The original Final Fantasy VII's legacy was so immense that fans were clamoring for a remake years after the release of the original, with the reveal of the Final Fantasy VII PS3 tech demo fuelling the flames for a potential re-release that would integrate all the modern advancements gamers are now familiar. While the wait might've been agonizingly long, Final Fantasy VII Remake finally came on shelves this year and — just like the original release on the PlayStation — wowed a new generation of gamers by introducing them to a classic experience.
In fact, the game's quality is so immense that some fans will go so far as to say that the Remake is actually better than the original — a statement that is considered borderline heresy by a majority of Final Fantasy fans. To show both sides of the debate, here's a comparative analysis of both games and how they've excelled in their own ways.
Updated January 18, 2021 by Thomas Bowen: In the magical world, seven is seen as a very powerful number. The same is certainly true in the world of Final Fantasy as well. The series' seventh mainline entry not only helped to popularize the JRPG genre in the west, but it also taught a generation of young Americans how to understand roman numerals. Given the huge impact that the game had, it was not at all surprising when Square Enix announced plans to remake it back in 2015. What was a little shocking though, was the approach that the developer went on to take. Many things were altered during the remake's development and not all of these changes were for the better. As a result, we now have two very distinct versions of one wonderful game; but which one is better? Here are seven arguments for each of them.
14 FINAL FANTASY VII: A Classic That Needs To Be Experienced Once
There's a reason why most people consider Final Fantasy VII to be the greatest game ever released on the PlayStation, and it's a reason that can't be explained in mere words. Any gamer worth their salt should try this game out at least once to experience firsthand a legendary title that has etched its name in the annals of gaming history.
13 VII REMAKE: A Modern Reimagining That Does Its Source Justice
Most people were scared that Final Fantasy VII Remake would discard everything that made the original such a gem and try and carve its own niche.
Thankfully this wasn't the case — Final Fantasy VII Remake is easily one of the most faithful modern remakes of this generation, standing along with games like Resident Evil 2 as a remake that does justice to the source material.
12 FINAL FANTASY VII: Turn-Based Combat Is Still A Blast
Most people who are into the modern generation of gaming might find turn-based combat to be a bit of a slog, which is understandable. However, if a particular individual doesn't mind engaging with this particular combat system, then Final Fantasy VII is an absolute must-play. The turn-based combat is still as tight and satisfying as ever.
11 VII REMAKE: Real-Time Combat Is Seamless
Real-time combat is something that the Final Fantasy series has dabbled with, enjoying varying levels of success and praise in the process. Thankfully, in the case of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it seems that this system has been refined to a T, making the combat incredibly satisfying in every sense of the word.
10 FINAL FANTASY VII: The Materia System Is Better
Although Final Fantasy VII Remake did introduce a few interesting ideas when it came to materia, for the most part the game's use of these iconic orbs is considerably worse than the original in a number of ways. The decision to only provide players with one orb of magnify materia (all, in the original game), for example, discourages the use of defensive buffs like barrier and haste while also forcing players to overly rely on certain party members for certain tasks.
In addition to this, the original game encourages players to master materia by rewarding them with an additional orb for doing so. As in the original, certain materia found in the remake do give players access to more powerful versions of spells, but the increased casting time and additional MP cost renders many of these useless in all but the most challenging content. Even then, the inability to use items to restore MP in hard mode discourages players from using these more powerful variants unless absolutely necessary.
9 VII REMAKE: Weapons Are More Well Balanced And Remain Relevant For Longer
The original game features a wide array of weapons, but, for the most part, players will equip new weapons as soon as they acquire them and never look back. The remake, on the other hand, gives weapons unique stats and perks that make certain weapons better suited to certain situations. Some are built to maximize damage dealt by magic while others focus solely on physical combat. Selecting the correct one for a tricky challenge is often a test of the players' understanding of the game and adds a whole new dimension to it.
Another new addition in the remake is the ability to upgrade and improve weapons as the story progresses. This means that a weapon that might not have been too useful at first can suddenly become one of the game's best. As a result, there's an argument to be made that none of the weapons that players pick up in the remake are truly useless - which is not at all true of the original.
