Final Fantasy VII comes to iPad and iPhone
Final Fantasy VII (FF VII) is one of the most highly regarded Japanese RPGs of all time – and now you have the power relive it (or enjoy it for the first time) anywhere. As a quick reminder, you accompany Cloud Strife – a mercenary of the rebel organization AVALANCHE – on an adventure of epic proportions to stop the villain, Sephiroth.
Cloud vs Sephiroth
FF VII engages and captivates with its huge cast of memorable characters. You journey with them through the world of Midgar, suffering all of their misfortunes and rejoicing all of their successes. It is a vibrant and energetic tale, with each scene more melodramatic and unexpected than the last. And it will certainly leave its mark if you have not enjoyed it yet.
FF VII’s menu based combat system is a variant on the previous Final Fantasy games, with the only really notable change being the addition of Materia. These magical orbs can be placed in special slots on each member of your party to give them special skills like magic, summons, and other abilities. The result is spectacular and dizzyingly epic battles.
But what if you are more interested in playing through FF VII to experience its story? Well, this version – based on a port that recently came to PC – includes two curious options: turn off the random encounter system, and set all of your party’s stats to their maximum level at the touch of a button. This speeds things up considerably, and is perfect for story-tourists who don’t want much of a challenge.
A decent adaptation
Graphically we are faced with a game that looks outdated, but what did you expect? FF VII originally released in 1997. A lot has happened since then! What is surprising is that some elements (such as the soundtrack) have withstood the test of time. If you must have a visually improved version, you will just have to wait for PS4 remake which should be out sometime in 20XX (and I would not be surprised if that was actually 202X).
This smartphone and tablet port works smoothly, provided you have a modern device. We have not experienced any slowdown or graphical issues.
The one big change made in this adaptation are the controls. You have two ways to manage the game, a virtual analog stick or virtual digital buttons. I ultimately found the digital option the best but it did take time to get used to. This was especially true when navigating menus, where we would have preferred to select options by just tapping them on the screen.
Broadly speaking it controlled well; just be aware that it will take some getting used to, and more intense item management can feel laborious.
An opportunity to relive the classic anywhere
Final Fantasy VII is a masterpiece that deserves to be enjoyed whenever you want to. If you lived the chronicles of Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and company before, then this port will allow you to re-experience your favorite moments on a train or bus. And if you do not know what’s up with Sephiroth; it is about time you found out.
