In 1997, SquareSoft released what would become one of its greatest masterpieces, “Final Fantasy VII”. The Playstation exclusive (at that time) video game exposed many a gamer to the world of role playing games (RPGs) that may have looked either intimidating or boring, or both. I happened to be one of those gamers who, knowingly, hadn’t experienced the joys of entering a fantasy environment where I could be a knight, summon mythical creatures in battle, and save the world in one way or another. “Final Fantasy VII” made me a fan of the “Final Fantasy” franchise and encouraged me to enjoy a different video game genre that had gone unappreciated by yours truly.
As the years progressed I grew more enamored in not only the series, but the genre as a whole with multiple years and even gaming generations hinging on the releases of “Final Fantasy” games; though the more recent numbered, single-player entries have left a lot to be desired including the much-ridiculed “XIII” and a fragmented spin-off turned full-fledged experience in “XV”. During the years, Sony and SquareEnix teased fans with demos & graphical presentations focusing on “Final Fantasy VII” – the game almost everyone wanted redone for a new generation. The road to seeing “FF VII” remade was a long one with fans being understandably worried about the overall presentation as the developers didn’t hide the fact the combat system would be more reminiscent to the recent “Final Fantasy XV” while the story is isolated to a portion of the original game instead of being the full experience played by millions since 1997. I was cautiously optimistic about “Final Fantasy VII Remake”, coming in with an open mind while hoping the developers didn’t ruin a chance for old fans to revel in their past while new players discover what could be a defining gaming experience.
Did I Complete “Final Fantasy VII Remake”?
The original “Final Fantasy VII” will go down as one of my favorite games of all time – a game that I’ve dumped countless hours into while replaying it on every Playstation system including on the PS4 where I did everything necessary for a platinum trophy. “Remake” demands a lot more from the player than the original iteration without being the full “FF VII” story by offering more content both optional & mandatory. I spent forty-five hours completing the main story on “Normal” difficulty (there is an “Easy” difficulty and a “Classic” option where the computer controls the protagonist AI, though the player can input commands whenever they see fit). Using the “Chapter Select” option unlocked after finishing the story once, I went back to complete the remaining side quests, level up my characters, attain the Bahamut summon, and enjoy the soundtrack. Unlike the original, “Remake” features a “Hard” difficulty that I’ve yet to conquer featuring the removal of items and, obviously, tougher enemies that can wipe the floor with Cloud Strife & his band of merry renegades.
Did “Final Fantasy VII Remake” Live Up to the Hype?
To re-imagine a genuine classic experience like “Final Fantasy VII” is a tall task especially when the developers opted not to fully tell the story witnessed over two decades ago on the original Playstation. Players take control of Cloud, Barret, Aerith & Tifa (Red XIII does arrive late in the game, but is treated as a guest fighter that can’t be controlled in any way), switching between three of the four if all are available in combat with a tap of the d-pad in any direction. While it would be easy to simply focus on playing with one character during battle, it isn’t the most effective thanks to the implementation of “Active Time Battle” bars that fill up in two segments under a character’s health. The computer-controlled ally will slowly fill up their “ATB” compared to the character being controlled by the player. These “ATB” bars are necessary for doing well in combat as an available “ATB” bar allows the characters to perform specific abilities attained from whatever weapon is or has been equipped, magic spells courtesy of the “materia” slotted in the protagonists’ weapons and armor, or items for both restorative and offensive reasons.
With the forgoing of a traditional turn-based system in favor of something more action-oriented similar to “Final Fantasy XV” and “Kingdom Hearts” comes a battle presentation that is both flashy and full of substance. The playable characters all control uniquely with special abilities & stances differentiating themselves from not only their allies, but also their 1997 counterparts. Cloud’s swordplay can go from an offensive-based stance to defensive oriented by switching to his “Punisher Mode”. While guarding in “Punisher Mode”, Cloud will unleash an automatic counterstrike if his enemy performs a physical attack (a reactionary moment that can be enhanced with some of his latter weapon-learned abilities) – some opponents only being susceptible to significant damage via counter-strikes. Barret is great for not only taking down flying enemies like he was in the original, but also proves effective by providing long-range offense while sacrificing his body for the team as his base health is the greatest available. Aerith too likes to hang back, but her magic-infused strikes can do non-elemental damage while her usage of materia is more effective; making her a better package in combat than she was in the original. Tifa is an up-close & personal striker that can mix blistering kick & punch combos with usage of “Chi” to increase her attack power – making her great for inflicting heaps of damage to staggered opponents.
