“Final Fantasy VII” is, in many ways, a revolutionary video game that helped revitalize the RPG industry. In fact, many fans continue to claim that the seventh installment is arguably one of the best games in the industry. The story follows protagonist Cloud Strife and his friends on their journey to stop Sephiroth and save the Planet. However, they also experienced their fair share of tragedies and unsuspected moments along the way. It’s a game mainly filled with adventure, love, friendship, faith, and courage. With that being said, “Final Fantasy VII” is celebrating its 20Th Anniversary.
Brief history
According to Forbes, The game originally released back on September 7, 1997, on the PS1. The content was so large back in the day that the developers had to split it into three disks. It’s worth pointing out that this was also Square's first attempt making a game on Sony’s budding 32-bit console. While previous entries in the series had some pretty good plots, there was just something special with “Final Fantasy VII.” Perhaps the most shocking moment about the game was how it handled life and death, and how it’s important to value both aspects.
Without spoiling too much, the game takes a dramatic turn after the first disk, and one certain scene became one of the most iconic moments in gaming history.
In a way, it treated gamers to what death actually was, as video games often have these respawn mechanics or multiple lives.
Remake
Because of its immense popularity, Square Enix has decided to remake the game for the PS4. The initial announcement was made back in E3 2015, with Square Enix offering very few updates about the game.
From what we know, however, is that they plan to make some changes in terms of combat and plot. The graphics are visually stunning, and those who grew up with the original game are in for a treat.
The battle system, on the other hand, ditches the typical turn-based combat for something much more dynamic. From the screenshots that the developers have shown, the combat still relies on a menu to give it that traditional touch.
The only major characters that have been revealed so far are Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace as they are doing the very first mission in the game. While we still have no info on other characters like Aerith, Tifa, or Cid, the developers will surely trickle more information down the line. Those who want to play the original “Final Fantasy VII” can grab a digital copy for modern consoles. A big happy birthday to “Final Fantasy VII”!
