IGN: IS FF7 OVERRATED?

Baldy

000 - 000 - 009
AKA
Sienna, Jenovas-Fifth, Idris
But I think that's why people call it overrated now, people have heard so much about it that it doesn't make as much of an impact on re-plays and on new players. I bet if you were to get someone who had never heard anything about the game before and got them to play it they wouldn't think it was overrated at all.

^ This.

I'd never even touched a game console before my father set up the new computer in my room six years ago and gave me FFVII while he was at it. Eighty-something hours of gameplay later and, after finally beating the whole thing (mostly,) I could hardly believe how anything in that game could have possibly happened.
Take Aerith's death for instance; being the fragile little nine-year-old kiddlin I was, of course I cried. XD And don't even get me started on how pissed I was when Cloud suddenly went MIA.

And here we are years later and I've just started to replay the thing, and it's still just as enjoyable a play as it was the first time. Not the holy grail of video games like I thought it was back then (lack of experience :awesome:) but still a great, exciting classic-type experience.
But in the end, there's not really such a thing as "overrated," because it all depends on relativity. :monster:
 

null.

Pro Adventurer
Yes, "overrated" is a fancy way of saying "I disagree with the majority, but my opinion counts more."
 

Kudistos Megistos

t3h 1337 h4x0rz. Sort of...
Yes, "overrated" is a fancy way of saying "I disagree with the majority, but my opinion counts more."

This.

Also, I think that some of the criticism of this article is OTT. For the most part, it just quotes the idiocy of others. Still, some things there deserve a mention.

practically impervious to anything but the most glowing analysis
Really, this is an extreme example of the hostile media effect. This person thinks that FF7 is never criticised, I think that no other game has ever attracted such hatred (even ones that deserve it). Whoever thinks that FF7 doesn't get enough criticism ought to go around the internet and say amongst communities filled with RPG fans (and FF fans in particular) "FF7 is my favourite game". Then he'll see plenty of criticisms, and plenty of people with such hate for FF7 that you really worry about their mental health :loopy:. Anyone who thinks that FF7 doesn't get criticised (and, I might add, criticised for every tiny little thing people can find), must have been taking a 12 year sabbatical from the internet.

I'm aware that I too might be a victim of the hostile media effect, and that I might be a little too sensitive to the anti-FF7 vitriol, but I know for certain that this person is deluded in saying that FF7's demerits are not considered, and considered obsessively.

I won't bother arguing with the real haters (trolls, perhaps?) in the article, since it's obvious that they are suffering more butthurt than the man from the "1 guy 1 jar video". Instead, I'll give a few quotes from arguments I've seen on the tubes that put their rambling into perspective.

"FF7 isn't a real FF because it doesn't have crystals" (no explanation needed)

"I hate FF7 because it has an environmentalist message" (c'mon, you're getting a bit desperate when you come out with things like that. You could just as easily criticise other FF games by saying that they support unelected absolute monarchs. Chances are that king the Light Warriors defended wasn't voted in democratically)

And my favourite one (from a 6 vs 7 thread)

"FF7 fanboys are stuck in the past".

We should actually feel vindicated by the fact that so many people spend so much time on energy trying to pick apart FF7 (I've seen one bloke who had a list of 50 reasons why Sephiroth is a bad villain, most of which were factual inaccuracies). The only reason people would go that far to convince everyone that something so unimportant is true is if they know in their hearts that it isn't. Those people who hated FF7 weren't trying to convince us that their precious favourite game is better, they were trying to convince themselves. I'm glad that FF7 gives so many people such a big inferiority complex :awesome:
 
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Tetsujin

he/they
AKA
Tets
"Overrated" really should be "overliked".

Because usually people just get annoyed when things are liked so much by so many people and they do not belong to this group, and then they'll pull out the overrated card.
 

Ⓐaron

Factiō Rēpūblicāna dēlenda est.
AKA
The Man, V
I would say FFVII is overrated by a small minority of fans who go "ZOMG BEST GAME EVAR LOLZ CEFIROS RULZ WTH TEH MASAMUEM!!!11", but then it's also underrated by a small minority of anti-fans who despise it just because it's not FFVI. Objectively it would probably be on a par with FFVI if not for the poor localisation, the subpar in-game graphics and a couple of other issues. As it is, it's a very good game that deservingly got a lot of attention, but really it's not overrated on the whole, just overexposed.
 

