Final Fantasy VII
North American box art
Developer(s)	Square
Publisher(s)	PlayStation JP Square NA SCE America PAL SCE Europe INT Square Windows Eidos Interactive
Designer(s)	Hironobu Sakaguchi (producer, original scenario concept) Yoshinori Kitase (director, scenario writer) Tetsuya Nomura (character designer, original scenario concept) Yusuke Naora (art director) Kazushige Nojima (scenario writer, event planner) Yoshitaka Amano (image illustrator, title logo designer) Nobuo Uematsu (composer)
Series	Final Fantasy
Platform(s)	PlayStation, Windows
Release date	PlayStation JP January 31, 1997 NA September 7, 1997 EU November 17, 1997 [1] INT October 2, 1997 Windows NA June 24, 1998 EU 1998 AUS 1998
Genre(s)	Console role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ELSPA: 11+ ESRB: T (Teen) (13+) OFLC: G8+ PEGI: 12+ USK: 12+
Media	PlayStation 3 CD-ROMs Windows 4 CD-ROMs
System requirements	Windows (PC) 166 MHz Pentium CPU, 32 MB RAM, 4X CD-ROM drive, DirectX 5. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. ( SCEI) is a Japanese Video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry mostly in Video game consoles and is a full The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries ( SCEI) is a Japanese Video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry mostly in Video game consoles and is a full In Video games an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. Eidos Interactive is a publisher of video and Computer games with its parent company based in England. A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer (born November 25, 1962) is a Japanese Game designer, Game director and Game producer. A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a Video game. A scenario (from Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a synthetic description of an event or series of actions and events is a Japanese Game producer, Scenario writer and a former Game director working for Square Enix (previously Square) A game director is a person who is in charge of significant creative aspects of a Video game. (born October 8, 1970) is a Japanese video game director and character designer working for Square Enix (formerly Square) UserScottandrewhutchins: http//enwikipediaorg/w/indexphp?title=Characterization&diff=next&oldid=157919139 --> Characterization is a process of conveying Yusuke Naora (直良 有祐 Naora Yūsuke) (born January 9, 1971) is a Japanese Video game Art director, art supervisor The term art director is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in Advertising, Publishing, film and Television, the Internet is a Japanese game Scenario writer and is the founder of Stellavista Ltd (born July 28 1952) is a Japanese Artist known for his illustrations for Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs image illustrations is a Japanese Video game music Composer and Musician, best known for scoring numerous Final Fantasy titles A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar In Video games an international version is a relocalized version of a previously released title in its native territory that has gained additional features and Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 972 - Battle of Cedynia, the first documented victory of Polish forces takes place Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association ( ELSPA) is an Organisation set up in 1989 by British Software publishers It The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. USK redirects here For the Usinsk airport see Usinsk Airport. Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. CD-ROM (an initialism of "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory " is a pre-pressed Compact Disc that contains data accessible to but not writable CD-ROM (an initialism of "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory " is a pre-pressed Compact Disc that contains data accessible to but not writable The hertz (symbol Hz) is a measure of Frequency, informally defined as the number of events occurring per Second. The Pentium brand refers to Intel 's single-core x86 Microprocessor based on the P5 fifth-generation Microarchitecture. A megabyte is a unit of Information or Computer storage equal to either 106 (1000000 Bytes or 220 (1048576 bytes depending on Microsoft DirectX is a collection of Application programming interfaces (APIs for handling tasks related to Multimedia, especially Game programming and 1 compatible sound and video card, 260 MB available hard disk space, Windows 95 or above (officially not compatible with 2000 or XP)[2]
Input methods	PlayStation PlayStation controller Windows Keyboard or joystick

Final Fantasy VII (ファイナルファンタジーVII, Fainaru Fantajī Sebun^?) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix), and the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. A hard disk drive ( HDD) commonly referred to as a hard drive, hard disk, or fixed disk drive, is a Non-volatile storage device Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented Graphical user interface -based Operating system. In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived was a Japanese Video game company founded in September 1983 by Masafumi Miyamoto. is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its Console role-playing game franchises which include the Final Fantasy series the Dragon It was released in 1997 and is the first numbered Final Fantasy game for Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Windows-based personal computers. Events October 4 &mdash Gunpei Yokoi (1941-1997 dies after a double Car accident ( SCEI) is a Japanese Video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry mostly in Video game consoles and is a full The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational Computer technology Corporation, which rose to dominate the Home computer Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated

Set on the planet Gaia, Final Fantasy VII's story centers on the powerful megacorporation Shinra, which is draining the life of the planet to use as an energy source. " Megacorporation " is a term popularized by William Gibson derived from the combination of the prefix Mega- with the word Corporation. Players follow a young mercenary named Cloud Strife, who joins with several others to stop Shinra. is the main Protagonist in Square 's (now Square Enix 's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs As the story evolves, the primary antagonist, Sephiroth, develops a plan to summon a meteor with the intention of obliterating the planet. is a Fictional character and recurring villain in Square 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VII.

A major critical and commercial success, the game remains arguably the most popular title in the series. ^[3][4][5][6] The ongoing popularity of the title led Square Enix to produce a series of sequels and prequels under the collective title Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. A sequel is a work in Literature, Film, or other media that portrays events following those of a previous work A prequel is a work that portrays events and/or aspects of a previously completed narrative but is set prior to the existing narrative Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is the formal title for a series of games and animated features developed by Square Enix based in the world and continuity As of December 2005, Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 9. 8 million copies worldwide, earning it the position of the best-selling Final Fantasy title, the best-selling PlayStation game besides Gran Turismo, and the best-selling role-playing game besides Pokémon. This is a list of Video games that have sold or shipped at least one million copies including the top ten best-selling franchises. An electronic role-playing game is a broad genre of video games. If you came here to express your personal opinion about Pokémon please go somewhere else ^[7] The game is the first in the series to use 3D computer graphics,^[8] featuring fully rendered characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer ^[9][10][11]

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Combat 2 Plot 2.1 Setting 2.2 Characters 2.3 Story 3 Development and release 3.1 SNES project and early development 3.2 Nintendo 64DD project and Final Fantasy SGI 3.3 Changes from past installments 3.4 Design and inspirations 3.5 North American release 4 Audio 5 Reception 5.1 Critical response 5.2 Legacy 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Gameplay

