Characters have many statistics that determine their effectiveness in battle for example, hit points determine how much damage they can take, and magic determines how much damage they can inflict with spells. The damage (or healing) dealt by either side is quantified on screen. This screen places the player characters on one side, the enemies on the other, and employs an 'Active Time Battle' (ATB) system in which the characters exchange moves until one side is defeated. In this given moment, the player must choose a command for Cloud to perform.Īt random intervals on the world map and in field mode, and at specific moments in the story, the game will enter the battle screen. : 17Ī battle scene with Cloud, Barret, and Tifa facing a dragon. If the characters rest at an inn, their hit points and mana points will be restored, along with any abnormalities contracted during battles. Shops provide an opportunity to buy and sell items that can aid Cloud and his party, such as weapons, armor, and accessories.

: 18 While in field mode, the player may also find shops and inns. : 15 Event games are short minigames that use special control functions and are often tied into the story. The player can explore the environment, talk with characters, advance the story, and initiate event games in this mode. For the first time in the series, this mode is represented in three-dimensional space. : 46 In field mode, the player navigates fully scaled versions of the areas represented on the world map. : 44 Chocobos can be found in certain spots on the map, and if caught, can be ridden to areas inaccessible by foot or vehicle. Natural barriers-such as mountains, deserts, and bodies of water-block access by foot to some areas as the game progresses, the player receives vehicles that help traverse these obstacles. The world map is littered with representations of areas for the player to enter, including towns, environments, and ruins. : 15, 20 At its grandest scale, players explore the entire world of Final Fantasy VII on a 3D world map. The game features three modes of play: the world map, the field, and the battle screen. The gameplay of Final Fantasy VII is mostly comparable to earlier Final Fantasy games and Japanese role-playing games. See also: Recurring elements in the Final Fantasy series#Gameplay Its success has led to enhanced ports on various platforms, a multimedia sub-series called the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and the ongoing multipart high-definition Final Fantasy VII Remake, the first installment of which was released in 2020. Critics praised its graphics, gameplay, music, and story, although its original English localization received criticism. It won numerous Game of the Year awards, and was acknowledged for boosting sales of the PlayStation and popularizing console role-playing games worldwide. It is regarded as a landmark game and as one of the greatest and most influential video games ever made.

The staff of more than 100 had a combined development and marketing budget of around $80 million.Īssisted by a large promotional campaign, Final Fantasy VII was a commercial success and received universal acclaim, selling more than 14.1 million copies worldwide. Final Fantasy VII introduced more widespread science fiction elements and a more realistic presentation, while the gameplay systems remained largely similar to previous entries, with the addition of new elements such as Materia, Limit Breaks, and new minigames. The game is the first in the series to use full motion video and 3D computer graphics, superimposing real-time 3D character models over pre-rendered CGI backgrounds. Veteran Final Fantasy staff returned, including series creator and producer Hironobu Sakaguchi, director Yoshinori Kitase, and composer Nobuo Uematsu. After delays and technical difficulties from experimenting on several real-time rendering platforms, Square moved production to pre-rendered video, necessitating the huge capacity of the CD-ROM format and therefore departing Nintendo for the PlayStation. During the journey, Cloud builds close friendships with his party members, including Aerith Gainsborough, who holds the secret to saving their world.ĭevelopment began in 1994, originally for the Super Famicom. Events send Cloud and his allies in pursuit of Sephiroth, a former member of the corporation who seeks to destroy the planet. The game's story follows Cloud Strife, a mercenary who joins an eco-terrorist organization to stop a world-controlling megacorporation from using the planet's life essence as an energy source. Published in Japan by Square, it was released in other regions by Sony Computer Entertainment and is the first in the main series with a PAL release.

It is the seventh main installment in the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy VII is a 1997 role-playing video game developed by Square for the PlayStation console.

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