Well, I bit the bullet and did a long haul of this game. And now, I'm confident in what I think about what is probably the most overhyped game in the entire series.
Let's rewind a bit. This is a game that kind of exmplified the psone for me. When you say Playstation (original) the first game that comes to mind is Final Fantasy VII. Which is pretty funny when you think about it, since it was originally going to be an N64 game, using the disc add on that never came to be.
I dunno, I just find that particularly hilarious. Could you imagine Final Fantasy VII on the N64 using that controller? I sure as hell have nightmares thinking of controlling Cloud with that monstrosity.
At any rate...
Graphics - 6 (for most, 9 for me and my rose tinted glasses)
Yeah, sure, it was good for the time, but the graphics really aged horribly for most people. I view the game through rose tinted glasses. Other people see blocky characters that look like ragdolls. I see characters with the same graphical detail as characters in Final Fantasy XIII. I also have an overactive imagination. The FMVs aren't exactly of amazing detail, but I kind of like the grainy look in some respects.
Sound - 9
There is a lot of reason to like the audio quality in this game. The background music is fantastic and often matches what's happening on screen, and the victory fanfare (while grating if you are a heavy grinder) is extremely rewarding, and gives you the sense of having accomplished something of value. I'm also a huge fan of the song used during the final battle, and I'm inclined to say it's not a spoiler anymore. It truly is one of the best songs in the game, and one of the best from that era of video game music.
Addictiveness - 7
The gameplay isn't altogether all that great, in fact, it lags behind several Final Fantasy games in terms of playability. It doesn't mean it's bad, but it's not really as fun as VI's battle system, despite being mostly the same. There isn't a whole lot of variety when it comes to how you fight. Once you know how to fight, you won't be changing styles. It's not like XIII, where you could constantly change play styles, and often needed to in order to win. Odds are you'll find three characters you like, and just ride them through to the end. Also, replayability is limited strictly to how much you are interested in coming back to get 100% completion.
Story - 9
The crowning achievement of this game is that it has a good story, albeit with a few minor english errors. Some of the things that are said defy syntax, and simply come off wrong. However, if you are paying attention, you can tell what they are saying, and what they are saying is pretty fantastic. The story has a few different twists, most of which you will see coming, but appreciate just as much. The characters are full of life, from the enigmatic Cloud (who I didn't like at the beginning, but learned to like a little more.), the intense Barrett, the crude Cid, to the manipulative Cait Sith. Add in a cast of enemies that includes the president of Shinra, Sephiroth, and the very planet itself, and you are in for a treat.
Depth - 7
For an RPG, there's not a lot of things to do. You can accomplish most everything in one playthrough. Two secret characters, a few super bosses, and ultimate weapons. The few things you can do outside the main story don't add enough to the gameplay for me to be interested in finishing the game more than I already have. (I think I just need to beat Emerald Weapon.)
Difficulty - 4
I'm basing this on everything in the game. Not just the main story. I beat the game with level 50 or so characters, in about 40+ hours. (I'm too lazy to go check an exact number) The main story was pathetically easy the entire time, up until the final fight, and it was only hard for a short time, as I was unprepared, and had a confused Vincent heal the final boss to full health and MP using an elixer. Once you slow down and account for status effects, the game is pretty easy. The difficulty comes from the super bosses, Ruby Weapon and Emerald Weapon, which are only in the American versions. Emerald Weapon being the tougher of the two, as you fight it underwater, and have to win in under 20 minutes unless you have a certain materia.
Overall - 8.4
In the end, this is really an over-hyped game. It's very good, and I enjoyed playing it, but it's not the most amazing Final Fantasy game, let alone the most amazing game of all time. I had high expectations, and the game almost reached them, but ultimately falls short, because of a repetitive battle system, a lack of real challenge, and graphics that are dated, and did not age well. You can get this game for 10 or 15 dollars on PSN, and you should if you have 50+ hours and are into RPGs.