Like previous installments of the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy VII consists of three basic gameplay modes: an overworld map, town and dungeon field maps, and a battle screen. A dungeon crawl is a type of role-playing adventure in which heroes navigate a Labyrinthine environment battling various monsters and looting any treasure they may The overworld map is a 3D model, featuring a scaled-down simplified version of the game's fictional world,^[9][12] which the player navigates to travel between the game's locations. A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with unique background elements such as an imaginary history or geography and possibly fantasy or science It is the first Final Fantasy game to have character models with fully-rendered polygons, rather than flat two-dimensional sprites. In Computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names see Synonyms below is a two-dimensional/three-dimensional Image or Animation that As with the preceding games in the series, the world map can be traversed by foot or by Chocobos, an airship, a submarine, etc. A is a fictional large and normally flightless galliforme / Ratite Bird capable of being ridden ^[12] On field maps, the game's 3D playable characters are directed across realistically scaled environments, consisting of 2D pre-rendered backgrounds, which represent locations such as towns or forests. A player character or playable character (PC is a Fictional character in a Video game or Role playing game who is controlled or controllable 2D computer graphics is the Computer -based generation of Digital images mdashmostly from two-dimensional models (such as 2D geometric models text and digital ^[9] The battle screen is a 3D representation of an area, such as a building's interior or open grassland, in which the player commands the game's characters in battles against CPU-controlled enemies through a menu-driven interface. ^[9][13] While characters are miniaturized on maps, in combat the character models are more realistic and normal-scaled.

Initially, the player is restricted to travel within Midgar, but as the game continues, more areas become accessible, giving the player more freedom to explore. ^[12] Progression through the game's storyline is largely developed by way of scripted sequences and require frequent player interaction to proceed. At other times, pre-rendered cinematic cut scenes advance the story. A cut scene is a sequence in a Video game over which the player has little or no control often breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot present

Combat

During its turn-based battle sequences, the game uses the same Active Time Battle (ATB) system designed by Hiroyuki Ito and first featured in Final Fantasy IV. is a Japanese Game director, Scenario writer sound effects artist and Game designer for Square Enix, and is most known for his work in the is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in as a part of the Final Fantasy series Unlike previous games in the series, which allow 4–5 playable characters to participate in battle, Final Fantasy VII allows only three characters to be in the party at any time. ^[9]

Final Fantasy VII's skill system is built around the use of materia, magical orbs that are placed in special slots on weapons and armor, allowing players to customize their characters' access to magic spells, summons, and special abilities. A statistic (or stat) in Role-playing games is a piece of Data which represents a particular aspect of a Fictional character. The materia are a double-edged sword because the more a character has of materia the weaker physically he or she becomes. In addition to their individual attributes, materia can be used together in a fixed number of ways to enhance their effects or produce other abilities. ^[14][15]

A modified form of Final Fantasy VI's Desperation Attacks appears here as the Limit Break. also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Though each Final Fantasy story is independent many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series Though each Final Fantasy story is independent many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series ^[16]

Nomura decided to incorporate elaborately animated summon spells in the game, one of which lasts more than a minute. ^[16] This idea became popular with Final Fantasy fans, and they were incorporated into the development of future games in the series. A summon consists of a name for each summon materia (Odin, Bahamut, Titan, etc. ), the name of the attack used by each summon, a short animation clip in which the summoned esper makes its attack, and the end of the attack, during which the number of damage points inflicted appears. ^[16] However, critics have described these animations as tedious. ^[17]

Plot

Setting

Main article: Gaia (Final Fantasy VII)

The game's setting follows in the footsteps of Final Fantasy VI by presenting a world with considerably more advanced technology than the first five games in the series. Gaia is the fictional world in the 1997 Console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. Overall, the game's technology and society approximates that of modern or near-future science fiction. ^[18][19] The world of Final Fantasy VII, retroactively named "Gaia"^[20] but referred to in the game as "The Planet", is composed of three land masses. The eastern continent features the city of Midgar, an industrial metropolis that serves as the headquarters of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a ruthless mega corporation that operates as the de facto world government. A metropolis (from the Greek μήτηρ mētēr meaning 'mother' and πόλις pólis meaning 'city/town' is a big City, in most cases with World government is the concept of a political body that would make interpret and enforce International law. Shinra's major military base, Junon, a reactor that has a condor perched on top of it (aptly named Fort Condor) along with a chocobo ranch and a small town called Kalm.

The western continent features most of the playable areas, which include the Gold Saucer, an amusement park; Costa Del Sol, a seaside resort; the town of Nibelheim, which resides at the base of Mt. Nibel; Rocket Town, which is Cid's home and the location of Shinra's failed space program (which succeeds in-game); the village Wutai; and a settlement constructed on a plateau called "Cosmo Canyon". The tribe inhabiting the canyon emphasize living in harmony with nature and dedicating causes to the planet's well-being. ^[21] Their settlement features an observatory and serves as a research facility for those who wish to participate in a philosophy known as "the Study of Planet Life", an environmentally conscious lifestyle that encourages utmost deference for nature and teaches that the planet has a life of its own. An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events ^[21] The northernmost continent is a heavily glaciated wasteland, and its few settlements include an excavation site; a ski resort (Icicle Inn in English versions); the mythical "City of the Ancients"; and the Northern Crater, where the game's climax takes place. "Glacial" and "Glaciation" redirect here For the geological periods see Glacial period. There are also underwater locations accessible via submarine, such as the downed Gelnika, which was commissioned by Shinra to transport state-of-the-art weapons and materia to be used against the Weapons deployed by the planet itself when Meteor was summoned by Sephiroth, and the cave where the key needed to enter the Temple of the Ancients lies.

