True to their modern business model, Square-Enix has re-released a beloved classic in the form of Final Fantasy VII for PC. The PC version of the game will include new achievements and…that’s about it. As annoying as it is to see a game from fifteen years ago paraded like a company’s proud new accomplishment, ultimately … Continue reading One of Many Looks Back at Final Fantasy VII
[Originally posted on Nightmare Mode] The world of Final Fantasy VII stands out as a remarkably bleak interpretation of the future. Released in 1997, it came long after the cold war, long before 9/11, while the economy was still booming and while environmentalism presented a concern rather than a crisis. Yet, Final Fantasy VII presents … Continue reading Displacement in Final Fantasy VII
[Originally posted on PopMatters] When I was growing up, there was no need for the “J” in JRPG. There were RPGs from Japan, many of which featured similar conventions and drew from many of the same tropes, but only recently has the JRPG become a genre of its own. And for Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, … Continue reading Finite Fantasy: The Problem with JRPGs
[Originally posted on PopMatters] Even accounting for the nostalgia bias and the changing trends since Final Fantasy VII’s release in 1997, Cloud Strife is still an exceptionally multifaceted character. Of course, there is no one true measure of quality of characters (in games or otherwise) but at the very least, Cloud is one of the … Continue reading A Profile of Cloud Strife
