Anyone played Final Fantasy 7 Remake yet? Living up to the hype?

The original was in a class all by itself.

None of the other FF series really held a candle to it, I think cause #7's theme was so heavily intertwined with actually human events;

It made reference to ancient civilizations, "Anunaki", cataclysmic events, use of resources, etc.

And the characters were mostly human.

Being a "fantasy" game it really merged its concept with several aspects of more relative concepts.

The other games were just pure fairy-tale.

Game play is always good but they didn't invest you in the same way.

........

All that being said, has anyone played the Remake?

How does it come across?

Being recently released it's still a little pricey on Steam etc. Also I understand it covers events only up to the escape-from-midgar?

Retr0gamer

There's good and bad to it.

The good first. It's absolutely gorgeous looking and runs great since it's been patched. The acting is very good and the music is outstanding. It really nails the look and feel of the original.

The battle system is fantastic as well. One of the best action rpg battle systems square has made.

Now the bad

The game only covers midgar which isn't a bad thing in and of itself but it drags the arse out of it. There's a lot of filler and dungeons are twice as long as they need to be. It makes it a game that's hard to play in long stretches. I found it a bit exhausting.

The game also goes kingdom hearts nonsense with by the end. And it acknowledges the god awful advent children as being canon.

johnny_ultimate

It has a great battle system and occasionally builds on the original material in smart and intelligence ways. Aerith in particular is a fantastically realised character here compared to the original.

But my god is it a tedious game to play. Outside the combat the world feels bad to explore on a pure gamefeel level, and the sheer volume of filler and terrible level design would’ve made me stop playing long before the end had it not happened to arrive when we were all stuck at home for two-three months straight. Lots of the plot is incoherent horseshit too.

It’s more bad than good IMO, and it was a major disappointment because the superb combat system at its core deserves better than this annoying, uneven mess. Other modern JRPGs like the Persona series or even the recent Xenoblade Chronicles 3 provide much more satisfying and cohesive experiences overall.

one armed dwarf

Not great for reasons already mentioned but I bet the sequel will be really good

Couldn't quite get over how bad the flat backgrounds looked, the backgrounds in Midgar in Remake look worse than the original cause of the clash in fidelity imo

Greyfox

I really enjoyed it, hope FF16 has a similar battle system and i can't wait for part 2

Nostalgia got me through the padding.. and theirs a lot of padding

nix

I couldnt stand it tbh and it was an absolute slog to get through, i feel the battle system is massivley overrated and deeply flawed. It was just heavy on the button mashy, alot less on the tactics. Maybe hard mode made you require to be more tactful, but why they feck would you want to put yourself through all that padding again and abomination of a story?

Fucking up the FF7 remake was a hard feat to achieve with me as i loved the OG, but they did a great job at making me hate it, i was expecting them to change things, but christ, terrible changes/ideas all over :(

Zero-Cool

Mixed bag in here, I absolutely loved it. Yeah, some areas were padded out but I was having so much fun with the combat, I didn't mind. I've completed, I went straight into playthrough on Hard and for the platinum. I only do that on games I reaaaaally enjoy.

If you loved the original, I definitely recommend this but like the mixed opinions above, it's hard to say whether you'll enjoy it or not but you should be the judge of that.

Potential-Monke

From someone who never played the original, because I don't like turn based or whatever that battle system is, I also didn't like the remake. The battle system, imo, was the worst of both worlds and I didn't have the nostalgia to keep going so my opinion doesn't really count. Shame, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, but those types of games just aren't for me.

Captain Flaps

Completely disagree with most of the above TBH. I thought the NPC dialogue was pretty poor, some of the backdrops weren't great and there was a lot of padding or unnecessary quests, but overall I couldn't have been much happier with the job they did at building the characters, the world and all of the gameplay additions. Yeah, some parts drag but overall it's a very worthy remake IMO.

Potential-Monke

Me suspects there's a bit of nostalgia from some people, but I do admit it's not my thing in the slightest now, having played it, so again my opinion is just that.

Having played both and say you had to replay one

• the original or
• the remake

... which would it be?

Possibly my favorite aspect of the original was the concept of "limit breaks";

Does that still feature in the remaster?

one armed dwarf

Yes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb6W88x3Dt4

80 euro on steam for just over 24 hours of gameplay.

The original, entire game came in at about what.... 30 hours?

I watched some excerpts on youtube, have to say it does look awesome, and I love the voiceover from the breaking-bad meth-head.

But for 24 hours of game-play, not sure I'm compelled enough to invest 80 euros just yet.

That being said I still think the original, even as dated as the graphics are, is still in a class all by itself, to this day.

And midgar was for me the most enjoyable setting in that game. I loved the industrial vibe crossed with that honey Aries and all the inuendo and luridness.

But 24 hours of gameplay?

