Final Fantasy 7-- over-saturated? Over-rated? You decide.

[Protronrob]

I did not play FF7 until last year. I am a fan of RPGS and owned FF1 and FF4 as a kid and still loving play through them every once in awhile.

My opinion of FF7 played in 2012 is that it is crap. I beat it and then stared at my TV for the next 15 mins shocked that this was the game that people had been having nerdgasms over.

maybe its because I didnt play it when it was current. maybe its because it had been so hyped over the years. the whole showdown between the two chars was underwhelming.

I was just over all disappointed by the FF game that i was told is the best in the series. The game felt empty and uninspired when I compare it to FF4-6

I lose my gamer card for not liking FF7 right?

[dunpeal2064]

Most people agree it isn't the best in the series.

However, unlike other jrpgs, this game managed to appeal to non jrpg fans, wjich is why I think it is highly rated by so many.

[MrPopo]

Most people agree it isn't the best in the series.

However, unlike other jrpgs, this game managed to appeal to non jrpg fans, wjich is why I think it is highly rated by so many.

The trend seems to be whether or not it was your first FF (or first JRPG) or not. If it was your first, it's the best in the series. If it wasn't, it's solid but there are many other better titles.

[dunpeal2064]

It was my first Final Fantasy, and while nostalgia makes me really like this one, I don't find it the best, or even the 2nd best. It definitely has its flaws.

However, everyone I knew had tried it. People that had no idea that IV and VI (or II and III) were even released on the SNES were playing this game.

Its like the Pop song of the FF series. It gets stuck in your head, and no one wants to admit it, but its kinda catchy.

Fwiw, I think VI and IX were their masterpieces. V and X are also pretty fun. Of course, they all have their flaws (all jrpgs do, theres really no way to please every jrpg fan)

My main point is, under your description, both parties will usually find VII to be pretty good. Most jrpgs will either appeal to the jrpg fans, or the casuals, but this game found its way into both gamer's hearts, even if they don't consider it the best, and during a time when "jrpg" wasn't a standard term. So... is it really overrated?

I mean, sure, a lot of people claim its "the best jrpg ever", but people claim that about any good jrpg. Its just that more peopel seem to claim this about VII, most likely because more people played it.

[BoneSnapDeez]

So, everybody thinks the game is pretty decent.

Maybe it isn't overrated?

Well there's a world of difference between "pretty decent" and BEST GAME EVER! I've heard the latter so many times that I'm willing to label the game overrated.

And on the topic of the ESRB, I don't understand most of the ratings myself. How the hell did Radiant Historia squeak by with a E10+?

[MrPopo]

So, everybody thinks the game is pretty decent.

Maybe it isn't overrated?

Well there's a world of difference between "pretty decent" and BEST GAME EVER! I've heard the latter so many times that I'm willing to label the game overrated.

And on the topic of the ESRB, I don't understand most of the ratings myself. How the hell did Radiant Historia squeak by with a E10+?

"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" was shocking back in the day.

[Godot102]

The way I see it: FF7 is overhyped. It was definitely praised back then because that was many people's first JRPG and to be honest FF7 is a great "First JRPG" its an amazing game for noobs to play as there are many fights in the game that are IMPOSSIBLE to lose. Personally I feel that there are MUCH better jrpgs out there like Chrono trigger which came out 2 years before, or FF6 or pretty much most of the SMT series.

FF7 was ruined by the fans. People don't Shut up about the game to the point where everyone knows many of the game's plot twists without ever playing it. Aerith's death is an example. People said that it was really bold for an RPG to actually kill off a major character even though that's been done in several games prior to FF7 yet FF7 gets credit for it.

[dunpeal2064]

Again, it seems more people are talking about FFVII than Mario or Sonic.

If the game is overrated, is it also underrated, because I usually see "people" dislike VII as much as people like it.

Maybe our judgement of a game shouldn't be based off of "a bunch of people"?

Idk, just trying to bring something new to this beaten to death subject

[isiolia]

If the game is overrated, is it also underrated, because I usually see "people" dislike VII as much as people like it.

VII just has enough popularity that it's also popular to bash it.

In general, even those at SE seem to recognize that the "first" entries per generation are the ones that get the attention (here for example).

In addition, it hit at the right time for the characters/themes to resonate well with a teen audience. Arguably, the Playstation as a whole benefited from the point in life that the 80s kids were at when it launched.

So, in combination, it's an entry in the series that resonated with a ton of gamers, and in turn set their expectations for what the series/genre was like. Oversaturated? Overrated? Definitely. But understandably so. Plenty of stuff is more popular than it objectively deserved to be - think about almost any childhood cartoon series, for example.

[msimplay]

Na it was the 1st turn based RPG I ever played prior to that I refused to play them and it was also the 1st Final Fantasy game I ever played since the others were not released in the UK.
In all honestly I don't believe it is over rated I loved it from start to finish and in terms of enjoyment I always judge other final fantasies to it.
The newer ones may be technically better but for me they can't stand up to how much I enjoyed Final Fantasy 7 because it was the 1st experience of that type of game. So I doubt even if the game is better it could match what I have in my head as memories of the game.