Characters

Main article: Characters of Final Fantasy VII

The nine main playable characters in Final Fantasy VII are Cloud Strife, an unsociable mercenary who serves as the game's protagonist and claims to be a former 1^st Class member of Shinra's SOLDIER unit;^[22] Aeris Gainsborough (named "Aerith" in the Japanese promotional materials, later Final Fantasy VII titles and the Kingdom Hearts series), a flower merchant living in the slums of Midgar who has been pursued by Shinra operatives since she was a child;^[23][24] Tifa Lockhart, a martial artist and childhood friend of Cloud's; Barret Wallace, the impatient leader of the second incarnation of the anti-Shinra eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE, who bears a grudge against the corporation for razing his hometown, and causing the deaths of his friends and family;^[25] Red XIII, also known as Nanaki, a wise feline-like creature capable of speech who was experimented on by Shinra scientists; Yuffie Kisaragi, a young, experienced thief and a bitter resident of Wutai, a nation descended from ninjas which was defeated by Shinra in a war several years before the events of Final Fantasy VII began;^[26][27] Cid Highwind, a pilot whose dreams of being the first man in outer space were crushed when he canceled his rocket's launch to save the life of one of his assistants, leading to the withdrawing of the Shinra Company's funding of a space program;^[28][29] Cait Sith, a fortune-telling semi-autonomous robotic cat who rides a magically animated stuffed moogle doll;^[30] and Vincent Valentine, a former member of Shinra's Turks unit who was killed and brought back to life as an immortal through experimental anatomic reconstruction. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game is the main Protagonist in Square 's (now Square Enix 's role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs A mercenary is a person who takes part in an armed conflict who is not a national or a party to the conflict and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by &mdashknown as Aeris Gainsborough in the English translations of Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Tactics &mdashis a female Protagonist is a series of Action role-playing games developed and published by Square Enix (formerly Square) is a female Protagonist from Square 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game, Final Fantasy VII. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Eco-terrorism, also called ecoterrorism or green terrorism, is Terrorism committed in support of ecological, environmental, or Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Outer space, often simply called space, comprises the relatively empty regions of the Universe outside the escape velocities of Celestial bodies. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Fortune-telling is the practice of predicting the future usually of an individual through mystical or supernatural means and often for commercial gain Though each Final Fantasy story is independent many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series is a Fictional character in the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and the Protagonist in the Third-person shooters Dirge Immortality (or eternal life) is the concept of living in physical or spiritual form for an Infinite length of Time. ^[31][32][33]

All of the game's main characters have had significant ties to the Shinra Company in their past, and all harbor disapproval or outright hatred for the corporation and its activities. Although the antagonists for the first portion of the game are the Shinra executives, a mysterious man named Sephiroth—once hailed as the greatest SOLDIER—reappears several years after disappearing in a battle in which he was concluded to have died. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game is a Fictional character and recurring villain in Square 's (now Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. ^[34][35] He is soon revealed to be the most immediate threat to the planet, prompting both AVALANCHE and the Shinra Company to take up the position of defending it, though their methods differ significantly. ^[36]

The game's character designer, Tetsuya Nomura, has expressed feelings that Final Fantasy VII was hindered by graphical limitations, and that his designs were, consequently, very plain in comparison to his "true" style. ^[16] However, he was able to find other means of expressing some of his ideas. Cloud's original character design called for slicked back black hair with no spikes, intended to serve as a contrast to Sephiroth's long, flowing silver hair. However, Nomura feared that such masculinity could prove to be unpopular with fans, and decided to give Cloud a unique feature that would emphasize his role in the game as the main character, Nomura changed the design to feature Cloud's now trademark shock of spiky, bright blond hair. (The original design for Cloud's hair eventually went to Angeal, in Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core) ^[16] For Tifa's design, Nomura has admitted to facing a difficult decision in choosing to give her a miniskirt or pants. With input from other members of the game's development staff, he eventually selected a dark miniskirt, contrasted by Aeris' long, pink dress. ^[16]

Vincent's character developed from horror researcher to detective, then to chemist, and finally to the figure of a former Turk with a tragic past. It has been explained that his crimson mantle was added to symbolize the idea of carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders associated with death. Nomura has indicated that Cid Highwind's fighting style resembles that of a Dragon Knight, a character class so chosen because his last name is the same as that of two previous dragon knights featured in the Final Fantasy series, Ricard Highwind of Final Fantasy II and Kain Highwind of Final Fantasy IV. Do not add any speculative information to this page List characters and/or games ONLY if the character is explicitly defined as a specific character class in its This article is about a concept in role-playing games For character classes specific to Dungeons and Dragons see Character class (Dungeons & Dragons. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in for the Nintendo Family Computer as a part of the Final is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in for the Nintendo Family Computer as a part of the Final is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in as a part of the Final Fantasy series is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in as a part of the Final Fantasy series ^[16]

Due to their popularity, several characters from the game have made cameo appearances in other Square Enix titles, most notably the fighting game Ehrgeiz and the popular Final Fantasy-Disney crossover series Kingdom Hearts. A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the Performing arts, such as A fighting game (also referred as a versus fighting game, competitive fighting game, tournament fighting game or head-to-head fighting game) Ehrgeiz God Bless the Ring ( German: lit "Ambition" Japanese: エアガイツ Eagaitsu) is a Fighting game developed Sephiroth remains one of the most popular villains in video game history, unanimously voted #1 by the staff of gaming publication Electronic Gaming Monthly in their "Top 10 Video Game Bosses" list in October 2005. Video game journalism is a branch of Journalism concerned with the reporting and discussion of Video games. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. A boss is a computer-controlled opponent which is found in Video games Their purpose is to test the skills that the player has accumulated over the course of a game ^[37] During spring of the same year, Sephiroth won GameFAQs' best villain contest. GameFAQs is a Website that hosts FAQs and Walkthroughs for Video games It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and ^[38] And in Game Informer's top ten Video Game Bosses list, Sephiroth received number three, behind Mother Brain of Super Metroid and Psycho Mantis of Metal Gear Solid. also known as Metroid 3, is an adventure Video game developed by Nintendo R&D1 and Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo Don't add images FU images are not allowed in featured lists This is a featured list is a stealth-action Video game directed by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published

Story

Final Fantasy VII begins with Cloud joining AVALANCHE in a series of raids against the Mako reactors that surround the city of Midgar. Although the first mission is a success, AVALANCHE is trapped at another reactor during a subsequent raid. The reactor explodes, which sends Cloud flying from the upper levels of Midgar into the slums below. He lands unharmed on a flower bed, where he is formally introduced to Aeris. ^[39] Prompted by the arrival of operatives of the Shinra Company's Turks organization sent to capture Aeris, Cloud agrees to work for Aeris as her bodyguard. ^[40]

