Final Fantasy VII Is Even Better The Second Time Around

When I think of old school Final Fantasy games, I think of rigorous level-grinding with a turned-based combat system. The original Final Fantasy VII was released in 1997, with an epic adventure across three PlayStation discs. The new Final Fantasy VII Remake transforms the original core story and revamps it with stunning level design and immersive cut-scene animations.

Your adventure begins in the Sector 7 Slums, where you play as the freelance mercenary, Cloud Strife, who maintains an aloof, bad boy vibe. In a search for paying work, Cloud aligns himself with Avalanche, an eco-terrorist group with plans to bring down the Shinra Electric Power Company, a nefarious corporation whose Mako Reactors are polluting the earth.

Cloud teams up with some real hotties, Tifa and Aerith, and the badass Barrett who has a huge gun as an arm. Tifa specializes in hand-to-hand combat, Aerith’s power stems from magic, and Barrett totes his hulky gun arm, which is especially useful when dealing with airborne foes.

Battle dynamics are similar to the JRPG, Kingdom Hearts 3. The player can easily switch between party members, creating a seamless transition between high-damage special abilities and magica. You can even command different characters without switching, allowing for epic coordinated attacks. The monsters are epic and can be challenging to fight. The handy access magica allows the player to read about their foes and discover their weaknesses. Several times my party died right near the end of a lengthy boss fight, but luckily you can re-start to right before the battle and attempt a new strategy.

Fans have critiqued that the remake only covers the beginning portion of the original, with the gameplay limited to the city of Midgar. The remake, however, added plenty of side quests, collectibles, and battle upgrades. These details really filled out the world and made the map really fun to explore. Furthermore, Square Enix President Yosuke Matsuda announced in February 2020 that there will be a Part 2 to the remake, so do not fret if you’re left wanting more!

As someone who hasn’t played the original, I was pleased that the story was compelling and detailed so I didn’t feel as though I was missing out. The game made me really excited to continue the adventure, and I’m sure next installment will be well worth the wait.