Kudistos Megistos

t3h 1337 h4x0rz. Sort of...
"Overrated" really should be "overliked".

Because usually people just get annoyed when things are liked so much by so many people and they do not belong to this group, and then they'll pull out the overrated card.

About this...

I feel that one of the reasons FF7 is disliked so much is because before it came along, FF fans made up quite a small in-group. When 7 was released, a lot of new people became part of the group and some of the old members (not all, but far too many) were upset that their cool niche thing had been popularised and became alienated. This leads to the creation of a second, insular group who call themselves hardcore because they like the less popular games in the franchise (because popular = LOL CASUAL, apparently) and define themselves in opposition to the bigger group, turning their inferiority complex into a superiority complex (as often happens).

Or maybe not.
 

KissTheRain

reality is a prison
AKA
jailbait
I feel that one of the reasons FF7 is disliked so much is because before it came along, FF fans made up quite a small in-group.
Now those people bother me...
I mean if they truely like those games, I have no problem, but the people who only like the lesser games for the sake of being "unique" need to swim out of their ego and get some excuses. I'm not saying that you must love FFVII and think it is the best, but to many people (including, myself) I believe FFVII was the best made one of the bunch so how can you dislike people because the creators, imo, made it so damn easy to love. I love all Final Fantasy's but VII get's first for many reasons, mainly it was the first one I played, and it's story enchanted me. The rest are wonderful though. ^_^
 

SocraticMethod

Ex ACFer
AKA
ticalmc2k2
I like how now people call FF7 overrated only after it's been out for 12 years. The fact it's massive popularity and almost cult status has lasted this long alone points to the staying power of this game.

Why did IGN make this an article? I think Halo would've been more appropriate.
 

Cthulhu

Administrator
AKA
Yop
Why did IGN make this an article? I think Halo would've been more appropriate.

^this, :monster:. Halo 1 is a mediocre shooter at best, unoriginal in it's story (Larry Niven + age-old story of humans vs aliens), etc. Halo 2 was a bit better, but only because it was larger and used less repetitive and flat-out backtracking. Haven't played 3, but the whole franchise is overhyped and whatnot. I think Gears of War is a better game / franchise, so there.
 

Nikkolas

Banned
Yes it is. But we all know that so it's time to call out other games for being overrated.
I nominate Metal Gear Solid 3.
 

Geostigma

Pro Adventurer
AKA
gabe
^this, :monster:. Halo 1 is a mediocre shooter at best, unoriginal in it's story (Larry Niven + age-old story of humans vs aliens), etc. Halo 2 was a bit better, but only because it was larger and used less repetitive and flat-out backtracking. Haven't played 3, but the whole franchise is overhyped and whatnot. I think Gears of War is a better game / franchise, so there.

Agreed halo did nothing new for the FPS genre i used to play it tons, it was entertaining but honestly my mind was not blown after i swung that sword(amagawd a sword ina fps?thisissoooooriginal,lemme try a crowbarnext) or fought in really bland levels, "purple corridors?AMAZING".

The only thing i could think of that could have garnered it the ridiculous scores it got (come on this is not a 5 star game stop giving it perfects) was its fans who claimed its all that and a bag of chips over and over.























Golden eye> halo :X
 

Max Payne

Banned
AKA
Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
^this, :monster:. Halo 1 is a mediocre shooter at best, unoriginal in it's story (Larry Niven + age-old story of humans vs aliens), etc. Halo 2 was a bit better, but only because it was larger and used less repetitive and flat-out backtracking. Haven't played 3, but the whole franchise is overhyped and whatnot. I think Gears of War is a better game / franchise, so there.

Halo isn't mediocre. It's fun. I don't like how people make it out to be more than what it is. My only problem would be the date controls/game systems that have survived in the series. Oh and the completely nonsensical plot. The second one was good in this aspect, but that went to complete shit in 3.

Gears of War is a better game? No shit.
 

Cat Rage Room

Great Old One
AKA
Mog
Halo is one of the most successful games of all time, with millions of people playing online and hundreds of new players signing up every day JUST for Halo. I saw the actual statistics for it one day and almost had a heart attack. You can have your own opinion on it, but the game is a smashing success.
 

Max Payne

Banned
AKA
Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
I'd say that's got more to do with just how freaking fun the game is with a friend.

