Why the Final Fantasy VII Obsession Needs to End...Now.

[Sheechiibii]

Well how come you don't do the Sphere Grid and FF X system again ?

You do, in FFXII.

What? FFXII's system is nothing like the sphere grid. The sphere grid allowed you to plan a route for your characters to take, to essentially choose which stats they developed and what role they'd play in the party. FFXII's system didn't do that, because not only could you not see where you were going (thus had no way of planning which role your characters would fit) but also because you had to buy all your skills.

Basically XII's system was a buy to use system and X's system was a choose your own stats system. Very different.

How come you don't do the FF IX item system again ?
Refresh my memory on this. I haven't played 9 in about 8 years.

In FFIX the weapons and accessories you equip have abilities inside them that you learn while that item is equiped. Once the ability is learned, you can change equipment and still keep the ability.

FF8 is truly a bad game in 90% of the worlds eyes.

By the way...where do you get this percentage from? Just wondering, since percentages are certain and I highly doubt you know for certain how many people think the game is bad and how many people don't in the world. I also am someone who believes that VIII is very unfortunate to be labeled as bad. Sure it was different, but all FF games are different, they all introduce new things and different styles of gameplay. You can't use the argument that it's a bad game because it's feature have never been repeated because most of the features in FF games have never been repeated. None of the games I've played (VII-XIII) have had any systems from the other games, they're all different. I think it's very unfair that VIII seems to be the only one that gets hate for being different when that's what they're all like.

 

[Razberry Knight]

let's stay on topic. this isn't about ff8

 

[Sheechiibii]

let's stay on topic. this isn't about ff8

You're right, it's about why obsession with FFVII is a bad thing. The reactions to FFVIII are a part of that, if it hadn't come after the glory that is VII I don't believe it ever would have been so hated. So we are still on topic.

 

[Razberry Knight]

You're right, it's about why obsession with FFVII is a bad thing. The reactions to FFVIII are a part of that, if it hadn't come after the glory that is VII I don't believe it ever would have been so hated. So we are still on topic.

Not really.

there is no ff vii obsession. and again, the ff8 hate is rather split among several fans. Sure it wasn't the msot popular game, but ff8 was still good and brought in fans if not ff7. still i don't hear any hate where i'm from nor from previous forums. I think it's a lil exagerated that ff7 made ff8 look bad.

same could be said for ff4 and ff5 (which is actually true) and ffx10 and ff13. Overall, the obsession doesn't exist.

 

[Sanji Himura]

As a Fan Fiction writer, I have a pet peeve about something that isn't original in fandom. Can we weigh these numbers into the equation, please?

Omitting crossovers, the number of fan fictions archived in Fanfiction.net for Final Fantasy VII is 37,282. While, to many, that isn't considered a lot compared to the Inuyasha category, but consider the fact that the game's Fan Fiction community on the site is the third largest for a video game behind Kingdom Hearts(at a bit under 67,500 stories) and Pokemon(also a bit over 54,500 stories). The next Final Fantasy category on the countdown is Final Fantasy VIII, though 6th on the list for the games category, only has 12,424 stories archived.

If that isn't a barometer on the obsession that is Final Fantasy VII, then there is a problem.

 

[dra600n]

Okay, the 90% was an embellishment, like what most people do when spouting off random stats about something I would feel confident to say it's a 50/50 mix - you either love FF8 or hate it.

But in all seriousness, I've yet to meet a single person who likes FF8. Once in a while, I'll hear someone say "it was alright, but far from a good Final Fantasy". I honestly don't think it was due to the FF7 fanboyism at the time either, since I've heard this all the way from release up until last weekend when I had some people over, and just for grins I said "We could play FF8" and I got the "ugh, no" without hesitation.

As for FF7 and the obsession, I don't think there's much of an obsession for the game now, and if there is, it's very scares and usually related to nostalgia.

 

[Razberry Knight]

Okay, the 90% was an embellishment, like what most people do when spouting off random stats about something I would feel confident to say it's a 50/50 mix - you either love FF8 or hate it.

But in all seriousness, I've yet to meet a single person who likes FF8. Once in a while, I'll hear someone say "it was alright, but far from a good Final Fantasy". I honestly don't think it was due to the FF7 fanboyism at the time either, since I've heard this all the way from release up until last weekend when I had some people over, and just for grins I said "We could play FF8" and I got the "ugh, no" without hesitation.

