LTTP - Final Fantasy 7 Remake

[Mr.Fletcher]

Managed to snag a PS5 at release and have been working my way through some significant PS4 titles I missed.

Started with Ghost of Tsushima - which I adored - and polished off Doom Eternal yesterday - a game I also enjoyed greatly.

Now, I'm four hours into Final Fantasy 7 Remake and I'm digging it. It looks great, sounds fantastic and feels fun to play.

The opening sequence is excellent and really pulls you into the world. FF7 is a classic and you can tell Square Enix pulled out all the stops to deliver. There's a great energy to it and events unfold at a good clip. I think the pacing in the first chapter is excellent.

I also loved seeing the aftermath of the bombing mission and enjoyed hearing all the incidental dialogue as you make your escape. It makes Midgar feel real. It's linear for sure, but that's not a bad thing for me.

I've spent a chunk of time in the slums and have completed a bunch of side missions. I've now been asked by Jessie to help her out on a mission and that's where I've left it.

I'm enjoying the characters but obviously I've not spent much time with them yet and there's a lot more to come.

I've been gaming for the best part of 30 years so I'm familiar with FF7, but I must confess I have no real nostalgia for it and only dabbled when it first released all those years ago. I know this game makes some big changes from the original release, but that's not an issue for me.

I do have a few minor quibbles.

It can look fantastic, but it can also look a bit rough. It's bizarre. When it's firing on all cylinders it looks almost next gen. The character models, the vivid environments, the camera work and the seamless transitions... they all make the game feel expensive. But then there's low resolution textures in very prominent places. In the slums, some doors look like they haven't loaded in, while NPCs pop into existence and text can appear pixelated.

Overall, it looks great and I've only played a few hours. It's just weird. It feels harsh to mention NPC models and their strange mouth movements, but you can't help but notice them.

I also don't like how I'm trying to listen to my party as I move through the streets and I'm bombarded by conversations vying for my attention. The slums, as a locale, is awesome. There's a fantastic sense of place to it. It feels lifelike. The dialogue you hear as you traverse the area is a big part of that, but I wish the dialogue wasn't so overwhelming. However, I recognise it's a double-edged sword.

The last one is Sephiroth - and it's a bit of a weird one for me. I've absorbed a lot of knowledge about this character through simply playing games over the years - I know his importance. That said, his early appearances feel like a wink at the audience. The way he appears, says a couple of cryptic lines and then disappears... I know it's setting various things up for the future, but I don't know, it just feels self-indulgent. From my understanding, he's used more sparingly in the original, at least initially. Through this lens, it feels like Square Enix is treating Sephiroth more as the fan favourite he has become, rather than the character he was. It's probably a bit unfair to think about the character in this way, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't cross my mind. I could be way of base. This is probably a case of reading things ahead of time, making me a little bit more critical - but I just thought I'd mention it.

So yeah, late to the party, but I'm enjoying myself and am excited to play more. Any words of warning or things I should look out for?

 

[Giga Man]

I saw that "Final Fant." ;)

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I saw that "Final Fant." ;)

Click to shrink...

Fuck! :P

 

[Souls Survivor]

The handling of Sephiroth seems to be a common criticism. He feels more like his compilation counterpart, whereas the other characters feel more true to the OG FF7.

The change was intentional though. Sephiroth was supposed to be like Jaws in the original game, where he was built up through the story and held back until the later. Since he's become such a gaming icon though, the creators didn't think the same approach would work as well in the remake, so they put him more in the forefront: https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-vii-devs-wanted-sephiroth-to-feel-like-ja-1842908088

After finishing the game I'm not sure I agree with that decision, but I can see where they're coming from though.

 

[DecoReturns]

The handling of Sephiroth seems to be a common criticism. He feels more like his compilation counterpart, whereas the other characters feel more true to the OG FF7.

