:Final Fantasy VII

{{see also|Recurring elements in the Final Fantasy series#Gameplay}}

The gameplay of Final Fantasy VII is similar to earlier Final Fantasy titles and Japanese role-playing games.{{cite web|last=Kasavin |first=Greg |title=Final Fantasy VII Review |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/1900-2547583/ |work=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=January 21, 2017 |language=en |date=September 29, 1997 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021090337/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/1900-2547583/ |archivedate=October 21, 2013}} The game features three modes of play: the world map, the field, and the battle screen.{{Cite book | year=1997 | author=Square Co. Ltd. | title=Final Fantasy VII North American instruction manual | publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment | id=SCUS-94163}}{{rp|15,20}} At its grandest scale, players explore the world of Final Fantasy VII on a 3D world map.{{cite web|first=Jay |last=Boor |date=September 3, 1997 |title=Final Fantasy VII Review |url=http://psx.ign.com/articles/150/150494p1.html |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516100019/http://psx.ign.com/articles/150/150494p1.html |archivedate=May 16, 2008}} The world map contains representations of areas for the player to enter, including towns, environments, and ruins. Natural barriers—such as mountains, deserts, and bodies of water—block access by foot to some areas; as the story progresses, the player receives vehicles that help traverse these obstacles, thus opening more of the game world for exploration.{{rp|44}} Chocobos can be found in certain spots on the map and, if caught, can be ridden to areas inaccessible on foot or by vehicle.{{rp|46}} In field mode, the player navigates fully scaled versions of the areas represented on the world map. VII marks the first time in the series that the mode is represented in a three-dimensional space. In this mode, the player can explore the environment, talk with characters, advance the story, and initiate event games.{{rp|15}} Event games are short minigames that use special control functions and are often tied to the story.{{rp|18}} While in field mode, the player can also make use of shops and inns. Shops allow the player to buy and sell items that can aid Cloud and his party, such as weapons, armor, and accessories. Inns restore the hit points and mana points of characters who rest at them and cure abnormalities contracted during battles.{{rp|17}}

Image:FFVIIbattleexample.png

At random intervals on the world map and in field mode, and at specific moments in the story, the game will enter the battle screen, which places the player characters on one side and the enemies on the other. It employs an Active Time Battle (ATB) system, in which the characters exchange moves until one side is defeated. The damage or healing dealt by either side is quantified on screen. Characters have several statistics that determine their effectiveness in battle; for example, hit points determine how much damage they can take, and magic determines how much damage they can inflict with spells. Each character on the screen has a time gauge; when a character's gauge is full, the player can input a command for them to perform. The commands change as the game progresses, and are dependent on the characters in the player's party and on the abilities, spells, etc., the player has added to their equipment. Commands include attacking with a weapon, casting magic, using items, summoning monsters, and other actions that either damage the enemy or aid the player characters. Final Fantasy VII also features powerful, character-specific commands called Limit Breaks, which can be used only after a special gauge is charged by taking enemy attacks. After being attacked, characters can be afflicted by one or more abnormal "statuses", such as poison or paralysis. These statuses and their adverse effects can be removed by special items or abilities or by resting at an inn. Once all enemies are defeated, the battle ends, and the player is rewarded with money, items, and experience points. If the player is defeated, it is game over and the game must be loaded from the last save point.{{rp|20–27}}

When not in battle, the player can use the menu screen, where they can review each character's status and statistics, use items and abilities, change equipment, save the game when on the world map or at a save point, and manage orbs called Materia. Materia are the main method of customizing characters in Final Fantasy VII, and can be added to equipment to provide characters with new magic spells, monsters to summon, commands, statistical upgrades, and other benefits.{{cite magazine|title=Final Fantasy VII: The Materia System |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|issue=93|publisher=Ziff Davis |date=April 1997|page=69}} Materia level up through their own experience point system and can be combined to create different effects.{{rp|30–42}}

{{Main|Characters of the Final Fantasy VII series}}

Final Fantasy VII takes place on a world referred to in-game as the "Planet" and retroactively named "Gaia".{{Cite web|title=Interview: Kosei Ito Q&A |url=http://gamez.itmedia.co.jp/games/mobile/2004/ffbc/first/inter.html |language=ja |publisher=ITmedia |date=2004 |accessdate=December 16, 2014 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703162504/http://gamez.itmedia.co.jp/games/mobile/2004/ffbc/first/inter.html |archivedate=July 3, 2013 |url-status=live}} The planet's lifeforce, called the Lifestream, is a flow of spiritual energy that gives life to everything on the Planet; its processed form is known as "Mako".{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | pages=216–217 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} On a societal and technological level, the game has been defined as an industrial or post-industrial science fiction setting.{{Cite magazine | date=August 2001 | title=Final Fantasy | magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine | issue=47 | page=16 | publisher=Ziff Davis}} During Final Fantasy VII, the Shinra Electric Power Company, a world-dominating megacorporation headquartered in the city of Midgar, is draining the Planet's Lifestream for energy, weakening the Planet and threatening its existence and all life.{{cite journal|author=|date=February 14, 1996|script-title=ja:FFVIIスクウエアPSに参入|journal=Dengeki PlayStation|issue=17|pages=14–15|publisher=ASCII Media Works|language=ja}} Significant factions within the game include AVALANCHE, an eco-terrorist group seeking Shinra's downfall so the Planet can recover; the Turks, a covert branch of Shinra's security forces;{{cite magazine |first=Teresa |last=Dun |title=Complete Final Fantasy VII Character Guide |magazine=PlayStation: The Official Magazine |date=February 2008 |issue=60}} SOLDIER, an elite Shinra fighting force created by enhancing humans with Mako;{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=217 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} and the Cetra, a near-extinct human tribe which maintains a strong connection to the Planet and the Lifestream.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=59 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}}

The main protagonist is Cloud Strife, an aloof mercenary who claims to be a former 1st Class SOLDIER. Early on, he works with two members of AVALANCHE: Barret Wallace, its brazen but fatherly leader; and Tifa Lockhart, a shy yet nurturing martial artist and his childhood friend. During their journey, they meet Aerith Gainsborough, a carefree flower merchant and one of the last surviving Cetra;{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=30 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} Red XIII, an intelligent canine from a tribe that protects the planet;{{Cite book |year=2006 |editor=SoftBank |title=Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Reunion Files |language=ja, en |publisher=Square Enix |isbn=978-4-7973-3498-2 |pages=52–53}} Cait Sith, a fortune-telling robotic cat controlled by repentant Shinra staff member Reeve;{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=57 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} and Cid Highwind, a pilot whose dream of being the first human in outer space was unrealized.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Shera: He pushed the Emergency Engine Shut Down switch, aborting the mission, to save my life. After that, the Space Program was cut back and the launch was canceled.}} The group can also recruit Yuffie Kisaragi, a young ninja and skilled Materia thief; and Vincent Valentine, a former Turk and victim of Shinra's experiments.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=46 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} The game's main antagonists are Rufus Shinra, the son of President Shinra and the later leader of the Shinra Corporation;{{Cite book |year=2005 |editor=Studio BentStuff |title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω |pages=56, 58 |language=ja |publisher=Square Enix |isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} Sephiroth, a former SOLDIER who reappears several years after being presumed dead; and Jenova, a hostile extraterrestrial life-form who the Cetra imprisoned 2,000 years ago and who Sephiroth was created from.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=198 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}}{{Cite book |year=2005 |editor=Studio BentStuff |title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω |pages=210–215 |language=ja |publisher=Square Enix |isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}}{{cite video game |title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Ifalna: A small number of the surviving Cetra defeated Jenova, and confined it.}} A key character in Cloud's backstory is Zack Fair, a member of SOLDIER and Aerith's first love.

AVALANCHE destroys a Shinra Mako reactor in Midgar, but an attack on another reactor goes wrong and Cloud falls into the city's slums. There, he meets Aerith and protects her from Shinra.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Aerith: You okay? This is a church in the Sector 5 slums. [You] suddenly fell on top of me. You really gave me quite a scare. / Cloud: ......I came crashing down? / Aerith: The roof and the flower bed must have broken your fall. You're lucky.}}{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Aerith: Say, Cloud. Have you ever been a bodyguard? You DO do everything, right? / Cloud: Yeah, that's right. / Aerith: Then, get me out of here.}} Meanwhile, Shinra finds AVALANCHE's base of operations and intentionally collapses part of the upper city level in retaliation for the Mako reactor being destroyed, killing many AVALANCHE members and innocent bystanders as collateral damage.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Don Corneo: Shinra's trying to crush a small rebel group called AVALANCHE, and want to infiltrate their hideout. And they're really going to crush them...literally. By breaking the support holding up the plate above them. / Tifa: Break the support!? / Don Corneo: You know what's going to happen? The plate'll go PING and everything's gonna go BAMMM!! I heard their hideout's in the Sector 7 Slums...}} Aerith is also captured since Shinra believes that as a Cetra, she can potentially reveal the "Promised Land", which they believe is overflowing with Lifestream energy they can exploit.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Cloud: Why is Shinra after Aerith? / Elmyra: Aerith is an Ancient Cetra. The sole survivor.}}{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=President Shinra: She's the last surviving Ancient... Don't you know? They called themselves the Cetra and lived thousands of years ago. Now they are just a forgotten page in history. / Red XIII: Cetra... That girl, is she a survivor of the Cetra? / President Shinra: Cetra, or the Ancients will show us the way to the 'Promised Land'. I'm expecting a lot out of her. / Red XIII: The Promised Land? Isn't that just a legend? / President Shinra: Even so, it's just too appealing to not to pursue. It's been said the Promised Land is very fertile. ...If the land is fertile... / Barret: Then there's gotta be Mako! / President Shinra: Exactly. That is why our money-sucking Mako Reactor is a necessity. The abundant Mako will just come out on its own.}} Cloud, Barret, and Tifa rescue Aerith, and during their escape from Midgar, discover that Sephiroth murdered President Shinra despite being presumed dead five years earlier.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Cloud: ...Did it get away? Jenova...? / Red XIII: Jenova Specimen... Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens.}} The party pursues Sephiroth across the Planet, with now-President Rufus on their trail; they are soon joined by the rest of the playable characters.

At a Cetra temple, Sephiroth reveals he intends to use a powerful magical artifact known as "Black Materia" to cast the spell "Meteor", which would have a devastating impact on the Planet. Sephiroth claims he will absorb the Lifestream as it attempts to heal the wound caused by Meteor, and become a god-like being in the process.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Aerith: How do you intend to become one with the Planet? / Sephiroth: It's simple. Once the Planet is hurt, it gathers Spirit Energy to heal the injury. The amount of energy gathered depends on the size of the injury. ...What would happen if there was an injury that threatened the very life of the Planet? Think how much energy would be gathered! Ha ha ha! And at the center of that injury, will be me. All that boundless energy will be mine. By merging with all the energy of the Planet, I will become a new life form, a new existence. Melding with the Planet... I will cease to exist as I am now. Only to be reborn as a "god" to rule over every soul. / Aerith: An injury powerful enough to destroy the Planet? Injure... the Planet? / Sephiroth: Behold that mural. The Ultimate Destructive Magic... Meteor.}} The party retrieves the Black Materia, but Sephiroth manipulates Cloud into surrendering it. Aerith departs alone to stop Sephiroth and follows him to an abandoned Cetra city. While Aerith prays to the Planet for help, Sephiroth attempts to force Cloud to kill her; after this fails, he kills her himself before fleeing, leaving the White Materia behind.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | pages=210–215 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} The party then learns of Jenova, a hostile alien lifeform who landed on the Planet two thousand years prior to the game's events. Upon arrival on the Planet, Jenova began infecting the Cetra with a virus, and they were nearly wiped out. However, a small group managed to seal away Jenova in a tomb, which Shinra later unearthed. At Nibelheim, Jenova's cells were used in experiments which led to the creation of Sephiroth. Five years before the game's events, Sephiroth and Cloud visited Nibelheim, where Sephiroth learned of his origins and was driven insane as a result. He murdered the townspeople, and then vanished after Cloud confronted him.

At the Northern Crater, the party learns that the "Sephiroths" they have encountered are Jenova clones who the insane Shinra scientist Hojo created. Cloud confronts the real Sephiroth as he is killing his clones to reunite Jenova's cells, but is again manipulated into giving him the Black Materia. Sephiroth then taunts Cloud by showing another SOLDIER in his place in his memories of Nibelheim, suggesting that Cloud is a failed clone of Sephiroth.{{cite video game|title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square Co |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Cloud: Sephiroth! I know you're listening! I know what you want to say! That I wasn't in Nibelheim five years ago. That's it, isn't it? / Sephiroth: I see you finally understand. / Cloud: But, I want to ask you one thing. Why... why are you doing this? / Sephiroth: Ha, ha, ha...... I want to take you back to your real self. The one who gave me the Black Materia that day... Who would have ever thought a failed experiment would prove so useful? Hojo would die if he knew. / Cloud: Hojo!? What does he have to do with me!? / Sephiroth: Five years ago you were... ...constructed by Hojo, piece by piece, right after Nibelheim was burnt. A puppet made up of vibrant Jenova cells, her knowledge, and the power of Mako.}} Sephiroth summons Meteor and seals the Crater as Cloud falls into the Lifestream and Rufus captures the party.

After escaping Shinra, the party discovers Cloud at an island hospital in a catatonic state from Mako poisoning, and Tifa decides to stay as his caretaker. When a planetary defense force called Weapon attacks the island, the two fall into the Lifestream,{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=58 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} where Tifa helps Cloud reconstruct his memories. Cloud was a mere infantryman who was never accepted into SOLDIER; the SOLDIER in his memories was his friend Zack. At Nibelheim, Cloud ambushed and wounded Sephiroth after the latter's mental breakdown, but Jenova preserved Sephiroth's life. Hojo experimented on Cloud and Zack for four years, injecting them with Jenova's cells and Mako. They managed to escape, but Zack was killed in the process. The trauma of these events triggered an identity crisis in Cloud, and he constructed a false persona based around Zack's stories and his own fantasies.{{cite video game |title=Final Fantasy VII |developer=Square |publisher=SCE America |date=September 7, 1997 |platform=PlayStation|quote=Cloud: I never was in SOLDIER. I made up the stories about what happened to me five years ago, about being in SOLDIER. I left my village looking for glory, but never made it in to SOLDIER...... I was so ashamed of being so weak; then I heard this story from my friend Zack... And I created an illusion of myself made up of what I had seen in my life..... And I continued to play the charade as if it were true.}} Cloud accepts his past and reunites with the party, who learn that Aerith's prayer to the Planet had been successful: the Planet had attempted to summon Holy to prevent Meteor's impact, but Sephiroth prevented it from having any effect.

