Final Fantasy VII

Lore & Background

Development began in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. After delays and technical difficulties experimenting with several platforms, most notably the Nintendo 64, Square moved production to the PlayStation. Veteran Final Fantasy staff returned, including series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, director Yoshinori Kitase, and composer Nobuo Uematsu. The game was the first in the series to use full motion video and 3D computer graphics, featuring 3D character models over 2D pre-rendered backgrounds. The combined development and marketing budget was approximately 80 million.

The gameplay retains the Active Time Battle system from earlier entries, with characters exchanging moves on a battle screen. Players explore a 3D world map and field mode, the latter being the first three-dimensional representation in the series. Materia orbs serve as the main customization method, providing magic, summons, commands, and stat upgrades. Limit Breaks are powerful character-specific commands charged by taking enemy attacks.

The story takes place on a world called the Planet (retroactively named Gaia), where the Lifestream flows as spiritual energy. Shinra drains this energy as Mako, weakening the planet. Cloud Strife, claiming to be a former 1st Class SOLDIER, joins AVALANCHE members Barret Wallace and Tifa Lockhart. They meet Aerith Gainsborough, one of the last surviving Cetra, and other allies including Red XIII, Cait Sith, Cid Highwind, and optionally Yuffie Kisaragi and Vincent Valentine. The main antagonists are Rufus Shinra, Sephiroth, and the extraterrestrial Jenova.

Reader's Guide

Final Fantasy VII received widespread critical acclaim upon release and was a commercial success. Critics praised its graphics, gameplay, music, and story, though some criticism was directed at the original English localization. It remains widely regarded as a landmark title and one of the greatest and most influential video games of all time. The game won numerous Game of the Year awards and is credited with boosting PlayStation sales and popularizing Japanese role-playing games worldwide. Its success led to enhanced ports on various platforms, a multimedia subseries called the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and a high-definition remake trilogy comprising Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020), Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024), and Final Fantasy VII Revelation (2027). The game's introduction of more widespread science fiction elements and a more realistic presentation marked a shift for the series. Its narrative themes—environmentalism, corporate greed, and identity—continue to resonate, and its characters, particularly Cloud and Sephiroth, remain iconic in gaming culture.

Did You Know?

• Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the main series to have a PAL release.
• The combined development and marketing budget amounted to approximately 80 million.
• It was the first Final Fantasy to use full motion video and 3D computer graphics.
• The game introduced the Materia system for character customization.