VIDEO: After all this time, ‘Final Fantasy VII’ still looks like crap

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

Today’s the day to be reminded of a time in which Final Fantasy was once an awesome franchise. And how much it jumped the shark as well.

A head’s up: Final Fantasy VI, the JRPG, SNES classic, was just released onto the PlayStation Network earlier today. Why is it noteworthy? Why, it’s without question the finest FF ever crafted, and a true high watermark for the genre (alongside Chrono Trigger, released for the same platform and around the same time).

You seem, most folks have completely forgotten a time in which Final Fantasy was actually good. The name used to embody awesome gameplay that was challenging, and not handholding. A story that was actually in-depth, thought provoking, with characters that were actually defined, compelling. The visuals and music being the top of its class was simply icing on the cake.

Then along came part 7, which set the pace that would drag everything down: dumbed down gameplay, incomprehensible story, unlikeable characters, who were all emo and animu to the max… the list goes on. The game’s transition from 2D to 3D was not very pretty ether, and the visuals haven’t aged well at all. Hence the constant desire for a remake using modern tech. Like these folks, via the Unreal Engine…

Well, it looks okay, I guess. Unlike all the fanboys and girls, bitching and moaning in the comments section, I personally dig the first person view, cuz that means less time staring at you and your awful hair. That and I presumably won’t get lost, trying to figure out where in the (poorly) pre-rendered background I’m supposed to stand, to activate the next room (that’s basically why I couldn’t get past the first disc back in the day; had no idea where I was supposed to go).

For those laughing at the awkwardness of it all, like that goofy punch of the brunette, Tifa (as well as her gigantic rack) was all there in the original, just better realized. Again, even the somewhat silly nature of just standing there, waiting for your “turn” to attack was better illustrated and implemented in the old 8/16 bit games, which were far more abstract. Again, I could go on and on.

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