Anyone not feel that leaves a little to be desired? I'd almost hold out until the entire version is released, just so I'm not left with an empty stomach.

Retr0gamer

It anything ff7 remake was too long. 12 hours would have been the perfect length. It really out stays it's welcome.

And it will be 50 in the steam sale in 8 days.

K.O.Kiki

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756652#Comment_119756652

Took me 39 hrs (+6 for Yuffie chapter) to beat.

Worth it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119757344#Comment_119757344

Sounds like it dragged out the Midgar section.

The video sequences seems long AF in the youtube playthroughs.

At the same time a 12 hour video game? Hardly worth getting out of bed for.

The feeling I get is I'd play this game through in no time, probably get disillusioned with the excessive FMV's, then curse the designers for not having released the full version yet.

johnny_ultimate

I wish more games were 12 hours TBH. FF7R is one of the most egregious examples of a game damaged by trying to hit some sort of arbitrary ‘long’ running time.

Yes, it shouldn’t be 80 quid either 2.5 years after release of course, but it could easily have justified a full price release at this level of production quality and a shorter running time. It’s clear a game the size of the original FF7 would not be sustainable at this level of fidelity and detail, but ironically this is still too long for what it is.

Go with the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles 3 if you want a giant, old-school JRPG. Or one of the Persona games - 5 is out on PC very soon.

I went ahead and got it.

First off, I can't imagine how much work goes into producing video games now a days.

The graphics are ridiculous.

The complexity alone, not taking into account the programming necessary to turn the concept into a game is intimidating.

The battle mode..... is different.

Any recommendations to play it on classic or normal?

I find myself doing a lot of button mashing.

......

What I loved most about the original was the "vibe", the atmosphere, the feeling.

Only about 20 minutes is so I can't comment on that yet but to see how far video games have evolved....... just wow.

Retr0gamer

Keep it on Normal. There's a lot of mashing but there's some nuance to some of the battles. Boss battles are a particular highlight.

SLOWLY making my way through this.

There's so damn much happening on screen at any time, it's like a major sensory overload.

I just finished replaying the original again........ game is so damn good. Nice easy game to play through also.

Cause the vastness of the in-game world, it's gonna take time to explore and become familiar with, but so far the graphics are incredible, game play is much more involved, etc but yeah;

Sensory overload, no doubt.

one armed dwarf

imo, don't be afraid to use the command menu a lot to slow the pace down a bit. Games in general these days are kinda sensory overload, not in a way I'm fond off. Too many particle effects and screen shake, it's I guess what the zoomers like or something they do to sell HDR tvs. At the very least you can turn the screen shake down in the settings menu, and pause the game a lot to spin the camera about and see what things are happening, before inputing the next ATB command.

The way I play the game is to block a lot and take turns back slowly, rather than mashing fast. It's actually fairly clever the way they do it, the game looks like an action game but is disguised as one, it's really a turn based one but in more of a fighting game style where it's about pushing your advantage after blocking hits.

I'm as far as falling through the church roof and battling Reno.

It was slow to get into it but this game it positively blowing me away.

It's hard to believe the game advancements in the last 20 years, the work that must go into game development, just incredible.

Feels like a throw back to video game arcade days, going nuts on Marvel SuperHero's, except from the comfort of my laptop (this is my first time playing a really modern game, ever).

............

Also insane the capability of my new HP Omen 16 Laptop, it can handle just about anything on the highest settings.

...........

We've come a long way since hunting/gathering.

I just beat the "Hell House".

Game suddenly took a turn for the worse.

That battle was horrible.

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965939#Comment_119965939

You probably aren't blocking enough. You should be blocking all the time to build up ATB rather than attacking.

Zero-Cool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119965939#Comment_119965939

Huh, Hell House was one of my favourite boss battles that year. Even more amazing on hard mode.

Retr0gamer

Yep same for me. Was nice to have such a good fight after the boring of the sector 6 slums and wall street. It's the battle where the battle system really clicked for me.

I wasn't familiar with refilling that "attack" timer, holding block or "b" button on a laptop, apparently.

Retr0gamer

Got to the part where they drop the plate on Midgar. That one cutscene really highlights other flaws with this game. There's a severe lack of direction in cutscenes, restraint and subtlety. Despite the technology and higher budget this cutscene just comes across so much worse than in the original. The original is a wonderful piece of direction, the plate starts to fall you get a scene from the people below, then the TV with the new reporter panicking before it goes to static and then the pan in to the Shinra office while the president looks on with the mayhem drowned out by the classical music.

FF7R goes for explosions, the confusing introduction of Cait sith and the shot of the president over looking it all lacks any impact.

It feels like that lion king live action/CGI movie compared to the original.

Retr0gamer

After the plate collapse the game has just gone into full wheel spinning mode. That underground lab added nothing to the game and was pure filler. At least the boss was great. Now it's just clearing up side quests before the last dungeon. Real filler nonsense.

