Final Fantasy VII introduced me to my first video game crush way back when, so to see it in today’s graphics was a dream come true. I recently got my hands on the upcoming Final Fantasy VII remake from Square Enix and though I didn’t get to see my beloved Sephiroth, I did fall in love with an old favourite all over again.
Now that the demo that I played is public for all to see, there’s a lot of conversation happening about how well some of our favorite characters have translated over to this gen. One thing that’s important to remember is that this is entirely a remake, meaning the experience won’t be anything close to exact when it comes to the original adventure that many of us fell in love with.
Obviously with realistic graphics comes more relatability and one aspect of my hands-on time was how truly human these characters felt, including Cloud himself. From the facial expressions, to their movement in-game, everything was given a much more relatable feel that is amazing to experience as long-time fans, and will be an incredible entry into the seventh game for newcomers to the franchise.
Though some of the camera angles were clunky, which has always been a stable for games of this particular genre, it didn’t take long to get acclimated to the movement when in combat and through exploration. The various attacks also offered were classic Final Fantasy style with a modern twist and the ability to build off of attacks when swapping out characters adds an enjoyable layer to the title’s combat – especially when going up against big boss fights.
From the narrative flow to the newer elements of in-game mechanics, the Final Fantasy VII remake is perfect for three main demographics:
- Long-time fans
- Newcomers to Final Fantasy VII
- And those that played the original and felt it “overrated”
A lot of gamers that weren’t necessarily impressed with the title the first go-around will be impressed and I think there is so much innovation that many opinions will change for the better. This has definitely been a labor of love that has been years in the making but from what I’ve seen? That long wait will be well worth it.
What are your thoughts on the Final Fantasy VII remake so far? Any particular scenes you’re excited to see when it drops on March 3rd of next year? Hit us up with your thoughts over on Twitter @PrimaGames!
