Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020)
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Final Fantasy VII is regarded among many as one of the most beloved games of all time.
Seeing as the original game came out 6 years before I was born! It's one that was very much before my time. I doubt I'd get the same experience playing it as those who played back in 1997.
The remake however attempts to rekindle this magic for both new and returning players.
The story goes from epic high-stakes battles to finding lost kittens around town, it's ridiculously over the top but the silliness is fun at times. The main issue I have is that the game takes itself far too seriously for its own good making the sillier moments seem a bit out of place.
The voice acting, while leagues better than previous entries feels weak when compared to games like Baldur's Gate 3 or the Uncharted series. This may have more to do with the writing rather than the performances themselves. It may seem like a small issue, but it can really take you out of the moment and ruin what could've been an emotional scene.
It's the graphics and gameplay that carry this for me.
When comparing this game to the original, it's truly amazing to see how far technology has come.
The game looks especially good on PS5 (Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade) and is well worth upgrading for if you haven't already.
The Combat is a mix of real-time combat with different abilities to charge up and use throughout the fight. It's a nice way to incorporate elements of the original game's combat system.
Switching seamlessly from character to character using special abilities, casting spells and even summoning Gods to help in battle, it never gets old.
This is the first part of Final Fantasy VII remake. Square Enix has taken the first act of the original game and stretched it into a 30-hour campaign. Consequently, a lot of the game feels like filler.
You'll be spending your time following NPCs down hallways while the game every so often throws a bug at you to fight. Don't get me wrong when the story gets going it's great, but at times it feels like the game is just wasting my time.
Perhaps I have been a little too harsh.
Despite its fallbacks, as the adventure unfolded before me, I grew quite fond of the characters I met along the way. It's not hard to see why Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Aerith are fan favourites in the series, and I love how the game's villain Sephiroth is built up here, I can't wait to see more of him in the next entry Rebirth.
This game is a perfect example of why remasters/remakes are so important.
Unlike movies and books, video games are not timeless, they show their age as technology advances and while some age better than others, all become less accessible to newer generations as the years go by. Now thanks to FFVII Remake the stories of Cloud and the gang can live on for years to come. While It's not the masterpiece people claim it to be, Final Fantasy VII Remake is still pretty damn good.
Intermission
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A bonus Expansion that comes free if you bought the "Final Fantasy VII Intergrade" version of the game. It's a short but sweet campaign that has some cool new ideas and mechanics to mess around with. The new character Yuffie plays really well but can be a little irritating. I did enjoy the chemistry between the two characters and the final boss fight was pretty cool too. It's a fun side story to the main game but by no means essential.