Shinra fails to destroy Meteor, but manages to defeat a Weapon and puncture the Northern Crater, seemingly killing Rufus and several other personnel. After killing Hojo, who is revealed to be Sephiroth's biological father, the party descends to the Planet's core through the opening in the Northern Crater and defeats both Jenova and Sephiroth. The party escapes and Holy is summoned once again, destroying Meteor with help from the Lifestream.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=591 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} Five hundred years later, Red XIII is seen with two cubs looking out over the ruins of Midgar, which are now covered in greenery, showing that the planet has healed.

{{multiple image

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| footer = Producer Hironobu Sakaguchi and director Yoshinori Kitase, who together helped create the story and gameplay concepts for Final Fantasy VII

| image1 = Hironobu Sakaguchi - Tokyo Game Show 2006.jpg

| alt1 = A 43-year-old Japanese man with neck-length black haired, speaking into a microphone and facing slightly to the camera's right.

| image2 = Square-enix dissidia yoshinori-kitase.jpg

| alt2 = A 42-year-old Japanese man with trimmed black hair, smiling directly at the camera.

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Initial concept talks for Final Fantasy VII began in 1994 at Square studio, following the completion of Final Fantasy VI. As with the previous installment, series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi reduced his role to producer and granted others a more active role in development: these included Yoshinori Kitase, one of the directors of FFVI. The next installment was planned as a 2D game for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super NES). After creating an early 2D prototype of it, the team postponed development to help finish Chrono Trigger. Once Chrono Trigger was completed, the team resumed discussions for Final Fantasy VII in 1995.{{Cite magazine | date = May 2003 | title= The Making Of: Final Fantasy VII | url = http://www.next-gen.biz/features/making-final-fantasy-vii | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120509211345/http://www.edge-online.com/features/making-final-fantasy-vii | archivedate = May 9, 2012 | url-status=dead | magazine = Edge | issue = 123 | pages=108–113 | publisher=Future plc}}

The team discussed continuing the 2D strategy, which would have been the safe and immediate path just prior to the imminent industry shift toward 3D gaming; such a change would require radical new development models. The team decided to take the riskier option and make a 3D game on new generation hardware but had yet to choose between the cartridge-based Nintendo 64 or the CD-ROM-based PlayStation from Sony Computer Entertainment. The team also considered the Sega Saturn console and Microsoft Windows.{{cite magazine|date=May 1996|title=Final Fantasy VII|magazine=Computer and Video Games|issue=174|pages=106–111|publisher=Future plc}} Their decision was influenced by two factors: a highly successful tech demo based on Final Fantasy VI using the new Softimage 3D software, and the escalating price of cartridge-based games, which was limiting Square's audience.{{cite web|author=blackoak|url=http://shmuplations.com/ff7/|title=Final Fantasy VII – 1997 Developer Interviews|website=Shmuplations|accessdate=January 13, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160923162806/http://shmuplations.com/ff7/|archivedate=September 23, 2016|url-status=live}} Tests were made for a Nintendo 64 version, which would use the planned 64DD peripheral despite the lack of 64DD development kits and the prototype device's changing hardware specifications. This version was discarded during early testing, as the 2000 polygons needed to render the Behemoth monster placed excessive strain on the Nintendo 64 hardware, causing a low frame rate. It would have required an estimated thirty 64DD discs to run Final Fantasy VII properly with the data compression methods of the day. Faced with both technical and economic issues on Nintendo's current hardware, and impressed by the increased storage capacity of CD-ROM when compared to the Nintendo 64 cartridge, Square shifted development of Final Fantasy VII, and all other planned projects, onto the PlayStation.

The Final Fantasy 7 staff at one point were planning to use a first person camera for world map exploration with enemies visible on the world map terrain and also wanted up to 10 characters to be in your party at once in the battle scenes. In the final version, the overall gameplay system remained mostly unchanged from Final Fantasy V and VI, but with an emphasis on player control. The initial decision was for battles to feature shifting camera angles. Battle arenas had a lower polygon count than field areas, which made creating distinctive features more difficult. The summon sequences benefited strongly from the switch to the cinematic style, as the team had struggled to portray their scale using 2D graphics. In his role as producer, Sakaguchi placed much of his effort into developing the battle system. He proposed the Materia system as a way to provide more character customization than previous Final Fantasy games: battles no longer revolved around characters with innate skills and roles in battle, as Materia could be reconfigured between battles. Artist Tetsuya Nomura also contributed to the gameplay; he designed the Limit Break system as an evolution of the Desperation Attacks used in Final Fantasy VI. The Limit Breaks served a purpose in gameplay while also evoking each character's personality in battle.{{cite magazine|date=May 10, 2012|script-title=ja:「ファイナルファンタジー」25周年 — ファイナルファンタジーVII|magazine=Famitsu|issue=1224|publisher=Enterbrain}}

Square retained the passion-based game development approach from their earlier projects, but now had the resources and ambition to create the game they wanted. This was because they had extensive capital from their earlier commercial successes, which meant they could focus on quality and scale rather than obsessing over and working around their budget. Final Fantasy VII was at the time one of the most expensive video game projects ever, costing an estimated {{USD}}40 million, which adjusted for inflation came to $61 million in 2017.{{cite web|title=Essential 50: Final Fantasy VII|work=1UP.com|publisher=Ziff Davis|url=http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-final-fantasy-vii|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120721091308/http://www.1up.com/features/essential-50-final-fantasy-vii|archivedate=July 21, 2012|accessdate=March 22, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-02-final-fantasy-7-retrospective|title=Final Fantasy 7 retrospective – The game that killed Squaresoft|last=Stanton|first=Rick|work=Eurogamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=June 2, 2013|accessdate=May 5, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326001950/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-06-02-final-fantasy-7-retrospective|archivedate=March 26, 2016|url-status=live}} Development of the final version took a staff of between 100 and 150 people just over a year to complete. As video game development teams were usually only 20 people, the game had what was described as the largest development team of any game up to that point. The development team was split between both Square's Japanese offices and its new American office in Los Angeles; the American team worked primarily on city backgrounds.{{cite magazine |title=Exclusive Preview! Final Fantasy VII |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=82 |publisher=Ziff Davis |date=May 1996 |pages=78–79}}

File:FFVIInomuracastdesigns.JPG; Final Fantasy VII was his first role as character designer.|alt=Nine people stand in a group against a white background; the group —made up of seven humans and two animal-like beings— wear a variety of clothing and the human characters carry different weapons.]]

The game's art director was Yusuke Naora, who had previously worked as a designer for Final Fantasy VI. With the switch into 3D, Naora realized that he needed to relearn drawing, as 3D visuals require a very different approach than 2D. With the massive scale and scope of the project, Naora was granted a team devoted entirely to the game's visual design. The department's duties included illustration, modeling of 3D characters, texturing, the creation of environments, visual effects, and animation.{{cite AV media|date=February 26, 2015 |first=Yusuke |last=Naora |author-link=Yusuke Naora |url=http://www.twitch.tv/squareenixpresents/v/3839010 |title=SMU Guildhall: The Visual Evolution of Final Fantasy |medium=Video |accessdate=October 31, 2015 |format=Twitch |publisher=Square Enix |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031154803/http://www.twitch.tv/squareenixpresents/v/3839010 |archivedate=October 31, 2015}} [http://www.ffworld.com/2015/03/11/yusuke-naora-et-levolution-visuelle-de-final-fantasy/ Transcript in French] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118062029/http://www.ffworld.com/2015/03/11/yusuke-naora-et-levolution-visuelle-de-final-fantasy/ |date=January 18, 2017}} The Shinra logo, which incorporated a kanji symbol, was drawn by Naora personally.{{cite web|url=http://andriasang.com/comtqf/ff_type_zero_update/|title=Latest on Final Fantasy Type-0|last=Gantayat |first=Anoop|publisher=Andriasang.com|date=January 31, 2011|accessdate=February 21, 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193203/http://andriasang.com/comtqf/ff_type_zero_update/|archivedate=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}} Promotional artwork, in addition to the logo artwork, was created by Yoshitaka Amano, an artist whose association with the series went back to its inception.{{cite web|url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-final-fantasist-a-conversation-with-yoshitaka-amano|title=The Final Fantasist: A Conversation With Yoshitaka Amano|last=Parish|first=Jeremy|work=USGamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=May 14, 2016|accessdate=May 10, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512002508/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/the-final-fantasist-a-conversation-with-yoshitaka-amano|archivedate=May 12, 2016|url-status=live}} While he had taken a prominent role in earlier entries, Amano was unable to do so for Final Fantasy VII, due to commitments at overseas exhibitions.{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2008/05/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-final-fantasy-vii|title=IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|last=McLaughlin|first=Rus|date=April 30, 2008|accessdate=September 14, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100311183005/http://retro.ign.com/articles/870/870770p1.html|archivedate=March 11, 2010|url-status=live}} His logo artwork was based on Meteor: when he saw images of Meteor, he was not sure how to turn it into suitable artwork. In the end, he created multiple variations of the image and asked staff to choose which they preferred.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/04/27/the-art-that-shaped-final-fantasy-thoughts-from-famed-artist-yoshitaka-amano.aspx|title=The Art That Shaped Final Fantasy: Thoughts From Famed Artist Yoshitaka Amano|last=Juba|first=Joe|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|date=April 27, 2016|access-date=May 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160429121511/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2016/04/27/the-art-that-shaped-final-fantasy-thoughts-from-famed-artist-yoshitaka-amano.aspx|archive-date=April 29, 2016|url-status=live}} The green coloring represents the predominant lighting in Midgar and the color of the Lifestream, while the blue reflected the ecological themes present in the story. Its coloring directly influenced the general coloring of the game's environments.

Another prominent artist was Nomura. Having impressed Sakaguchi with his proposed ideas, which were handwritten and illustrated rather than simply typed on a PC, Nomura was brought on as main character designer. Nomura stated that when he was brought on, the main scenario had not been completed, but he "went along like, 'I guess first off you need a hero and a heroine', and from there drew the designs while thinking up details about the characters. After [he'd] done the hero and heroine, [he] carried on drawing by thinking what kind of characters would be interesting to have. When [he] handed over the designs [he'd] tell people the character details [he'd] thought up, or write them down on a separate sheet of paper".{{cite book |year=2007 |editor=Studio BentStuff |title=Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary |pages=8–13 |language=ja |publisher=Square Enix |isbn=978-4-7575-2560-3}} Something that could not be carried over from earlier titles was the chibi sprite art, as that would not fit with the new graphical direction. Naora, in his role as an assistant character designer and art director, helped adjust each character's appearance so the actions they performed were believable. When designing Cloud and Sephiroth, Nomura was influenced by his view of their rivalry mirroring the legendary animosity between Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojirō, with Cloud and Sephiroth being Musashi and Kojirō respectively. Sephiroth's look was defined as "kakkoii", a Japanese term combining good looks with coolness. Several of Nomura's designs evolved substantially during development. Cloud's original design of slicked-back black hair with no spikes was intended to save polygons and contrast with Sephiroth's long, flowing silver hair. However, Nomura feared that such masculinity could prove unpopular with fans, so he redesigned Cloud to feature a shock of spiky, bright blond hair. Vincent's occupation changed from researcher to detective to chemist, and finally to a former Turk with a tragic past.

Sakaguchi was responsible for writing the initial plot, which was quite different from the final version.{{cite web |url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/06/04/ffvii-not-being-remade-nomura |title=FFVII Not Being Remade – Nomura |work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=June 4, 2007 |accessdate=December 9, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328074809/http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/06/04/ffvii-not-being-remade-nomura|archivedate=March 28, 2016|url-status=live}} In this draft for the planned SNES version, the game's setting was envisioned as New York City in 1999. Similar to the final story, the main characters were part of an organization trying to destroy Mako reactors, but they were pursued by a hot-blooded detective named Joe. The main characters would eventually blow up the city. An early version of the Lifestream concept was present at this stage. According to Sakaguchi, his mother had died while Final Fantasy III was being developed, and choosing life as a theme helped him cope with her passing in a rational and analytical manner.{{cite journal|date=October 1997 |title=Final Fantasy VII: An Interview With Squaresoft |journal=Computer and Video Games |issue=191 |pages=53–59 |publisher=Future plc |url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_191_1997-10_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n51/mode/2up |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311025933/https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_191_1997-10_EMAP_Images_GB |archivedate=March 11, 2016}} Square eventually used the New York setting in Parasite Eve (1998).{{cite journal |title=Yoshinori Kitase interview |issue=25 |journal=LEVEL |language=sv |publisher=Reset Media |date=May 2008}} While the planned concept was dropped, Final Fantasy VII still marked a drastic shift in setting from previous entries, dropping the Medieval fantasy elements in favor of a world that was "ambiguously futuristic".

File:FFVIIsephirothkillsaeris.png killing Aerith Gainsborough. This key story sequence has been called one of the most "shocking", "cinematic", and "genre-defining" moments in video games.|alt=In an underground environment on top of an ancient altar, a silver-haired man in black clothing has just used his long sword to stab a brown-haired woman in red clothing through the chest and now withdraws it.]]

When Kitase was put in charge of Final Fantasy VII, he and Nomura reworked the entire initial plot. Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima joined the team after finishing work on Bahamut Lagoon. While Final Fantasy VI featured an ensemble cast of numerous playable characters that were equally important, the team soon decided to develop a central protagonist for FFVII. The pursuit of Sephiroth that formed most of the main narrative was suggested by Nomura, as nothing similar had been done in the series before. Kitase and Nojima conceived AVALANCHE and Shinra as opposing organizations and created Cloud's backstory as well as his relationship to Sephiroth. Among Nojima's biggest contributions to the plot were Cloud's memories and split personality; this included the eventual conclusion involving his newly created character of Zack. The crew helped Kitase adjust the specifics of Sakaguchi's original Lifestream concept.

Regarding the overall theme of the game, Sakaguchi said it was "not enough to make 'life' the theme, you need to depict living and dying. In any event, you need to portray death".{{cite book |date=May 18, 2001|script-title=ja:ゲーム・マエストロ Vol.4 デザイナー/イラストレーター編|trans-title=Game Maestro Vol. 4: Designer/Illustrator Volume|language=ja|publisher=Mainichi Communications|isbn=978-4839903879}} Consequently, Nomura proposed killing off the heroine. Aerith had been the only heroine, but the death of a female protagonist would necessitate a second; this led to the creation of Tifa.{{cite book |date=July 31, 2000|script-title=ja:ファイナルファンタジーVII 解体真書 ザ・コンプリート|trans-title=Final Fantasy VII: Book of Deconstructions – The Complete|page=33|language=ja|publisher=Aspect|isbn=978-4-7577-0098-7}} The developers decided to kill Aerith, as her death would be the most devastating and consequential. Kitase wanted to depict it as very sudden and unexpected, leaving "not a dramatic feeling but great emptiness", "feelings of reality and not Hollywood". The script for the scene was written by Nojima. Kitase and Nojima then planned that most of the main cast would die shortly before the final battle; Nomura vetoed the idea because he felt it would undermine the impact of Aerith's death. Several character relations and statuses underwent changes during development. Aerith was to be Sephiroth's sister, which influenced the design of her hair. The team then made Sephiroth a previous love interest of hers to deepen her backstory, but later swapped him with Zack. Vincent and Yuffie were to be part of the main narrative, but due to time constraints, they were nearly cut and eventually relegated to being optional characters.