The change was intentional though. Sephiroth was supposed to be like Jaws in the original game, where he was built up through the story and held back until the later. Since he's become such a gaming icon though, the creators didn't think the same approach would work as well in the remake, so they put him more in the forefront: https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-vii-devs-wanted-sephiroth-to-feel-like-ja-1842908088

After finishing the game I'm not sure I agree with that decision, but I can see where they're coming from though.

Click to shrink...

I also don't agree with the devs approach after playing Remake. I feel like following the same thing as the original would've work honestly.

Spoiler: Late game Spoilers

especially since Shinra break-In was poorly done and lost its creepy/tense factor in remake. The suspense to seeing him again would've worked since the game is so long.

 

[The Unsent]

Yeah indeed whatever the intent, Sephiroth is indeed more annoying and smug in this one.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

Got back from finishing up Jessie's personal mission, beat the 'ghosts' and I'm now in the underground tunnels with Barret and Tifa.

I said it at the top, but I really do love the slums. While it is just a collection of hallways, it's got so much character.

I really enjoy the conversations you hear as you walk through the streets, the people crowding around the TV, the people sifting through the junk, the women arguing over 'slum fashion'. You've got the plate overhead, the neon lights In the sky and the humungous industrial structures in the distance. And you're just there in the slums, surrounding by rats and rubbish - but it's cosy.

Again, it's a simple area, but I must say I adore it.

I also really dug the visit to Jessie's home. Yeah, the motorcycle section was alright, as was the battle at the base. But it's that quiet little street that really pulled me in. Great music and wonderful world building.

Midgar is such a cool location and I'm really enjoying just discovering it as I go along - no matter how linear it is.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

It's fantastic. It's the level of world-building, personality and scale I've been longing for since FFX. I'm playing the original game for the first time in chunks before their remake counterpart with friends, but FF7R has realized what the original did in an extremely fulfilling way. I will agree though that Sephiroth's saturation in the game is bordering on fan service levels.

 

[ciD_Vain]

Playing as Tifa or Cloud with right shortcuts to their different abilities and stuff really made the battle system click and feel more seamless for me.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

You're in for a ride, OP. The game delivers in so many ways. It does a lot to flesh out the world and make it seem more "real" like in those segments you mentioned.

For me, it would be an A+, 10/10 experience if it weren't for two major flaws, one of which you already touched on with how Sephiroth is handled. FF7 is basically like the original Star Wars trilogy of the gaming world - it has such a gigantic place in popular culture these days that I can see why the devs chose to handle it through a meta-narrative. It is, quite honestly, extremely clever, and depending on how they pull it off it can have an amazing landing. But it's also incredibly risky, and doesn't exactly paint a picture of invitation for new viewers or a picture of confidence for die-hard fans. I have faith in them, but I can see why others are put off by it.

The second, and much more egregious issue, is the pacing. It is very obvious that Midgar was stretched out to fit the length of a single game. Every nook and cranny was made with love and reverence, but only so much time can be spent in nooks and crannies, literally. There are three major "filler segments" throughout the game, and one of them is in the final dungeon, and comes at a moment that was the pinnacle of suspense in the original. As much as I love the game, I can't give it a full pass for how padded it is. Docks at least two points from its final score, and that's from someone who adores the source material and the game as a whole.

All that aside, I was astounded at how my beloved lego diorama world came to life in this remake. It's how I pictured it in my head all those years ago. They dropped the flanderization of the main cast from the compilation entries. The line-to-line dialogue flows in a way that feels more natural and human than it did in the original. Characters who were more comic relief in the original (Barret) get a bit more depth and substance even before their big deep dive that comes later in the story. Cloud's personality problem was absolutely nailed - the directors knew he was a shy kid putting up a tough guy act, and they made sure it showed. And the segments that were added to the main story, like the extra mission with Avalanche, almost feel as if they were missing from the original.

I will say that the English translation really left me miffed. A lot of liberty was taken with excess cursing and sometimes outright personality changes (Rude is a lot less thuggish in the original Japanese and in other languages, for example). I haven't played it in English, so I can't speak for the VA, but the translation left some things to be desired. It wasn't terrible, though.

