How does this compare to the original?

[marLeo]

I love FF VII and played it massively in 1998/99 on PC, which had much nicer 3D accelerated graphics than the PS1 version my friend had.

It still holds some of my most cherished gaming memories of all time.

So my question is, how does this remake compare to the original in depth and detail?

Are the many sub plots and storylines integrated into this game or is this just a streamlined version of the main story?

How is the combat, leveling and materia system in this version, comared to the original?

Are all the party members or the original in this version as well?

How is the dialogue? In the original it was basically only text boxes. Is there voiced over dialogue in this one and if so, how does it compare to the movie FF VII Advent Children?

How is the music of this game compared to the epic soundtrack of the original?
Did they keep the core pieces or did they change it a lot?


I also know that this is only a part of the original.
So, how much of the original storyline is covered in this version?
Where does it end?
Do I get to hate my archnemesis Sephiroth again with a passion in this one, or do I have to wait for part two?

What about the fun fair (Gold Saucer) with all the funny mini games, including Chocobo racing?

Can I still kick the football against the wall on the beach? :D


And last but not least: Would you recommend this one over the original for the content it has in it compared to the original upon this point of progression?

[Koby]

The subtitle Remake is really a play on words. This was advertised as a Remake but playing the game makes it clear that there is more to the subtitle than that. This is further shown by the 2nd part dropping "Remake" from the title and instead being subtitled "Rebirth".

There is several characters in this "Remake" that definitely KNOW the original games events and a certain someone is specifically trying to change the outcome of it. This is also made clear multiple times with the game smacking you in the face with this fact. So it's not a theory, the game literally spells it out for you. So it's less about replacing the original game and more about adding to it. To grasp the full story of this, you're definitely intended to have played the original game.

As for the game... As it's about Remaking the timeline and putting an end to the Whisperers of Fate that dictate events to happen exactly as their meant to be so that future installments can do their own thing... This first part largely plays out very similar to the Midgar segment of the original game.

That being said, the only playable characters in this part are Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Barret. Yuffie is playable in the DLC. Red XIII joins towards the end, but he's controlled by AI and you never get to play at him. This is apparently going to change in Rebirth however.

As for where it ends... It ends where everyone leaves Midgar... only this time around you've killed the Whisperers of Fate and also already fought Sephiroth.

The fair and stuff didn't exist in this part because they never left Midgar. But you do have Fort Condor, VR battles against summons, Cornelios Fighting Arena, and push up mini-games.

No I wouldn't recommend this over the original. The original stands on its own, while this game requires the original to get the full effect and understand fully what is going on. It's a fun game though and I enjoyed my time with it and I'm looking forward to "futures unknown" with Rebirth.

[marLeo]

Thanks for the info so far.

Still not sure, if I should go for a replay of the original or give this one a shot.
Maybe both.

[Weltall8000]

I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but, some of this just comes with the territory of your questions:

1) This game is essentially an expanded Midgar section of the original Final Fantasy VII (OG FF7). It goes more in depth into that first part of OG FF7 with more dialogue, extra scenes and sub plots, new (non playable) characters, and extra areas to explore (functionally "dungeons" as we know them in RPGs). It is around 30-40 hours for a normal first playthrough. There is a New Game+.

2) Combat is straight up Action RPG. Not turn based. YMMV. Personally, I think it is fine. Not amazing, but fun enough and functional. On "Normal" (the highest difficulty until one beats the game and unlocks "Hard") I never intentionally grinded for levels.

Materia, I never optimized it, instead keeping materia growing and swapping to keep them leveling. After beating the game, you get a big bonus modifier to exp and ap gains, and it is trivial to hit level cap. Materia should be easy enough to fill out any gaps due to stragglers with that. Materia itself is not as wide open as in OG FF7, to my knowledge you can't go as wild and make as broken of combos, but it is okay.

3) Who you would get in Midgar, yes, will join your party. Red XIII joins as a guest near the end of the game, but is not playable.