Nojima was charged with writing the scenario and unifying the team's ideas into a cohesive narrative, as Kitase was impressed with his earlier work on the mystery-like Heracles no Eikō III: Kamigami no Chinmoku, an entry in the Glory of Heracles series. To make the characters more realistic, Nojima wrote scenes in which they would occasionally argue and raise objections: while this inevitably slowed down the pace of the story, it added depth to the characters. The graphical improvements allowed even relatively bland lines of dialogue to be enhanced with reactions and poses from the 3D character models. Voice acting would have led to significant load times, so it was omitted.{{cite magazine|last=|first= |title=An Interview with Hironobu Sakguchi |magazine=Next Generation|issue=22 |publisher=Imagine Media |date=October 1996|page=84}} Masato Kato wrote several late-game scenes, including the Lifestream sequence and Cloud and Tifa's conversation before the final battle. Initially unaffiliated with the project, Kato was called on to help flesh out less important story scenes. He wrote his scenes to his own tastes without outside consultation, something he later regretted.{{cite web|url=http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/friends/kato.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612080900/http://mitsuda.cocoebiz.com/friends/kato.html |archivedate=June 12, 2011 |title=My Friends: Masato Kato |author=Mitsuda, Yasunori |date=November 1999 |work=Our Millennial Fair |publisher=Procyon Studio |accessdate=December 29, 2010 |authorlink=Yasunori Mitsuda |url-status=dead}}

With the shift from the SNES to the next generation consoles, Final Fantasy VII became the first project in the series to use 3D computer graphics. Aside from the story, Final Fantasy VI had many details undecided when development began; most design elements were hashed out along the way. In contrast, with Final Fantasy VII, the developers knew from the outset it was going to be "a real 3D game", so from the earliest planning stage, detailed designs were in existence. The script was also finalized, and the image for the graphics had been fleshed out. This meant that when actual development work began, storyboards for the game were already in place. The shift from cartridge ROM to CD-ROM posed some problems: according to lead programmer Ken Narita, the CD-ROM had a slower access speed, delaying some actions during the game, so the team needed to overcome this issue. Certain tricks were used to conceal load times, such as offering animations to keep players from getting bored. When it was decided to use 3D graphics, there was a discussion among the staff whether to use sprite-based characters on 3D backgrounds or fully rendered polygonal models.{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/things-are-much-different-for-the-creator-of-final-fant-1629514442|title=Things Are Very Different For The Creator Of Final Fantasy|last=Schreier|first=Jason|work=Kotaku|publisher=Gakwer Media|date=September 2, 2014|accessdate=January 13, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824131428/http://kotaku.com/things-are-much-different-for-the-creator-of-final-fant-1629514442|archivedate=August 24, 2016|url-status=live}} While sprites proved more popular with the staff, the polygon models were chosen as they could better express emotion. This decision was influenced by the team's exposure to the 3D character models used in Alone in the Dark. Sakaguchi decided to use deformed models for field navigation and real-time event scenes, for better expression of emotion, while realistically proportioned models would be used in battles.{{cite web|url=http://andriasang.com/con11g/ffvii15/|title=Nomura, Kitase and Nojima Discuss Final Fantasy VII's Development|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop|work=Andriasang |publisher=Andriasang.com|date=May 16, 2012|accessdate=January 13, 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313202219/http://andriasang.com/con11g/ffvii15/|archivedate=March 13, 2016|url-status=live}} The team purchased Silicon Graphics Onyx supercomputers and related workstations, and accompanying software including Softimage 3D, PowerAnimator, and N-World for an estimated total of $21 million. Many team members had never seen the technology before.

File:FF7 background.gif

The transition from 2D graphics to 3D environments overlaid on pre-rendered backgrounds was accompanied by a focus on a more realistic presentation. In previous entries, the sizes for characters and environments were fixed, and the player saw things from a scrolling perspective. This changed with Final Fantasy VII; environments shifted with camera angles, and character model sizes shifted depending on both their place in the environment and their distance from the camera, giving a sense of scale. The choice of this highly cinematic style of storytelling, contrasting directly with Square's previous games, was attributed to Kitase, who was a fan of films and had an interest in the parallels between film and video game narrative. Character movement during in-game events was done by the character designers in the planning group. While designers normally cooperate with a motion specialist for such animations, the designers taught themselves motion work, resulting in each character's movements differing depending on their creators—some designers liked exaggerated movements, while others went for subtlety. Much of the time was spent on each character's day-to-day, routine animations. Motion specialists were brought in for the game's battle animations. The first characters the team worked with were Cloud and Barret. Some of the real-time effects, such as an explosion near the opening, were hand-drawn rather than computer-animated.

The main creative force behind the overall 3D presentation was Kazuyuki Hashimoto, the general supervisor for these sequences. Being experienced in the new technology the team had brought on board, he accepted the post at Square as the team aligned with his own creative spirit. One of the major events in development was when the real-time graphics were synchronized to computer-generated full motion video (FMV) cutscenes for some story sequences, notably an early sequence where a real-time model of Cloud jumps onto an FMV-rendered moving train. The backgrounds were created by overlaying two 2D graphic layers and changing the motion speed of each to simulate depth perception. While this was not a new technique, the increased power of the PlayStation enabled a more elaborate version of this effect. The biggest issue with the 3D graphics was the large memory storage gap between the development hardware and the console: while the early 3D tech demo had been developed on a machine with over 400 megabytes of total memory, the PlayStation only had two megabytes of system memory and 500 kilobytes for texture memory. The team needed to figure out how to shrink the amount of data while preserving the desired effects. This was aided with reluctant help from Sony, who had hoped to keep Square's direct involvement limited to a standard API package, but they eventually relented and allowed the team direct access to the hardware specifications.

Final Fantasy VII features two types of cutscenes: real-time cutscenes featuring polygon models on pre-rendered backgrounds, and FMV cutscenes. The game's computer-generated imagery (CGI) FMVs were produced by Visual Works, a then-new subsidiary of Square that specialized in computer graphics and FMVs creation. Visual Works had created the initial movie concept for a 3D game project. The FMVs were created by an international team, covering both Japan and North America and involving talent from the gaming and film industry; Western contributors included artists and staff who had worked on the Star Wars film series, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and True Lies.{{cite magazine|date=April 1994 |title=You Should Know This Game: Final Fantasy VII |magazine=Computer and Video Games |issue=185 |page=88 |publisher=Future plc |url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_185_1997-04_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n87/mode/2up |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317043635/https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_185_1997-04_EMAP_Images_GB |archivedate=March 17, 2016}} The team tried to create additional optional CGI content which would bring optional characters Vincent and Yuffie into the ending. As this would have further increased the number of discs the game needed, the idea was discarded.{{cite book |date=July 31, 2000|script-title=ja:ファイナルファンタジーVII 解体真書 ザ・コンプリート|trans-title=Final Fantasy VII: Book of Deconstructions – The Complete|page=215|language=ja|publisher=Aspect|isbn=978-4-7577-0098-7}} Kazuyuki Ikumori, a future key figure at Visual Works, helped with the creation of the CGI cutscenes, in addition to general background design.{{cite AV media|date=March 20, 2015 |first=Kazuyuki |last=Ikumori |url=http://www.twitch.tv/squareenixpresents/v/3927230 |title=SMU Guildhall: The Cinematic Evolution of Final Fantasy |medium=Video |accessdate=December 6, 2015 |format=Twitch |publisher=Square Enix |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011224842/http://www.twitch.tv/squareenixpresents/v/3927230 |archivedate=October 11, 2015}} [http://www.ffworld.com/2015/05/24/dans-les-coulisses-de-visual-works-avec-kazuyuki-ikumori/ Transcript in French] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118062032/http://www.ffworld.com/2015/05/24/dans-les-coulisses-de-visual-works-avec-kazuyuki-ikumori/ |date=January 18, 2017}} The CGI FMV sequences total around 40 minutes of footage, something only possible with the PlayStation's extra memory space and graphical power. This innovation brought with it the added difficulty of ensuring that the inferiority of the in-game graphics in comparison to the FMV sequences was not too obvious. Kitase has described the process of making the in-game environments as detailed as possible to be "a daunting task".

{{Main|Music of the Final Fantasy VII series}}

Image:Nobuo Uematsu.jpg composed, arranged, and produced the entire soundtrack for Final Fantasy VII.|alt=A 46-year-old Japanese man smiling directly into the camera. He has black hair going to gray around the temples and a graying mustache.]]

{{listen

| filename = One-Winged_Angel_sample.ogg

| title = "One-Winged Angel"

| description = "One-Winged Angel", the theme used during a part of the final battle against Sephiroth, is recognized by many as one of Uematsu's best works. The track uses high-quality digitized voices, a first for the series.

}}

The musical score of Final Fantasy VII was composed, arranged, and produced by Nobuo Uematsu, who had served as the sole composer for the six previous Final Fantasy games. Originally, Uematsu had planned to use CD quality music with vocal performances to take advantage of the console's audio capabilities but found that it resulted in the game having much longer loading times for each area. Uematsu then decided that the higher-quality audio was not worth the trade-off with performance, and opted instead to use MIDI-like sounds produced by the console's internal sound sequencer, similar to how his soundtracks for the previous games in the series on the Super NES were implemented.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-final-fantasy-vii |title=IGN Presents: The History of Final Fantasy VII |page=1 |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |first=Rus |last=McLaughlin |date=April 30, 2008 |accessdate=January 11, 2017 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128130134/http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/01/ign-presents-the-history-of-final-fantasy-vii |archivedate=January 28, 2014}}{{cite web | author1=Schweitzer, Ben | author2=Gann, Patrick | title=Final Fantasy VII OST | date=June 17, 2006 | publisher=RPGFan | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7ost/index.html | accessdate=July 28, 2008 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116214810/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7ost/index.html | archivedate=January 16, 2013 | url-status=live}} While the Super NES only had eight sound channels to work with, the PlayStation had twenty-four. Eight were reserved for sound effects, leaving sixteen available for the music.{{cite AV media|author=Square Enix|year=1997|title=SquareSoft on PlayStation Collector's Video|language=ja|medium=VHS|asin=B004FD5BLQ|publisher=Square Enix}} Uematsu's approach to composing the game's music was to treat it like a film soundtrack and compose music that reflected the mood of the scenes, rather than trying to make strong melodies to "define the game", as he felt that approach would come across too strong when placed alongside the game's new 3D visuals. As an example, he composed the track intended for the scene in the game where Aerith Gainsborough is killed to be "sad but beautiful", rather than more overtly emotional, creating what he felt was a more understated feeling.{{cite web |url=http://www.polygon.com/a/final-fantasy-7 |title=Final Fantasy 7: An oral history |last=Leone |first=Matt |work=Polygon |publisher=Vox Media |date=January 9, 2017 |accessdate=January 11, 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109201832/http://www.polygon.com/a/final-fantasy-7 |archivedate=January 9, 2017 |url-status=live}} Uematsu additionally said that the soundtrack had a feel of "realism", which also prevented him from using "exorbitant, crazy music".{{cite web |title= Nobuo Uematsu Interview |url= http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2000/070800b.html |publisher= RPGamer |date= July 8, 2000 |accessdate= August 5, 2008 |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20120930075859/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q3-2000/070800b.html| archivedate= September 30, 2012 |url-status= dead |df= mdy-all}}

The first piece that Uematsu composed for the game was the opening theme; game director Yoshinori Kitase showed him the opening cinematic and asked him to begin the project there. The track was well received in the company, which gave Uematsu "a sense that it was going to be a really good project". Final Fantasy VII was the first game in the series to include a track with high-quality digitized vocals, "One-Winged Angel", which accompanies a section of the final battle of the game. The track has been called Uematsu's "most recognizable contribution" to the music of the Final Fantasy series, which Uematsu agrees with.{{cite web |title= A Day in the Life of Final Fantasy's Nobuo Uematsu |last=Mielke |first=James |url= http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3166165 |website=1UP.com |date=February 15, 2008 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120716121043/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3166165 |archivedate=July 16, 2012}} Inspired by The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky to make a more "classical" track, and by rock and roll music from the late 1960s and early 1970s to make an orchestral track with a "destructive impact", he spent two weeks composing short unconnected musical phrases, and then arranged them together into "One-Winged Angel", an approach he had never used before.