 

[Chitown B]

I started this about a week or 10 days ago and I'm 30 hours in, just hit Chapter 15. Really enjoying it so far. I never was a huge FF7 fan as Square pissed me off at a Nintendo fan. But this is very nice. I did eventually play FF7 but I really don't remember much of this - it seems like from what i can tell, pretty much just the very beginning of the game.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

Just made my way through the second Mako Reactor section, beat the 'Big Boy' and met Aerith.

While I could be harsh and say you spend too much time traversing the train lines, that navigating the catwalks to turn off the lights felt like filler and the reactor section was unspectacular...

... I could just as easily say I loved the narrative progression, the environments and the final boss - which is all the more awesome because you can tactically weaken the robot ahead of time.

And those latter qualities overshadow the so so level design to me. Being able to choose which components to deprive the boss of was an inspired design choice. It's choice woven into a very linear section. Very clever.

I also liked the silly lever pulling side mission and some of the side routes that let you nab cool loot. I like the linearity of this game and while I do think Square Enix could stand to open things up a little bit more, I'm not yearning for more freedom yet.

All of this was before meeting Aerith, which has to be one of the highlights of the game for me so far. The chemistry between her and Cloud is immediately obvious. And that slow 10 minutes or so of the two characters navigating the rooftops, just talking as they go, was fantastic for me. Aerith just has a spark that I'm digging so far. I wasn't sure what to make of her during the first chance encounter with her earlier on. I wasn't sure if I'd take to her, but the 10/15 minutes I've just experienced were awesome.

I'm warming to the characters - though Barret is just kind of there for me - but I immediately liked Aerith. Cloud is starting to open up a bit too.

I've just arrived at the train station and am excited to play more.

 

[Chitown B]

Barrett gets a lot better. plus he's gone from a lot of the middle of the remake.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

Barrett gets a lot better. plus he's gone from a lot of the middle of the remake.

Click to shrink...

That's good to hear. I don't think he's bad, but he's a bit flat so far. It's like yeah, yeah, Mako is the lifeblood of the planet, what else ya got?

 

[PBalfredo]

I'm LTTP to this game too. I'm a bit further ahead, just starting chapter 14. I'm really impressed by the game and I'm having a great time.

There is a lot to say about this game, for now I just want to say how amazed I am with the soundtrack. It takes the already great foundation of FFVII's soundtrack and just goes with it. Especially with the remixes you find for the jukebox. I wish they would duck out the normal background music completely when listening to the jukebox because those remixes are slick as hell!

 

[FlashbladeERA]

The handling of Sephiroth seems to be a common criticism. He feels more like his compilation counterpart, whereas the other characters feel more true to the OG FF7.

The change was intentional though. Sephiroth was supposed to be like Jaws in the original game, where he was built up through the story and held back until the later. Since he's become such a gaming icon though, the creators didn't think the same approach would work as well in the remake, so they put him more in the forefront: https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-vii-devs-wanted-sephiroth-to-feel-like-ja-1842908088

After finishing the game I'm not sure I agree with that decision, but I can see where they're coming from though.

Click to shrink...

There's a...

Spoiler: little more to the decision

....story reason why he is featured more prominently, that you don't get until later in the game

Spoiler: End game spoiler

the game is a Re-quel(Remake/sequel)

Advent Children SEQUEL Sephiroth(Black wing angel confirms this...he had a white one in the original) goes back in time to REMAKE the events in order to change his fate/death.

The whispers show up every time the timeline is changed... (The first Instance)Sephiroth shows up early and delays Cloud on purpose in order to prevent Cloud from meeting Aerith. The whispers show up to fix the time line by preventing Aerith from leaving.

Once Cloud and Aerith meet, the encounter lasts a little too long, so the whispers show up again so Aerith doesn't get caught up in the battle with the Shinra soldiers.

 

[Chasex]

There are a few sections with Aerith which are done so well it made the entire game worth playing. The game is at its best in the quiet sections where it's just the characters and the interactions. The rooftop section with Aerith and Midnight rendezvous in particular.

