After a short clip was shown in Sony's 2005 E3 press conference to showcase the new technology of the PS3, the gaming community exploded in anticipation of a modern remake. This wasn't Square Enix's intention as it was just a tech demo, but with the constant fan requests and disappointment of many gamer's with their modern RPG's such as FF13 and FF15, Square Enix decided to finally give their fan's what they wanted. Final Fantasy 7's legacy has lasted through generations because of it's beloved characters, deep emotional story, and fond memories.
10 years after it was shown as a tech demo for the PS3, it was finally revealed as an upcoming PS4 game in 2015. It was a surprise announcement as many had given up hope, and the news was met with unrivaled hype and excitement. Fans exploded in anticipation at E3 2015, at the Sony E3 experience at theaters and through social media! I was fortunate enough to be at a Sony E3 theater experience showing in Miami, FL, and the live reactions including my own were thunderous! I'll bet we could even be heard outside the theater room screaming and shouting in excitement!
Now what makes this game so special and a timeless classic? There are many different reasons, for many it was their first RPG game, their first Playstation game, characters they grew attached to, and an engrossing story. For me it was the first RPG I ever played, I never played a game with a cinematic story and characters that went through struggle, joy, loss, and triumph. It was also the first time I had seen the transformation of one of gaming's most iconic villains going from hero to psychotic villain in Sephiroth and the heartbreaking death of Cloud's beloved Aerith. So many emotions, memorable characters and moments, and deep gameplay made it a timeless classic.
Final Fantasy 1 was released in December of 1987 for the NES as a last and final project from SquareSoft as they were struggling as a company thus the name “Final Fantasy”. There was nothing like on NES and became a cult favorite. They went on to make 6 final fantasies for the Nintendo family of consoles, but it wasn‘t mainstream or a household name until the launch of Final Fantasy 7. It was the first major RPG in the 3D era of games early in the lifecycle of the Playstation 1 in 1997 and the first to feature movie quality cutscenes and has gone to sell 11 million since then! Now 22 years later we are eagerly anticipating it again.
We have been left waiting since its surprise reveal at E3 2015, and now finally Sony and Square Enix have re-revealed it through Sony's state of play now in 2019. We will have more information in June by or before Square Enix's E3 press conference. How will they update or modernize the world and gameplay of it beyond it's realistic graphics? Will they keep all the content and mini games? Or will they change too much and become more of a departure and a different experience? I'm all for more content and in depth story beats as long as they stay true to the original vision and experience. What are your expectations and has it influenced your life as a gamer as it has for many others?