“Remake” thankfully doesn’t skimp on the enemies available considering the amount of the “Final Fantasy VII” world experienced here; actually showcasing adversaries not seen so early in the original’s narrative including turning a few regular foes into full-blown boss fights. Due to the action-oriented nature of “Remake”, the dynamics of boss battles are greatly changed mostly for the better including Guard Scorpion/Sentinel Scorpion becoming an actual threat early on instead of simply being a tutorial fight. Certain bosses like the Airbuster are presented in multi-stage wars where the enemy gets more & more desperate with their execution. There are also new bosses included like the crazed motorcycle-loving Roche that unexpectedly shake things up. During a few of the twenty-six available side quests, Cloud & company have to battle mini-bosses that, at times, can provide tougher fights than previous & future opponents due to circumstances beyond the player’s control such as having only two characters in your party.
The “Stagger” system returns from “Final Fantasy XIII”. Underneath every enemy is a bar that will build when an adversary is struck. Hitting an enemy’s weak point or striking them with something they’re prone against like the Shinra security grunts being hit with fire will greatly increase the “Stagger” gauge. When fully staggered, the enemy will collapse; open for a barrage of attacks including the returning “Limit Break” skills that become available if a playable character is hit enough without dying (though a full “Limit Break” bar doesn’t go away if the character is knocked out). Some enemies are a lot easier to stagger than others especially in regards to boss battles, but it quickly becomes the focus of every fight. The “Stagger” system ties nicely into the usage of magic and materia. Materia implementation is very much like the original as materia attached to weapons and armor will make certain attacks & defensive measures available. With each successful battle comes the reward of points that eventually level up equipped materia for more spells to become useable. Materia combinations are still incredibly effective such as slotting “Lightning” materia alongside an “Elemental” orb inside Cloud’s sword to ensure every physical strike does electrical damage – the same combo being placed in a character’s armor reducing “Thunder” damage.
Also taken from “FF XIII” is the aforementioned weapon upgrade system. Each weapon found has a dedicated ability that can be learned with usage in combat; thus being available no matter what weapon a character has equipped. By leveling up, each character’s weapons gain points that can be spent on stat upgrades solely connected to said item that will boost everything from health, strength, and even the duration of buffs like “Haste” or “Barrier” as long as the weapon is equipped. Every weapon has some sort of limitation be it sacrificing physical strength for magical superiority or losing some defense points for more materia slots. Shockingly some of the base weapons gained for each character can be the best overall statistically, but may lack the necessary materia slots needed for success. Though the player must weight pros & cons when it comes to everything that can be equipped, the overall execution rewards experimentation.
A premiere feature in battle are “Summons”. Unlike the original or even most “Final Fantasy” games, the ability to summon mythical beasts to fight alongside the character is only afforded to the player when the game dictates. A “Summon” meter will appear on the screen during various hectic, mostly boss battles. Instead of spending Magic Points/MP, the player will have to use some, if not all of their ATB bar to summon the likes of Fat Chocobo or Leviathan into battle for a short period of time. While the summon is in combat, the player can spend more ATB bars to unleash special summon attacks before said summon does an explosive exit that inflicts incredible damage against the adversary. While the presentation of summons during battle is absolutely fantastic, the inability to use MP to summon whenever a player wants to is disappointing even if it would’ve made certain battles a little too easy.
