Yeah, I'll admit. I worded the title to be a bit eye-catching since the very idea of Final Fantasy 7 being good is just taboo in this day of independent thinking. I mean OBVIOUSLY the game that's easily broken, has one-dimensional characters, and a plot device that makes no sense would be the superior game right*? Well of course it is, it's not as popular, so for you to find it better, would mean you're more of an independent thinker, you following me here? Anyways, I havent had an update in a year and with the announcement of the Final Fantasy VII remake, I thought I should delve into why I think FF7 is the best of the series, or at least why I think everyone thinks it is.
Now obviously the best answer you can get is Nostalgia. Final Fantasy 7 was a GOOD number of peoples first RPG and they just remember it from their childhood so it sticks to them better. It's the same reason we think Goldeneye, Ocarina of Time and Halo 1 is so amazing, it was our introduction to the genre that we now love. It's like going to a Restaurant; If you've never eaten Italian before, once you do eat it and love it. Wouldn't you want to return to the Restaurant that originally served your meal? But to me Nostalgia is just a result of a greater beast. I mean, I also played Mario as a kid and today I think Mario is an ok game and have no desire to pillage Nintendo HQ demanding a Mario remake**. So something bigger must be going on here.... So let's just delve into it.
The First 10 Minutes
Every game out there should get you hooked by the first 10 minutes of the game. A lot of RPGs seem to miss this message and seem to think starting a game off with some kid in a forest with his dog for 3 hours is a good intro; it's not. Here you start off with an awesome CGI intro of the main city which is incredibly artistic and original.... it's just... pleasing to look at. You got these 7 reactors which are all attached in a circle, this giant tower spiraling out in the middle, helicopters flying around... It's very busy and interesting. It looks like a city that looks inviting but is actually a prison if anything.
Right off the bat from a 40 second CGI, you're already curious about this city you're in and when you jump off the train you're invited with this really pumped up and serious music. It's music that when you hear it, you know you're doing something really important. People are knocking our soldiers, yelling at you in the train.... then you're thrusted into a fight right off the bat, one-shotting both of them which both tells you how the game is played without anything too hard fighting you. Which also adds just to the excitement.
Then you get a close-up of the reactor, the giant futuristic building in a CGI pan up while you run into it. Just what is this building that you're running into in such a hurry? Who am I? Who are these people that are fighting? Obviously you're important because you're with them and you carry that giant sword, something unique to you. And yes, a Giant sword = Important. I said that. And to top it off, you very quickly should be able to use Cloud's Limit Break which adds to how badass you already feel.
Finally Barret tells you. The Reactor you're in is sucking the world dry and you're on a team to put a stop to it. You're there to Blow the Reactor Up. You are a Terrorist. You are 10 minutes into the game you're already in the process of overthrowing a tyrannical government; a government which you don't even KNOW about! You don't even know it's name! And to top all that off, you're already a trained warrior from SOLDIER which obviously is important since your teammates sound concerned about you being there, Barret obviously hates the fact that he needs you. You're NEEDED. You're not just a third wheel, you're not helpless, you're told right off the bat that you're a badass.
And finally you succeed. You blew up the damn thing and with an awesome cutscene to help secure the feeling.
All this happens within the first 40 minutes, assuming you weren't dawdling around. I don't think I can remember any other RPG that starts off this fast and pumped. The game tells you right away exactly why you should love the game: Music, Gameplay, Your Mission, Your backstory, and tons of eye candy to go with it. I think just about anyone who picks this game up and made it through this would HAVE to be interested at this point.
The Story Makes No Damn Sense.
Yes, the story not making any sense is a good thing. But it's not like this is because the game didn't tell you or because of plot holes, but because so much is going on and so many things are explained but you find out aren't true, you have to keep relearning things and figuring out what's a lie and what isn't. And I suppose this is kind of a personal reason, but I have to imagine that it's not just me. Whenever you have a story like this one, where it's all over the place, and you successfully follow it, you feel like you achieved something. Its a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I can't even explain other then comparing it to a puzzle.
