Video Game Review: Final Fantasy VII (Remastered)

I played the original Final Fantasy VII when it came out back in 1997. I was twenty-one years old at the time. In full disclosure I confess this wasn't my favorite Final Fantasy game. That one has to be Final Fantasy IV to me. No other game can beat that story, in my opinion.

But I thoroughly enjoyed playing Final Fantasy VII and I remember every single minute of beating it. I had Tifa and Cloud and Cid with me and Cid just nailed it. If not for him, Sephiroth would have defeated me. 

It was a tough game! And it was long and complicated back then, at least for me.

Now, I've been waiting for the Final Fantasy VII remake for a long time and when it finally came I downloaded it the night before to be ready. And I began to play.

It is amazing! I can't decide which one I like better. The animation and the story is much improved and it is a pleasure watching. The combat system is changed a bit, but I think I enjoy being able to smash with my sword more than just choosing fight from the menu.

I don't like it that it was only part one of. . . is it three? But it provided around 40 hours of entertainments.

I must confess I couldn't handle the classic mode and I had to go to the easy mode after the battle at the church. And then I permanently started on easy after that battle agains the evil house at the coliseum. I'm not worthy, I know. But I don't play a lot and I hate having to play the same battles over and over. Also, there isn't much of an opportunity to grind to increase your level like in other Final Fantasy games, so my characters were mostly where they needed to be level-wise.

The game also worked on a side quest tracking system, which I like. It isn't open world like it should have been, it's mostly linear. Although you can go back to the episodes eventually, or you can move around the world somewhat with a during that episode. You follow the main storyline until you get to a new area, and then the side quests for that area are activated. It was not bad, but it wasn't open world where you accumulate your side quests and you do them at your leisure. No, you have to wait until they are activated and if you move on without completing them, I don't think you can ever go back to them.

But the game was great over all and I wish I could have kept on playing. 

The ending is weird, but I won't go into that here. But I stared at the screen open-mouthed trying to make sense of what happened. You can always google, like I did, to find out more.

A lot of locations are the same, the materia system works pretty much the same. There is a new weapons system, but nothing out of the ordinary. It was easy to use and, mostly, I used to it to increase materia slots (yes, and the other things, too, of course)

We don't get to see all characters. We only get to play with Cloud, Barrett, Tifa and Aerith (who isn't Aeris anymore). Red XIII appears but HE IS NOT A PLAYABLE character. Disappointed there. The rest of the characters aren't there to play as at all. I know it'll be coming in the next episodes. Just like the other summons, I hope. So far I could only use Shiva and Ifrit (and the chocobos). The summoning is also different than the original, too, BTW.

All right, I think I've said enough. Great game. Love it! I want more!

Cheers!

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