Alone it does seem mediocre, but when you play it together it's pretty damn fun.
 

Neutron Ronnie

From The Front of Armament
AKA
Powerslave
I'd say that's got more to do with just how freaking fun the game is with a friend.

Agreed!

Though I'd rate Halo (all three games) a little better than just "mediocre" on solo play. :D

Like it's been said before in this thread, when thousands or millions of folk dig a particular game, there'll be SOMEONE who steps aside and says "Well, this game sucks". And that's probably because that person has differing taste and really does find it crappy, or just wants to be a jackass and annoy the people who like the game, or decides to write such an article for "shock value"...

Personally, I disagree with this article. I thought the plot was well done, though it could've used some more explaining (I had to read the Ultimania translation for some stuff). It had some unexpected plot twists, and ended on a note that made you wonder if everyone made it (at least, until you saw Red XIII bounding up the cliff side).

Plus I thought the somewhat disjointed storytelling was a better way to induce a second play-through than, oh, I don't know, setting it up so that the game's strongest weapon would be unavailable if you opened some random, innocent-looking chest. :P
 

ForceStealer

Double Growth
You can have your own opinion on it, but the game is a smashing success.

But couldn't you make that argument for FF7 too? Any game that's ever touted as "overrated" will more than likely have been a smashing success. There are of course exceptions, but if being successful is an effective counter to accusations of overrating, then like Socratic said, FF7's mere longevity should say that it isn't, no?
 

Makoeyes987

Listen closely, there is meaning in my words.
AKA
Smooth Criminal
Halo is a good game in its own right, and while its not the best of its genre, it certainly holds a lot to offer in terms of multiplayer and that's one of the main reasons its been able to have become so memorable and successful.

It's not perfect, but it sure as hell is good. Which goes for FFVII as well. It certainly isn't a perfect game but it has enough of its own good qualities, characterization, and story to cement itself into the hearts of gamers for a fucking decade. That's not overrated, that's just good. Something which has staying power for this long did something right.
 

Sprites

Waiting for something
AKA
Gems
I actually found myself disagreeing with a lot of pieces in that article. I wouldn't say it's overrated, just very successful especially seeing as 10 years after its release people still rave about it, got excited about it being released in the playstation store and let's not forget how many of its fans are desperate for a remake. I bet you anything all those people saying its overrated would be among some of the first to buy it if it was remade.

I loved the story and I loved the fact that for me it required a second playthrough to re-address some of the storyline and on playing a second time through I would go "oohhh so that's what that meant" when looking at certain conversations or plot points.

FFVII got me into the series, made me want to play the older ones and pretty much cemented RPGs as my favourite genre of games. It will always have a special place among all of the FF series for me but it doesn't make it my favourite, FFIV is whereas I'm not a fan of FFII, nor am I a fan of FFXII...never did get round to completing them.
 

krystabegnalie

Lv. 25 Adventurer
meh maybe this one quote in the whole article is right

"If Final Fantasy VII was your first RPG, then it's understandable that it would be one of your favorites, since it brought you into such a robust and rich genre for the very first time," says Moriarty.

yeah maybe FF7 is the first jrpg that had been released over the western sides that is in the full 3d, maybe if FF6 was been made for ps1 and it got full 3d, then released stateside, then they would say also that FF6 is the greatest rpg of all time

meh, maybe FF7 is average compare to chrono trigger and FF6 base in plot and some game systems (ESPER equip system vs the materia system)

fyi, my very first rpg is pokemon, then ive seen a nice jrpg with cool 3d graphics, and quess what it was FF8, lol, then founding out that there are other FF ive tried those all and compare it to FF8, my fav FF series of them all is FF3, i dont know why, but i love the onion knights, lol
 
Halo is a good game in its own right, and while its not the best of its genre, it certainly holds a lot to offer in terms of multiplayer and that's one of the main reasons its been able to have become so memorable and successful.

I think what Halo did well was help those who weren't already into FPS genre to have an easier starting point. It's not a hard game to get good at, and made me personally a lot more confident to try other FPS games.

It's the fandom I can't stand. I stopped running Halo tournaments at my store because the crowd it would attracted was a bunch of thirteen year olds who thought they were god's gift to gaming. Were talking the kind of kids who need to get off of Live and realize that in the real world if they talk smack like that they are getting their butts kicked.
 
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