Final Fantasy 7 has decades of history and fans behind it, enough to make a culture design behind it, which is apparent in every gaming convention you attend. Still, you won’t understand why this phenomenon exists unless you jump into the lore.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake PS4 Review
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a brave move by Square Enix. Final Fantasy 7 has a generation of fans behind it, and tinkering with history has not always paid off well. Still, the developers at Square Enix have pulled off a miracle.
Those like me who never got to play the original can jump right in Midgar and understand why this story of Cloud Strife, Avalanche, and others matters so much to so many people. Final Fantasy 7 Remake isn’t just a run-of-the-mill RPG. This game has lively characters, and each has a genuine story to tell.
Gameplay
When it comes to gameplay, you get three options that are embedded in the difficulty levels of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. You get Classic, Easy, and Normal, each with distinct features. Classic mode gives you the nostalgic feeling of decades, which should cater to long-time Final Fantasy 7 Remake fans.
Easy weakens each enemy while giving you complete control over the characters. Normal mode is for players wanting the experience that the developers have intended for the players. This model is by far the best, most challenging, and wholesome.
There are different elements to Final Fantasy 7 Remake. You get to use all your might as Cloud Strife, but you can switch to any other character in your party and use their unique skill moves whenever you wish.
While doing so, you get a completely different experience while going through the same storyline as other characters in the game. Though you will still play Cloud’s narrative, you get a different perception of each character.
Moreover, as you progress in Final Fantasy 7 Remake you get Summons, you will require a summon materia for that but what it does is bring a spirit to help you in battles. Final Fantasy 7 Remake will have giant demons, mechs, and other things for you to battle, and you will be thankful for all the help you can get. Each summon has its elemental properties, which you can use to your advantage.
Graphics
From the cutscenes to the action, each animation is crafted to perfection. The game takes you through the journey of multiple sectors. It has been said to death that every location has a distinct look and feature, but this game allows you to go through every level of the different sectors.
Cutscenes are where Final Fantasy 7 Remake delivers its best moments. The characters of Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and others are expressive and not just videogame expressive. There are moments when Cloud grunts, and each grunt has a different meaning.
You get to see the world your characters live in; not only that, but you also get to know the environment that the characters grew up in. Cloud will often marvel at his environment as he was/wasn’t a soldier during his primitive years.
Music
Besides the fact that you can purchase iconic soundtracks of the game as you explore through the game, Final Fantasy 7 Remake brought Nobuo Uematsu back to rework his original masterpiece, and he has delivered one of the best music you will find. It does justice to decades of nostalgic fans who wish to revisit and feel the same things they did 23 years ago.
Music has characters in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and this only makes going to different locations and progressing through each chapter more fun. From the strings section to the heavy, hard-hitting background theme, it is an aural fantasy come true.
Setting
The city of Midgar is itself a character itself. Each location has different types of people reflecting upon the social structure of the place. Sector 7 Slums is the location for the Avalanche hideout, being a slum, you will find people who are near poverty and it shows when you go through the place. The Shinra Building will have people in suits, but not only visually; there is a distinct difference in how they treat people.
Being above the ground from the rest of the people, some of Shinra’s employees think of themselves as better than the rest. This gives them a personality, making it easier to understand the difference, which matters when trying to create something you care about.
Moreover, the plot to have Avalanche seem like the true culprit behind the devastation of Midgar helps set up much of the conversations and chatter you hear after you blow up some of the Mako Reactors in the game.
Story
Playing through Final Fantasy’s 7 Remake’s entire campaign made me realize why people love it so much; it isn’t restricted to one thing, and neither are any of the characters one-dimensional. There is growth throughout the game.
Each character is fighting for something: Cloud is fighting to take down Shinra, Barret is fighting to save the planet, and Shinra has a motive. Each and everything is motivated and feels in place.
Even the side quests are fantastic, though not most of them do much for the story; they will surprise you with things that will make you do things that you wouldn’t imagine your character doing.
There is this particular moment in Wall City where you must save a party member. This moment, by far, was the most mind-blowing thing in the game.
You should know that this version isn’t the complete story of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. There will be more parts about it in the future and as soon as you complete it, but the game rewards you if you replay it again, so there will be more side quests that you’ll see for the first time.
Conclusion
It was hard to find something wrong with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and even after spending over 40 hours with the game, there was none. Now, a perfect score seems odd, but credit is where it’s worth, and I had feelings of joy during Final Fantasy 7 Remake that I haven’t had since childhood.
Square Enix made playing games fun, not just in a one-dimensional way, but you will be laughing at all the quirky dialogues; the flirting scenes remind you of someone special in your life, and the action will leave you at a loss because it is so good. It is hard to compare it to any other game.
We recommend playing Final Fantasy 7 Remake, especially to those who have never played it and those who have; please check out this fantastic piece of art and revisit the world that made you fall in love with it one more time.