Music from the game has been released in several albums. Square released the main soundtrack album, Final Fantasy VII Original Soundtrack, on four Compact Discs through its DigiCube subsidiary in 1997. A limited edition release was also produced, containing illustrated liner notes. The regular edition of the album reached third on the Japan Oricon charts, while the limited edition reached #19.{{cite web| url = http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239084/1/| publisher = Oricon| script-title=ja:Final Fantasy VII Original Sound Track |language = ja | accessdate=June 24, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022014538/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239084/1/ |archivedate=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live}}{{cite web| url = http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239083/1/| publisher = Oricon| script-title=ja:Final Fantasy VII Original Sound Track |language = ja | accessdate=June 24, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022014554/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239083/1/ |archivedate=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live}} Overall, the album had sold nearly 150,000 copies by January 2010.{{cite web| title= 『FF XIII』サウンドトラックが初日TOP3入り | publisher= Oricon| date = January 28, 2010| url= http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/72857/| language=ja | accessdate = February 3, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120065208/http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/72857/ |archivedate=January 20, 2013 |url-status=live}} A single-disc album of selected tracks from the original soundtrack, along with three arranged pieces, titled Final Fantasy VII Reunion Tracks, was also released by DigiCube in 1997,{{cite web | last=Gann | first=Patrick | title=Final Fantasy VII Reunion Tracks | date=June 23, 2000 | publisher=RPGFan | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7reunion/index.html | accessdate=July 28, 2008 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116213205/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7reunion/index.html | archivedate=January 16, 2013 | url-status=live}} reaching #20 on the Japan Oricon charts.{{cite web| url = http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239092/1/| publisher = Oricon| script-title=ja:ファイナルファンタジーVII／リユニオン・トラックス |language = ja | accessdate=June 24, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022014634/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/239092/1/ |archivedate=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live}} A third album, Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII, was released by DigiCube in 2003, and contains one disc of piano arrangements of tracks from the game. It was arranged by Shirō Hamaguchi and performed by Seiji Honda, and reached #228 on the Oricon charts.{{cite web | last=Gann |first=Patrick | title=Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII | date=February 25, 2004 | url=http://www.rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7piano/index.html | publisher=RPGFan | accessdate=July 28, 2008 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116213734/http://rpgfan.com/soundtracks/ff7piano/index.html | archivedate=January 16, 2013 | url-status=live}}{{cite web| url = http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/525242/1/| publisher = Oricon| script-title=ja:Piano Collections Final Fantasy VII |language = ja | accessdate=June 24, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022014656/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/67810/products/music/525242/1/ |archivedate=October 22, 2012 |url-status=live}}

Final Fantasy VII was announced in February 1996.{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/862/862783/|script-title=ja:【電撃PS 20周年】スクウェアが『FFVII』を引っ提げてPSに参入。業界が騒然となったあの時——【1995年10月～1996年3月】|work=Dengeki Online|language=ja|publisher=ASCII Media Works|date=June 18, 2014|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123025133/http://dengekionline.com/elem/000/000/862/862783/|archivedate=November 23, 2016|url-status=live}} Square president and chief executive officer Tomoyuki Takechi were fairly confident about Japanese players making the game a commercial success despite it being on a new platform. A playable demo was included on a disc giveaway at the 1996 Tokyo Game Show, dubbed Square's Preview Extra: Final Fantasy VII & Siggraph '95 Works. The disc also included the early test footage Square created using characters from Final Fantasy VI.{{cite web|url=http://www.psxextreme.com/ps1-news/816.html|title=A Final Fantasy VI Remake Was Once A Reality|last=Nelson|first=David D.|work=PSExtreme|date=September 6, 2013|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021195110/http://www.psxextreme.com/ps1-news/816.html|archivedate=October 21, 2016|url-status=dead}} The initial release date was at some point in 1996, but to properly realize their vision, Square postponed the release date almost a full year.{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Xs8q35fCI|author=GameTrailers|date=August 13, 2007|title=Final Fantasy Retrospective – Part V|medium=Video|publisher=YouTube|access-date=January 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170709160704/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2Xs8q35fCI|archive-date=July 9, 2017|url-status=live}} Final Fantasy VII was released on January 31, 1997.{{cite web|url=http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/ff7/|script-title=ja:ファイナルファンタジーVII / Square Enix|language=ja|work=Square Enix|publisher=Square Enix|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161217173224/http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/ff7/|archivedate=December 17, 2016|url-status=live}} It was published in Japan by Square.{{cite web|url=http://awards.cesa.or.jp/1997/ff7.html|script-title=ja:大賞／シナリオ部門賞／サウンド部門賞 – ファイナルファンタジーVII|work=Japan Game Awards|publisher=Japan Game Awards|date=1997|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320203001/http://awards.cesa.or.jp/1997/ff7.html|archivedate=March 20, 2016|url-status=live}} A re-release of the game based on its Western version, titled Final Fantasy VII International, was released on October 2 the same year.{{cite web|url=http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/ff7_inter/|script-title=ja:ファイナルファンタジーVII インターナショナル|language=ja|work=Square Enix|publisher=Square Enix|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160427142602/http://www.jp.square-enix.com/archive/ff7_inter/|archivedate=April 27, 2016|url-status=live}} This improved International version would kickstart the trend for Square to create an updated version for the Japanese release, based on the enhanced Western versions. The International version was re-released as a physical disc as part of the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box Japanese package on December 18, 2012.{{cite web|url=http://andriasang.com/con2j5/ff_ultimate_box_game_list/ |title=Full Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box Game List |work=Andriasang.com|last=Gantayat|first=Anoop |date=August 31, 2012 |accessdate=September 2, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019130607/http://andriasang.com/con2j5/ff_ultimate_box_game_list/ |archivedate=October 19, 2012}}

While its success in Japan had been taken for granted by Square executives, North America and Europe were another matter, as up to that time the Japanese role-playing genre was still a niche market in Western territories. Sony, due to the PlayStation's struggles against Nintendo and Sega's home consoles, lobbied for the publishing rights in North America and Europe following Final Fantasy VII{{'}}s transfer to PlayStation—to further persuade Square, Sony offered a lucrative royalties deal with profits potentially equaling those Square would get by self-publishing the game. Square accepted Sony's offer as Square itself lacked Western publishing experience. Square was uncertain about the game's success, as other JRPGs including Final Fantasy VI had met with poor sales outside Japan. To help with promoting the title overseas, Square dissolved their original Washington offices and hired new staff for fresh offices in Costa Mesa. It was first exhibited to the Western public at Electronic Entertainment Expo 1996 (E3).{{cite web|url=https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/06/03/playstation-at-e3-1996/|title=PlayStation at E3: 1996|work=PlayStation Blog|publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment|date=June 3, 2010|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928230514/http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/06/03/playstation-at-e3-1996/|archivedate=September 28, 2015|url-status=live}}

To promote the game overseas, Square and Sony launched a widespread three-month advertising campaign in August 1997. Beginning with a television commercial that ran alongside popular shows such as Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons by TBWA\Chiat\Day, the campaign included numerous articles in both gaming and general interest magazines, advertisements in comics from publishers such as DC Comics and Marvel Comics, a special collaboration with Pepsi, media events, sample discs, and merchandise.{{cite web|date=August 27, 1997 |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PlayStation%27s+Final+Fantasy+VII+Marketing+Blitz+Continues%3b+Consumers...-a019701566 |title=PlayStation's Final Fantasy VII Marketing Blitz Continues |publisher=The Free Library |work=Business Wire |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20141126191653/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PlayStation's+Final+Fantasy+VII+Marketing+Blitz+Continues;+Consumers...-a019701566 |archivedate=November 26, 2014 |url-status=live}} According to estimations by Takechi, the total worldwide marketing budget came to {{USD}}40 million; $10 million had been spent in Japan, $10 million in Europe, and $20 million in North America. Unlike its predecessors, Final Fantasy VII did not have its numeral adjusted to account for the lack of a Western release for Final Fantasy II, III, and V — while only the fourth Final Fantasy released outside Japan, its Japanese title was retained.{{cite web|url=http://www.usgamer.net/articles/where-final-fantasy-went-wrong-and-how-square-enix-is-righting-it|title=Where Final Fantasy Went Wrong, and How Square Enix is Putting It Right|last=Parish|first=Jeremy|work=USGamer|publisher=Gamer Network|date=November 26, 2014|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510025419/http://www.usgamer.net/articles/where-final-fantasy-went-wrong-and-how-square-enix-is-righting-it|archivedate=May 10, 2016|url-status=live}} It was released in North America on September 7, 1997.{{cite web | date=May 15, 2005 | title=Square Enix Announces Release Date of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children | url=http://release.square-enix.com/na/2005/05/square_enix_announces_release.html | publisher=Square Enix | accessdate=March 18, 2013 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160328231448/http://release.square-enix.com/na/2005/05/square_enix_announces_release.html | archivedate=March 28, 2016 | url-status=live}} The game was released in Europe on November 17, becoming the first Final Fantasy game to be released in Europe.{{cite web|year=1997 |title=SCEE 1997 – Key facts and figures |url=http://www.scee.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=95&NewsAreaID=22 |publisher=Sony Computer Entertainment |accessdate=November 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060326133450/http://www.scee.presscentre.com/content/detail.asp?ReleaseID=95&NewsAreaID=22 |archivedate=March 26, 2006}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/final-fantasy/feature/a653830/everything-we-know-about-the-final-fantasy-vii-remake-features-trailers-and-more/|title=Everything you need to know about Final Fantasy VII Remake, including news, trailers and release dates|last1=Langsaw|first1=Mark|last2=Martin|first2=Liam|work=Digital Spy|publisher=Hearst Magazines UK|date=December 8, 2015|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151211074350/http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/final-fantasy/feature/a653830/everything-we-know-about-the-final-fantasy-vii-remake-features-trailers-and-more/|archivedate=December 11, 2015|url-status=live}} The Western version included additional elements and alterations, such as streamlining of the menu and Materia system, reducing the health of enemies, new visual cues to help with navigation across the world map, and additional cutscenes relating to Cloud's past.{{cite web|work=Edge Online|title=Q&A – Square Enix's Richard Honeywood |date=February 2006 |accessdate=March 28, 2013|url=http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2006/02/qa_square_enixs_1.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517012317/http://www.edge-online.co.uk/archives/2006/02/qa_square_enixs_1.php|archivedate=May 17, 2006|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/114102/Square_Enixs_Final_Fantasy_VII_Hits_Japanese_PSN.php|title=Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Hits Japanese PSN|last=Alexander|first=Leigh|work=Gamasutra|publisher=UBM TechWeb|date=April 10, 2009|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131114050013/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/114102/Square_Enixs_Final_Fantasy_VII_Hits_Japanese_PSN.php|archivedate=November 14, 2013|url-status=live}}

A version for PC was developed by Square's Costa Mesa offices. Square invested in a PC version to reach as wide a player base as possible; many Western consumers did not own a PlayStation, and Square's deal with Sony did not prohibit such a port. Having never released a title for PC, Square decided to treat the port as a sales experiment. The port was handled by a team of 15 to 20 people, mostly from Costa Mesa but with help from Tokyo. Square did not begin the port until the console version was finished.{{cite web|url=http://uk.ign.com/articles/1999/10/02/final-fantasy-viii-interview|title=Final Fantasy VIII Interview|work=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=October 2, 1999|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170114212639/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/10/02/final-fantasy-viii-interview|archivedate=January 14, 2017|url-status=live}} The team needed to rewrite an estimated 80% of the game's code, due to the need to unify what had been a custom build for a console written by multiple staff members. Consequently, programmers faced problems such as having to unify the original PlayStation version's five different game engines, leading to delays. The PC version came with a license for Yamaha Corporation's software synthesizer S-YXG70, allowing high-quality sequenced music despite varying sound hardware setups on different user computers. The conversion of the nearly 100 original musical pieces to XG format files was done by Yamaha.

To maximize their chances of success, Square searched for a Western company to assist with releasing the PC version. Eidos Interactive, whose release of Tomb Raider had turned them into a publishing giant, agreed to market and publish the port. The port was announced in December 1997, along with Eidos' exclusivity deal for North America and Europe at the time,{{cite web|url=http://www.csoon.com/issue30/p_eidos1.htm|title=Eidos Interactive Acquires Exclusive PC Rights to Epic Role-Playing Game Final Fantasy VII|work=Coming Soon Magazine|date=December 5, 1997|accessdate=January 14, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210225444/http://www.csoon.com/issue30/p_eidos1.htm|archivedate=December 10, 2015|url-status=dead}} though the port was rumored to happen as early as December 1996, prior to the PlayStation version's release.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1996-12-16.html|title=Final Fantasy VII Coming to the PC|author=Staff|website=PC Gamer|publisher=Future plc|date=December 20, 1996|accessdate=November 27, 2019|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19980218070905/http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1996-12-16.html|archivedate=February 18, 1998|url-status=dead}} To help the product stand out in stores, Eidos chose a trapezoidal shape for the cover and box. They agreed on a contract price of $1.8 million, making initial sales forecasts of 100,000 units based on that outlay. The PC version was released in North America and Europe on June 25, 1998; the port was not released in Japan.{{cite web|url=http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/news/98042102.html |title=Yamaha Corporation licenses its XG Soft Synthesizer to Square Soft |date=April 21, 1998 |publisher=Yamaha Corporation |accessdate=May 24, 2010 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080202054141/http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/news/98042102.html |archivedate = February 2, 2008|url-status=dead}} Within one month, sales of the port exceeded the initial forecasts. The PC version would end up providing the source code for subsequent ports.

{{see also|Localization of Square Enix video games}}

Localization of Final Fantasy VII was handled internally by Square. The English localization, led by Seth Luisi, was completed by a team of about fifty people and faced a variety of problems. According to Luisi, the biggest hurdle was making "the direct Japanese-to-English text translation read correctly in English. The sentence structure and grammar rules for the Japanese language is very different from English", making it difficult for the translation to read like native English without distorting the meaning.{{Cite magazine|last=|first=|date=May 1997|title=Finalizing the Fantasy|url=https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3681-electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-094-may-1997/|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly|publisher=Ziff Davis|volume=|issue=94|pages=91–94|via=Retromags|access-date=February 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203135144/https://www.retromags.com/files/file/3681-electronic-gaming-monthly-issue-094-may-1997/|archive-date=February 3, 2020|url-status=live}} Michael Basket was the sole translator for the project, though he received the help of native Japanese speakers from the Tokyo office. The localization was taxing for the team due to their inexperience, lack of professional editors, and poor communication between the North American and Japanese offices. A result of this disconnect was the original localization of Aerith's name—which was intended as a conflation of "air" and "earth"—as "Aeris" due to a lack of communication between localization staff and the QA team.

The team also faced several technical issues due to programming practices which took little account of subsequent localization, such as dealing with a fixed-width font and having to insert kanji through language input keys to add special characters (for example, vowels with diacritics) to keep the code working. Consequently, the text was still read as Japanese by the word processor; the computer's spellcheck could not be used, and mistakes had to be caught manually. The code used obscure kanji to refer to main character's names, which made it unintuitive for the translators to identify characters. Translated text usually takes up more space than the Japanese text, though still had to fit to the screen appropriately without overusing page breaks (for example, item names, which are written in kanji in Japanese language, could overflow message windows in translated text); to mitigate this problem, a proportional typeface was implemented into the source code to fit more text into the screen. Swear words were used frequently in the localization to help convey the original Japanese meaning, though most profanities were censored in a manner described by Square employee Richard Honeywood as the "old comic book '@#$%!'-type replacement". The European release was described as being in a worse condition, as the translations into multiple European languages were outsourced by Sony to another company, further hindering communication. For the PC port, Square attempted to fix translation and grammar mistakes for the North American and European versions but did not have the time and budget to retranslate all the text.{{cite web|url=http://www.wesleyfenlon.com/2012/04/15/gamespite-quarterly-interview-richard-honeywood-on-the-rise-of-square-localization/|title=GameSpite Quarterly Interview: Richard Honeywood on The Rise of Square Localization|last=Fenlon|first=Wesley|date=April 15, 2012|work=Wesley Fenlon Blog|publisher=|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226145009/http://www.wesleyfenlon.com/2012/04/15/gamespite-quarterly-interview-richard-honeywood-on-the-rise-of-square-localization/|archivedate=December 26, 2016|accessdate=January 15, 2016}} According to Honeywood, the success of Final Fantasy VII in the West encouraged Square to focus more on localization quality; on future games, Square hired additional translators and editors, while also streamlining communication between the development and localization teams.

