Final Fantasy VII

One of the beauties of video games is that sometimes we get involved with a story for a very long period of time. I'm not including those moments in the game that require you to make your character stronger or something in that nature, but the moments where you feel you have been through a whole lot, where specific events from one part of the game essentially become a memory during the later part of your quest inducing a unique sense of nostalgia and motivation to keep pushing forward.

When Final Fantasy VII came out in 1997 it was an epic game due to its length. Now, games could last over 100 hours due to downloadable content and ever-expanding landscapes for players to roam. This game was mostly story and the passage of time could be felt as an essential part of you and your character's growth. There are so many aspects of Final Fantasy VII that have nestled into the framework of not just RPG mentality but of all video game mentality. From the most famous death sequence in gaming history to one of the most beloved villains to ever oppose a video game player to even the most recognizable city in video games, one that I could write an essay on by itself. A fair amount of people tend to look to other Final Fantasy games as their favorite or simply the best in the franchise. They are entitled to their own opinion but they cannot deny the infinite gravity that seemed to have protruded profusely from the game fifteen years ago.

So, why is it that great? Well, the passage of time is one thing, it forces you to recall events far off in your journey; it forces you to contemplate on intense episodes, where their consequences and such seem to reach out to the other end of the story effortlessly and we must come face to face with a past forged by us. The narrative goes even further to consider the past of its protagonist and antagonist in great detail, blossoming remarkable character dynamics and weight to the conviction of proceeding through the game. Cloud's suppression of certain memories, the distortion of his reality and, ultimately, identity unfold before us with patience but in a grandiose manner amid the traditional RPG elements and the dramatic boss fights.

The narrative blooms with a multitude of issues and themes; all appearing and disappearing in elliptical motion in and out of the story, with their foci as both human's faith on humanity and nature as well as the idea of detaching and dehumanizing oneself from humanity and nature. It is the driving force of Sephiroth's madness as well as Cloud's forced amnesia. It is the fallacy of Professor Hojo and his frantic encapsulation in science. It is the origin of Aeris's hope and of Barrett's forgiveness. These are not just expressed through characters dynamics but also through the landscape of the earth. Midgar's Shinra HQ, reminiscent to the film Blade Runner, seems to try to get as high in the sky as possible in order to distance itself from the common human, forcing a divine image upon oneself through its 'Tower of Babel' look. As the Shinra heads define themselves in a external and physical manner, Sephiroth defines himself internally and through his metaphysical state; where he comes from and what he must do.

Yes, I am becoming complicated and highly philosophical but that is the beauty of the game. It is one of the most recognizable pieces in all of video games and it entices emotion and thought through paced storytelling and involving gameplay. these two elements come together beautifully in the boss fight following Aeris's untimely death, where we fight one of the Jenova forms in a desperate manner as Aeris lays dead. Our feelings for her heighten as we are rejected to care for her and fight a hideous organism, all to the music that defines Aeris.

Speaking of the music, Nobuo Uematsu has created arguably the greatest video game score in all games; it is certainly my favorite. 'One-Winged Angel' has become a staple in the greatest video game music of all time. But I will delve even further and pull out my personal favorite piece in all gaming, the aforementioned 'Aeris's Theme'. I have never heard a sequence of three notes (or three chords later in the piece) that carry so much emotion, so much grief yet, held within its core, a vast hope.

There is much more that can be said as I look back into fond memories of playing this game multiple times. It captured and still captures the gamers who have gone to play it. It has also become the most controversial game in the highly inflated franchise. I say again, you cannot deny its impact. It opened the doors for Japanese RPGs for the future. In addition, it helped up look back at Japanese RPGs that came before it and appreciate them even more. It embraced a cinematic experience while integrating a system that, at the time, was deep yet lacking in intimidation. Final Fantasy VII, no matter the unnecessary controversy, will go down as the most important JRPG in the industry. Fifteen years later, it has retained its mythical power.