After Cloud defends Aeris from her would-be kidnappers, Aeris offers to show him the way back to Sector 7. Along the way, she mentions that her first boyfriend had been a first Class SOLDIER, as Cloud claims to have been. They then meet up with Tifa Lockhart, and the three infiltrate the mansion of crime boss Don Corneo. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game From him, the party learns that Shinra has discovered the location of AVALANCHE's hideout and plans to collapse the upper level of Sector 7 onto the slums below. ^[41] Despite AVALANCHE's efforts to prevent it, Shinra successfully destroys Sector 7, killing its population and three members of AVALANCHE. The Turks finally capture Aeris, who the player learns is the last living member of the "Cetra,"^[42] a race closely attuned with the planet. Though each Final Fantasy story is independent many themes and elements of gameplay recur throughout the series President Shinra believes that Aeris can lead him to a mythical land of fertility known as the "Promised Land", which he expects to be ripe with easily harvested Mako energy. ^[43]

The remaining members of AVALANCHE—Cloud, Tifa, and Barret—infiltrate Shinra's headquarters to rescue Aeris. After freeing her and Red XIII, who joins the party, they escape when most of the personnel in the building—including President Shinra—are killed. Finding the body of the president skewered by a long sword, Cloud suspects a man called Sephiroth has returned from his presumed death. These suspicions are confirmed by an executive spared during the massacre, who claims to have witnessed Sephiroth murder the president and state that he would never allow Shinra to claim the Promised Land. ^[44] The party also learns that during Sephiroth's attack on Shinra, the headless body of a creature named "Jenova" disappeared from the building's research facility. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game ^[45]

While Rufus Shinra, the president's son, assumes control of the Shinra Company, AVALANCHE pursues Sephiroth across the planet, fearing his intentions for the Promised Land may be more destructive than Shinra's. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game During this pursuit, the party is joined by Yuffie, Cait Sith, Vincent and Cid. As the journey progresses, each member of the group must come to terms with personal conflicts from their past, and the full scope of Sephiroth's plan is eventually revealed to the player: if the planet is significantly damaged, the Lifestream within will gather at the point of injury, attempting to heal the wound. Sephiroth explains that he intends to use a powerful spell known as "Meteor" to fatally injure the planet, inciting a reaction in the Lifestream to heal the wound before it can cause the planet's destruction. Entering the fissure created by the meteor's impact, Sephiroth would merge with all the energy of the planet, granting him god-like power over it. ^[46] At an ancient temple erected by the Cetra, AVALANCHE attempts to undermine Sephiroth's plot by claiming the Black Materia needed to activate Meteor, but Sephiroth displays a mysterious power over Cloud,(which is most likely enforced through the Jenova cells, which Cloud and Sephiroth are both infected with. ) forcing him to relinquish it.

Fearing that Sephiroth may cast Meteor, Aeris sets off to stop him on her own. Concerned for her safety, AVALANCHE follows her to the northern continent, where the player enters an ancient Cetra city. After finding Aeris praying to the planet for aid, Sephiroth, unseen, begins affecting Cloud's behavior once again, and attempts to force him to kill her. Cloud resists Sephiroth's command, but Sephiroth himself appears and kills Aeris. ^[37][48] After laying her body to rest, the surviving characters resolve to defeat Sephiroth and avenge her.

Later, Sephiroth begins causing Cloud to doubt his ability to control his own actions. Cloud begins to doubt his memories and insists that he is not a real human, but rather a specimen created from Jenova's genetic material by Professor Hojo. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Jenova, the player learns, was an interstellar creature who crashlanded on the planet approximately two thousand years earlier, arriving via travel on a meteor. This collision formed a large impact crater, grievously harming the planet. In the broadest sense the term impact crater can be applied to any depression natural or manmade resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with larger body ^[49][50] Jenova soon emerged from the crater, intending to infect all living organisms on the planet with a virus that would induce insanity and incite monstrous transformations. ^[51] Among its victims were most of the Cetra, who were approached when Jenova used its mimic abilities to appear as their relatives. Biological mimicry occurs when a group of organisms the mimics, have Attempting to defend itself, the planet created giant monsters called "WEAPONs", while the majority of humans fled, rather than fought, Jenova. IMPORTANT NOTICE As per the usual policies we have decided to consolidate the bestiary into this succinct page However, a small group of Cetra survivors fought to defend the planet and managed to defeat Jenova, confining it within the fissure created by its landing. ^[52] Afterward, the WEAPONs entered hibernation to await any future threat that could harm the planet. Eventually, the mummified remains of Jenova would be unearthed by Professor Gast, a researcher for the Shinra Company. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game Mistaking the creature for a Cetra, Gast was given authorization to conduct an experiment to artificially produce a Cetra by combining cells from Jenova with the fetus of an unborn child. ^[51]

Five years before the present-day events, in a cutscene seen by the player, Sephiroth learned that he was the product of this experiment while on a Shinra mission in Nibelheim, the hometown of Cloud and Tifa. However, unaware of all details involved, he concluded that he was a Cetra who had been produced solely from Jenova's genetic material. Enraged, he burned down the town, intending to kill all descendants of those he believed had abandoned his ancestors in the defense of the planet. According to Cloud, he confronted Sephiroth during this massacre, after which Sephiroth vanished under unknown circumstances and was presumed dead until his reappearance in the Shinra building. When AVALANCHE reaches the Northern Crater, Sephiroth tells Cloud that he was not in Nibelheim, showing him images of a 1^st Class SOLDIER with dark hair who occupies Cloud's place in his memories. ^[53] With Tifa unable to refute Sephiroth's claims, Cloud goes crazy and, thinking it the right thing to do, gives the black materia to Sephiroth's real body, which is encased in crystalized Mako, which results in the WEAPONs' awakening. During the earthquake that follows, Cloud is separated from his companions and falls into the Lifestream.