 

[julia crawford]

I'm just finishing Odyssey and then i'll be playing this!! Excite!!!!

 

[ARobotCalledV]

FF7 Remake was my game of 2020 and is also one of my all time favorites. I loved almost every second (the train tunnels being the only exception due to their bland visual design) and I can't wait for the next one.

 

[Chitown B]

I have a feeling the new whispers factor into maybe bringing Aerith back OR being an excuse for why they don't. Fate and all. I'm on chapter 17

 

[Spiderman]

It only gets better :)

The sense of scale is done excellent in later chapters.

 

[Souls Survivor]

There's a...

Spoiler: little more to the decision

....story reason why he is featured more prominently, that you don't get until later in the game

Spoiler: End game spoiler

the game is a Re-quel(Remake/sequel)

Advent Children SEQUEL Sephiroth(Black wing angel confirms this...he had a white one in the original) goes back in time to REMAKE the events in order to change his fate/death.

The whispers show up every time the timeline is changed... (The first Instance)Sephiroth shows up early and delays Cloud on purpose in order to prevent Cloud from meeting Aerith. The whispers show up to fix the time line by preventing Aerith from leaving.

Once Cloud and Aerith meet, the encounter lasts a little too long, so the whispers show up again so Aerith doesn't get caught up in the battle with the Shinra soldiers.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler

Very true, I was mostly trying to respond to OP's point in a non-spoilery way. Sephiroth feels weirdly like his Advent Children counterpart throughout the game, until you reach the end and realize that it IS the Advent Children Sephiroth (or at least a Sephiroth with similar knowledge).

There's still a part of me though that wishes that they had waited until Shinra tower to reveal him rather than through the little teases throughout the game. In retrospect, the teases are pretty clever in how they are basically foreshadowing disguised as questionable character portrayal, but it does take some wind out of the pre-Chapter 18 finale. Which coupled with some other design decisions made that finale one of the only real disappointments for me in the game.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

That's good to hear. I don't think he's bad, but he's a bit flat so far. It's like yeah, yeah, Mako is the lifeblood of the planet, what else ya got?

Click to shrink...

He is so much better in the Remake than he was in Midgar in the original. He was basically a one note angry big dude until his story segment at Corel. In the Remake they made him more down to earth and human (comparatively to his old self)

Not sure if you've actually seen any of that yet. I think you should have at least gotten the Stamp conversation, and why Barret hates him - that was some really nice added depth for me

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

He is so much better in the Remake than he was in Midgar in the original. He was basically a one note angry big dude until his story segment at Corel. In the Remake they made him more down to earth and human (comparatively to his old self)

Not sure if you've actually seen any of that yet. I think you should have at least gotten the Stamp conversation, and why Barret hates him - that was some really nice added depth for me

Click to shrink...

I do like him, but so far, I think he's the weakest of the main cast (who I determine to be Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and Barret at this point). I do agree with you though, he's had some nice moments in fits and starts.

There's the odd conversation here and there, the odd joke, some cool details to his character. I think I just want a few conversations where he's not shouting. I feel like, given how larger-than-life he is as a character, some quiet moments would really round him out.

The end of the second reactor run seemed to signify his feelings towards Cloud changing, so maybe that's on the horizon. Or maybe, as you mentioned, he'll get a bit more 'light and shade' as the story progresses (maybe in part two?).

 

[FlashbladeERA]

Spoiler

Very true, I was mostly trying to respond to OP's point in a non-spoilery way. Sephiroth feels weirdly like his Advent Children counterpart throughout the game, until you reach the end and realize that it IS the Advent Children Sephiroth (or at least a Sephiroth with similar knowledge).

There's still a part of me though that wishes that they had waited until Shinra tower to reveal him rather than through the little teases throughout the game. In retrospect, the teases are pretty clever in how they are basically foreshadowing disguised as questionable character portrayal, but it does take some wind out of the pre-Chapter 18 finale. Which coupled with some other design decisions made that finale one of the only real disappointments for me in the game.

Click to shrink...

