| Final Fantasy VII; Er... am I worth of reviewing this? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 19 2008, 01:23 AM (400 Views) | |
TriforceMan
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May 19 2008, 01:23 AM Post #1 |
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Triumphant Return!
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![]() Well, here it is. Final Fantasy VII. I'm sure all of you have heard of this title at one point or another. Many regard this as the epitome of RPGs, while some put it aside as mediocre. Well, here is what I think. Story: 10/10 When it comes to RPGs, the main element that needs to be satisfied is the storyline. Final Fantasy VII surely does this. To give a basic overview of what you're given at the beginning: You play as Cloud, an ex-First Rank member of an elite fighting organization known as SOLDIER. Cloud has left this organization for unknown reasons, and has enlisted himself as a mercenary for hire. Now hired by the terrorist group, AVALANCHE, he is working to destroy mass producing energy plants known as Mako Reactors, which are slowly destroying the planet, and ultimately take down the organization who has built these Reactors: Shinra. You are dropped off right into the story, hopping off a train, and moving towards a Mako Reactor in the slums of the city known as Midgard. I believe it's safe to think that you all have correctly assumed this is not nearly as deep as the story eventually goes. The way this story develops is phenomenal, and it takes turns that you would have never guessed. ![]() Jumping off the train, being ordered around by Barret Gameplay: 8.5/10 Don't misread the number; the gameplay is still good. However, it is noticeably lacking in some areas. For instance, there are many areas in the game where you are so zoomed out, Cloud looks like a tiny dot and its very hard to navigate the area which you are in. This is common among many Playstation games, due to the system of mapping out a pre-rendered background. Also, interacting with people and items is sometimes difficult, for it can be hard to face in the right direction sometimes. Aside from those two things, the gameplay is very good. The battling system uses time-based attacking rather than simple turn based attacking. Basically, you wait for one your characters time meter to fill up, and then you get to chose an action. This mixes strategy as well as the need to be quick on your feet. If this system becomes over-whelming, you have to option of slowing it down, giving you a bit more thinking time. The magic system in this game uses an item called Materia, which you can assign to weapons an armor. Certain materias can be linked to others, creating combo effects, which open up interesting strategy possibilities. ![]() Typical battle scene (cutting it a bit close, eh?). Graphics: 8.0/10 Yeah, yeah, it's only the Playstation. However, you can't ignore the fact that it looks like Cloud and his buddies were put together with legos. Thankfully, the cutscenes and FMV clips are incredible (for the Playstation at least), which pushes the score up. Then again, it's an RPG, and graphics aren't the focal point. ![]() Just a little sample of the Playstation's claim to fame: pre-rendering Music: 10/10 Definitely one of the best game soundtracks in all of gaming. The music always fits every occasion and never fails to set the right mood. When you're fighting a boss, you've got a heavy, fast paced track keeping your heart beating. When you're traveling through a forest, you've got a tranquil sonata keeping your mind at rest. When you're searching the depths of an abandoned mansion filled with failed science experiments and the main villain, you've got eerie music filling your soul with apprehension and fear of what you might find. These are songs that you will never forget if you play through this game. ![]() And to think, it's all done with MIDIs. Extras: 9/10 Alright, this is basically sidequests, replay value, learning curve, and all that etc. As for the learning curve, at first, you'll feel iffy with the systems such as Materia using, but you'll find that you're getting used to it rather quickly. So the curve is not big at all; most people will probably acclimate themselves within twenty minutes or so. Replay value is not great, but it's there. After you've beaten the game, there are the RPG usuals: Extra (harder) bosses, missed items, leveling characters, and side quests. As for the sidequests and minigames? There are definitely enough. It's pretty much safe to say it's easy to go through the game and miss half the items and a few characters. There are a few good hours of sidequesting packed in there. ![]() Everyone's favorite: Annoying Chocobo racing. Overall: 9.1/10 A phenomenal game overall. After beating it, you will definitely want more. Apparently, Square knew, so we've been granted several extensions, such as Dirge of Cerberus (extenstion of optional character, Vincent Valentine's story), Advent Children (movie taking place a few years after), and Crisis Core (deals with character Zack Fair, and what happened before the events of FFVII). There is also a cell phone game, but no one cares about that one. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this reviews. Comments/Criticisms welcome, along with any questions. |
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| eomund | May 19 2008, 12:15 PM Post #2 |
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I care about the cell phone game, I just can't play it
Nice review. I have to remind you one thing about the graphice though. Final Fantasy VII is the FIRST full 3D game. I know at this point it's out dated, but it was the first. Keep in mind, there's a 80% possibility that this game will be re-released on the PS3 with the Advent Children style graphics. |
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TriforceMan
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May 19 2008, 04:37 PM Post #3 |
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Triumphant Return!