Beyond the combat changes, the biggest question in regards to quality was connected to how well the narrative would be told while isolated to what was the first five to eight hours of the original game. Shockingly, “Remake” does a mostly masterful job in recreating the major story beats from the 1997 version while adding depth to both minor characters like Avalanche’s Jesse, Biggs & Wedge and the world of the Slums in general. The main protagonists are mostly in line with their 1997 counterparts. The mercenary for hire that is Cloud grows more loyal to the people he’s been around including his childhood friend Tifa as she is shown more conflicted with the actions of Avalanche. Barret’s loudness is offset by a gentle concern for his daughter. Aerith is presented in a more street savvy light to match her braggadocios talk during her early meetings with Cloud; all the while housing an air of mysticism. The short time with adversaries such as Shinra’s quintet of power does justice in presenting their ruthlessness & cunning (not to mention Don Corneo being as detestable as ever).
Moving around populated areas will witness townspeople conversing about what is happening during in-game real time including the acts of Avalanche & their effects on the world. These conversations actually change if the player completes some of the chapter-specific side quests while said side missions play a factor in some of the latter moments in the game. The game’s side quests aren’t the most revolutionary in presentation, but do feature long-reaching rewards including shop discounts and, in the case of the new character Chadley, extra materia that can’t be attained in any other way. There are also mini-games including redone versions of the bike chase & the Wall Market squat challenge to complement the few new distractions like Corneo Colosseum and the anger-inducing pull-up challenge with the latter being a necessity for completion at its highest level if someone is trophy hunting. While a majority of “Remake’s” story is similar to the original, the final chapter turns everything upside-down; potentially angering purists & those who wanted the developers to keep things simple. Depending on the player, “Remake’s” ending may leave a person worried about the sequel.
Technically, “Remake” is an impressive, yet flawed marvel. While the main character models and memorable enemies look fantastic, side quest-specific characters are mostly ugly with terrible lip movements. The game does add padding when it comes to traversing certain areas by either expanding them unnecessarily, forcing the characters to walk slowly, or both. There are also texture issues in regards to certain objects like flowers. Framerates and overall stability are remarkable even on a base PS4. The game’s biggest issues all center on the combat in regards to casting magic and the “ATB” bar. No matter the difficulty, “Remake” can punish the player for trying to play the game properly. If the player pulls up the “Command Menu” during any battle and chooses a mid-to-high level ability or magic spell there is a good chance an enemy can cancel the intended action by suddenly striking that character. This wouldn’t be an issue if not for the fact the hit character loses a part of their “ATB” bar or the MP used for said hopeful maneuver; potentially ruining an entire battle if the characters are in dire straights. Enemies, however, armor through hits when preparing magic spells or significant attacks unlike the protagonists; making things even more unfair for the player.
During the more grandiose battles, cutscenes also reset command lines including “Limit Breaks” if said cutscene occurs when the player’s super maneuver is activated at the wrong time. Another issue is the handling of magic attacks. While some spells like “Fire” and “Lightning” have homing-like qualities, “Ice” attacks are stationary and won’t do any damage if the enemy is able to move away; potentially being a loss of MP if the player thinks they have a chance to add to an enemy’s “Stagger” bar. There are also dodge/roll & guarding/blocking mechanics that work well enough, but the player is unable to cancel into rolling or guarding when performing a combo; potentially leaving them open for an attack even if they hit the defensive buttons at the necessary time.
“Final Fantasy VII Remake” is something many fans have wanted for years, but worried whether or not SquareEnix could do the impossible by crafting a wholly worthwhile experience that honors the original while forging its own path in preparation for the future. Thankfully the impossible has become possible with this remake.
Should You Play “Final Fantasy VII Remake”?
The original “Final Fantasy VII” will forever be one of the most influential & important games of all time. While “Remake” won’t gain the same type of praise as its source material, it somehow delivered one of the best overall, single player “Final Fantasy” experiences in over a decade. The combat is mostly phenomenal with the story providing better characterization while actually taking a chance on presenting an unexpected final chapter. Long-time “FF VII” fans with open minds and not simply wanting a graphical upgrade will be thoroughly pleased from beginning to end. Players who enjoyed the action of “Final Fantasy XV” should like this much better, more finely-tuned version; as will most action-RPG gamers in general. In truth, “Final Fantasy VII Remake” is truly a beautiful experience like witnessing Cloud in a dress while Barret sings the “Battle Victory” theme at any given opportunity.
