There are certain points in gaming history that truly changed how things went down in the future and helped ensure that certain things carried on. For JRPGs, while they were a part of the gaming space due to key developers, they had mostly been something that resonated in Japan and not other parts of the world. The genre needed a title to “breakthrough” and inspire gamers to give it a shot no matter where they were. That title was Final Fantasy VII. Yes, the original game from the OG PlayStation. It’s celebrating its 28th anniversary today, and many are honoring the legendary JRPG title.
As Insider Stealth noted in his tweet below, before this game’s release, there weren’t a lot of JRPGS localized in the West for one reason or another. However, once this game shot up the charts, many more games and RPG franchises started to get brought over, forever changing the gaming landscape. The irony, of course, is that the previous six entries in the franchises weren’t bad, far from it. It’s just that this one resonated with fans on a level that the others couldn’t, which happens in certain franchises more than you might think.
So what was it that helped the game “breakthrough” and connect with so many gamers? An easy place to start is the graphics. Before Final Fantasy VII, all the RPGs, American or Japanese, were sprite-based. Yes, they were really good sprites at times, but they were still sprites. This entry, though, had 3D models, and that allowed for new levels of immersion and fun. Not to mention, there were cool mini-games, like being able to drive around on a motorcycle or do workout routines and such.
Then, there was the story. The tale of Cloud Strife is legendary in the gaming space, and Sephiroth remains one of the greatest final boss characters ever. Even with the primitive 3D models that the PS1 had, the game was able to give weight and true emotion to these characters while also showing off the wonders of Tifa, Aerith, Red XIII, Barrett, and others. When mixed with the tight gameplay mechanics that got some good improvements for the 3D upgrade, you get a wonderful JRPG that just about anyone would enjoy.
The game was so popular that it would get spun off in many ways, including getting a full-on movie dedicated to it and, of course, the “Remake Saga” that would bring the game to modern consoles, but with a few twists of its own.