Spoiler: I know what you mean

I was like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING SQUARE?!!" when he showed up on the way to the train station and twice at the advent children style battle and final battle at the edge of nothing.

I'm not gonna lie, a small part of me wanted a traditional full-scale remake for the people that never played FF7.

...But having played the original so long ago (as well as waited patiently for Square to actually make the game instead of just showing "teaser demos"), I'm happy I got a sequel/remake that expands on the stuff I remember, while still throwing in some twists to keep veterans like me speculating and excited to see what comes next.

 

[Deleted member 6263]

That said, his early appearances feel like a wink at the audience.

Click to shrink...

Sephiroth is less a wink and more like a nudge-nudge-look-it's-Sephiroth-hey-did-you-notice-Sephiroth-is-here kind of thing in Remake. It'll make a bit more sense the longer you play, but maybe not in a way that doesn't just annoy you by the end.

 

[Ferrs]

Not only Barret, overall the writting gets better in the second half. Sometimes it was insuferrable in the first half. But yeah Barret is the most notable improvement, Cloud and Tifa keeps being bland from start to finish. I didn't even like Aerith that much in the original but she's the most improved character in the Remake.

 

[Chitown B]

Well I died on the last boss when they had 1% health. I hit them with Tifa's limit break and somehow she got hit and killed, and Cloud with her. Now I have to start it over and I'm not happy.

 

[Quinton]

Well I died on the last boss when they had 1% health. I hit them with Tifa's limit break and somehow she got hit and killed, and Cloud with her. Now I have to start it over and I'm not happy.

Click to shrink...

Ouch, my condolences.

 

[Laguna]

I don't understand why people compares a 40 hours game only against the 3/4 first hours of the original. If we compare in equal conditions, the original FFVII developes much more the characters than in the remake in even less hours.

 

[Touha]

I enjoyed the game but did not find it as amazing as expected and hyped up to be. Great combat system for a rpg but otherwise found the whole experience fairly average. I did not play the original though.

 

[ngower]

I'm about eight hours in and struggling to wrap my head around the defensive side of things. I know how the attack is supposed to work but I'm taking tons of damage and burning through items.

 

[Mung]

Enjoy OP. Its an amazing game. Wish I could start again for the first time.

 

[Legacy]

I'm two trophies from the play, should be done this weekend. Fantastic game but the filler before you meet Aerith is a bit much

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

Started chapter nine now. Aerith equals awesome. Sorry Tifa.

 

[Chitown B]

Finished. I don't like that there isn't a free roam at the end - I like the game but it was very straightforward. What I enjoy about RPGs is the freedom to roam around. I hope part 2 has a world map.

 

[Bold One]

Started chapter nine now. Aerith equals awesome. Sorry Tifa.

Click to shrink...

A fellow person of intellect and culture.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

A fellow person of intellect and culture.

Click to shrink...

I feel like Aerith easily outshines Tifa (as of the start of Chapter 10) - she just gets a lot more.

She's highlighted in the opening cinematic and gets a nice early exchange with Cloud. The game basically spells out that she is significant, but you're not sure why yet.

Once you fall through the church roof, you get that wonderful stretch of character work as Cloud and Aerith head to the station and then the slums.

There's some great banter between the two.

You then see her interact with the locals, before she visits the orphanage and the pair head to her home. And just when you think she's going to be sidelined again, she sneaks out to take you home.

She's fun, funny and a bit of a flirt... but she's also strong, clever and knows how to handle herself. She's empathetic as well. She's got a 'girl next door' energy about her.

You can't help but smile when she appears from nowhere as you leave the slums in the middle of the night. She's not stupid.

I do generally think the game showcases Tifa as a character too, but it's sandwiched between a lot of big plot points and she generally shares her early screen time with other members of Avalanche. She gets reacquainted with Cloud when he is at his lowest and the gang are already eyeing another reactor run. There's also a sizeable chunk of that time dedicated to Jessie's personal request.

Tifa's great for sure, but I never felt she got the focus in the same way.

