Editor’s note: This review was written by Eric Hitchcock, a student at Full Sail University. Eric was exposed to videogames at a very young age. It wasn’t until the time of Mario, Zelda, Metroid and Final Fantasy he got hooked. Eric fell in love with the experience and stories as he grew older. When he was in high school, his thoughts went from playing them to making them. It was around that time he discovered Full Sail. Due to a lack of funds for a Florida apartment, his dreams of entering the videogame field vanished. It was all for the best. Eric met the love of his life and had four beautiful children. He still got to craft stories and make plans to make a game. One of the things he enjoys is passing on the joy of videogames. Eric finally found a way to live his dream and go to school. It’s just a matter of time before he can create something that brings joy to others.

Final Fantasy VII builds off a franchise known for excellent games and taking it to a whole new level. SquareSoft’s decision to make the jump to 3-D was a change for the better. I never thought playing a Final Fantasy game could possibly get any better. SquareSoft accomplished that in a number of ways this time around.

First thing that amazed me was the fully 3-D world. Experiencing the game environment in 3-D was a little different at first but is worth the minor adjustment. Not only do the graphics add a sense of depth to the game, they also add a bit more detail over the previous games. The overall detail in the locations you come across will blow your mind. Every location has its own feel as well as its own personality. One of my favorite places in the game is the city of the ancients. This city is by far my favorite location in any game. Some of the exorable locations include a large shell that is hollowed out. This lavish area is only one of the many in this great game.

The graphics are not the only improvements that make Final Fantasy great. The battle system was what hooked me from the beginning. Final Fantasy VII uses the active time battle. All players and enemies can attack at any time as long as their time bars are full. This makes for quick decisions. This is not the only thing I loved about the battle system. All characters are able to use materia. Materia are magic orbs that allow players to use magic and skills or even summon beasts. The thing that makes this a big deal to me is all characters can use any materia. This makes for a fully customizable party. Now this is not a first for the series, but a first for a U.S. release. This is not all fun and games, though.

Each materia would grant you a power at a cost. Some of the materia, like the powerful summon ones, would tax your max hit points. This made it so you would have to plan and spread out your skills between the three party members. This made a unique experience for gameplay. Everyone would not play the game the same. This also made for some of the hardest player-created challenges I have ever tried. Someone challenged people to play through the game with no materia. Trying to beat the game with only attack and items proved to be the most challenging thing I have ever attempted.

The music of Final Fantasy VII was perfectly created for this game. Nobuo Uematsu made this soundtrack completely with midis. The soundtrack really captures the feel of the game. Not only was this the first game that used digitized voices, but it was compiled into a four-disc set. This allowed for people to experience the music without having to play the game to hear it.

The main reason Final Fantasy VII was a success is the story. All the characters were brilliantly crafted. Each of the main characters has their own personality and unique story behind why they are where they are in the opening of the story. The story follows the path of a group called Avalanche. They are basically eco-terrorists. They set out to stop the company Shinra from destroying the planet. Shinra has found a way to turn the planet’s life force in to Mako, a form of energy. The extent of the damage can be seen in the area surrounding the city of Midgar. All life seems to be sucked out of the planet. All that is left is a black scar. Once you get past the evil Shinra and leave the city, you see the full scope of the damage. It’s then you realize you were on the right side all along. As you set out on you next adventure, I found a lot about the backstory of the main character Cloud. As it turns out, Cloud and Sephiroth are linked. As Cloud explains it, they were both Soldier First Class.

As you progress through the game, you build a massive party. The stories behind them cross over each other at some point. The best story is the story of Cloud. He has the most complex story. I would elaborate on this, but that would ruin the game. This story is one I needed to play though the game twice to fully understand.

Final Fantasy VII is by far the best Final Fantasy ever. This is a game you need to buy to fully understand and appreciate. Don’t worry; your money will be well-spent. With 70+ hours of gameplay and replayability, Final Fantasy VII is a must for any role-playing game fan.