As for FF7 and the obsession, I don't think there's much of an obsession for the game now, and if there is, it's very scares and usually related to nostalgia.

i knownplenty who do like it. Also the so-called obsession is everywhere for any ff game. If one game has bigger obsession then the other than its only because it was a really good game.

 

[dra600n]

i knownplenty who do like it. Also the so-called obsession is everywhere for any ff game. If one game has bigger obsession then the other than its only because it was a really good game.

FF7's huge obsession happened because of the generation of gamers around in that era. Yes, it's a really solid title, and better than a few of the other titles. That said, most people who got into RPG's at that time played FF7 first. This is also when the generation of gaming focused a lot on graphics and started sacrificing game play (the PS1 was the beginning of that, though there are plenty of examples to show that there are great games that look great and have amazing game play), but each new generation of gaming that comes about, the quality of the titles are dropping and instead aiming to look great.

FF7's huge obsession happened from 1997 until probably 2003/2004, and then the hype and crazed obsession died down. Square also kind of killed the obsession with all of the spinoffs and FF7 related media they were pumping out left and right at the time (4 games, 4 films, a PSN rerelease, and a PC Rerelease with some upgrades). FF7 was milked. The hype picked back up with the PS3 tech demo using newly rendered graphics that were capable on this generations system, but that eventually died down shortly after.

Did FF7's obsession and hype come back up recently?

 

[Razberry Knight]

FF7's huge obsession happened because of the generation of gamers around in that era. Yes, it's a really solid title, and better than a few of the other titles. That said, most people who got into RPG's at that time played FF7 first. This is also when the generation of gaming focused a lot on graphics and started sacrificing game play (the PS1 was the beginning of that, though there are plenty of examples to show that there are great games that look great and have amazing game play), but each new generation of gaming that comes about, the quality of the titles are dropping and instead aiming to look great.

FF7's huge obsession happened from 1997 until probably 2003/2004, and then the hype and crazed obsession died down. Square also kind of killed the obsession with all of the spinoffs and FF7 related media they were pumping out left and right at the time (4 games, 4 films, a PSN rerelease, and a PC Rerelease with some upgrades). FF7 was milked. The hype picked back up with the PS3 tech demo using newly rendered graphics that were capable on this generations system, but that eventually died down shortly after.

Did FF7's obsession and hype come back up recently?

F final fantasy 7 was 16-bit but with all the same content and features, it would still be a stepping stone to final fantasy. It had a lot features that previous final fantasy havent had.

 

[Shaissa]

I know I am not a huge fan of FFVII but I will I will say this about FFVII it is the most sold FF game... and a lot of peoples first FF game. Though I do think people do give it more praise than it deserves, It was a good game for the time.

So yes there will be a lot of people hating on it and loving on it... It is the way of the gaming world.
IT is the OOT for Zelda fans.

FFVII did things that tried to keep the old school fans into it, but at the same time announced they were heading into a new direction which is why I think FFVII got so much praise cause they were able to keep old school fans and get a lot of new people into the game. Also I think it really helped sell the Playstation when at a time very few thought Sony's playstation was going sell.

 

[Starships]

Okay, the 90% was an embellishment, like what most people do when spouting off random stats about something I would feel confident to say it's a 50/50 mix - you either love FF8 or hate it.

Same goes for every Final Fantasy. Even Final Fantasy VII

Yet when somebody says that they don't like FF VII online, people either think that the person is some "lame kid who only like newer flashier games " is crazy/ stupid or just gets heavily flamed.

Say that you don't like Final Fantasy V or say Final Fantasy IX nobody blinks a eye.

But in all seriousness, I've yet to meet a single person who likes FF8.

Welll on hold to your seat and hold it tightly make sure you have heart medication nearby just in case and maybe get a book to write this in the pages of history because I like Final Fantasy VIII and it's my favourite Final Fantasy !

As for FF7 and the obsession, I don't think there's much of an obsession for the game now, and if there is, it's very scares and usually related to nostalgia.

I disagree. Otherwise other Final Fantasies would be getting more attention and fan praise. If you asked a fan what the saddest Final Fantasy death was they will reply with Zack or Aerith. The only FF's starting to get more spotlight are maybe Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy VI.