Some months prior to the game's North American release, Sony publicly stated that it was considering cutting the scene at the Honey Bee Inn due to the salacious content, prompting numerous online petitions and letters of protest from RPG fans. Square subsequently stated that it would never allow Sony to localize the game in any way.{{cite magazine |first=Colin|last=Campbell|title=Final Fantasy Mania |magazine=Next Generation |issue=29|publisher=Imagine Media|date=May 1997|page=30}} In addition to translating the text, the North American localization team made tweaks to the gameplay, including reducing the enemy encounter rate, simplifying the Materia menu, and adding new boss fights.{{cite magazine |author=Bro Buzz|title=Final Fantasy VII Update! |magazine=GamePro|issue=107|publisher=IDG |date=August 1997|page=86}}

The International version of Final Fantasy VII was released on PlayStation Network (PSN) as a PSOne Classic in Japan on April 10, 2009. This version was compatible with both PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable with support for PlayStation Vita and PlayStation TV coming later. Final Fantasy VII was later released as a PSOne Classic in North America, Europe, and Australia on June 2.{{cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/02/final-fantasy-vii-hitting-psn-today|title=Final Fantasy VII hitting PSN today|last=Majeb|first=Athab|work=Joystiq|publisher=AOL|date=June 2, 2009|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611152007/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/02/final-fantasy-vii-hitting-psn-today|archivedate=June 11, 2009|url-status=dead}} The PC version was updated by DotEmu for use on modern operating systems and released via Square Enix's North American and European online stores on August 14, 2012.{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy VII For PC Out Now|url=http://na.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-pc-out-now|website=Official Square Enix NA Blog|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602072630/http://na.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-pc-out-now|archivedate=June 2, 2017|date=August 14, 2012}}{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy VII For PC Out Now|url=http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-pc-out-now|website=Official Square Enix EU Blog|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816231258/http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-pc-out-now|archivedate=August 16, 2012|date=August 14, 2012}} It included high-resolution support, cloud saves, achievements and a character booster. It would later be released via Steam on July 4, 2013,{{cite web|url=http://na.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-launches-steam|title=Final Fantasy VII launches on Steam!|last=Elliot|first=Phil|work=Official Square Enix NA Blog|publisher=Square Enix|date=July 4, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618091605/http://na.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-launches-steam?nocookies=1|archivedate=June 18, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-launches-steam|title=Final Fantasy VII launches on Steam!|last=Elliot|first=Phil|work=Official Square Enix EU Blog|publisher=Square Enix|date=July 4, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707121715/http://eu.square-enix.com/en/blog/final-fantasy-vii-launches-steam?nocookies=1|archivedate=July 7, 2013|url-status=live}} replacing the version available on Square Enix's North American and European online stores.{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy VII [PC Download] (Steam)|url=https://store.na.square-enix.com/product/280796/final-fantasy-vii-pc-download|website=Square Enix NA Online Store|accessdate=June 2, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728003450/https://store.na.square-enix.com/product/280796/final-fantasy-vii-pc-download|archivedate=July 28, 2016}}{{cite web|title=Final Fantasy VII [PC Download] (Steam)|url=https://store.eu.square-enix.com/eu/product/307118/final-fantasy-vii-pc-download|website=Square Enix EU Online Store|accessdate=June 2, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602080842/https://store.eu.square-enix.com/eu/product/307118/final-fantasy-vii-pc-download|archivedate=June 2, 2017}} The PC version would be released in Japan for the first time on May 16, 2013, exclusively via Square Enix's Japanese online store with the International version title. It has features unavailable in the western version including high-speed mode, no random encounters mode, and a max stats command.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.famitsu.com/news/201305/16033364.html|script-title=ja:『FFVII インターナショナル for PC』本日発売、PC版『FFVIII』の発売も決定！|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|publisher=Enterbrain|date=May 16, 2013|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522214212/http://www.famitsu.com/news/201305/16033364.html|archivedate=May 22, 2016|url-status=live}} A release for iOS, based on the PC version and adjusted for mobile devices by D4 Enterprise, was released on August 19, 2015, with an auto-save feature.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/final-fantasy-vii-comes-to-ios|title=Final Fantasy VII iOS is finally here|last=Kamen|first=Matt|magazine=Wired UK|publisher=Condé Nast Publications|date=August 19, 2015|accessdate=August 19, 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921001507/http://www.wired.co.uk/article/final-fantasy-vii-comes-to-ios|archivedate=September 21, 2016|url-status=live}} The PC version was released for PlayStation 4 on December 5, 2015. DotEmu developed the PS4 version.{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2015/12/05/final-fantasy-vii-is-out-today-on-playstation-4/|title='Final Fantasy VII' is out today on PlayStation 4|last=Conditt|first=Jessica|work=Engadget|publisher=AOL|date=December 5, 2015|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206095627/http://www.engadget.com/2015/12/05/final-fantasy-vii-is-out-today-on-playstation-4/|archivedate=December 6, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/6/7345413/final-fantasy-7-ps4-square-enix|title=Final Fantasy 7 is coming to PlayStation 4 next year|first=Michael|last=McWhertor|work=Polygon|date=December 6, 2014 |publisher=Vox Media|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305020824/http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/6/7345413/final-fantasy-7-ps4-square-enix|archivedate=March 5, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/dotemu/posts/359597847448990|title=DotEmu – August 14, 2012|work=DotEmu|publisher=Facebook|date=August 14, 2012|accessdate=February 10, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102045143/https://www.facebook.com/dotemu/posts/359597847448990|archivedate=January 2, 2016|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/274239/DotEmus_bid_to_port_Titan_Quest_to_smartphones.php|title=DotEmu's bid to port Titan Quest to smartphones|last=Allen|first=Jennifer|work=Gamasutra|publisher=UBM TechWeb|date=June 30, 2016|accessdate=February 10, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702145958/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/274239/DotEmus_bid_to_port_Titan_Quest_to_smartphones.php|archivedate=July 2, 2016|url-status=live}} The game was also released for Android on July 7, 2016,{{cite web|url=http://toucharcade.com/2016/07/07/after-almost-a-year-on-ios-final-fantasy-vii-is-out-on-android/|title=After Almost a Year on iOS, 'Final Fantasy VII' Is Out on Android|last=Lazarides|first=Tasos|work=Touch Arcade|date=July 7, 2016|accessdate=January 15, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161213190554/http://toucharcade.com/2016/07/07/after-almost-a-year-on-ios-final-fantasy-vii-is-out-on-android/|archivedate=December 13, 2016|url-status=live}} for the PlayStation Classic on December 3, 2018,{{Cite web|url=https://blog.us.playstation.com/2018/10/29/announcing-playstation-classics-full-lineup-of-20-games/|title=Announcing PlayStation Classic's Full Lineup of 20 Games|website=PlayStation.Blog|date=October 29, 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=November 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029121952/https://blog.us.playstation.com/2018/10/29/announcing-playstation-classics-full-lineup-of-20-games/|archive-date=October 29, 2018|url-status=live}} and for the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One worldwide on March 26, 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.windowscentral.com/final-fantasy-vii-launches-xbox-one-late-march |title=Final Fantasy VII lands on Xbox One in late March |last=Madan |first=Asher |date=February 13, 2019 |website=Windows Central |access-date=February 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214075916/https://www.windowscentral.com/final-fantasy-vii-launches-xbox-one-late-march |archive-date=February 14, 2019 |url-status=live}}

{{Video game reviews

| title = Contemporary reviews

| PC = true

| PS = true

| na = true

| 1UP_PS = A+{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3111181&did=3 |title=Final Fantasy VII Review |author=1UP Staff |website=1UP.com |date=January 1, 2000 |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530171249/http://www.1up.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii_2 |archivedate=May 30, 2016 |url-status=dead}}

| Allgame_PS = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=43810 |title=Final Fantasy VII (Greatest Hits) |work=Allgame |publisher=Rovi Corporation |accessdate=September 4, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100102143231/http://allgame.com/game.php?id=43810|archivedate=January 2, 2010|url-status=dead}}

| Allgame_PC = {{rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=9411 |title=Final Fantasy VII (PC) |work=Allgame |publisher=Rovi Corporation |accessdate=September 4, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114121120/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=9411|archivedate=November 14, 2014|url-status=dead}}

| CVG_PS = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_192_1997-11_EMAP_Images_GB#page/n51/mode/2up |title=Computer and Video Games – Issue 192 (1997–11)(EMAP Images)(GB) |work=archive.org |date=November 1997 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717191034/http://archive.org/stream/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_192_1997-11_EMAP_Images_GB |archivedate=July 17, 2013}}

| CVG_PC = 9/10{{cite web|url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/8069/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/|title= Final Fantasy VII: The game that made RPGs cool|author=Alex C|work=Computer and Video Games|publisher=Future plc|date=August 14, 2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129185639/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/8069/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/|archivedate=November 29, 2014}}

| Edge_PS = 9/10

| EGM_PS = 38/40Electronic Gaming Monthly, 1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide, p. 72{{cite magazine |title=Review Crew: Final Fantasy VII|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=99|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=October 1997|page=50}}

| Fam_PS = 38/40{{cite web|url=http://fs.finalfantasytr.com/search.asp?query=final+fantasy |title=Final Fantasy – famitsu Scores Archive |publisher=Famitsu Scores Archive |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080714074152/http://fs.finalfantasytr.com/search.asp?query=final%2Bfantasy |archivedate=July 14, 2008 |url-status=dead}}

| GamePro_PC = {{rating|4.5|5}}

| GamePro_PS = 20/20

| GameFan_PS = 300+/300GameFan, volume 5, issue 9 (September 1997), pp. 26 & 67–70{{cite journal|url=http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Games/Issue13FinalFantasyVII |title=Final Fantasy VII: The Voice of the Planet |journal=GameSpite Quarterly |last=Nomali |first=Nicola |date=March 30, 2009 |issue=13 |accessdate=January 29, 2012 |editor1-first=Jeremy |editor1-last=Parish |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120120051341/http://www.gamespite.net/toastywiki/index.php/Games/Issue13FinalFantasyVII |archivedate=January 20, 2012}}

| GI_PS = 9.75/10{{cite magazine|url=http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=sep97&doc=ff7|title=Final Fantasy VII: Better Than All the Rest|author1=Andy|author2=Paul|author3=Reiner, Andrew|magazine=Game Informer|date=September 1997|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990913143421/http://www.gameinformer.com/cgi-bin/review.cgi?sys=psx&path=sep97&doc=ff7|archive-date=September 13, 1999}}

| GMaster_PS = 96%{{cite journal |last1=Griffiths |first1=Daniel |title=Final Fantasy VII |journal=GamesMaster |date=Christmas 1997 |issue=63 |pages=34–37}}

| GameRev_PS = B+{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII – PlayStation Review |url=http://www.game-revolution.com/games/sony/rpg/final_fantasy_vii.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010309091343/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/sony/rpg/final_fantasy_vii.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 9, 2001 |website=Game Revolution |date=June 4, 1998 |accessdate=March 9, 2001}}

| GSpot_PS = 9.5/10

| GSpot_PC = 8/10{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/1900-2536027/ |title=Final Fantasy VII (PC) |work=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |last=Dulin |first=Ron |date=July 7, 1998 |accessdate=March 8, 2010 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016111436/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review/1900-2536027/ |archivedate=October 16, 2013}}

| IGN_PS = 9.5/10

| IGN_PC = 8.2/10{{cite web |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/152/152301p1.html |title=Final Fantasy VII review (PC) |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |last=Ward |first=Trent |date=June 24, 1998 |accessdate=March 8, 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020221020905/http://pc.ign.com/articles/152/152301p1.html |archivedate=February 21, 2002}}

| NGen_PS = {{rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine|title=Grand Finale|magazine=Next Generation|issue=34|publisher=Imagine Media|date=October 1997|page=170}}

| OPMAU_PS = 10/10{{cite journal |last1=Bertram |first1=Adrian |title=Official Australian PSX Review of FFVII |journal=PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia |date=December 1997 |url=http://www.ff7citadel.com/press/rev_aus.shtml |accessdate=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728213350/http://www.ff7citadel.com/press/rev_aus.shtml |archive-date=July 28, 2017 |url-status=live}}

| OPM_PS = {{rating|5|5}}

| Play_PS = 94%{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII Reviews and Articles for PlayStation |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/articles.html |website=GameRankings |accessdate=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401233822/https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/articles.html |archive-date=April 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}

| PSM_PS = {{rating|5|5}}{{Cite magazine|title=Final Fantasy VII|date=September 1997 |editor=Frost, Stephen |magazine=PlayStation: The Official Magazine |issue=1 |page=18 |publisher=Imagine Media}}

| CGW_PC= {{rating|4|5}}

| PCF_PC = 93%{{cite journal |title=The biggest selling game of all time: Final Fantasy VII |journal=PC Zone |date=August 1998 |issue=66 |pages=2–3 |url=https://archive.org/stream/PC_Zone_Issue_066_1998-08_Dennis_Publishing_GB#page/n1/mode/2up |accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

| PCGUS_PC = 90%

| PCPP_PC = 90%{{cite journal |title=Reviews: Final Fantasy VII |journal=PC PowerPlay |date=August 1998 |issue=27 |pages=78–79 |url=https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-027-1998-08/page/n77 |accessdate=April 1, 2019 |language=en}}

| PCZone_PC = 93%{{cite journal |title=Reviews: Final Fantasy VII |journal=PC Zone |date=August 1998 |issue=66 |pages=92–95 |url=https://archive.org/stream/PC_Zone_Issue_066_1998-08_Dennis_Publishing_GB#page/n91/mode/2up |accessdate=April 1, 2019}}

}}

{{Video game reviews

| title = Retrospective reviews

| PC = true

| PS = true

| na = true

| GR_PS = 92%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/index.html |title=Final Fantasy VII for PlayStation |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142435/http://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/index.html |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead}}

| GR_PC = 86%{{cite web |url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/130791-final-fantasy-vii/index.html |title=Final Fantasy VII for PC |website=GameRankings |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=June 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143153/http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/130791-final-fantasy-vii/index.html |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |url-status=dead}}

| MC_PS = 92/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/final-fantasy-vii/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation |title=Final Fantasy VII for PlayStation Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=July 13, 2013 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110829042001/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation/final-fantasy-vii |archivedate=August 29, 2011}}

