Final Fantasy VII

Before Final Fantasy VII was released around the world in 1997, the Role Playing Games genre never really hit it big in the west. Games like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger only appealed to hardcore RPG enthusiasts. In Japan how ever RPG games have always been a huge success. Both the Square-Enix known at the time as Squaresoft Final Fantasy series and Enix's (who was a separate company at that time) Dragon Quest series dominated RPG sales charts across the land of the rising sun and dominated sales.
Who knows why but, most of the West never gave RPG games a chance. Not many of the English speaking nations had played an RPG before the release of this grand game.

In 1997 Final Fantasy VII changed changed all that with an amazing story, gorgeous Full Motion Videos, many many mini games, an open world long before GTA memorable characters and it was a multi million dollar success revolutionizing the gaming world for ever.

You take on the role of Cloud Strife, an ex-member of SOLDIER who is a mercenary for hire. At the beginning of the game, you help out a rebel faction called AVALANCHE to attack Mako Reactor No. 7.
AVALANCHE is a group who wants to stop a greedy the Shinra Corporation from destroying the planet through their energy source known as Mako. Shinra control the whole world from their HQ in the city of Midgar. No all is as it seems and they soon find them selves pulled into a conflict that has been raged in the lifestream since a strange meteor fell from the sky many years ago harbouring a being once thought to be a Cetra an ancient spiritual people who all but died out years ago. This was a costly mistake and many years later it could cost them everything.

 

Given that FFVII was released in 1997, the graphics are remarkable and the FMV great for it's time. The character designs are blocky but good and distinct and you can equip them with new weapons, accessories and materia the source of the worlds magic that has the typical fantasy elemental flare and fun materia like Frog that does what you think. Then there are the uber powerful summons like Odin my personal favorite or the great Knights of the Round to beat the Special optional enemies near the end. The music is amazing and quite haunting at times. It brings out real emotions in you as you get swept up in an amazing world of laughter, anger and tears. This game has one of the saddest moments in gaming history but you have to experience that for your self.

You can get rare copies of this game for the PS1, the PC or you can download it off PSN for your PSP.

This game is some thing special that no gamer should miss. The Casablanca for the gaming world 10/10.