Well, I bit the bullet and did a long haul of this game. And now, I'm confident in what I think about what is probably the most overhyped game in the entire series.
Let's rewind a bit. This is a game that kind of exmplified the psone for me. When you say Playstation (original) the first game that comes to mind is Final Fantasy VII. Which is pretty funny when you think about it, since it was originally going to be an N64 game, using the disc add on that never came to be.
I dunno, I just find that particularly hilarious. Could you imagine Final Fantasy VII on the N64 using that controller? I sure as hell have nightmares thinking of controlling Cloud with that monstrosity.
At any rate...
Graphics - 6 (for most, 9 for me and my rose tinted glasses)
Yeah, sure, it was good for the time, but the graphics really aged horribly for most people. I view the game through rose tinted glasses. Other people see blocky characters that look like ragdolls. I see characters with the same graphical detail as characters in Final Fantasy XIII. I also have an overactive imagination. The FMVs aren't exactly of amazing detail, but I kind of like the grainy look in some respects.
Sound - 9
There is a lot of reason to like the audio quality in this game. The background music is fantastic and often matches what's happening on screen, and the victory fanfare (while grating if you are a heavy grinder) is extremely rewarding, and gives you the sense of having accomplished something of value. I'm also a huge fan of the song used during the final battle, and I'm inclined to say it's not a spoiler anymore. It truly is one of the best songs in the game, and one of the best from that era of video game music.
Addictiveness - 7
The gameplay isn't altogether all that great, in fact, it lags behind several Final Fantasy games in terms of playability. It doesn't mean it's bad, but it's not really as fun as VI's battle system, despite being mostly the same. There isn't a whole lot of variety when it comes to how you fight. Once you know how to fight, you won't be changing styles. It's not like XIII, where you could constantly change play styles, and often needed to in order to win. Odds are you'll find three characters you like, and just ride them through to the end. Also, replayability is limited strictly to how much you are interested in coming back to get 100% completion.
Story - 9
The crowning achievement of this game is that it has a good story, albeit with a few minor english errors. Some of the things that are said defy syntax, and simply come off wrong. However, if you are paying attention, you can tell what they are saying, and what they are saying is pretty fantastic. The story has a few different twists, most of which you will see coming, but appreciate just as much. The characters are full of life, from the enigmatic Cloud (who I didn't like at the beginning, but learned to like a little more.), the intense Barrett, the crude Cid, to the manipulative Cait Sith. Add in a cast of enemies that includes the president of Shinra, Sephiroth, and the very planet itself, and you are in for a treat.
Depth - 7
For an RPG, there's not a lot of things to do. You can accomplish most everything in one playthrough. Two secret characters, a few super bosses, and ultimate weapons. The few things you can do outside the main story don't add enough to the gameplay for me to be interested in finishing the game more than I already have. (I think I just need to beat Emerald Weapon.)
Difficulty - 4
I'm basing this on everything in the game. Not just the main story. I beat the game with level 50 or so characters, in about 40+ hours. (I'm too lazy to go check an exact number) The main story was pathetically easy the entire time, up until the final fight, and it was only hard for a short time, as I was unprepared, and had a confused Vincent heal the final boss to full health and MP using an elixer. Once you slow down and account for status effects, the game is pretty easy. The difficulty comes from the super bosses, Ruby Weapon and Emerald Weapon, which are only in the American versions. Emerald Weapon being the tougher of the two, as you fight it underwater, and have to win in under 20 minutes unless you have a certain materia.
Overall - 8.4
In the end, this is really an over-hyped game. It's very good, and I enjoyed playing it, but it's not the most amazing Final Fantasy game, let alone the most amazing game of all time. I had high expectations, and the game almost reached them, but ultimately falls short, because of a repetitive battle system, a lack of real challenge, and graphics that are dated, and did not age well. You can get this game for 10 or 15 dollars on PSN, and you should if you have 50+ hours and are into RPGs.
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