4) It is fully voiced. YMMV, I thought Barret was good, as were Jesse and Biggs, Cloud was fine, as was Rude, everyone else kind of sucked IMO. The script was okay, corny/stilted at times, but, so was OG.

5) Music. A lot of remixes of old tracks. Most of them were good, with a few that were really good. Only a few that I disliked. It was neat hearing some reimaginings of the old songs that have been bouncing around in my head for 25 years.

6) Again, through Midgar. Some variations, with extra scenes and some changes to original events.

7) You will feel the hand of your archnemesis.

8) No Gold Saucer here, don't get that far. There are some mini games though.

9) Don't get to the beach yet.

10) This is subjective opinion, but, OG is hands down better. This does introduce some new things that existing fans may find interesting, as well as just revisiting old friends.

[Bad_Conduct]

Originally posted by marLeo:

I love FF VII and played it massively in 1998/99 on PC, which had much nicer 3D accelerated graphics than the PS1 version my friend had. :skyelaugh:

It still holds some of my most cherished gaming memories of all time.

So my question is, how does this remake compare to the original in depth and detail?

Are the many sub plots and storylines integrated into this game or is this just a streamlined version of the main story?

How is the combat, leveling and materia system in this version, comared to the original?

Are all the party members or the original in this version as well?

How is the dialogue? In the original it was basically only text boxes. Is there voiced over dialogue in this one and if so, how does it compare to the movie FF VII Advent Children?

How is the music of this game compared to the epic soundtrack of the original?
Did they keep the core pieces or did they change it a lot?


I also know that this is only a part of the original.
So, how much of the original storyline is covered in this version?
Where does it end?
Do I get to hate my archnemesis Sephiroth again with a passion in this one, or do I have to wait for part two?

What about the fun fair (Gold Saucer) with all the funny mini games, including Chocobo racing?

Can I still kick the football against the wall on the beach? :D


And last but not least: Would you recommend this one over the original for the content it has in it compared to the original upon this point of progression?

Pretend they made a 1/3rd of PS3 version of this game that was heavily based on FFXIII, but it was terribly reviewed in beta, so they shelved it.

Then 5 years later, they dig it up, port it to UE4, put a fresh coat of paint on it (like almost every FF title on Steam), added some sort of tradition materia system to keep old fans happy and loaded it with overpriced CGI cut scenes to drag the game out.

That's what this is. It's a remaster of an unreleased PS2/3 era game, it plays like one. You play this, then go to FF XV for five minutes and it's painfully obvious how dated the menu system, combat, movement, quest system, maps, etc are. Same bad dub you would expect from, I dunno, Type-0 or something.

[JJJohhh]

This game isn't FF7. This is Nomura making a fan-fiction of FF7 where no one dies. Remember the people that always where like "I wish Aerith and Zack didn't die!!!". This is the game for those people.

[marLeo]

Originally posted by Weltall8000:

I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but, some of this just comes with the territory of your questions:
...

Thank you for this detailed breakdown.

[OfficerTerror]

its 1/4th of the game for $70 theyre gonna remake the other parts and sell them to you later making this actually a $280 single player with 0 replayability. In the end the story is super long but id rather watch a 48hr megacut from some streamer than pay $280 for a game ill play once.

[marLeo]

Originally posted by OfficerTerror:

its 1/4th of the game for $70 theyre gonna remake the other parts and sell them to you later making this actually a $280 single player with 0 replayability.

You're right. The pricetag is very steep.
I've just rebought the original version, since I expect my disks from 1998 probably won't work with newer hardware, and I'm gonna play that one first.
Waiting on a real sale for the remake, before buying.

[Lyff]

Originally posted by marLeo:

Thanks for the info so far.

Still not sure, if I should go for a replay of the original or give this one a shot.
Maybe both. :happy_yeti:

Wait until the 3 parts are available & they make a really cheap bundle. It's clearly not worth the money when a 100% normal mode first run take you 15 hours + 2 hours DLC (20 + 4 hours if you're slacking). It's more like they tried to make a game like Quantic Dreams & failed miserably using their ARPG style instead of QTE. Doesn't offer anything to justify the price, all it has is nice graphics, so it's an overpriced movie.

