Square Enix’s magnum opus, Final Fantasy VII, which was released in 1997 for the Playstation, is one of the most beloved video games of all time, with hordes of fans willing to attest to its greatness. Unfortunately, like most other games from the 90’s, it’s graphics and gameplay mechanics didn’t age the best for the new generation of gamers who are eager to experience it’s incredible storyline. To combat this issue of aging, the developers at Square Enix decided to remake the game with new graphics, an orchestral soundtrack, and updated gameplay, so that a new generation can enjoy it. Reviews for the aforementioned are mixed pretty much all over, and depending on the source of review, it’s either a modern masterpiece, or an unfaithful waste of money. Whether the game is good or not really seems to depend on the player, which leads to the question of whether or not you, the player, would think it’s good or not. So is it any good?

While Final Fantasy VII: Remake delivers an incredible overhaul in the graphics department, the new additions to the story and some of the components of the revamped gameplay feel tiresome and unnecessary.

The number one problem with Final Fantasy VII is that the remake introduces a new storyline involving characters that weren’t important in the original game. This is noted in almost all reviews of the game, and this storyline which tries to get the player attached to these minor characters, just comes across as tedious, and ends up taking up most of the game. To quote Madison Stremkowski, 13, and a new fan of the series, “It tries to get you to care about [aforementioned characters] when in the original game they had less than a half hour of screentime.”

Another problem with the game is that it’s not completed. Final Fantasy VII: Remake costs $60 on amazon or the Playstation Store, and it doesn’t even cover ¼ of the original game. The original game for the Playstation 1 cost $50 upon release ($85 in 2021, adjusting for inflation), according to Wikipedia, which means you’re buying pieces of the game which add up to cost more than the entire game originally was.

Another problem with the game is that it’s not what fans wanted. About this issue, Madison said, “It could’ve been better at easing new fans into the series without thinking they lost anything [from the original game].” This is important because the remake introduces some complicated elements, and contradicts elements of the plot of the original game. As a new fan of the series Madison recalls thinking, “I wish I could’ve just experienced the game like everyone else had with the original, and not have to look up why something was happening, or if it mattered, since everything in the remake was so different.”

Ultimately it’s up to each player’s gameplay preference, and each player’s budget, but it can be the general consensus of most players that Final Fantasy VII: Remake wasn’t a very faithful or enjoyable remake. If I were at Square Enix, I would listen to the fans and try my hardest to incorporate everything they want, not just what will make the company more money. And of course, if some people are completely able to enjoy FFVII Remake, then kudos to them for being able to enjoy something that I can’t.