346
12910 / 40346
MP: 19263 / 19263
19263 / 19263
EXP: 18622 / 18735
18622 / 18735
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
Fucking :facepalm: x ∞

Just realised I actually spelled a word wrong, and you weren't trying to say it wasn't the best RPG ever...

My apologies, sir.

_________________
Image

╔══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╗
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
╚══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╝


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:15 pm 
Offline
Level: 41 Machinist
HP: 268 / 5376
268 / 5376
MP: 2567 / 2567
2567 / 2567
EXP: 2797 / 2806
2797 / 2806
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:25 pm
Posts: 2797
Location: Brampton, Canada
XBL Gamertag: J58P4
PSN ID: MadSketch
Steam ID: afororange
ROFL i actually want to get into the Wild Arms games, I wouldn't bash it for no reason. I bought the third one not too long ago, but didn't play it yet (story of my life).

_________________
Image

Inspired by PhoenixGamma.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:37 pm 
Offline
Level: 78 Chump
HP: 12910 / 40346
12910 / 40346
MP: 19263 / 19263
19263 / 19263
EXP: 18622 / 18735
18622 / 18735
User avatar

Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 11:51 pm
Posts: 18622
Location: Bradford, UK
XBL Gamertag: Blokeh
PSN ID: Blokeh
Steam ID: Blokeh
Wii system code: 2445-8086-3386-0718
FIRST - AND BEST - IS ON NORTH AMERICAN PSN.

GET IT.

_________________
Image

╔══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╗
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Repost this if ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ you are a beautiful strong black woman ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ who don’t need no man ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
╚══════════════ ೋღ☃ღೋ ══════════════╝


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Final Fantasy 7 - Review
PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 12:25 am 
Offline
Level: 26 Bard
HP: 16 / 1637
16 / 1637
MP: 781 / 781
781 / 781
EXP: 863 / 917
863 / 917
User avatar

Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 6:01 pm
Posts: 863
I got it but i want a proper review not blokey saying it super awsome. we both got the game off the psn :) might still be space for others to take a copy

_________________
My Precious!!!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Blue Moon by Trent © 2007
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group