[marLeo]

Originally posted by Lyff:

Wait until the 3 parts are available & they make a really cheap bundle.

That's basically the plan.
I just started playing the original today and it's great all over again, only this time it's in 4k.

First time meeting Aeris again send chills down my spine, knowing what I know frrom 24 years ago.

[OfficerTerror]

Originally posted by marLeo:

Originally posted by Lyff:

Wait until the 3 parts are available & they make a really cheap bundle.

That's basically the plan.
I just started playing the original today and it's great all over again, only this time it's in 4k.

First time meeting Aeris again send chills down my spine, knowing what I know frrom 24 years ago.

save your money meet her as Zack instead, Crisis Core remake is awesome and they dont hide 3/4ths of the game from you in small print at the bottom of the discription.

[harken23]

The difference btw this and the original is the graphics upgrade, and the removal of Turn Based Combat. Everything else is identical, including the railiroading of the characters from one cutscene to the next. It worked in 1997. In 2022 it feels incredibly dated. Hopefully the world will open up in part 2, but I won't find out until all 3 are in a bundle together, and at a VERY steep discount.

Don't believe the hype on this game.

I will say that Tifa was my first video game crush, and she looks incredible.

[Bad_Conduct]

Originally posted by harken23:

The difference btw this and the original is the graphics upgrade, and the removal of Turn Based Combat. Everything else is identical, including the railiroading of the characters from one cutscene to the next. It worked in 1997. In 2022 it feels incredibly dated. Hopefully the world will open up in part 2, but I won't find out until all 3 are in a bundle together, and at a VERY steep discount.

Don't believe the hype on this game.

I will say that Tifa was my first video game crush, and she looks incredible.

FF7 is a game that has cutscenes.
FF7R is a movie, and you get to walk around the set between takes.

[marLeo]

Originally posted by OfficerTerror:

save your money meet her as Zack instead, Crisis Core remake is awesome and they dont hide 3/4ths of the game from you in small print at the bottom of the discription.

I might give Crisis Core a shot.
Played it on PSP for a bit but didn't finish and now my PSP is broken - thanks to a stupid raindrop getting into the right speaker.

But first I'm gonna finish the original again.
Just got to Costa del Sol, so still a long way to go.

[AzumiG]

I'm from a country anything game related is expensive (consoles, games, PC), when the OG game has come out back 97 I was too young to play JRPGs, so I would first see the FFVII (and FF franchise as a whole) when the Advent Children movie has come out in DVD (I was in the early teens). At that time the CGI work the SE had made was mesmerizing for me as also the work of voice-acting that had been made. Couple years later I've played Dirge of Cerberus and Kingdom Hearts franchise, Crisis Core until the FFVII Remake had come out and pandemics had messed up and the distributors had decided to not bring the physical media version of the game into my country. I waited for two years to be able to afford a better PC as also buy the game with discount (which happened two weaks ago).

Why I write all of this? For matters of aesthetic and immersion (and how I got into the FVII story), I prefer the 3D CGI over the pixel art which is the OG game, so I didn't played the original one. The battle in turns I'm acostumed because it's very similiar (if not equal) to KH. FFVII Remake has been a new and good experience for me until so far.

The (big) downgrade for me is the english voice-acting, I simply dislike how Sephiroth sounds in this game. He sounds like one dimensional, there's no depth that the original-voice actor had made in all of the games and movies which Sephiroth appeared and provided the english language, and from I heard it happened the same for Zack Fair in Crisis Core. (I did some research, the devs decided to change the original voice-actors to hire ACTORS from Warner Bros/HBO/CW and I don't know why). So yeah, I changed to japanese language and THEN I'd the full imersion of the game and gaming had gone smoothly so far.

And by that note I'll buy Crisis Core with a pretty discount and I hope when the Rebirth part come out they had done something with the english voice-acting (mainly don't mess up with Vincent's voice).