Ah yes, Cloud. One of the most quintessential strong silent heroes of our time. This game has probably been the most awaited game since it's rumor began mid 2010s. Last year saw its actual release, which became a worldwide event for gamers and fans of the original 1997 PS game. I was not particularly fond of my FF7 memories because my obsession with Square started with FF8, so the depth of Cloud's story is actually new to me going into the remake. And by god, it is quite a story.
I purchased the game a year after its initial release, hoping that it might be cheaper and, well, to avoid the self-inflicted guilt of the bandwagon. As Metro Manila is going to be put on lockdown for the second time due to COVID, it was the perfect time to purchase a reason to kill time at home.
You gotta be better than this, if you're gonna play the hero. -Tifa
The Battle System
★★★★☆
The game enhanced the logically chaotic battle system put forth by its predecessors (which I think started with FFX-2) but FF7 ups the game by keeping the character switching mechanism missing from the base version of FFXV. Still, it almost echoes to the active time battle system from the original game, utilizing the frustratingly slow ATB gauge to perform other than basic attacks, making Haste a precious ability and tactical strategy a requirement to beat the game's Normal and Hard mode. However in the remake, the ATB gauge fills if the player performs attacks and/or receives damage, all the more building a dynamic battle. Thankfully, this non-stop action is supplemented by a new tweak of the ATB, which slows the battle down to seconds when the user is navigating the menu of special attacks.
Perhaps, my greatest frustration on the battlefield is the wait time. When you spend the entire ATB gauge on a deadly special attack and then on the last second before actually performing it, your character gets halted, it is a truly hair-pulling experience I'm afraid you have to endure time and time again on this game. That is why timing is everything in the remake. Protip: wait for the enemy cool-downs to perform big attacks, or switch characters immediately to take the heat of that character, because the AI typically attacks who the player is controlling at any given time.
The Story
★★★★★
The remake, as expected, contains fleshed out storylines of supporting characters and repetitive side quests. Some people would refer to these as fillers, but its perfect strategy to set up the sequels, and a chance bond more with characters such as the Avalanche members (e.g. that entire Jessie mission) and the unfortunate people of Sector 7. All in all, the remake managed to touch its old players with nostalgia with its spirit faithful to the original and at the same time introduce a new generation to a captivated classic of a story.
The biggest change perhaps is the introduction of the Whispers (aka Arbiters of Fate) which, obviously controls fate and are suggested to keep the story faithful to the original. In the end, the party fights and defeats the Whispers, establishing a new storyline, and hopefully a new ending. With Sephiroth's final dialogue, it also suggested the existence of multiple timelines. This puts everyone on their seats, especially those who already how the fate of Aerith would go down, and those who already know Cloud's true "ex-SOLDIER" story.
...whatever happens, you can't fall in love with me. -Aerith
The Gameplay
★★★★★
The Verge put it perfectly when it described learning the gameplay as overhauled but not overwhelming that it alienates its players. Controls are near perfect, considering the Materia system is quite a complicated one. All in all, this remake is the remake fans deserved and then some.
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