FFVII previews in gaming magazines before release

[Odysseus]

This is something I've had floating around in my head for a while now. As a former victim of the mental scourge that is the Sonic franchise, I know there's extensive documentation of previews of the classic sonic games in magazines and such from before their launch available on places like Sonic Retro. Those previews are interesting because it gives a glimpse into the earlier development of those games, which is something I always like to see. I know outside of the demo discs, nothing like an FFVII prototype is available, and as far as I know there hasn't been any dedicated effort to archive these early previews of FFVII, so I was wondering if anyone knew any old magazines that might have covered the game before its launch? was thinking about putting together that sort of archive myself given enough time.

 

[Suzaku]

The thing about video game magazine previews is that, for the most part, they're just regurgitated press releases. The exception would be import reviews, and the only magazine I remember having extensive import coverage was Diehard GameFan.

You can find scans and PDF of lots of classic gaming magazines online now, just search for stuff from 1996-1997 and you'll find some.

I've also got a friend who has been buying old issues of Japanese gaming magazines and posting scans of articles and ads on Twitter here and there. He posted a small article in V Jump with the official announcement and description of Zack from FFVII a while back. https://thelifestream.net/forums/threads/1997-v-jump-scan-feat-zack-and-shinra-execs.21890/

If you want a more robust look into the game's development history, Polygon's oral history is beyond extensive: https://www.polygon.com/a/final-fantasy-7

 

[Odysseus]

The thing about video game magazine previews is that, for the most part, they're just regurgitated press releases. The exception would be import reviews, and the only magazine I remember having extensive import coverage was Diehard GameFan.

You can find scans and PDF of lots of classic gaming magazines online now, just search for stuff from 1996-1997 and you'll find some.

I've also got a friend who has been buying old issues of Japanese gaming magazines and posting scans of articles and ads on Twitter here and there. He posted a small article in V Jump with the official announcement and description of Zack from FFVII a while back.

If you want a more robust look into the game's development history, Polygon's oral history is beyond extensive: https://www.polygon.com/a/final-fantasy-7

Thanks for the tips. The goal is less to hear about the game's development (as you linked, that stuff is already well-documented) as much as it is to find images from builds of the game while it was still being developed, so what those preview articles have to say is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[Prism]

Well, time to dig this gem out again!

 

[Sprites]

Ealis, Bullet and Claud

 

[Odysseus]

Well here's something I found
http://www.racketboy.com/downloads/psm001.pdf
Very first issue of PSM has coverage of FFVII. Looking at this is funny, since their disc 1 walkthrough is clearly based on the japanese version they get a lot of names wrong. That cover is pretty amazing too lol.

 

[Odysseus]

Double posting because it's my goddamn thread and I'll do what I want lol
@Prism @Suzaku yeah that issue of gamefan is exactly what I was hoping to find, there's a LOT of early material shown off there. Here's an article about it:
https://www.glitterberri.com/final-fantasy-vii/prerelease-shots-part-2/
along with another article from the same site with even more pre-release images
https://www.glitterberri.com/final-fantasy-vii/prerelease-shots/

I really think TLS should have a page dedicated to archiving this stuff.

I'm also making of list of Magazines I want to get a look at:
GameFan Volume 4 Issue 5 (May 1996)
PSM September 1997 issue 1
Game informer september 1997
EGM May 1997
EGM september 1997
Computer and videogames October 1997

 

[Wol]

Ealis, Bullet and Claud

I knew Clad wasn't so far-off

 

[Teioh]

Do you want to get your hands on the physical copies of those magazines Ody or just get a look at them? There's a couple that's been archived online if that's the case.

 

[Odysseus]

Do you want to get your hands on the physical copies of those magazines Ody or just get a look at them? There's a couple that's been archived online if that's the case.

The collector in me would live to own them, but right now on just interested in gathering the ff7 coverage so web archives are fine too.

 

[Teioh]

Here's PSM September 1997 issue 1 and GameFan Volume 4 Issue 5. Archive.org is pretty good to browse if you like looking through old magazines. I'll go look to see if the others are on there.

Edit: EGM May 1997 and EGM September 1997 ('you can actually hear your pupils dilate' lol)

 

[Cloud XVII]

View attachment 8543
Well, time to dig this gem out again!

That background (especially the sky) in the bottom middle image looks absolutely epic, was it used in the game? Can't recall seeing it.

 

[Odysseus]

That background (especially the sky) in the bottom middle image looks absolutely epic, was it used in the game? Can't recall seeing it.

presumably just an early test battle map. That sky is pretty cool though.

 

[Odysseus]

I don't know guys, what do you think? I sure hope so!

 

[Sprites]

@odyssey: I mean personally I prefer Claud but whatever...I guess he'll do?