As the meteor summoned by Sephiroth slowly approaches the planet, the Shinra Company focuses its efforts on protecting humanity from the WEAPONs,^[36] who have begun to perceive everything as a threat to the planet. The members of AVALANCHE are interrogated, and eventually nearly executed. They escape from Junon, and obtain Cid's airship Highwind. They then search for Cloud. They discover Shinra's plan to take Huge Materia from the major spots of the world. Barret Wallace saves his hometown from Shinra's escort, thus redeeming himself for building the Mako reactor there in the first place. They eventually find Cloud, locating him on a tropical resort island called Mideel where he washed up following the casting of Meteor; he is in a catatonic state. Catatonic is a syndrome of psychic and motoric-disturbances In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association Unable to see Cloud like this, Tifa resolves that she will not leave Mideel until Cloud has fully recovered. The WEAPONs' destructive activity quickly causes the island to split open, depositing Cloud and Tifa into the Lifestream below. There, she reconstructs Cloud's memories and learns the truth about his past. Although the player learns that he is a real human being and had actually been in Nibelheim during Sephiroth's attack, he never actually succeeded in joining SOLDIER and only managed to attain the rank of private in Shinra's military. A Private is a Soldier of the lowest Military rank (equivalent to NATO Rank Grades OR-1 to OR-3 depending on the force served in The player learns that the previously-seen dark-haired SOLDIER is named "Zack", and was Aeris' first boyfriend. is a Non-player character from the role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and the Protagonist of two of its Prequels Crisis During Sephiroth's destruction of Nibelheim, Zack, Tifa and Cloud fought Sephiroth in Nibelheim's Mako reactor. Although Tifa and Zack were defeated, Cloud and Sephiroth severely wounded one another. After decapitating the body of Jenova, which had been stored in the Mako reactor, Sephiroth is thrown into the Lifestream by Cloud, taking the creature's head with him. Rather than dying, however, his body and consciousness were crystalized in Mako inside Jenova's crater.

While Tifa was taken to safety in Midgar, Cloud and Zack were among the wounded survivors who were apprehended by Shinra as part an elaborate cover-up of Sephiroth's massacre. A cover-up is an attempt whether successful or not to conceal evidence of wrong-doing error Incompetence, or other embarrassing information Professor Hojo subjected these survivors to an experiment, in which he performed the same enhancements given to members of SOLDIER. However, because Hojo conducted the experiment without any concern for the subjects' mental capacities to handle the procedure, all but Zack entered a comatose state. In Medicine, a coma (from the Greek koma, meaning deep sleep is a profound state of Unconsciousness. Nearly five years later, Zack broke free from his confinement and took Cloud with him. The player learns that the procedure used to enhance members of SOLDIER involved both Mako showers and the injection of cells from Jenova. The alien cells inhabiting Cloud's body allowed his mind to construct a false persona, built around Zack's behavior, fighting style, and description of Sephiroth's destruction in Nibelheim, but they also allowed Sephiroth to modulate his behavior. The cells' inherent ability to duplicate information led Cloud to believe that he had been the 1^st Class SOLDIER in Nibelheim, as Zack was shot and killed outside Midgar, shortly before the beginning of FF7, by an entire shinra army, after saving Cloud's life. Upon Zack's tragic death, he tells cloud to live out "both of their lives" before taking his final breath. Afterward, Tifa discovered Cloud, who was wearing a Shinra Soldier 1st Class uniform, which Zack gave him at the Shinra mansion, when they escaped from Hojo's experiment, and offered him a job with AVALANCHE. ^[51]

With the truth revealed, Cloud awakens and rejoins AVALANCHE. Before he awakened, the few members of AVALANCHE recovered powerful magic, known as Huge Materia, to counter Shinra's attempts to destroy the WEAPONs and Meteor. During the next few segments, many members achieve their lifelong dreams, or settle their past. Among these are that Cid Highwind became the first man in outer space, Yuffie Kisaragi encourages her father to return her hometown Wutai to its former glory, and Vincent Valentine learns the truth about his past. The player also learns that, in her final moments, Aeris was casting a spell known as "Holy", the only means of opposing Meteor. Though she succeeds, Sephiroth's focused will prevents the spell from taking effect and has been restraining it since. Deciding that humanity must be protected from the WEAPONs before Sephiroth can be approached, Shinra and AVALANCHE destroy the WEAPONs, but nearly all of Shinra's executives are killed in the process, seemingly including Rufus. Among the few survivors are Reeve Tuesti, revealed to be the repentant controller of Cait Sith,^[54] and Professor Hojo, who is revealed to be Sephiroth's biological father. Square 's Final Fantasy VII was one of the first major Console role-playing games released for the Sony PlayStation and was Square's largest game He explains that he and his wife were assistants to Professor Gast, and offered up their unborn child as a test subject to research involving Jenova. ^[51][55] When Hojo attempts to help Sephiroth to gain mastery over the Lifestream afterward, AVALANCHE is given no choice but to fight and kill him. Cloud tells the remaining members of his team to go find what they are fighting for. Every member returns, including Cait Sith, who had been captured by Shinra Inc. for helping Cloud.

Red XIII's grandfather dies, and tells him to go with Cloud to the final battle. With each member of Cloud's group at peace with his or her past and all other opponents defeated, the group travels through the mantle of the planet to its core, where they defeat Sephiroth and free Holy. The mantle is a part of an Astronomical object. The interior of the Earth, similar to the other Terrestrial planets, is Chemically divided However, due to Meteor's already close proximity to the planet's surface, Holy is unable to destroy it alone. Selected as Meteor's target, Midgar is almost completely destroyed by the storms that spawn from its presence. However, sent by Aeris' spirit, the Lifestream itself rises from the planet to aid Holy by pushing Meteor away, allowing Holy to destroy it. ^[56] During the epilogue that follows, Red XIII sprints through a canyon with his two cubs at his side, he proceeds up the cliff-face, which reveals a lush land of greenery, where the desolate landscape of Shinra's destroyed Midgar had once been. The fate of the rest of the team isn't revealed to the player, it is left purposely ambiguous.

Development and release

SNES project and early development

Planning sessions for Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 after the release of Final Fantasy VI. Events 1994 &mdash Nintendo calls this year "1994 The Year of the Cartridge" also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now At the time, the game was planned to be another 2D project for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The Super Nintendo Entertainment System or Super NES (also called SNES and Super Nintendo) is a 16-bit Video game console that was Series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi intended the story to take place in modern New York City in the year 1999. (born November 25, 1962) is a Japanese Game designer, Game director and Game producer. The City of New York Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Several of the staff members were working in parallel on Chrono Trigger, and development for Final Fantasy VII was interrupted when the other project became important enough to require the help of Yoshinori Kitase and other designers. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in is a Japanese Game producer, Scenario writer and a former Game director working for Square Enix (previously Square) Some of the ideas originally considered for Final Fantasy VII ended up in Chrono Trigger instead. Other ideas, such as the New York setting and the sorceress character Edea, were kept unused until the later projects Parasite Eve and Final Fantasy VIII respectively. Square 's 1999 best-selling Console role-playing game Final Fantasy VIII deals with an elite group of mercenaries called " Parasite Eve is the name of a Japanese Novel by Hideaki Sena, first published in Kadokawa Horror Bunko, which has been adapted into a is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation in 1999 as part of the