}}

Within three days of its release in Japan, Final Fantasy VII sold over two million copies.{{cite magazine|title=Final Fantasy VII Quiz |magazine=VideoGame Spot |date=February 4, 1997}} Quoted in {{cite web |url=https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7687635/Bamberger_marketing_files.0.pdf |title=Final Fantasy VII Enthusiast Coverage |work=Polygon |type=Part of a collection of internal SCEA documents compiled by former Sony senior product manager David Bamberger for "Final Fantasy 7: An oral history" |publisher=Vox Media |date=January 9, 2017 |orig-year=First published c. March 1997 |page=18 |accessdate=May 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217015709/https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7687635/Bamberger_marketing_files.0.pdf |archive-date=February 17, 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|title=Gaming Gossip|magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |issue=93|publisher=Ziff Davis|date=April 1997|page=28 |quote=... more than 2 million copies were sold the first two days ...}} This popularity inspired thousands of retailers in North America to break street dates in September to meet public demand for the title.{{cite magazine | date=September 1997 | title=Retailers Nationwide Break Official Release Date of PlayStation's "Final Fantasy VII" Videogame | publisher=Business Wire | magazine=Find Articles}} In the game's debut weekend in North America, it sold 330,000 copies,{{cite magazine | date=September 1997 | title=PlayStation's "Final Fantasy VII" Breaks Industry Records in Debut Weekend | magazine=Find Articles | publisher=Business Wire}} and had reached sales of 500,000 copies in less than three weeks.{{cite magazine | date=September 1997 | title=PlayStation's Final Fantasy VII Has Sold More Than Half a Million Copies to Date | publisher=Business Wire | magazine=Find Articles}} The momentum established in the game's opening weeks continued for several months; Sony announced the game had sold one million copies in North America by early December,{{cite magazine | date=December 4, 1997 | title=Final Fantasy VII For PlayStation Hits Million-Unit Mark; Latest Sell-Through Numbers Make Square's Final Fantasy VII Worldwide Best Seller | magazine=Find Articles | publisher=Business Wire}} prompting business analyst Edward Williams from Monness, Crespi, Hardt & Co. to comment that "Sony redefined the role-playing game (RPG) category and expanded the conventional audience with the launch of Final Fantasy VII". According to Weekly Famitsu, Final Fantasy VII sold 3.27 million units in Japan by the end of 1997.{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000301041540/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_02/05_japan/index.html | url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_02/05_japan/index.html | title=Japan's Top Ten of '97 | author=Ohbuchi, Yutaka | date=February 5, 1998 | work=GameSpot | archivedate=March 1, 2000 | url-status=dead}} By the end of 2005, the PlayStation version had sold 9.8 million copies including 4 million sales in Japan,{{cite web|url=http://na.square-enix.com/e306/titles/ccff7/ |title=Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- |accessdate=December 15, 2019 |publisher=Square Enix|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801053240/http://na.square-enix.com/e306/titles/ccff7/| archivedate=August 1, 2008| year=2006}} making it the highest-selling game in the Final Fantasy series.{{cite web|url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/869/869858p1.html |title=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII UK Interview |website=IGN |first=Dave |last=McCarthy |date=April 28, 2008 |accessdate=December 3, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221203131/http://psp.ign.com/articles/869/869858p1.html |archivedate=February 21, 2009}} By the end of 2006, The Best, the bargain reissue of the game, had sold over 158,000 copies in Japan.{{Cite book|title=Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 2007 |publisher=Enterbrain |year=2007 |isbn=978-4-7577-3577-4 |location=Tokyo |page=387 |id={{JPNO|21240454}} |language=ja |script-title=ja:ファミ通ゲーム白書2007 |trans-title=Famitsu Game Whitebook 2007 |chapter=2006年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP500 |trans-chapter=2006 Game Software Annual Sales Top 500 |chapter-url=http://geimin.net/da/db/2006_ne_fa/index.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626214525/http://geimin.net/da/db/2006_ne_fa/index.php |archive-date=June 26, 2015}} By May 2010, it had sold over 10 million copies worldwide,{{cite web|first=Andrew |last=Webster |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/05/masterpiece-final-fantasy-vii.ars |title=Masterpiece: Final Fantasy VII |website=Ars Technica |date=May 2010 |accessdate=February 8, 2012 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130003235/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/05/masterpiece-final-fantasy-vii.ars |archivedate=January 30, 2012}} making it the most popular title in the series in terms of units sold.{{cite video|date=August 13, 2007 |url=http://www.gametrailers.com/player/23449.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415150749/http://www.gametrailers.com/player/23449.html |archivedate=April 15, 2009 |title=Final Fantasy Retrospective Part V |medium=GameTrailers.com feature |publisher=GameTrailers |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|date=August 29, 2006 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-29-dirge-of-cerberus_x.htm |title='Dirge of Cerberus' defies expectations, for better and worse |work=USA Today |first=Alex |last=Kraus |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629090116/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-29-dirge-of-cerberus_x.htm |archivedate=June 29, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://uk.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/index.html|title=The Greatest Games of All Time|accessdate=July 16, 2008|website=GameSpot|author=GameSpot Editorial Team|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219083220/http://uk.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/greatestgames/index.html|archivedate=December 19, 2008|url-status=dead}} The original PC version surpassed Eidos' expectations: while initially forecast to sell 100,000 units, it quickly exceeded sales of one million units, garnering royalties of over $2 million for Square. By August 2015, the PlayStation and PC versions had sold over 11 million units worldwide.{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII |url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-vii/id1021566244 |website=App Store |date=January 26, 2016 |access-date=June 11, 2019 |language=en-us |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804010803/http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-vii/id1021566244 |archive-date=August 4, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2015/08/19/final-fantasy-vii-has-sold-over-11-million-units-worldwide/|title=Final Fantasy VII Has Sold Over 11 Million Units Worldwide |last=Yip|first=Spencer|work=Siliconera|publisher=Curse, Inc.|date=August 19, 2015 |accessdate=March 26, 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324093927/http://www.siliconera.com/2015/08/19/final-fantasy-vii-has-sold-over-11-million-units-worldwide/ |archivedate=March 24, 2016|url-status=live}} Steam Spy estimated the game to have sold over 1.2 million downloads on Steam as of April 2018,{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII |url=http://steamspy.com/app/39140 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180411223036/http://steamspy.com/app/39140 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 11, 2018 |website=Steam Spy |accessdate=April 11, 2018}} with a later Steam leak estimating it had 1.14 million players on the platform as of July 2018.{{cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |title=Valve leaks Steam game player counts; we have the numbers |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/07/steam-data-leak-reveals-precise-player-count-for-thousands-of-games/ |website=Ars Technica |accessdate=September 20, 2018 |date=July 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710173043/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/07/steam-data-leak-reveals-precise-player-count-for-thousands-of-games/ |archive-date=July 10, 2018 |url-status=live}} As of June 2020, the game has sold more than 13.3 million units worldwide.{{Cite web|date=February 25, 2021|title=Ateam Co-Developing Smart Device Game "Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier" with Square Enix|url=https://www.a-tm.co.jp/en/news/service-20409/|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=Ateam Inc.|publisher=Square Enix, Ateam Inc.|archive-date=November 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103132705/https://www.a-tm.co.jp/en/news/service-20409/|url-status=live}}{{Cite news|date=February 26, 2021|title=エイチーム---ストップ高、スマホゲームをスクエニと共同開発|language=ja|trans-title=Ateam --- Collaborative development of smartphone game with Square Enix|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idJP00093500_20210226_00820210226|access-date=November 3, 2021|archive-date=December 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211220040958/https://www.reuters.com/article/idJP00093500_20210226_00820210226|url-status=live}} As of September 2023, the original version of the game has sold over 14.4 million units worldwide.{{cite web | url=https://www.4gamer.net/games/305/G030589/20230923061/ | title=川崎の工場夜景は魔晄都市ミッドガルだった！ 「FF VII REMAKE」をテーマにしたクルーズイベント「MIDGAR Night Cruise FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE」を11月開催 | access-date=January 24, 2024 | archive-date=January 24, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240124193343/https://www.4gamer.net/games/305/G030589/20230923061/ | url-status=live }}

The game received widespread acclaim from critics upon release. It was referred to by GameFan as "quite possibly the greatest game ever made",{{Cite journal| date=September 1997 |title=Final Fantasy VII Review|pages=68–69 |issue=9|journal=GameFan|volume=5| publisher=Metropolis Media}} a quote selected for the back cover of the game's jewel case. GameSpot commented that "never before have technology, playability, and narrative combined as well as in Final Fantasy VII", expressing particular favor toward the game's graphics, audio, and story. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly unanimously gave it a 9.5 out of 10 and their "Game of the Month" award, lauding its rendered backgrounds, use of FMV, battles, and especially the story line, though they expressed disappointment that the ending didn't resolve all of the loose ends. They also considered the North American localization a dramatic improvement over the original Japanese version. GamePro gave it a perfect 5.0 out of 5 in all four categories (graphics, sound, control, and fun factor), calling the storytelling "dramatic, sentimental, and touching in a way that draws you into the characters", who "come alive thanks to sweetly subtle body movements".{{cite magazine |editor=Slo Mo |title=Final Fantasy VII|magazine=GamePro |issue=109 |publisher=IDG |date=October 1997|pages=46–47|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_109_Volume_09_Number_10_1997-10_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n47/mode/2up}} Both GamePro and Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (OPM) said the ATB system gives battles a tension and urgency not usually seen in RPGs, and OPM called the summon animations "absolutely awe-inspiring". IGN{{'}}s Jay Boor insisted the game's graphics were "light years beyond anything ever seen on the PlayStation", and regarded its battle system as its strongest point.

Computer and Video Games{{'}}s Alex C praised the dramatic story and well-developed characters. In addition to calling the graphics "bar none the best the PlayStation has ever seen", Next Generation said of the story that "while FFVII may take a bit to get going, as in every entry in the series, moments of high melodrama are blended with scenes of sheer poetry and vision". Edge noted that Final Fantasy VII had come close to being an interactive movie in playable form, praising its combination of a complex story that went against Western graphic adventures trends and "excellently orchestrated chip music".{{cite magazine|url=http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review |author=Edge Staff |title= Final Fantasy VII Review |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future plc |date=October 8, 1997 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628000106/http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-review |archivedate=June 28, 2012}} RPGamer praised the game's soundtrack, both in variety and sheer volume, stating that "Uematsu has done his work exceptionally well" and saying that it was potentially his best work.{{cite web | author=Castomel | title=Final Fantasy VII—Review | url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff7/reviews/ff7strev3.html | work=RPGamer | publisher=CraveOnline | accessdate=July 16, 2008 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306190326/http://rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff7/reviews/ff7strev3.html | archivedate=March 6, 2016 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all}} Final Fantasy VII has received some negative criticism. OPM and GameSpot questioned the game's linear progression.{{Cite magazine | date=October 1997 | editor1=Rybicki, Joe | title=Final Fantasy VII | magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |issue=1 | pages=86–87 | publisher=Ziff Davis | url=https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_1_Issue_1_1997-10_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n85}} OPM considered the game's translation "a bit muddy". Similarly, RPGamer cited its translation as "packed with typos and other errors which further obscure what is already a very confusing plot".{{cite web |last=Long |first=Andrew |title=Final Fantasy VII—Review |url=http://www.rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff7/reviews/ff7strev3.html |website=RPGamer |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306190326/http://rpgamer.com/games/ff/ff7/reviews/ff7strev3.html |archivedate=March 6, 2016}} GamePro also considered the Japanese-to-English translation a significant weakness in the game,{{cite magazine| last=Olafson|first=Peter |date=November 24, 2000 |title=Review: Final Fantasy VII |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/824/final-fantasy-vii/ |magazine=GamePro |accessdate=July 16, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023173944/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/824/final-fantasy-vii/ |archivedate=October 23, 2008}} and IGN regarded the ability to use only three characters at a time as "the game's only shortcoming".

Reviewers gave similar praise to the PC version but criticized its various technical faults.{{cite magazine | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001001155220/http://www.gamespot.com/rpg/finalf7/review_cgw.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com/rpg/finalf7/review_cgw.html | archivedate=October 1, 2000 | title=Final Fantasy VII | date=September 25, 1998 | last=Nguyen | first=Thierry | magazine=Computer Gaming World | accessdate=April 14, 2010}}{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000229223339/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/96.html |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/96.html | archivedate=February 29, 2000 | title=Final Fantasy VII | last=Wolf | first=Michael | date = September 1998 | work=PC Gamer US | accessdate=April 14, 2010}}{{cite web | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19981205175836/http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/reviews/2301.html | url=http://www.next-generation.com/jsmid/reviews/2301.html | title=Final Fantasy VII | archivedate=December 5, 1998 | date=June 24, 1998 | work=Next Generation Magazine | accessdate=April 14, 2010}} Computer Games Magazine said that no other recent game had the same "tendency to fail to work in any capacity on multiple [computers]".{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020225155058/http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=%2Farticles%2F013%2F106%2Fff7_review.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com/Home/home.html?article=/articles/013/106/ff7_review.html |archivedate=February 25, 2002 |title=The console's greatest RPG has a difficult PC birth |last=Bauman |first=Steve |date=July 27, 1998 |work=Computer Games Magazine |accessdate=April 14, 2010 |url-status=dead}} Computer Gaming World complained that the music quality suffered on PC sound cards, and Next Generation found the game's pre-rendered backgrounds significantly less impressive than those of the PlayStation version. However, the latter magazine found the higher-resolution battle visuals "absolutely stunning", and Computer Games Magazine said that they showed off the potential graphical power of PCs. All three magazines concluded by praising the game despite its technical flaws, and PC Gamer summarized that, while "Square apparently did only what was required to get its PlayStation game running under Windows", Final Fantasy VII is "still a winner on the PC".

