When people think of great Japanese role playing games, the usually end up with conversations about the fantastic Final Fantasy franchise. Of course, the most talked about game is more likely to be Final Fantasy VII (or 7 for those of you who have not been paying attention to roman numerals in school). Many consider the seventh game in the long running series to be, to this day, the best one of them all. What is it about this instalment, then, that makes it stand out above all the rest? That, my dear friends, is what I am about to tell you in this review…

In Midgar, a city controlled by the mega-conglomerate Shinra Inc., the Number 1 Mako Reactor has been blown up by a rebel group called AVALANCHE. AVALANCHE was secretly formed to wage a rebellion against Shinra Inc., an organisation which is absorbing Mako energy and destroying the natural resources of the planet. Cloud, a former member of Shinra’s elite combat force, cunningly known as SOLDIER, was involved with the bombing of the Mako Reactor. Can Cloud and AVALANCHE protect the planet from the huge, formidable enemy, Shinra Inc.? Cloud, and many others, are about to embark upon an epic adventure full of secrets and answers- but which will there be more of in the end?

A large portion of what made Final Fantasy VII one of the most loved games in the entire series is the fact that Square Soft managed to bring it into the third dimension so successfully. For huge Final Fantasy enthusiasts, running around in the Mako reactor for the first time could not feel more refreshing. Whereas newcomers to the world of Final Fantasy would ask themselves why they ever missed out on the others in the first place- Especially after experiencing some of the game’s vibrant music and the most top-notch scenes for its generation.

This game automatically throws you into the action from the start, leaving you to figure out what to do by yourself- rather than giving you lengthy and time wasting instructions.  The ATB (Active Time Battle) system has also been introduced in Final Fantasy VII. Whether they be an ally or an enemy, the character whose Time gauge fills up first is given priority for entering their commands. You must choose commands to best attack or defend yourself from the enemy. You can attack with your equipped weapon or magic- such as Fire or Ice. Then there are the Limit moves that one can use once their Limit gauge is full. Not to forget the various items at your disposal.

Aside from the flawless adventure itself, the game treats players with many fun little mini-games to occupy themselves with on the way. One of them being a game where Cloud (the player) rides a motorcycle and must take out anyone that approaches the ally vehicle with his sword. There is also the a classic snowboarding game that is rather similar to Snowboard Kids for the Nintendo 64 (without the power-ups and weapons) and has more recently been put on mobile phones. Those two mini-games are compulsory the first time, but can later be revisited for an enjoyable play about. Then there is the Gold Saucer where one can chill out and play a variety of other little games.

All in all, any hardcore Final Fantasy fanatic would not be caught dead without this game. Any hardcore role playing game lover should be the same, and everyone else has to give this a chance! This game will be one of the greatest experiences you will find on the console, and will throw many twists and turns your way. If you haven't played it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!