Nintendo 64DD project and Final Fantasy SGI

See also: Final Fantasy VI#Interactive CG Game

At its conception stage, the original script of Final Fantasy VII, written by Hironobu Sakaguchi, was completely different from the finished product. also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Tetsuya Nomura recalled how Sakaguchi "wanted to do something like a detective story". The first part of the story, said Nomura, involved a character named "Hot Blooded Detective Joe" who was in pursuit of the main characters. The main characters managed to blow up the city of Midgar, which had already been developed for the story. ^[57]

Development of Final Fantasy VII resumed in late 1995,^[48][58] and required the efforts of more than one hundred artists and programmers^[58][59] using such software as PowerAnimator and Softimage|3D,^[48] and a budget of approximately US$45 million. Events May 11 – Introduction of trade magazine GameWeek (then called Video Game Advisor May 11 - 16 &mdash The 1st annual PowerAnimator and Animator, also referred to simply as "Alias" the precursor to what is now Maya and StudioTools, was an expensive complex Softimage Co ("Softimage" is pronounced /sɑftɪˈmɑʒ/ (US pronunciation or /sɒftɪˈmɑːʒ/ (UK pronunciation is a The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been Final Fantasy VI's co-director and scenario writer, Yoshinori Kitase, returned to direct and co-write this installment of the series and expressed a concern that the franchise might be left behind if it did not catch up to the 3D computer graphics used in other games at the time. also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer ^[8] Development then began after the development of a short, experimental technical demo for Silicon Graphics Onyx workstations. A tech demo (technology demonstration is a prototype rough example or an otherwise incomplete version of a product put together with the primary purpose of showcasing the idea performance Silicon Graphics Inc (commonly initialised to SGI, historically sometimes referred to as Silicon Graphics Computer Systems or SGCS) is a company ^[58]

Called "Final Fantasy SGI", the demo featured polygon-based 3D renderings of characters from Final Fantasy VI in a real-time battle and incorporated interactive elements. also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Polygons are used in Computer graphics to compose images that are three-dimensional in appearance Real time within the media is a method of Narratology within a motion picture television series radio program computer game, comic book or comic strip wherein ^[58][60][61] This experiment led the development team to decide to integrate these design mechanics into Final Fantasy VII. ^[58] However, as a result of the high quantity of memory storage required to implement the motion data, 3D models and computer graphics effects involved, it was decided that only the CD-ROM format would be able to suit the project's needs. Computer graphics are Graphics created by Computers and more generally the Representation and Manipulation of Pictorial Data CD-ROM (an initialism of "Compact Disc Read-Only Memory " is a pre-pressed Compact Disc that contains data accessible to but not writable ^[48][58][60] Nintendo, for whom Square had developed all previous titles in the Final Fantasy series, had decided to continue to use cartridges for their upcoming Nintendo 64 console. is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on In various types of electronic equipment a cartridge can refer one method of adding different functionality or content (e The, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo 's third home Video game console for the international market This eventually led to a dispute and as a result, Square eventually decided to end their long, often tumultuous, relationship with Nintendo and announced on January 12, 1996 that they would be developing Final Fantasy VII for Sony's PlayStation system. Events 475 - Basiliscus becomes Byzantine Emperor, with a coronation ceremony in the Hebdomon palace in Constantinople Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) ( SCEI) is a Japanese Video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry mostly in Video game consoles and is a full The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console ^[48][60]

In 1996, a demonstration disc was released to those who attended Tokyo Game Show. The is a Video game Expo / convention held in the Makuhari Messe, in Chiba, Japan. ^[62] This disc, called Square's Preview Extra, contained the earliest playable demo of Final Fantasy VII as well as the 1995 Siggraph demonstration called Final Fantasy SGI. also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now ^[63] The demo available on the disc allowed players to play through the first part of Midgar. Gaia is the fictional world in the 1997 Console role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. However, while all the text is in Japanese, there are some noticeable differences, mainly the presence of Aeris in the initial party. is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities ^[64]

Changes from past installments

The transition from 2D computer graphics to 3D environments overlaid on pre-rendered backgrounds^[9][10][11] was accompanied by a focus on a more realistic presentation, which challenged the development team. 2D computer graphics is the Computer -based generation of Digital images mdashmostly from two-dimensional models (such as 2D geometric models text and digital According to Kitase, "Right from the time the decision to go with CD was made he [producer Hironobu Sakaguchi] set down a ground rule for the team saying, 'If the player becomes aware of the access times, we have failed'", demanding that an immersive atmosphere be upheld, which led to the programming of various animations to activate while the game loaded data. A game producer is the person in charge of overseeing development of a Video game. (born November 25, 1962) is a Japanese Game designer, Game director and Game producer. ^[48] While the extra storage capacity and computer graphics to which the team now had access gave them the means to implement more than 40 minutes of full motion video movies^[48]—an unprecedented undertaking in the genre at the time^[48]—this innovation brought with it the added difficulty of ensuring that the inferiority of the in-game graphics in comparison to the full motion video sequences was not too obvious. Full motion video based games, usually abbreviated as FMV-based games, are Video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV -quality movie or Kitase has described the process of making the in-game environments as detailed as possible to be "a daunting task". ^[48]

Among the difficulties faced was the potential inability to render 3D polygon models based on the designs of Yoshitaka Amano, the series' long-time character designer. (born July 28 1952) is a Japanese Artist known for his illustrations for Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs image illustrations As his style was considered too exquisite to be compatible with the visual format of the project, this issue was addressed by bringing Tetsuya Nomura onboard as the project's main artist, while Amano aided in the design of the game's world map. Previously a monster designer for Final Fantasy V,^[65] Nomura's style was more reminiscent of manga, and considered easier to adapt. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in as a part of the Final Fantasy series ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly Another problem faced during development was a rushed production schedule. Veteran series composer Nobuo Uematsu commented in the liner notes of the game's soundtrack: "There is one thing common in all the Final Fantasy games. A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance is a Japanese Video game music Composer and Musician, best known for scoring numerous Final Fantasy titles None of them are complete". Despite delaying the game's release from December 1996 to January 1997, several additions to gameplay and story needed to be made for the game's North American release,^[10] prompting a rerelease in Japan under the title "Final Fantasy VII International".