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Haha, don't worry, you're not alone. My cell phone's extended network is non-existent, so I can't download any games. It was the first full 3-D game? I did not know that. First full 3-D game ever, or just in terms of FF? Yeah, that PS3 technical demo really got my hopes up for a remake. It shows the potential for one, at least. |
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| eomund | May 19 2008, 04:47 PM Post #4 |
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Ever. Before that all games might have had 3d elements, but large portions of gameplay was still in 2 dimentions. FFVII is classified as the first production full 3D game on the market. |
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| Nintendo_Sal | May 26 2008, 02:23 PM Post #5 |
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"Nice review you should play Crisis Core IT shows you how cloud became a solider and who was his mentor and where he got his sword it is out for psp" |
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TriforceMan
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May 26 2008, 09:37 PM Post #6 |
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Triumphant Return!
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Yep, I was planning on getting Crisis Core. However, you can find out all that stuff you listed in FF7 if you found some secret cut scenes. |
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Dude2000
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May 27 2008, 01:02 AM Post #7 |
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Super Mario 64 had 2D elements? Good review, btw. If you didn't give the music a 10, I would of... I don't even know. But it would have been very unpleasant. xD |
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To be, or not to be: that is the question. To die, to sleep; no more; and by a sleep to say we end. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause. That makes calamity of so long life, for who would bear the whips and scorns of time when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all... | |
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| eomund | May 27 2008, 10:45 AM Post #8 |
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Actually I guess it did. All the trees, butterflies, bushes flowers and other landscape mapping were just 2D. Remember, I'm just repeating stuff I've heard or read. But FFVII was the first game to have every interactive item character and enemy be 3D. |
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TriforceMan
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May 27 2008, 03:35 PM Post #9 |
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Triumphant Return!
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Ha, of course. By the way, I have two songs you might be interested in hearing. It's the main boss battle music, and the music for Bizzaro Sephiroth, both remixed into rock/metal songs. Even if you're not a rock/metal fan, it's interesting to hear. |
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| eomund | May 27 2008, 03:53 PM Post #10 |
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If you're talking about what I think you are, look up the 'Black Mages' sound track. Trust me you won't regret it. |
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TriforceMan
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May 27 2008, 05:07 PM Post #11 |
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Triumphant Return!
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I was talking about the two Powerglove songs I mentioned in that other thread I made (song names are Omnishred and Birth of a God). I'll look up the Black Mages now. EDIT: Just listened to them playing J-E-N-O-V-A and Those Who Fight Further. Pretty good stuff. |
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Dude2000
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May 27 2008, 06:56 PM Post #12 |
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If you haven't found the Advent version of One-Winged Angel already, go find it. It has 700+ plays in my library, not including iPod plays. =) And SM64 had all 3D, with some sprites. However, FF7 had pre-rendered backgrounds. SM64 came out a half year earlier, and was pretty much accepted as the breakthrough 3D game. Maybe it was the first 3D RPG? |
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To be, or not to be: that is the question. To die, to sleep; no more; and by a sleep to say we end. To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub. For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil must give us pause. That makes calamity of so long life, for who would bear the whips and scorns of time when he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all... | |
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TriforceMan
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May 27 2008, 07:29 PM Post #13 |
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Triumphant Return!
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I actually just watched Advent Children recently, so I got to hear it's version of OWA. Pretty darn sweet. Well, I think I can see where FF7 got the title of "First Full 3-D game". Even though it used pre-rendered backgrounds, it didn't use any sprites at all. While in Super Mario 64, there were a decent handful used, in things like flame effects and dust clouds. When you put them side by side, Super Mario 64 would outweigh it 3-D wise, considering it used fully interactive, 3-D backgrounds. |
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| eomund | May 28 2008, 10:31 AM Post #14 |
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Possible. I just remember them referring to it as the first full 3D game. What's really annoying me is I can't remember who said it. |
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