Quick Links
WithFinal Fantasy 7: RemakeandFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirthadding in far more content than the originalFinal Fantasy 7, fleshing out the characters more and taking more time to complete, you might be wondering whether the original game is still worth playing. Of course, the shorter time for the original 1997 title might be reason enough to give it a shot.
It’s also more accessible and cheaper. Is it as comprehensive and beautiful as the remakes? Probably not, given that the graphics are, well, PlayStation 1-era graphics, but with that, there comes a certain nigh unbeatable nostalgia for many. But for those of us who haven’t played it before, the pull of nostalgia just isn’t that compelling. Still, there are a lot of other factors to consider.
Review
Our Lead Feature Editor, Jade King, offered her thoughts on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth versus the originaland found thatthe remake was lacking in the same atmosphere as the original game. While she did think that Rebirth improved substantially in various parts of the game, the increase in details makes the game lose its original subtlety.
I miss the solemn melancholy of exploring an abandoned world, having to find beauty between the lines when all seems lost.
Rebirth does a great job of building on characters and stories in a way that becomes more compelling and meaningful. However, theoriginal Final Fantasy 7 offers a unique experience that is not shared in the remakes.
This is partially because of the way that the game graphics are structured —the original game operates on a much larger point of view, which helps to portray the absolutely massive scale of your environmentand the emptiness of it.
On the other hand, in the remakes, your camera is almost always centered on your playable character, andthe framing is much closer, which creates a more intimate feel when you’re playing, but it does allow you toexplore the environment more thoroughly.
In many ways, they are the same game, butthe expanded capabilities of game development technology have caused the world to become just a little less melancholyand a little less lonely.
Plus, most people hail the original Final Fantasy 7 asone of the greatest, if not the greatest RPG of all time. Some fans may even argue that calling Final Fantasy 7 Remake a ‘remake’ would be a complete lie, givensome massive differences in both story and experience.
In the original, the characters aren’t as thoroughly fleshed out, nor do you see many of the same ‘scenes,’ such as Shinra sabotaging their own reactor. There are familiar sections, and the story does follow some similar paths, butthe games are not the same.
If you’re fond of afaster-paced game and think that there was a bit too much ‘fluff’ in the remakes, you really should try out the original Final Fantasy 7.
Aside from the remakes being split up across several different games, there are and will be notable differences. In the original Final Fantasy 7,there are optional party members: Yuffie and Vincent. However, in the remakes, they arenot optional and are tied to the main story.
The original game also moves at a notably faster pace,only spending around six hours in Midgar (which happens tomake up the majority of Remake).
Even the gameplay is different, withthe original featuring turn-based combat, which, while thrilling, was less high-pressurethan the real-time combat of the remakes.
Time Expenditure
You will definitely spend way less time in the original game than you will with Rebirth and Remake.
If you’re looking to get the story fairly quickly, either to catch you up to speed on what is happening in the remakes or just because you want to,you’ll be spending around 37 hours in the game.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to take on bothRemake, you’re going to be spending 33-38 hours(and that’s just for the first part!).
For Rebirth, expect to tack on an extra 60+ hours of content. That alone should tell you that the original is going to be a unique experience.
Cost
The price differences are also astounding. Theoriginal will run you anywhere from about USD $12 to $16, so long as you’re looking atthe digital editions. Things start getting a bit more dicey with physical copies, as you’ll generally be looking at USD $40 to $50.
The original is available in more spaces, too. you’re able to find it on almost everything, like thePlayStation, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 4. Beyond Sony consoles, it can also be purchased on theNintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Xbox One, and on PC.
As an added bonus to the availability of the original, it is available on theXbox Game Pass and on PlayStation’s game subscription, PlayStation Plus Extra.
While you’re paying for more content with the remakes,both Rebirth and Remake cost USD $70.That’s hardly chump change!
Remake is available on thePlayStation 4, 5, and on PC. Rebirth isonly available on PlayStation 5(for now).
What Players Are Saying
Not Only Is The Original Final Fantasy 7 Worth Playing, It Is Nearly Essential-James Kennedy
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a monumental achievement, and now Rebirth is making titanic waves, but while they have introduced a number of impressive flourishes, a little sloppiness slipped in as well. The original Final Fantasy 7 is an excellent RPG that does a tremendous amount right, and while it may not be bolstered by modern technology, it is still the tighter experience. Especially when it comes to its narrative.
On its merits alone, Final Fantasy 7 is absolutely worth playing. And that isn’t even getting into how the modern Final Fantasy 7 iterations play off the first title very deliberately, crafting scenes that will sail straight over the heads of those who haven’t played the original. In my opinion, skipping Final Fantasy 7 feels like a tremendous mistake.
First Time’s The Charm - Hilton Webster
I love Final Fantasy 7 Remake and everything I’ve played of Rebirth so far. I even love the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 and the extended everything that comes with that. But there’s a reason all this extended media exists — because the original Final Fantasy 7 really was that good.
FF7 is a messy game. Modern versions have it looking worse than it did originally, the English translation is far from ideal, and the hilarious amount of minigames is just absurd. Yet it’s so maximalist in everything that it does, you may’t help but love the parts that work, because they work so well. Also, the Materia system is just better.
Don’t Let The Graphics Stop You - Tallis Spalding
Even if some may consider the graphics to be outdated, there’s still something so endearing about them. Not everything needs to be hyper-realistic to be a good game experience, and I think that the original Final Fantasy 7 showcases this wonderfully. Even going up against brand-new games, so many people still consider the original Final Fantasy 7 to be one of the best RPGs ever made — and it’s not just nostalgia talking.