Design and inspirations

Art director Yusuke Naora refers to the game's atmosphere as "strong [and] dark",^[66] achieved through lighting effects that he considers "the darkest of darkest",^[67] and a story that emphasised realism while drawing on a variety of myths, legends, and religious and philosophical systems to "[use] as a framework for loftier ethical aspirations and ecologically conscious evangelism". Yusuke Naora (直良 有祐 Naora Yūsuke) (born January 9, 1971) is a Japanese Video game Art director, art supervisor ^[8][48] These concepts were reflected in names, such as "Sephiroth",^[68] Cloud's personal conflicts, the permanence of Aeris' death and the plot element of the Lifestream. ^[48][8] Tetsuya Nomura has explained that, during the early stages of development, the game was to have featured only Cloud, Barret and Aeris, with the intention that one of the three would die. ^[8] Feeling that Cloud could not die due to his leading role and that the death of characters such as Barret was already too great a cliché in the Final Fantasy series and fiction in general, he expressed frustration with the frequent presentation of death in fiction as an awe-inspiring, often romantic idea centered around sacrifice and resurrection. As a result, he suggested that Aeris die and not return, believing the audience would not expect such a development and that it would emphasise the sudden, harsh, and irreversible nature of death. ^[8][48] Alternatively, Sakaguchi based the philosophy of the Lifestream on ideas from cultures who believe in an invisible, inextinguishable energy that permeates planets and all life upon them, and was given its in-game representation by Kitase. ^[48]

Members of the development team have revealed that they intended some aspects of the game's story to be left open to the interpretation of individual players. ^[16][69][70] Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima has explained that he intended players to feel encouraged to speculate about what Cloud might be thinking in certain situations rather than be provided with actual insight into what he felt. is a Japanese game Scenario writer and is the founder of Stellavista Ltd ^[18][48] The game's ending left the fate of the characters ambiguous until the release of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children in 2005,^[71][72] but the ultimate fate of humanity remained unclear nonetheless. is a 2005 CGI film directed by Tetsuya Nomura and Takeshi Nozue and produced by Yoshinori Kitase and Shinji Hashimoto. At the time of Advent Children's release, Kitase suggested that the game's epilogue may signify the extinction of human beings. ^[8] However, Nomura has since stated that the game's final scene symbolizes humans living in harmony with nature,^[73] and Square has provided explanations for other details of the game's plot with the publication of the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω guidebook. DigiCube Co Ltd (株式会社デジキューブ Kabushiki-gaisha Dejikyūbu) was a Japanese company established as a subsidiary of Software developer

North American release

The game's release in North America was preceded by a massive three month marketing campaign for which Sony allocated a US$100 million budget. The high-profile campaign consisted of three 30-second television commercials on major networks, a holiday promotion with Pepsi, and printed ads in publications such as Rolling Stone, Details, Spin, Playboy and comic books published by Marvel and DC. Pepsi-Cola is a carbonated beverage that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published Details is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Spin is a Music Magazine that reports on Music for Life Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr Playboy is an American Men's magazine, founded in Chicago Illinois, by Hugh Hefner and his associates which has grown into Playboy A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative Marvel Comics is an American comic book company owned by Marvel Publishing Inc DC Comics is an American comic book and related media company ^[74][75] In 1998, Final Fantasy VII was ported to Windows-based PCs. See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated This re-release featured smoother graphics and fixed certain translation and spelling errors, as well as various gameplay-related glitches. However, the PC version also suffered from its own bugs, including errors in the display of some full motion videos when rendering in hardware mode on certain graphics chipsets. ^[76][77]

Audio

Main article: Music of Final Fantasy VII

The soundtrack for Final Fantasy VII was composed by Nobuo Uematsu. is a Japanese Video game music Composer and Musician, best known for scoring numerous Final Fantasy titles Instead of recorded music and sound effects for the game, Uematsu opted for MIDIs, using the PlayStation's own internal sound chip. MIDI ( Musical Instrument Digital Interface, ˈmɪdi is an industry-standard protocol that enables Electronic musical instruments Computers A sound chip is an Integrated circuit (ie "chip" designed to produce Sound (see Chiptune) He has explained that he chose this method because it allowed the console's CPU to process audio data more quickly, which in turn allowed it to focus more on processing the game's 3D engine and to prevent noticeable load times. The game was originally intended to feature a vocal piece, but this was cut due to the limitations imposed by recorded audio. Vocal music is Music performed by one or more Singers with or without non-vocal instrumental accompaniment However, a song with synthesized choral backing is heard in "One-Winged Angel".

The game's soundtrack was commercially released on four compact discs;^[78][79] a single-disc album of selected tracks from the Original Soundtrack and three selected arranged tracks, entitled "Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks", was released separately. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio In Music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing Music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch such ^[80][81] A piano-only arrangement of selected tracks has also been produced,^[82] and several remixed versions of tracks from the game have surfaced in subsequent Square productions, including Final Fantasy VII Advent Children^[83][84] and Kingdom Hearts. ^[85]

On September 14, 2007, OverClocked ReMix, a website dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of video game music, released a community driven Final Fantasy VII tribute album, entitled Voices of the Lifestream. OverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is an Non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and tribute of Video game music Voices of the Lifestream is an unofficial Tribute album released ^[86] The compilation reinterprets many of the soundtrack's most memorable pieces in various genres, such as rock, jazz, classical, and electronica. Rock music is a genre of Popular music often though not necessarily employing Electric guitar, Bass guitar, and Drums. Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary Electronic music designed for a wide range The album has been met with mass approval from various video game music sites, notable performers, and professional composers. ^[87]

Reception

Final Fantasy VII was both a critical and commercial success, and set several sales records. Within three days of its January 1997 release in Japan, the game had sold 2. 3 million copies. This popularity inspired thousands of retailers in North America to break street dates in September to meet public demand for the title. In Business, a street date is the date a particular product is to be released for sale to the general public ^[88] In the game's debut weekend in North America, it sold 330,000 copies,^[89] and had reached sales of 500,000 units in less than three weeks. ^[90] The momentum built in the game's opening weeks continued for several months; Sony announced that the game had sold one million copies on the continent by early December,^[91] prompting one business analyst to comment that "Sony redefined the role-playing game (RPG) category and expanded the conventional audience with the launch of Final Fantasy VII". ^[91]