From the moment you meet Aerith for the second time, to the end of the following chapter, it feels like time stands still. It's less about saving the planet as a fairweather eco terrorist and more about getting to know this strange girl and trying to figure out why people are after her. I think Cloud's reaction to Aerith in her red dress is the most he's emoted in the game so far. lol

Simply put, I think the game wants Aerith to be a bigger deal... at least so far.

 

[Chitown B]

yeah I liked Aerith but it felt artificial. Like they were responding to 20 years of putting her up on a pedestal and wishing she didn't die. Tifa got the shaft.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

yeah I liked Aerith but it felt artificial. Like they were responding to 20 years of putting her up on a pedestal and wishing she didn't die. Tifa got the shaft.

Click to shrink...

I dig Aerith. She's my favourite character so far. But I think the game does bend over backwards to make you like her. It feels like she's been designed to be the 'ultimate woman' for certain players.

And hey, it does work for me, but I can see why some people might feel like the game is pushing them to like her.

I've done a big chunk of Chapter 12...

Spoiler

Jessie had just died and I'm about to reunite with Barret. Brilliant chapter so far. Extremely linear as per usual, but stuffed full of strong story moments and great character work. Cloud storming the pillar, Aerith's mission to rescue Marlene and all the poignant moments involving Avalanche - it's all really enjoyable stuff.

The stakes feel high and there's a great energy to it all. It comes after a cool 'filler' chapter with Cloud, Aerith and Tifa making their way through the train graveyard. Those three characters just work so well together. Loved it, despite it feeling inconsequential overall.

I don't think the game is flawless, but you can tell so much love was poured into it. Square Enix respects FF7, it's world and it's characters a lot. I know some people disagree with some of the changes - particularly at the end - but it's hard to fault the team on pure effort.

While I can't speak to the experience of playing this after the original, I can only imagine the joy fans of the first game have felt seeing this world brought to life in 2020. It must be a trip.

 

[ultima786]

I dig Aerith. She's my favourite character so far. But I think the game does bend over backwards to make you like her. It feels like she's been designed to be the 'ultimate woman' for certain players.

And hey, it does work for me, but I can see why some people might feel like the game is pushing them to like her.

I've done a big chunk of Chapter 12...

Spoiler

Jessie had just died and I'm about to reunite with Barret. Brilliant chapter so far. Extremely linear as per usual, but stuffed full of strong story moments and great character work. Cloud storming the pillar, Aerith's mission to rescue Marlene and all the poignant moments involving Avalanche - it's all really enjoyable stuff.

The stakes feel high and there's a great energy to it all. It comes after a cool 'filler' chapter with Cloud, Aerith and Tifa making their way through the train graveyard. Those three characters just work so well together. Loved it, despite it feeling inconsequential overall.

I don't think the game is flawless, but you can tell so much love was poured into it. Square Enix respects FF7, it's world and it's characters a lot. I know some people disagree with some of the changes - particularly at the end - but it's hard to fault the team on pure effort.

While I can't speak to the experience of playing this after the original, I can only imagine the joy fans of the first game have felt seeing this world brought to life in 2020. It must be a trip.

Click to shrink...

I couldn't believe how good chapter 12 was. The music, the pacing, the intensity. It was almost perfect.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I couldn't believe how good chapter 12 was. The music, the pacing, the intensity. It was almost perfect.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, I look forward to jumping back in tonight and seeing how the chapter plays out. It feels like there's a lot of momentum. I've not even finished this game yet and I'm already thinking about the next part... even if it is years away! :(

 

[Chitown B]

I really enjoyed the game. I just wish there was a post game area to explore and level up instead of just replaying chapters. I know why they did this though, because they have to pick right up to do Part 2 directly after someday.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

Polished off chapter 12, finished chapter 13 and have just completed the first small section at Aerith's house in chapter 14.

Fantastic stuff.

The game has really hit its stride now. While I could bemoan the backtracking in chapter 13 and the very narrow level design, the story is really heating up.