On a good note the battle system just keeps getting better. Had a mission from Chadley to master weapon arts and I only realised now how amazing they are and how I should have been using them a lot more. It also has the knock on effect of adding even more nuance to the battle system.

Retr0gamer

Daily ff7 rant number 24:

So did all the side missions. I should be climbing up to reach the shinra building now? Nope. I'm back in a reused sewer dungeon of all levels looking for don corneo. It's gotten ridiculous at this stage how much padding there is. So much adds absolutely nothing to the experience.

nix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998816#Comment_119998816

haha i think thats the exact point where i lost the will to live also, though the descent to madness started with the mechanical hand cranes prior to wallmarket.

It blows my mind how people can sit through the same experience i had and have nothing but praise for the game, i didnt even do all the side stuff either 🤯

Oh and retro, its going to get worse.. much much.....MUCH... worse

😆😆😆

Retr0gamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003716#Comment_120003716

Well I'm in the Shinra building now. Actually enjoyed the climb, the stairs bit was amusing and liking the laid back vibe of the shinra building. Didn't appreciate the filler car park section.

However I did get to the combat simulator and know I've got Hojo's lab next which Johnny Ultimate has been.... very vocal about it's design flaws.

johnny_ultimate

I did also hate the second sewer sojourn - that’s one of those moments when the game went from ‘alright but flawed’ to ‘just bad’ for me.

Zero-Cool

Yeah some bits dragged but I never found myself rolling my eyes at how padded it was. Maybe I was just enjoying the combat so much, I welcomed the battles. Didn't mind the side stuff either. Yeah, the platinum became a bit of a drag to get over the side stuff but I loved wandering around the world.

Interesting though, I wonder if it wasn't a Final Fantasy 7 game, would I have loved it as much, maybe the nostalgia carried me along.

nix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120005030#Comment_120005030

The OG FF7 is one of my most favourite games ever, played the game to death when it was released, the "nostalgia" had the complete opposite effct for me, mainly because they butchered and mutilated or removed any of the great stuff from the original. The only thing i can give them credit for, nostalgia wise is the music, they really did a great job on that, and the characters looked great but everything that fell out of their mouth was mostly cringe. :(

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120006202#Comment_120006202

Despite the dramatic improvement in graphics/gameplay, I also feel there was something, "the magic", missing that was in the original.

So far I'm up to that "ghost" phantom monster after the train-scrap-yard.

I'm still a little undecided.

I definitely enjoy the setup where you don't get into random battles, you can see the monsters and the interaction is better...... for the most part.

I just feel like the "magic" from the original got lost in translation.

The wall market area was a total pain in my ass this time around, where I loved the original version, this was like "trying to hard".

one armed dwarf

Hojo's lab is maybe the worst thing they've put in a FF title since Giruvegan in FFXII

Anyway, Remake is carried by its combat and how right they get those characters (for the first time since FFVII original). I'm hopeful for Rebirth cause presumably they're not just slavishly following the original and trying to stretch things out with that game, it can only be a massive improvement if it just builds off the good parts of this one.

Retr0gamer

The original midgar is the perfect slice of jrpg. It has everything in it and is a blast for the 5 hours it last. Just perfectly paced and I felt the original ff7 never reached those heights again once you left midgar, although not a whole lot else can match that section. Stretching it thin is what really hurts it.

The start of the midgar building probably feels the most like the original game and I actually really enjoyed it.

Retr0gamer

Hojo's Lab and beyond are basically everything wrong with FF7. It's a whole dungeon based on a bit in the original when they looking a container and find Jenova. Then the completely ruin the atmosphere of you walking through an empty shinra building following a trail of blood by making it way less creepy and having the blood be purple luminous goo. Then the whole reveal of the fate of the shinra president is ruined with that sill bit with just so they can show sephiroth when in the original it was a total mystery of who this person was and how powerful they are.

Retr0gamer

Forgot how dumb the end part was when it goes full kingdom hearts.

nix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120008381#Comment_120008381

EXACTLY! I knew when they had Seph in it from the get go, that it would pretty much ruin that whole section, and it did! Pretty much all the mystery running up to Nibelheim is pretty much DOA now, they will replace it with new sh!t..

People always responded to my objections about him being in it from the start with the likes of "its no big deal, everybody knows who Seph is" And im like, the teenager in me would have loved to see that whole section played out in great graphical detail, and countless other scenes that have yet to follow.. And those that never played the OG FF7 could still follow the mystery trail.. People may have recognised Seph but they wouldnt know much else about him, heck those that played the OG FF7 back in the day got to see his character in the manual that comes with the game.. Most assumed he was just a another playable character to join the party later in the game..