Final Fantasy VII was given numerous Game of the Year awards in 1997. At the second CESA Awards, it won the Grand Prize, Scenario Award and Sound Award.{{cite web |url=http://awards.cesa.or.jp/1997/ff7.html|script-title=ja:大賞／シナリオ部門賞／サウンド部門賞 – ファイナルファンタジーVII |work=Japan Game Awards |publisher=Japan Game Awards |date=1997 |access-date=January 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320203001/http://awards.cesa.or.jp/1997/ff7.html |archive-date=March 20, 2016|url-status=live}} During the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, Final Fantasy VII won in the categories of "Console Adventure Game of the Year" and "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year"; it also received nominations for "Interactive Title of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics", and "Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Design".{{cite web |title=The Award - Updates |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |website=Interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090128fw_/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |archive-date=June 15, 1998}}{{cite web |title=The Award - Winners |url=http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |website=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=5 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090115/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |archive-date=June 15, 1998}} In the Origins Awards, it won in the category "Best Roleplaying Computer Game of 1997".{{cite web |title=Origins Awards winners |url=http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/press/press.449.html |publisher=Origins Awards, RPGnet |access-date=December 29, 2011 |date=July 6, 1998|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213220137/http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/press/press.449.html|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=live}} Final Fantasy VII was awarded Game of the Year by magazines including Game Informer,{{cite web |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/02/looking-back-at-25-years-of-game-informer-s-goty-awards.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 |title=25 Years Of Game Informer's GOTY Awards |publisher=Game Informer |date=January 2, 2017 |access-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-date=December 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230060137/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/01/02/looking-back-at-25-years-of-game-informer-s-goty-awards.aspx?PostPageIndex=1 |url-status=live}} GamePro,{{Cite magazine|date=July 1998|title=You Have Spoken!|url=https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_108_July_1998/page/n39/mode/2up|magazine=GamePro|issue=118|pages=38–9}} and Hyper.{{Cite magazine|date=January 1999|title=The Hyper Reader Awards 97-98|url=https://archive.org/details/hyper-063/page/38/mode/2up|magazine=Hyper|issue=63|pages=38–41}} It was also awarded the "Readers' Choice All Systems Game of the Year", "Readers' Choice PlayStation Game of the Year" and "Readers' Choice Role-Playing Game of the Year" by Electronic Gaming Monthly (EGM),{{cite magazine |title=Readers' Choice Awards |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |date=March 1998 |issue=104 |page=100}} which gave it Editors' Choice Awards for "Role-Playing Game of the Year" and "Best Graphics" (plus a runner-up slot for "Game of the Year"),{{cite magazine |title=Editors' Choice Awards |magazine=Electronic Gaming Monthly |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=104 |date=March 1998 |pages=86–96}} and also gave it awards for "Hottest Video Game Babe" (for Tifa Lockhart), "Most Hype for a Game", "Best Ending", and "Best Print Ad".Electronic Gaming Monthly, 1998 Video Game Buyer's Guide, pp. 16–36

Since 1997, it has been selected by many game magazines as one of the top video games of all time, listed as 91st in EGM{{'}}s 2001 "100 Best Games of All Time",{{cite web|url=http://gamers.com/feature/egmtop100/index.jsp |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030620053308/http://www.gamers.com/feature/egmtop100/index.jsp |archivedate=June 20, 2003 |title=Electronic Gaming Monthly's 100 Best Games of All Time |author=EGM staff |year=2001| accessdate=February 14, 2011}} and as fourth in Retro Gamer{{'}}s "Top 100 Games" in 2004.Retro Gamer issue 9, p. 61 In 2018, it was ranked 99th in IGN{{'}}s "Top 100 Games of All Time"{{cite web |title=IGN's Top 100 Games of All Time |website=IGN |year=2018 |url=http://uk.ign.com/lists/top-100-games/100 |accessdate=August 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018191534/https://uk.ign.com/lists/top-100-games/100 |archive-date=October 18, 2019 |url-status=live}} and as third in PALGN's "The Greatest 100 Games Ever".{{cite web|author=Chris Leigh|url=http://palgn.com.au/2976/the-greatest-100-games-ever-5-1/ |title=The Greatest 100 Games Ever: 5–1|publisher= PALGN |date=November 14, 2005|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617180027/http://palgn.com.au/2976/the-greatest-100-games-ever-5-1/|archivedate= June 17, 2014}} Final Fantasy VII was included in "The Greatest Games of All Time" list by GameSpot in 2006, and ranked as second in Empire{{'}}s 2006 "100 Greatest Games of All Time",[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706094744/http://www.empireonline.com/100greatestgames/default.asp?p=2 2: Final Fantasy VII], Empire, accessed February 25, 2011 as third in Stuff{{'}}s "100 Greatest Games" in 2008Stuff, September 2008, p. 125 and as 15th in Game Informer{{'}}s 2009 "Top 200 Games of All Time" (down five places from its previous best games of all-time list{{cite magazine|title=Game Informer's Top 100 Games of All Time (Circa Issue 100) |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/11/16/game-informer-s-top-100-games-of-all-time-circa-issue-100.aspx |magazine=Game Informer |last=Cork |first=Jeff |date=November 16, 2009 |access-date=December 10, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119181519/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2009/11/16/game-informer-s-top-100-games-of-all-time-circa-issue-100.aspx |archive-date=January 19, 2016}}).{{cite magazine|author=The Game Informer staff|title=The Top 200 Games of All Time|pages=44–79|issue=200|date=December 2009|magazine=Game Informer|issn=1067-6392|oclc=27315596}} GameSpot placed it as the second most influential game ever made in 2002;{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential_rc/p15_01.html|title=15 Most Influential Games of All Time |last1=Satterfield |first1=Shane |last2=Fielder |first2=Lauren|work=GameSpot|publisher=CNET|date=2001|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520043957/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/video/15influential_rc/p15_01.html|archivedate=May 20, 2007}} in 2007, GamePro ranked it 14th on the list of the most important games of all time, and in 2009 it finished in the same place on their list of the most innovative games of all time.{{cite magazine | author1=Boba Fatt | author2=the GamePros | title=Feature: The 52 Most Important Video Games of All Time (page 4 of 8) | url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/110068/the-52-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-page-4-of-8/ | magazine=GamePro | accessdate=April 25, 2007|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913085022/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/110068/the-52-most-important-video-games-of-all-time-page-4-of-8/|archivedate=September 13, 2008}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/167229/20_games_that_changed_gaming_forever.html#slide8 |author=GamePro Staff |magazine=GamePro |publisher=PC World |title=20 Games That Changed Gaming Forever |date=June 24, 2009 |accessdate=January 11, 2017 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314091900/http://www.pcworld.com/article/167229/20_games_that_changed_gaming_forever.html |archivedate=March 14, 2017}} In 2012, Time named it one of their "All-Time 100 Video Games".{{cite magazine|title=All-Time 100 Video Games |url=https://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/all/ |magazine=Time |publisher=Time Inc. |date=November 15, 2012 |access-date=November 15, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121116214206/http://techland.time.com/2012/11/15/all-time-100-video-games/slide/all/ |archive-date=November 16, 2012 |url-status=live}} In March 2018, Game Informer{{'}}s "Readers Choice Top 300 Games of All Time", Final Fantasy VII ranked in seventh place.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/19/readers-choice-top-300-games-of-all-time.aspx|title=Reader's Choice Top 300 Games Of All Time|magazine=Game Informer|language=en|access-date=April 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404134455/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/19/readers-choice-top-300-games-of-all-time.aspx|archive-date=April 4, 2018|url-status=live}} In March 2018, GamesRadar+ rated "The 25 best PS1 games of all time", Final Fantasy VII was ranked in 12th place.{{Cite news|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-psx-games/|title=The 25 best PS1 games of all time|work=gamesradar|access-date=April 3, 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404073540/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-psx-games/|archive-date=April 4, 2018|url-status=live}}

It has also appeared in numerous other greatest game lists. In 2007, Dengeki PlayStation gave it the "Best Story", "Best RPG" and "Best Overall Game" retrospective awards for games on the original PlayStation.{{cite web|last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=November 22, 2007 |title=Nomura Talks FFXIII |url=http://ps3.ign.com/articles/837/837350p1.html |website=IGN |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123114222/http://ps3.ign.com/articles/837/837350p1.html |archivedate=November 23, 2007}} GamePro named it the best RPG title of all time in 2008,{{cite magazine | author=GamePro Staff | title=The 26 Best RPGs of All Time | url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218144/the-26-best-rpgs-page-4-of-4/ | magazine=GamePro | date=November 5, 2008 | accessdate=February 14, 2011 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929014306/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/218144/the-26-best-rpgs-page-4-of-4/ | archivedate=September 29, 2011 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all}} and featured it in their 2010 article "The 30 Best PSN Games".{{cite magazine | title=The 30 Best PSN Games | url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215171/the-30-best-psn-games/ | last=Noble | first=McKinley | date=May 18, 2010 | magazine=GamePro | accessdate=September 5, 2010 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924064856/http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215171/the-30-best-psn-games/ | archivedate=September 24, 2010}} In 2012, GamesRadar also ranked it as the sixth saddest game ever.{{cite web|last=Hollander|first=Cooper|url=http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-saddest-video-games-will-make-you-cry/|title=The Top 7... Saddest video games that will make you cry|work=GamesRadar|publisher=Future plc|date=March 12, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121029072941/http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-saddest-video-games-will-make-you-cry/|archivedate=October 29, 2012|url-status=live}} On the other hand, GameSpy ranked it seventh on their 2003 list of the most overrated games.{{cite web|author=GameSpy Staff |title=Top 25 Most Overrated Games |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index20.shtml |publisher=GameSpy |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706184850/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/september03/25overrated/index20.shtml |archivedate=July 6, 2008}}

Final Fantasy VII has often placed at or near the top of many reader polls of all-time best games. It was voted the "Reader's Choice Game of the Century" in an IGN poll in 2000,{{cite web|title=Reader's Choice Game of the Century |url=http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/073/073859p1.html |author=IGN Staff |work=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |accessdate=December 30, 2011 |date=January 12, 2000 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409230619/http://uk.psx.ign.com/articles/073/073859p1.html |archivedate=April 9, 2012}} and placed second in the "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time" by Japanese magazine Famitsu in 2006 (it was also voted as ninth in Famitsu{{'}}s 2011 poll of most tear-inducing games of all time).{{cite magazine|author=Edge Staff |date=March 3, 2006 |title=Japan Votes on All Time Top 100 |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/japan-votes-all-time-top-100 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806220418/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/japan-votes-all-time-top-100 |archivedate=August 6, 2011 |magazine=Edge |publisher=Future plc |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Romano |first=Sal |url=http://gematsu.com/2011/12/famitsus-top-20-list-of-tear-inducing-games |title=Famitsu's top 20 list of tear-inducing games |publisher=Gematsu |date=December 29, 2011 |accessdate=February 24, 2012 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306155226/http://gematsu.com/2011/12/famitsus-top-20-list-of-tear-inducing-games |archivedate=March 6, 2012}} Users of GameFAQs voted it the "Best Game Ever" in 2004 and in 2005,{{cite web|title=Spring 2004: Best. Game. Ever. |url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/c04spr |website=GameFAQs |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209040851/http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/c04spr |archivedate=February 9, 2009}}{{cite web|title=Fall 2005: 10-Year Anniversary Contest—The 10 Best Games Ever |url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/top10 |website=GameFAQs |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716111618/http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/contest/top10 |archivedate=July 16, 2015}} and placed it second in 2009.{{cite web|title=Spring 2009: Best. Game. Ever. |url=http://www.gamefaqs.com/poll/index.html?poll=3509 |website=GameFAQs |accessdate=June 10, 2009 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610080121/http://www.gamefaqs.com/poll/index.html?poll=3509 |archivedate=June 10, 2009}} In 2008, readers of Dengeki magazine voted it the best game ever made,{{cite web|first=Brian |last=Ashcraft |date=March 6, 2008 |title=Dengeki Readers Say Fav 2007 Game, Fav of All Time |url=http://kotaku.com/364353/dengeki-readers-say-fav-2007-game-fav-of-all-time |website=Kotaku |accessdate=March 29, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328132737/http://kotaku.com/364353/dengeki-readers-say-fav-2007-game-fav-of-all-time |archivedate=March 28, 2008}} as well as the ninth most tear-inducing game of all time.{{cite web|script-title=ja:【アンケート結果発表】感動して泣いてしまったゲームはありますか? |trans-title=(Survey results) Are There Emotional Games That Made You Cry? |url=http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/113/113442/ |publisher=ASCII Media Works |date=October 15, 2008 |accessdate=May 7, 2012 |language=ja |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419012624/http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/113/113442/ |archivedate=April 19, 2012}}

File:Video Games Live 2009 FFVII.jpg event in 2009.|alt=An orchestra performs a concert in a musical theatre, featuring music from the video game; in front of a screen showing people dressed as characters from the game.]]

The game inspired an unofficial version for the NES by Chinese company Shenzhen Nanjing Technology. This port features the Final Fantasy VII game scaled back to 2D, with some of the side quests removed.{{cite web|url= http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/final-fantasy-vii-ported-to-the-famicom-finally/|title=Final Fantasy VII ported to the Famicom. Finally! |accessdate=February 22, 2008 |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=February 22, 2008|work=Joystiq|publisher=AOL|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128061151/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/final-fantasy-vii-ported-to-the-famicom-finally/|archivedate=January 28, 2015}} The game's popularity and open-ended nature also led director Kitase and scenario writer Nojima to establish a plot-related connection between Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy X-2. The character Shinra from X-2 proposes the concept of extracting the life energy from within the planet Spira. Nojima has stated that Shinra and his proposal are a deliberate nod to the Shinra Company and that he envisioned the events of Final Fantasy X-2 as a prequel to those in VII.{{Cite book | year=2001 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω | page=191 | language=ja | publisher=DigiCube/Square Enix | isbn=978-4-88787-021-5}} The advances in technology used to create the FMV sequences and computer graphics for Final Fantasy VII allowed Sakaguchi to begin production on the first Final Fantasy film, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.{{Cite book | year=2001 | editor1=Kennedy, Sam | editor2=Steinman, Gary | title=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine August 2001; issue 47 | page=90 | publisher=Ziff Davis}} The game introduced a particular aesthetic to the series—fantasy suffused with modern-to-advanced technology—which was explored further in Final Fantasy VIII, The Spirits Within, and XV.{{cite web|title=Behind The Game The Creators |url=http://www.square-enix-usa.com/games/FFX/btg/creators.html#1 |publisher=Square Enix North America |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080416033645/http://www.square-enix-usa.com/games/FFX/btg/creators.html |archivedate=April 16, 2008 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web|last=Oliver |first=Glen |date=July 11, 2001 |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/301/301291p1.html |title=Review of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within |website=IGN |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926110734/http://movies.ign.com/articles/301/301291p1.html |archivedate=September 26, 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://dengekionline.com/soft/interview/ff13/index.html|script-title=ja:インタビュー"ファイナルファンタジーXIII"|work=Dengeki Online|publisher=ASCII Media Works|language=ja|date=June 2, 2006|accessdate=November 24, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927020952/http://dengekionline.com/soft/interview/ff13/index.html |archivedate=September 27, 2013 |url-status=live}} Re-releases of Square games in Japan with bonus features would occur frequently after the release of Final Fantasy VII International. Later titles that would be re-released as international versions include Final Fantasy X and other follow-ups from the franchise,{{cite web |last=Witham |first=Joseph |title=Final Fantasy X International Europe Bound |url=http://rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2002/031602a.html |publisher=RPGamer |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104215113/http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2002/031602a.html |archivedate=January 4, 2009}}{{cite web | author=Dunham, Jeremy | date=November 24, 2003 | title=Final Fantasy X-2 Developer Interview | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/442/442025p1.html | work=IGN | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810062807/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/442/442025p1.html | archivedate=August 10, 2012 | publisher=News Corporation | accessdate=July 16, 2008}}{{cite web|date=May 14, 2007 |title=Square Enix Party Press Conference Announcement |publisher=Square Enix |url=http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2007/0514_3/ |accessdate=July 14, 2007 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070517090253/http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2007/0514_3/ |archivedate=May 17, 2007}} as well as the Kingdom Hearts series.{{cite web | author=IGN Staff | date=November 21, 2002 | title=Kingdom Hearts Final Mix Images | url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/21/kingdom-hearts-final-mix-imagesl | work=IGN | publisher=News Corporation | accessdate=July 16, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629135334/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/378/378221p1.html|archivedate=June 29, 2011}}{{cite magazine| language = ja| title = 『キングダム ハーツII ファイナル ミックス』に新要素が!!| url = http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/2007/03/23/104,1174620771,68873,0,0.html| magazine = Famitsu| publisher = Enterbrain| date = March 24, 2007| accessdate = July 16, 2008| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121022125327/http://www.famitsu.com/game/coming/2007/03/23/104,1174620771,68873,0,0.html| archive-date = October 22, 2012| url-status = live}}

