At the PlayStation Experience last year, Square Enix revealed a PC port of Final Fantasy 7 coming to the PlayStation 4. That news didn’t get the positive reception Square Enix and Sony hoped it would, and it brings up the question of why people want a remake of Final Fantasy 7 so desperately. At the moment, Square’s biggest upcoming Final Fantasy release will be Final Fantasy 15. The game doesn’t have a set release date at this time, but many expect it to hit in 2016.
While Final Fantasy 15 has been in development for a very long time, and was even rumored to be canceled at one point, it seems that people are still eagerly anticipating the title. The recent gameplay videos have only peaked interest in the upcoming adventure. With so much interest in Final Fantasy 15, why are people still clamoring for a remake of Final Fantasy 7? Let’s examine the two titles and find out how Final Fantasy 15 compares to Final Fantasy 7.
Changing Landscapes
Let’s get one thing straight. The world of gaming has changed considerably over the last two console generations. What used to be an activity reserved for kids has now become a mainstream source of fun and leisure that appeals to people of all ages and walks of life. Even if you don’t own a console, Farmville is a game and lots of Facebook users play that. The same goes for Candy Crush and similar efforts.
What made Final Fantasy 7 so good back in 1997 may not work so well today. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at what made Final Fantasy 7 so coveted and how that compares to what we know of Final Fantasy 15.
Battle System
The battle system in Final Fantasy 7 offered traditional turn-based combat. It was the basis of battle for every Final Fantasy game to date at the time when FF7 released. It even stuck around for the next few Final Fantasy releases. However, in modern times turn-based role-playing games are generally considered too hardcore for the typical gamer. Keep in mind the definition of a “typical gamer” is not the same now as it was back in 1997.
Square’s last few games and almost every other console RPG offered action-based combat. Only a few lingering franchises still opt for a turn-based combat system. With Final Fantasy 15 catering to the newfound gaming masses by offering an action-based battle system, it opens up the genre and the franchise for a whole new base of fans. The Call of Duty generation doesn’t like taking turns. Join any random online lobby for proof of that.
Graphics
When Final Fantasy 7 released, the PlayStation was only a few years old, the Nintendo 64 had only been around for a year and the Dreamcast was still two years away. While the blocky graphics look awkward these days, they were top notch in 1997. It also helped that the FMV cut-scenes used to market the game offered a far more immersive experience than most games that had come before it.
These days graphics in gaming have almost hit a plateau. The difference between console generations is getting harder and harder to see. This is evidenced by the fact that most people aren’t amazed by the graphical prowess of the PlayStation 4 compared to the PlayStation 3. The difference is more about games running at 1080p rather than seeing a significant jump in visual content.
Many people have been waiting for a game that really shows off the power of the current generation of consoles. While Uncharted 4 and a few other games seem to be heading in the right direction, the visuals seen in Final Fantasy 15 have dropped more than a few jaws. It’s easily one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. While it’s still early in the life of both consoles, a quick look at the Final Fantasy games that released after FF7 on the original PlayStation will tell you that FF7 was not a graphical masterpiece.
Characters
If there’s one thing Final Fantasy 7 really nailed, it’s the character development. To this day people still complain about losing Aerith. Cloud is one of the most recognizable heroes in all of gaming, and Sephiroth is an equally popular villain. The rest of the characters in FF7 weren’t quite as memorable, but Red XIII, Tifa, Barret and Vincent are still more popular than most video game characters.
When it comes to Final Fantasy 15 we have a crew of friends going on an adventure. It’s a fairly standard scenario and we don’t know a lot about these friends aside from their relationships with one another. Still, it’s difficult to imagine any of these new metrosexual heroes having the same appeal as the characters in Final Fantasy 7. While Final Fantasy 15 arguably trumps FF7 in most other categories, the characters of FF7 are just too memorable.
We’ll have more coverage of Final Fantasy 15 and the PC port of Final Fantasy 7 throughout the year!