Although Square's announcement that Final Fantasy VII would be produced for Sony rather than Nintendo and that it would not be based on the Final Fantasy SGI demo was initially met with discontent among gamers,^[60][61] the game continues to maintain a strong following. It placed second in the "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time" poll by Japanese magazine Famitsu during March 2006,^[92] while users of the video game website GameFAQs voted Final Fantasy VII as the "Best Game Ever"^[93] in November 2005, a little more than one year after it won the site's "Best. (formerly Famicom Tsushin) is a Japanese Video game magazine published by Enterbrain Inc GameFAQs is a Website that hosts FAQs and Walkthroughs for Video games It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and Game. Ever. " tournament in 2004. ^[94] The great review scores and high rankings on multiple best game lists have increased the demand for Final Fantasy VII to the point where the game sells for more than the initial retail price. Used copies sell for more than $60. ^[95]

Critical response

The game received extremely favorable reviews from many well-known gaming publications. GameFan called it "quite possibly the greatest game ever made", while GameSpot commented that "never before have technology, playability, and narrative combined as well as in Final Fantasy VII", expressing particular favor toward the game's graphics, audio and story. GameFan Magazine (originally known as Diehard GameFan Magazine) was a publication started by Tim Lindquist and Dave Halverson in September 1992 that provided GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information The UK-based publication Edge gave the game a 9/10,^[96] and Electronic Gaming Monthly granted a 9. Edge is a multi-format Computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. 5/10, claiming that "No other RPG can pull off a cinematic experience like Final Fantasy VII". ^[11] At the time of release, multimedia website IGN insisted that Final Fantasy VII's "graphics are light years beyond anything ever seen on the PlayStation", held that its plot "is deep … and epic", and regarded its battle system as its strongest point. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video ^[9] One RPGamer staff reviewer praised the game's soundtrack "both in variety and sheer volume", suggesting that "Uematsu has done his work exceptionally well" and "is perhaps at his best here". RPGamer is a media and news Website dedicated to covering computer and Video game RPGs. ^[97]

Final Fantasy VII has received negative criticism as well. GameSpy rated it seventh on their "25 Most Overrated Games" list in September 2003, saying, "Most FF aficionados will tell you that VII, while very good, is hardly the best game in the series", two of the reviewers placing both Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy X above it. GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation in 1999 as part of the is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy series ^[98] While giving the game an overall 5/5, Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine questioned the game's highly linear progression,^[99] as did GameSpot. ^[10] OPM considered the game's translation "a bit muddy, causing unnecessary confusion and clouding the fine story", sentiments echoed by one member of RPGamer's staff who suggested that "[the game] is far from perfect", citing its translation as "packed with typos and other errors which further obscure what is already a very confusing plot". ^[72] GamePro also considered the Japanese-to-English translation a significant weakness in the game,^[77] and IGN regarded the option to use only three characters at a time as "the game's only shortcoming". GamePro is an American Video game magazine published monthly The magazine was first established in Redwood City California in 1989 by Pat Ferrell is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States ^[9] Overall, the game has earned a 92% universal approval rating from critics on Metacritic and Game Rankings. Metacritic is a Website that collates reviews of music Albums games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and Books. Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game ^[100][101]

The game has also been the subject of criticism from parents concerned with violence in video games, particularly in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999. The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday April 20 1999 at Columbine High School in Columbine in unincorporated Jefferson County, Following the event, several parents of children murdered in the massacre filed a US$5 billion lawsuit against companies that published and developed video and computer games. Among the co-defendants were Eidos Interactive, publisher of the PC version of the game, with Final Fantasy VII cited as their offending contribution. Eidos Interactive is a publisher of video and Computer games with its parent company based in England. ^[102][103]

Legacy

Final Fantasy VII is regarded as one of the most influential titles in the history of video games. It is credited with allowing console RPGs to find a place in markets outside Japan, and remains arguably the most popular title in the Final Fantasy series. ^[4][5] In January 2005, it was selected by Electronic Gaming Monthly as 6^th on their list of "the 10 most important games … that helped redefine the industry since … 1989". Citing its "beautiful cut-scenes and a deep, introspective narrative", they claimed that "Square’s game was … the first RPG to surpass, instead of copy, movie-like storytelling. "^[104] As well, in late 2007, Dengeki PlayStation named Final Fantasy VII as the best story, best RPG, and best overall game in their retrospective awards feature about the original PlayStation. is a Japanese gaming magazine published by ASCII Media Works (formally MediaWorks) The PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or informally as PSX) is a 32-bit fifth generation Video game console ^[105]

The game's popularity and open-ended nature also led the director and writer to establish a plot-related connection between Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X, another popular Final Fantasy title. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) and the tenth installment in the Final Fantasy series ^[71] It has also inspired an unofficial version of Final Fantasy VII for the Nintendo Famicom by Chinese company Shenzhen Nanjing Technology. Final Fantasy VII (Chinese 最终幻想7 ZuiZhongHuanXiang 7) is a China-exclusive unofficial unlicensed remake of the 1997 Console role The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by ^[106] This port features the entire Final Fantasy VII game, sans a number of side quests, scaled back to 2D. ^[106]

The game's legacy includes the acceptance and standard inclusion of full motion video sequences in RPGs, as well as significant advancement in computer graphics. These developments would allow series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi to begin production of the first Final Fantasy film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Final Fantasy The Spirits Within is a Science fiction film by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the Final Fantasy series of ^[107] The game also introduced settings dominantly suffused with modern-to-advanced technology into the Final Fantasy series, a theme continued by Final Fantasy VIII and The Spirits Within. ^{[18][19][108]} Rereleases of Square games in Japan with bonus features would occur frequently after the release of Final Fantasy VII International. Later titles that would receive this treatment include Final Fantasy X,^[109] Final Fantasy X-2,^[110] Kingdom Hearts (as "Final Mix"),^[111] Kingdom Hearts II (as "Final Mix+"),^[112] and Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System. is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for Sony 's PlayStation 2.

See also

• Compilation of Final Fantasy VII

References

External links

• Square Enix's official Final Fantasy VII website
• Final Fantasy VII at the Final Fantasy Wiki at Wikia

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