Between all your Sephiroth encounters, the Jenova reunion, the purpose of WEAPON, Vincents past, Clouds past, the Ending to the game, the history of the Cetra, the Wutai War, SOLDIER... so many things that tie them all together and whats funny is, a lot things are tied together from a single NPC in some town that you probably didn't talk to. But the fact you're interested in this story so much to wanna do this, wanna talk to all these NPCs, do every sidequest, and overanalyze everything, just heightens just how incredible the story is written in this game.
Sephiroth
Just say that name. Sephiroth. It sounds like a Star Wars villain, the kinda guy that the name you hear and right away know somethings up. The name kind of sounds like a melodic tone, an evil tone to it.... Like, I can't imagine the hero of my book being named Sephiroth. Maybe I'm just too preexposed to the game to think otherwise, but when I try not to, Sephiroth just sounds evil.
But even more than that... The guy was designed to be likeable: The Long Sword, Long Silver Hair, Long Black Coat, Metal Shoulder Guards, that Theme song, His legacy... Once again, like Cloud, the game is doing everything possible to tell you how badass this guy is, to the point where they actually stopped the entire game, sat you down in Kalm and force fed you the entire backstory of Cloud and Sephiroth's past. And because this history is so interesting, you didn't care. You witnessed one of the most likeable characters turn into another most likeable character. This is something I've always found fascinating was how charismatic Sephiroth was because he snapped... He was a genuinely good guy who fought for the right reasons and even in Crisis Core when you got to delve more into character, you learned how likeable he was and to suddenly 180 into nearly the opposite... and still retain all likeability. That's just interesting to me.
Oh and he walks through fire.
The Soundtrack.
I'm not too sure how I can explain the music to this game but it's definitely unique. Like the Instruments used in the game to make the music were made just for the game and gives the game its own character. No other Final Fantasy really did this, IMO. Uematsu somehow managed to make music that has its own personality that fit into the games setting. I can't explain it at all. I wont spend too much time here but I definitely do think the Soundtrack is a big piece especially when you got pieces such as One-Winged Angel and the Final Fantasy 7 Theme. I wouldn't say THE MOST but some of the most memorable music in the entire franchise.
Gameplay
The Materia system in this game is pretty new-player friendly, as in, anyone can pick it up and figure out how it works and with some creativity figure out some interesting tricks with the Materia system like Added Effect + Ice. See, gone were the days where you had to work hard for your spells and abilities, now they kinda just show up during the story and present themselves with little obstacles to obtain them. It's just so mindless to throw whatever magic you like onto whomever and that's that... now everyones a Magic User! And a Fighter..... and a White Mage....
It almost sounds like a complaint but one of the biggest things that deters people from actually completing a game is when the game is just too frustrating to level in or gain abilities. The easier the game, the easier I can pick it up, play it, and enjoy it. And when you basically are given nearly limitless possibilities for magic to whoever you desire, it just opens up so many doors to play however you like. And over time you can pick up Summons to entertain and surprise yourself with their long animations***.
Probably what I think is the most important aspect though is the Limit Breaks. Absolutely nothing is more satisfying then when you're just fighting somewhere and then out of the blue that short ding showed up "Clouds learned 'Climhazzard'" and now you're tasked to figure out what it does, and when you do you're so pleased because EVERY Limit Break is so flashy and fulfilling to use. It's like a Drug to charge that Limit up and just unleash a Satellite Beam from Barret or a Climhazzard from Cloud. All them loud Sound Effects to go with them.
Summary
To sum things up though.... FF7 is pretty much just very interesting eye candy. It's like an episode of Lost that was directed by Michael Bay. Everything is hyperdriven to be really cool and ended up working. And by no means is this my favorite of the series****, it's just my objective interpretation of why I would say it's the best in the series and why everyone clamors over it. But just because I'm writing this, it doesn't mean anything to our opinion. You can still think it's the worst thing ever and that the game no one else liked was better. This is basically just a set of observations that I felt like sharing.
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*- Notice how I don't say which game I'm talking about here.... ( Final Fantasy 8 )
** - Then again, I guess every Mario might as well be a Mario remake since it's the same damn recycled plot.
*** - 3 Bahamuts and a 2-3 minute long Knights of the Round. I'd honestly say they were trying very hard to be flashy with these.
**** - Mine probably being Final Fantasy 9
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