But yeah, major bummer, no interest in revisiting it or playing the rest of it, ill just watch them butcher it even more from the side lines, like some reoccuring train crash event that will just repeat until they get to the end in a decade or so..

One thing about this game.

As most who played the original can related to (especially those of us who played it during our youth), the death of one of the main protagonists was a serious kick in the bread basket.

A whole lot of build up went into that though, as much of the game revolved around the before/after of that scene.

With the remake, even some of the minor deaths are pretty gut-wrenching.

.....

When Jessie died on the pillar?

Pfffff, I was getting a little misty.

Because of the depth of character, investment the designers obviously put into the mood/atmosphere and attention to detail of each personality, having to watch them get iced definitely sucks.

All that being said, I'm still kind of on the fence but based on it being a remake and it following the storyline of the original, in combination with the graphics/gameplay, I'm definitely enjoying it for sure and would have to say it was worth the investment.

Completed this earlier (except the Yuffie side-quest).

Excellent game.

The end was so damn well done, definitely not an easy final boss.

Love the gameplay evolution, so fun compared to conventional turn-waiting.

.....

And, I freakin' LOVE the story evolution, the flashbacks to the original game, leaves the possibility for a twist in the future.

I skipped the majority of the random side-quests like bird finding (except the boss battle in the underground subway), kind of tedious.

There definitely could have been more lewdity in Wall Market, that was the only real let down for me.

The bizarre metro-sexual dancing was, not the worst but, not particularly satisfying. More sexual innuendo with the hotties etc, more of Tifa in that blue dress. I suppose they didn't want to go full X-rated but they could have offered more here, without doubt.

.....

All in took me about 41 hours, more than the original game.

Really looking forward to the next release.

GLaDOS

Just finished this, agree with a lot of what's said here. The good: general aesthetics, music, characters (with the exception of Sephiroth, who came across more cartoonish than genuinely evil). The bad: way too much fluff.

I'm surprised to see so much praise for the battle system though, I wasn't a fan at all. Its incredibly chaotic, with so many numbers flashing up on screen at once it can be hard to keep track of what attacks are doing what sort of damage, especially if you swap characters while waiting for a spell to be cast. Having to attack to fill the atb gauge was a pain in certain boss fights where attacking physically is a bad idea, just ended up blocking/dodging for ages while the atb gauge crawled. Lack of MP was a pain too, I didn't really focus on increasing MP though so that could be my own fault.

It's a good game, not a great one. I do love how they they captured the atmosphere of the original and I did love seeing the characters come to life (Barrett was everything I imagined from the orginal), but a lot of it stinks of a trying to drag as much money out of this as possible. Could easily have cut so much of this and extended the game far beyond Midgar.

Kind of agree.

I completed it a while ago and it was enjoyable, but I'm not compelled to replay.

I tried the Yuffie bonus feature - diabolical.

The original I've replayed too many times to count.

It was a nice'ish game, but yeah some of the hyperbole was over and above.

Kind of made you lose track of the primary plot.

Midgar was so iconic in the original I think they wanted to extend and exploit it more but in doing so, they made it kind of monotonous.

That being said, the Tifa character, especially in the brothel? Designers made you appreciate modern graphics there.

I'm replaying this.

It is FAR better second time around, simply cause there being so much technicality to the controls - I couldn't really play it effectively the first time.

It eventually feels like a real remake of the original.

I can actually enjoy battle mode now I know what buttons to press and can manage the commands, instead of just mashing "attack" non-stop.

brady12

First 2/3 was great last 1/3 was painful to finish rehashed game filler s***e . Hope next one is shorter .

Got done replaying.

It's a solid game for sure.

Some of the dialogue went a little quirky, I think that reduced the interest in it or the quality of how it felt.

I'm thinking, Wall Market scenes were an impressive modernization on the original, but the dialogues were kind of creepy in some places, and they didn't exploit Tifa's appearance there as we only caught a couple glimpses of her.

Having Cloud do the homo erotic dance was also bizarre (although the music is quite groovy, kind of Japanese techno).

I enjoyed it even more on the replay, knowing how to handle the controls that much better.

.......

The actual ending line was also incredibly boss: "The steel sky........ I miss it".

Classic Final Fantasy.

Midgar was so iconic in the original but also much shorter and sweeter, I guess it's hard to draw the comparison until the rest of the game has been released and played.

I only realized also, designers included this feature where you acquire skills from each weapon.

That's a totally new feature the original didn't have.

It actually makes a serious difference to the game play, battle mode in particular of course.

I can see why it would get a little monotonous with the various new scenarios, sewer systems etc., but it seems developers wanted to focus more on the battle mode as well as the actual narrative (which is what made the original so good).

First time playing it, not understanding battle controls and the technicality of that, it does drag.

But becoming more familiar with the detail, it really becomes a technical balancing act.

........

Latest evaluation would be - great game, but largely misunderstood.