8 FINAL FANTASY VII: Summons Were Better Integrated
Modern Final Fantasy games have always faced a problem when it comes to integrating summons in their games. The better hardware and software available in the modern age means that summons can finally look like the awe-inspiring beasts that they are... but this comes at the cost of having an incredibly effective ace in the hole that will negate any challenge in the combat system whatsoever.
This is what makes the old Final Fantasy games so much fun to play — summons can be used without impunity, allowing gamers to turn their battles into something truly memorable.
7 VII REMAKE: Visual Fidelity Is On A Completely Different Level
While this point is pretty obvious, one can't help but marvel at just how beautiful Final Fantasy VII Remake actually looks!
The game looks like how children imagined Midgar to look like in their heads when the original game was released, and the fresh coat of paint that the Remake has slathered all over this classic is truly mesmerizing to behold in every sense of the word.
6 FINAL FANTASY VII: A Complete Story From Start To Finish
One of the major draws of Final Fantasy VII was its story, which had a ton of twists and turns that kept fans guessing to the very end. While the translation of the game might not have been perfect, it did a serviceable job of communicating the sheer epic scale of this truly mind-bending tale while telling a complete narrative.
5 VII REMAKE: Expanding Midgar Is Justified... For The Most Part
Longtime fans were worried about the direction that Final Fantasy VII Remake was taking, with most people complaining about the limited scope of the Remake and how it wouldn't do justice to the final product.
Well, for the most part, limiting Final Fantasy VII Remake to the events of Midgar was actually a smart decision. It gave ample time for the game to truly flesh out this iconic city while also telling a tale that feels way more personalized... in no small part due to the improved script — which was miles ahead of its dodgily-translated counterpart — and excellent voice-acting.
4 FINAL FANTASY VII: Pacing That Doesn't Dawdle
While the original Final Fantasy VII might've received its fair share of criticism upon release, the plot itself was so strong that not many faults could be pointed about the narrative (except for the notorious translation).
The majority of Final Fantasy VII is incredibly well-paced, with the game rarely feeling like a slog throughout its runtime. There was always a goal to achieve and some unforeseen event right around the corner that kept things fresh and engaging.
3 VII REMAKE: Fleshes Out Supporting Cast To An Unbelievable Extent
While it would be foolish to say that the limited focus on Midgar didn't affect the overall pacing of Final Fantasy VII Remake, the extra time in this section certainly doesn't go to waste.
Side characters who were largely forgettable in the original have been fleshed out extensively in the Remake, to the point where their actions and reactions actually have an impact on the player... with one story event, in particular, feeling like a punch to the gut.
2 FINAL FANTASY VII: A Mysterious Villain Who's Used Sparingly And To Great Effect
When players find themselves walking through the bloodstained corridors of Shinra HQ in the original game, there's a real sense of mystery and intrigue as to who or what could have caused such chaos. When the reveal finally arrives a short while later, it serves as an emphatic answer to that question while also setting Sephiroth up as the game's big bad. When this moment rolls around towards the end of the Remake, however, we've already seen Sephiroth (or different versions of him, at least) on multiple occasions.
The decision to shoe-horn Sephiroth into the remake is an understandable one and undoubtedly a direct consequence of Square Enix's decision to focus the game solely on Midgar, but it's a classic case of too much of a good thing nonetheless. One of the things that made Sephiroth so daunting in the original game was never knowing when he might show up or what he might do, but he does so so often in the remake that it's perhaps more surprising when he doesn't appear.
1 VII REMAKE: A Replayable Game That's Tailored To A Variety Of Skill Levels
Although the original release gives players the opportunity to put their skills to the test by taking on some of the game's optional bosses, it gives them very little control over the difficulty of the main story. Sure, players can grind for hours to max out their stats and master all of their materia to make things easier, but those looking for more of a challenge must rely solely on a handful of superbosses. The remake does a much better job in this regard.
From the outset, players are given access to classic and normal modes with the former serving much like an easy mode. It effectively allows players to kick back and focus solely on using commands rather than having to worry about blocking and physical attacks. After completing the game using either of these settings, hard mode is unlocked and this dials up the difficulty to 11 for those looking for more of a challenge. There are also a selection of items that can only be obtained while playing on hard mode which serve as both rewards and incentives for taking it on.