 

[kratoscar2008]

Come on FFVIII as much of a victim like FFV for the enourmous obsesion of FF7 and FF4 respectively, maybe the obsession for those games ended but in the end IT damaged FF8 and FF5 that to this day are still lurking in the shadows. FF7 didnt damaged any tittle aside from FF8, i know the game has its flaws but its really a good game that brought two awesome things: Realistic character design and finally no swapt palet Monsters (Barring Elvoret and Elnoyle), it added too the first centric mini-game in the series: The triple Triad.

FF8 is a good game that was damaged really by FF7, there is no denying that.

 

[Shaissa]

Come on FFVIII as much of a victim like FFV for the enourmous obsesion of FF7 and FF4 respectively, maybe the obsession for those games ended but in the end IT damaged FF8 and FF5 that to this day are still lurking in the shadows. FF7 didnt damaged any tittle aside from FF8, i know the game has its flaws but its really a good game that brought two awesome things: Realistic character design and finally no swapt palet Monsters (Barring Elvoret and Elnoyle), it added too the first centric mini-game in the series: The triple Triad.

FF8 is a good game that was damaged really by FF7, there is no denying that.

FFV main problem was that it didn't get release outside of Japan till after VII, and was apart of a collection with VI.

VIII thing was showing that Square was serious in how far they are going take Final Fantasy into the new direction that VII only hinted on.

So yes VII was popular, but you can't say that it over shadowed those games...

 

[kratoscar2008]

FFV main problem was that it didn't get release outside of Japan till after VII, and was apart of a collection with VI.

VIII thing was showing that Square was serious in how far they are going take Final Fantasy into the new direction that VII only hinted on.

So yes VII was popular, but you can't say that it over shadowed those games...

Well the rom of FF5 in english was available before FF7 and besides were most people bash at FF5 is because the story doesnt match the "epicness" of FF4 while FF5 kicked FF4 ass when it came to gameplay mechanics and i didnt care when most of FF4 people died in the same level of Galuf.

What direction? FF8 was as futuristic as FF7, the big flaw of this game is how easy it is.

 

[Shaissa]

FFV that is very debateable and since this isn't about FFIV, and I wont go into it.

FFVIII slowly was taking away from the typical fight level up and kill things to a whole new system (The GF System) which is the thing that people that don't like FFVIII complain about. Really I hear very few complaints about the story line or the characters, it is really the system that people that don't like it complain about the most. (not saying I am one of them just saying)

and FFV wasn't officially out in any place minus Japan till '99 with the Anthology release, FFVII was out in '97. so yes FFV does get overlooked but you have to look at it as "hey it didn't get released in other parts of the world till much later than it's first release"

 

[dra600n]

F final fantasy 7 was 16-bit but with all the same content and features, it would still be a stepping stone to final fantasy. It had a lot features that previous final fantasy havent had.

Which features? Chocobo racing and raising and Gold Saucer? The optional Weapon fights? That's not a lot of features. The materia system is very, very close to the esper system, cinematics were in FF6 (albeit 16 bit with no FMV), and you still had summons and could ride chocobos in previous FF's (FF4 had ones that flew as well), so there really wasn't much for new features. Some things that were specific to FF6 ended up in FF7 - such as Locke's scenario where he had to dress up as a Narshe soldier, Cloud had to dress up as a woman. Not the same, but similar. FF6 had desperation attacks, FF7 you have limit breaks. FF6 you have the Rebellion and the Ghestal Empire, FF7 you have Avalanche and the Shinra Corp. You have Aeris's death, and in FF6, if you didn't wait on the floating continent, Shadow died (I guess the only thing that really separates these 2 is you have the option to save Shadow).

Actually, someone ported/hacked FF7 into an 8-bit NES game (or they're in the process and nearly complete).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM57S1DsSAY

I don't think it would have been as ground breaking on the SNES as it was on the PS1.

Welll on hold to your seat and hold it tightly make sure you have heart medication nearby just in case and maybe get a book to write this in the pages of history because I like Final Fantasy VIII and it's my favourite Final Fantasy!

I disagree. Otherwise other Final Fantasies would be getting more attention and fan praise. If you asked a fan what the saddest Final Fantasy death was they will reply with Zack or Aerith. The only FF's starting to get more spotlight are maybe Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy VI.

