30 best Final Fantasy games

Best Final Fantasy Games #2 – Final Fantasy VII

Visual limitations and localization issues aside, there are so many aspects of Final Fantasy VII that made people fall in love with RPGs either for the first time or once again. The game’s opening mako factory throws you right into the action and keeps up the pace in an endearing way that goes counter to anything we had seen from the series at the time, emboldening its worth as a momentous “must have” game.

The first title in the series to make the jump the 3D animation, the graphical fidelity displayed in FMV cutscenes were remarkable and game-changing in a way that impacted the entire medium of the gaming industry. Players were thrust into a crew of characters that clashed against each other, telling a story of self-doubt, identity, revenge, companionship and sacrifice for a greater vision for humanity.

From a gameplay perspective, the Limit Break system took the best part of its predecessor’s hidden combat attacks and turned it into a tide-turning system filled with creativity and excellence. The materia system opened up a new layer of character customization entirely, changing how players would view progression systems in RPGs. The music is phenomenal, being among Uematsu’s greatest works.

Most importantly, Final Fantasy VII represents the best ideals of its creators while taking every single challenge in transporting their sprite-based worlds to a 3D space and knocking it out of the park. In my opinion, it’s the greatest 3D RPG of its time, and definitely within the franchise.