Barret finally got the chapter and character moments he needed to win me over and I dug playing as him for an extended period. It was cool to be without Cloud for a bit. The combat has really grown on me and I think it strikes a fantastic balance between two distinct styles.

It was so satisfying to see the aftermath of the plate drop too - it's that great world building I mentioned in earlier posts in action again.

I've mentioned linearity in recent posts and I think it's because the more you the play the game, the more noticeable it is. I mean, it's noticeable from the off, but it becomes more and more apparent. On some level, I think it does irk me. I generally think they do a great job of building hyper linear story sequences, narrow areas with optional off-shoots, encounters and equipment to find and then slightly more open areas like the slums. There's a nice blend there.

But it's when you feast your eyes on these truly fantastical environment, glance at the map and realise you're actually in a corridor, despite all the lavish production value on show.

I think the strength of the environmental art, combat, storytelling, characters, music and graphics really do the heavy lifting - and to be fair, that's a lot of great stuff. But I do hope SE blow the play space out a little more in the second game. A bit more freedom could go a long way.

 

[julia crawford]

In the meantime i am also playing this now.

How can this game be so good. It's officially the first game that has made me cry.

 

[ventuno]

I'm glad you're still enjoying the game! I think that the game has been setting up Barrett's full character much better compared to the original. They're doing more to validate his anger beyond the obvious and setting up future development later.

I agree that there is some linearity to the game. While I understand why the pace is more controlled than it could be at this point, I think they've overestimated how much leeway they had.

I'm not impressed with Sephiroth, but we're early enough that they still have enough opportunities to show his appeal is more than what he's flanderized to be. I'm not that worried... yet. I hope that they will make characterization choices that are as great as the ones they've done for the main cast and some supporting characters so far, it would be unfortunate not to seize the chance they have to make some thoughtful additions, especially when hey've proven they're willing to do so if Barrett and Aerith are any indication.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I'm on the homestretch now - well, almost, I've just started chapter 17. So that's chapter 14, 15 and 16 done since my last post. That's a lot to talk about.

Spoiler

Chapter 14 was... interesting. It's probably the worst chapter in the game in the sense that, if you want to do the side quests, it brings the story to a screeching halt just when it's heating up. The missions are all fluff too. The game recycles several environments, forces you to backtrack through bland corridors and generally just gets in its own way. Worse still, when you follow the critical path, you're led down to the sewers for a mini story that just feels so superfluous. You're reward? Some souped-up grapple guns. It just feels strung out. I did enjoy seeing a few familiar faces again and it's cool to see New Market in the day, but overall it felt like a diversion the game didn't need. And I say that because the game is rich enough. There's a lot to enjoy already.

It's optional so I can't be too harsh, but the game really pulls you into the world and makes you want to partake in this stuff... it's just a shame it's not a bit better. The chapter's placement in the story also doesn't do it any favours. It's not bad and I didn't hate it, but I was glad when it was over.

Chapter 15 was a good palate cleanser. The choice to bathe the environment in a deep orange, gives the level a cool vibe. It's really combat heavy, which is fine as I enjoy the battle system. There's some cool cutscenes and a nice little moment where the party look out over the remains of sector seven. Ignoring the fact that the distant wreckage looks like a fuzzy JPEG, traversing up destroyed buildings was such a cool experience. It really gives the world a sense of scale. It felt like a good warm up chapter for the upcoming events too.

Chapter 16 was amazing for me. The atmosphere is just so special. You start outside this gigantic building you can't even frame in the camera, fight through the garage and then make your way up to the labs. There's a giant green light you walk past early on and the characters hold up their hands to protect there eyes. It's such a cool little detail. Once inside Shinra HQ, you're met with this super clean, neon-lit architecture. It just oozes class and feels like a different world to the one inhabited by the poor in the slums. I listened in to nearly every conversation and got a kick out of the little 'platforming' section with Tifa. You've got people watching the latest propaganda on the TV, others are talking about Avalanche and some are trying to reach loved ones who have gone radio silent after the plate drop. You've got the rooms of employees working at double pace following the disaster, the helpful mayor, the exceptional ancients video, the soldier who recognises Cloud, the scene between Hojo and Aerith...