When I say met, I mean in real life
There are more gamers today that don't go back to the old school games because "they look so crappy". There's also more gamers in the last decade than there were back in the 8 and 16 bit era as well, and RPG's weren't nearly as popular as they were at the end of the 90's into the 2000's. With the constant milking of FF7, anyone who liked RPG's played it, and anyone who wanted to get into RPG's played it. Those who first played it as a "n00b" to RPG's versus the people who played it and were experienced with RPG's, is vastly different. There are reasons why we got Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, and Japan released it locally there as Final Fantasy: USA. RPG's never sold well until the PS1 era. It's also why we only got half of the Final Fantasy games and not the full series until much later. Well, actually, FF2j was fully translated and set to be released, but by that time, FF4 was being released on SNES, so they just opted out of FF2j and never bothered translating 3 because 4 was due out very soon, and 5 wasn't released here because it didn't sell well in Japan like they had hoped, and since RPG's didn't sell well in the USA, they skipped it entirely. Same with Seiken Densetsu 3 (Secret of Mana 2).

 

[Razberry Knight]

Alot of features such as Weapons apearing in world map and in motion. Gold saucer and chocobilo is only one of the few games in ff7. The game had alot to offer.

And of course they "milk" it. They done it for previous final fantasy and 7is nothing special.

 

[dra600n]

Explain how they milked previous FF games, or even the ones after FF7. FF6 came out, that was it. FF4 came out, that was it. FF1 and Mystic Quest came out, that was it. There wasn't some huge marketing campaign, nor spin off titles, or movies based on those games. They were released, very little marketing, and it was done and over with. None of the prior installments had 3 commercials, a minute long trailer, ads in comic books and major magazines, or partnered with major companies to get the word out there, and from what I can tell, marketing hasn't been that big for any other FF release.

What other features were in FF7 that weren't in prior installments? Aside from the Weapons as optional bosses (Final Fantasy 4 had the Giant of Babil walk across the overworld map, so there goes your Weapon in motion for a feature that wasn't there in prior installments), the Gold Saucer, and the Chocobo raising, there isn't anything else.

- Materia vs Espers. Very close in principle
- Character Death? FF6 allowed Shadow to die if you didn't save him
- Shinra vs Ghestal Empire / Kefka vs Sephiroth
- Airship that you could control? Every previous FF
- World map and large dungeons, check
- Submarine? FF3j had that as well
- Summons? Yea... prior ones had those as well

So... what other features are you exactly talking about, because I don't see a lot that sprouted up in FF7 that wasn't in other FF's.

 

[Razberry Knight]

Explain how they milked previous FF games, or even the ones after FF7. FF6 came out, that was it. FF4 came out, that was it. FF1 and Mystic Quest came out, that was it. There wasn't some huge marketing campaign, nor spin off titles, or movies based on those games. They were released, very little marketing, and it was done and over with. None of the prior installments had 3 commercials, a minute long trailer, ads in comic books and major magazines, or partnered with major companies to get the word out there, and from what I can tell, marketing hasn't been that big for any other FF release.

What other features were in FF7 that weren't in prior installments? Aside from the Weapons as optional bosses (Final Fantasy 4 had the Giant of Babil walk across the overworld map, so there goes your Weapon in motion for a feature that wasn't there in prior installments), the Gold Saucer, and the Chocobo raising, there isn't anything else.

- Materia vs Espers. Very close in principle
- Character Death? FF6 allowed Shadow to die if you didn't save him
- Shinra vs Ghestal Empire / Kefka vs Sephiroth
- Airship that you could control? Every previous FF
- World map and large dungeons, check
- Submarine? FF3j had that as well
- Summons? Yea... prior ones had those as well

So... what other features are you exactly talking about, because I don't see a lot that sprouted up in FF7 that wasn't in other FF's.

I dont know why we compare espers to matera. Im referring to gamewise not storywise.

You basically saying "i want the answer besides the answer i already know".

Ff1-6 were remade and ported on several consoles. Ffx is being remastered for psvita and they said they would add more to the vita.

Quit the die hard self rightious questioning because you already know the answer and even worst you misinterpret some of it too.

 

[dra600n]

Porting it is hardly milking the title(s)

You claimed there were a lot of features specific to FF7. I asked what, aside from the 3 or 4 I listed, you claimed many, I asked what and still have no answer. It's a genuine question.

It's not self righteous questioning when the questions are being seriously asked. I'd like to know what features you think are so abundantly clear that were specific to FF7 at the time.

Materia and espers are both gameplay and story. I'm comparing them in their use and function in the gameplay, not story. What'd I misinterpret? If you're going to make accusations, at least post something worthwhile to add to that and, I don't know, fill me in on that?