... it's just utterly fantastic. I took the stairs, which was a good fun too. I loved that it wasn't just a balls to the wall, battle-a-thon up the building. It was more of an exploratory chapter with some big battles near the beginning and end. I didn't really know what to expect, but I didn't think I'd be going on a mini museum tour, or exploring a library, or making my way through cafes and reception rooms at a leisurely place. There's even a bit of vocal music thrown into the mix as well.

I could gush about this chapter forever. I'm not saying it's some game design masterclass. It's not. But I think the game pulls together so many of its individual pieces into something special here. I've left so much out too, but I've got to stop somewhere.

So yeah, not loads left from what I understand. I hope to press on and get it done at some point this week.

I'm glad you're still enjoying the game! I think that the game has been setting up Barrett's full character much better compared to the original. They're doing more to validate his anger beyond the obvious and setting up future development later.

I agree that there is some linearity to the game. While I understand why the pace is more controlled than it could be at this point, I think they've overestimated how much leeway they had.

I'm not impressed with Sephiroth, but we're early enough that they still have enough opportunities to show his appeal is more than what he's flanderized to be. I'm not that worried... yet. I hope that they will make characterization choices that are as great as the ones they've done for the main cast and some supporting characters so far, it would be unfortunate not to seize the chance they have to make some thoughtful additions, especially when hey've proven they're willing to do so if Barrett and Aerith are any indication.

Click to shrink...

I think giving Barret just a few scenes where he wasn't shouting at the top of his lungs really helped endear him to me. I'd say the cast in general has really grown on me. Aerith was a home run for me from the off, but the rest of the party have slowly but surely got their hooks in me

While I do want SE to open the game up a bit, I hope they don't go too far. The pacing, on the critical path at least, feels pretty tight. I wouldn't want to see them lose that. I think it's more narrow, hyper cinematic, character driven offering makes it an easy game to recommend to most people. You can do all that and open things up of course, but I hope they don't overcorrect.

 

[Guppeth]

I liked how Tifa and Aerith became great friends almost immediately. After their team-up in Corneo's manion (which I loved - the music was so joyous!) they spend the rest of the game supporting each other and making fun of Cloud.

Team Tifa and Team Aerith, its time to come together.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I liked how Tifa and Aerith became great friends almost immediately. After their team-up in Corneo's manion (which I loved - the music was so joyous!) they spend the rest of the game supporting each other and making fun of Cloud.

Team Tifa and Team Aerith, its time to come together.

Click to shrink...

I think their relationship is handled really well. I love the contrast between the two of them too, particularly in the scene you mentioned.

Tifa beats up the men like a machine, while Aerith kicks one in the balls and trips another up, before smashing a chair over their head.

I think SE did a great job with their designs, personalities and friendship. Aerith is definitely more important to the story - but both characters are sketched out so well. Tifa is a badass with a kind disposition and Aerith is excitable, but empathetic.

They both have a strong relationship with Cloud, but that relationship doesn't define them.

 

[Mr.Fletcher]

I stand at the point of no return, it's all kicking off and the end is nigh.

Spoiler

I felt Chapter 17 was a bit long in the tooth by the time I got to the top of Shinra HQ (though I did enjoy the lab section), but it ended very strongly and had some truly excellent moments throughout.

I loved switching between the different parties, the boss battles were great (particularly the one where you start out controlling Cloud and Barret, before switching to Aerith and Tifa) and it really ramped up the stakes and built on the already strong momentum.

I adore how the game keeps all the HUD elements on screen when it cuts from gameplay to a mid-battle cutscene. It's a small detail, but when combined with all the other seamless transitions in the game, it builds the illusion that you're never waiting around. It's super slick.

While I can't say I find the motorcycle combat too amazing, it's still fun and the bombast on show makes the entire sequence feel like a fitting conclusion to your time in Midgar.

Intrigued to see how crazy things are going to get as I finish the game off tomorrow.