Final Fantasy VII is credited as having the largest impact of the Final Fantasy series,{{cite web| url = http://www.gametrailers.com/video/part-v-final-fantasy/23449| title = Final Fantasy Retrospective Part V| publisher = GameTrailers| date = August 13, 2007| accessdate = August 6, 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611163946/http://www.gametrailers.com/video/part-v-final-fantasy/23449 |archivedate=June 11, 2009}} and with allowing console role-playing games to gain mass-market appeal outside of Japan.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-29-dirge-of-cerberus_x.htm |title='Dirge of Cerberus' defies expectations, for better and worse |first=Alex |last=Kraus |newspaper=USA Today |date=August 30, 2006 |accessdate=August 6, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629090116/http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2006-08-29-dirge-of-cerberus_x.htm |archivedate=June 29, 2011 |url-status=dead}} Aerith's death in the game has often been referred to as one of the most significant moments from any video game.{{cite web| last=Gouskos| first=Carrie| title=Lucky Seven| url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-greatest-games-of-all-time-final-fantasy-vii/1100-6155700/| accessdate=September 6, 2008| website=GameSpot| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017180427/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-greatest-games-of-all-time-final-fantasy-vii/1100-6155700/| archive-date=October 17, 2014| url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/798/798722p5.html |title=Readers' Choice Top 10 Most Cinematic Moments in Gaming |publisher=GameSpy |author=Kuo, Li C. |date=June 25, 2007 |accessdate=October 16, 2007 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015052721/http://www.gamespy.com/articles/798/798722p5.html |archivedate=October 15, 2007}}{{cite web|title=#1 – Aerith's Death |url=http://www.ign.com/lists/video-game-moments/1 |work=Top 100 Video Game Moments |publisher=IGN |accessdate=January 12, 2012 |date=December 2011 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118140008/http://www.ign.com/lists/video-game-moments/1 |archivedate=January 18, 2017}} In addition, Final Fantasy VII is also noted for its use of the unreliable narrator literary concept, drawing comparisons to films such as Fight Club (1999), The Sixth Sense (1999), American Psycho (2000) and Memento (2000). Patrick Holleman and Jeremy Parish argue that the game takes the unreliable narrator concept a step further, with its interactivity establishing a connection between the player and the protagonist Cloud, setting Final Fantasy VII apart from films as well as other video games.{{cite book |last1=Holleman |first1=Patrick |title=Reverse Design: Final Fantasy VII |date=2018 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9780429834523 |pages=36–38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GQprDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT36 |access-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209221652/https://books.google.com/books?id=GQprDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT36#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Parish |first1=Jeremy |title=Final Fantasy VII Deep Dive, Part 5: An RPG Gets Existential With Its Central Question: "Who Am I?" |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/dissecting-final-fantasy-vii-part-5an-rpg-gets-existential-with-its-central-question-who-am-i |website=USgamer |accessdate=March 26, 2019 |date=March 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327191634/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/dissecting-final-fantasy-vii-part-5an-rpg-gets-existential-with-its-central-question-who-am-i |archive-date=March 27, 2019 |url-status=live}} According to Holleman, "no RPG has ever deliberately betrayed the connection between protagonist and player like FFVII does".{{cite book |last1=Holleman |first1=Patrick |title=Reverse Design: Final Fantasy VII |date=2018 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=9780429834523 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GQprDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT38 |access-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-date=February 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240209221533/https://books.google.com/books?id=GQprDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT38#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live }} Harry Mackin writing for Paste called the game "a subversion that deconstructs and comments meaningfully on how we think about heroism, masculinity and identity in videogame storytelling".{{cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII's Legacy Gets Everything About Final Fantasy VII Wrong |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/04/final-fantasy-viis-legacy-gets-everything-about-fi.html |work=Paste Magazine |date=April 13, 2016 |accessdate=June 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202165741/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/04/final-fantasy-viis-legacy-gets-everything-about-fi.html |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=live}} Ric Manning of The Courier-Journal noted elements of psychoanalysis in the game.{{cite news |last1=Manning |first1=Ric |title=Wile away the summer with two intriguing new games |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/110548492/ |work=The Courier-Journal |date=July 25, 1998 |page=2 |access-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804021817/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/110548492/ |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |url-status=live}} The game is also noted for its cyberpunk themes; GamesRadar+ called it one of the best games of the genre,{{cite web |last1=Roberts |first1=David |last2=Sheridan |first2=Connor |title=The best cyberpunk games you should be playing right now |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/best-cyberpunk-games/ |website=GamesRadar+ |date=March 12, 2018 |accessdate=June 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413091430/https://www.gamesradar.com/best-cyberpunk-games/ |archive-date=April 13, 2019 |url-status=live}} and Paste Magazine compared its cyberpunk city of Midgar to Akira and Blade Runner. According to Comic Book Resources, the game's climate change theme is more meaningful in 2019 than it was in 1997.{{cite news |title=Final Fantasy VII's Story Is More Meaningful Today Than in 1997 |url=https://www.cbr.com/final-fantasy-viis-story-relevant-today/ |accessdate=January 2, 2020 |work=Comic Book Resources |date=June 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102202138/https://www.cbr.com/final-fantasy-viis-story-relevant-today/ |archive-date=January 2, 2020 |url-status=live}}

Several characters from Final Fantasy VII have made cameo appearances in other Square Enix titles, most notably the fighting game Ehrgeiz and the popular Final-Fantasy-to-Disney crossover series Kingdom Hearts. Additionally, fighting video game Dissidia Final Fantasy includes Final Fantasy VII characters such as Cloud and Sephiroth, and allows players to fight with characters from throughout the Final Fantasy series, and its follow-up, Dissidia 012, included Tifa as well.{{cite web|url=http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/09/15/flying_get/ |title=This Week's Pre-TGS Flying Get |publisher=Andriasang |author=Gantayat, Anoop |date=September 14, 2010 |accessdate=September 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100916212600/http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2010/09/15/flying_get/ |archivedate=September 16, 2010}} Cloud is also a playable character in Final Fantasy Tactics.{{Cite book|title=Prima's Official Strategy Guide Final Fantasy Tactics|last=Hollinger|first=Elizabeth|publisher=Prima Publishing|year=1997|isbn=978-0-7615-1246-2|location=United States of America|pages=82}} In December 2015, Cloud was released as a downloadable content character for the Nintendo crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, along with a stage based on Midgar.{{cite web|last1=Goldfarb|first1=Andrew|title=Final Fantasy 7's Cloud Coming to Super Smash Bros Wii U, 3DS|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/12/final-fantasy-7s-cloud-coming-to-super-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds|website=IGN|date=November 12, 2015 |publisher=Ziff Davis|accessdate=November 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113034440/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/11/12/final-fantasy-7s-cloud-coming-to-super-smash-bros-wii-u-3ds|archive-date=November 13, 2015|url-status=live}} He returned in the 2018 sequel, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,{{cite web|last=Meija|first=Ozzie|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Character Profiles: Cloud|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/108338/super-smash-bros-ultimate-character-profiles-cloud|work=Shacknews|date=November 5, 2018|access-date=June 28, 2024}} with Sephiroth being added as downloadable content in December 2020.{{cite web|last=Romano|first=Sal|title=Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC character Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII announced|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/12/super-smash-bros-ultimate-dlc-character-sephiroth-from-final-fantasy-vii-announced|publisher=Gematsu|date=December 10, 2020|access-date=June 28, 2024}}

{{further|Compilation of Final Fantasy VII}}

The world of Final Fantasy VII is explored further in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, a series of games, animated features, and short stories.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/27/new-final-fantasy-vii-for-psp |title=New Final Fantasy VII For PSP |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |first=Anoop |last=Gantayat |date=October 27, 2004 |accessdate=September 15, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216114623/http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/27/new-final-fantasy-vii-for-psp |archivedate=December 16, 2014}} The first title in the Compilation is the mobile game Before Crisis, a prequel focusing on the Turks' activities six years before the original game.{{cite web|last=Gantayat |first=Anoop |date=May 27, 2004 |title=Before Crisis FF7 Details |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/05/27/before-crisis-ff7-details |website=IGN |accessdate=October 8, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307094803/http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/05/27/before-crisis-ff7-details |archivedate=March 7, 2016}} The CGI film sequel Advent Children, set two years after the game, was the first title announced but the second to be released. Special DVD editions of the film included Last Order, an original video animation that recounts the destruction of Nibelheim.{{Cite book | year=2006 | editor=Watanabe, Yukari | title=Final Fantasy VII Advent Children – Reunion Files | page=95 | language=ja | publisher=SoftBank | isbn=978-4-7973-3498-2}} Dirge of Cerberus and its mobile phone counterpart, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII, are third-person shooters{{cite web|last=Dunham |first=Jeremy |date=August 11, 2006 |url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/724/724990p1.html |title=Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII Review |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |accessdate=October 8, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525034508/http://ps2.ign.com/articles/724/724990p1.html |archivedate=May 25, 2011}} set one year after Advent Children. Dirge focuses on the backstory of Vincent Valentine, whose history was left mostly untold in Final Fantasy VII. The most recent title is the PlayStation Portable game Crisis Core, an action role-playing game that centers on Zack's past.{{cite web | author=IGN Staff | date=May 17, 2006 | title=Crisis Core FFVII Update | url=http://psp.ign.com/articles/709/709034p1.html | work=IGN | publisher=News Corporation | accessdate=October 8, 2008|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207203211/http://psp.ign.com/articles/709/709034p1.html|archivedate=February 7, 2012}}

Releases not under the Compilation label include Maiden Who Travels the Planet, which follows Aerith's journey in the Lifestream after her death, taking place concurrently with the second half of the original game.{{Cite book | year=2005 | editor=Studio BentStuff | title=Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Ω | page=572 | language=ja | publisher=Square Enix | isbn=978-4-7575-1520-8}} In 1998, the Official Final Fantasy VII Strategy Guide was licensed by SquareSoft and published by Brady Games.{{Cite book|url=http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=551742|title=Final Fantasy VII: Official Strategy Guide|last1=Cassady|first1=David|last2=Games|first2=Brady|date=June 1, 1998|publisher=Brady|isbn=978-1566867825}} Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding is a mobile port of the snowboard minigame featured in the original game,{{cite web|last=Buchanan |first=Levi |date=March 10, 2005 |title=Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding |url=http://ign.com/articles/2005/03/10/final-fantasy-vii-snowboarding-2 |work=IGN |publisher=News Corporation |accessdate=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118084203/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/03/10/final-fantasy-vii-snowboarding-2 |archivedate=January 18, 2014}} featuring different courses for the player to tackle.{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-snowboarding-review/1900-6121734/ |title=Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding Review |work=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |first=Steve |last=Palley |date=April 5, 2005 |accessdate=September 17, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230191029/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/final-fantasy-vii-snowboarding-review/1900-6121734/ |archivedate=December 30, 2013}} The game is downloadable on V Cast-compatible mobile phones and was first made available in 2005 in Japan and North America.{{cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2005/03142005/ |title=Square Enix Brings Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding and Musashi Mobile Samurai 3D Titles to V CAST from Verizon Wireless |publisher=Square Enix |date=March 14, 2005 |accessdate=September 17, 2008 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930195417/http://www.square-enix.com/na/company/press/2005/03142005/ |archivedate=September 30, 2012}}

Final Fantasy VII G-Bike is a mobile game released for iOS and Android in December 2014, based on the motorbike minigame featured in the original game.{{cite web|url=http://www.siliconera.com/2014/12/19/cloud-reno-engage-bike-duel-final-fantasy-vii-g-bike-trailer/ |author=Ishaan |title=Cloud And Reno Engage In A Bike Duel In Final Fantasy VII G-Bike Trailer |work=Siliconera |accessdate=January 10, 2017 |date=December 19, 2014 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823131139/http://www.siliconera.com/2014/12/19/cloud-reno-engage-bike-duel-final-fantasy-vii-g-bike-trailer/ |archivedate=August 23, 2016}} In September 2007, Square Enix published Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Ultimania. This book is an in-depth compilation of FFVII story-line and artwork.{{Cite web|url=https://thelifestream.net/lifestream-projects/translations/66/the-compilation-of-final-fantasy-vii-ultimania-translations/|title=The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Translations – The Lifestream|website=thelifestream.net|date=November 17, 2008 |language=en-US|access-date=April 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420074638/https://thelifestream.net/lifestream-projects/translations/66/the-compilation-of-final-fantasy-vii-ultimania-translations/|archive-date=April 20, 2018|url-status=live}} The Universal Studios Theme Park in Japan is developing a Final Fantasy VII themed virtual reality attraction.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vrandfun.com/final-fantasy-vii-vr-coaster-coming-universal-studios-japan/|title=Final Fantasy VII VR Coaster Coming To Universal Studios In Japan – VR News, Games, And Reviews|website=www.vrandfun.com|date=January 6, 2018 |language=en|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180422062412/https://www.vrandfun.com/final-fantasy-vii-vr-coaster-coming-universal-studios-japan/|archive-date=April 22, 2018|url-status=live}}

{{main|Final Fantasy VII Remake|Final Fantasy VII Rebirth}}

With the announcement and development of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, speculation spread that a remake of the original Final Fantasy VII would be released for the PlayStation 3. This conjecture was sparked by the release of a video featuring the opening sequence of FFVII recreated using the PlayStation 3's graphical capabilities at E3 2005.{{cite web |last=Allen |first=Jason |date=May 16, 2005 |title=E3 2005: Eyes-on the Final Fantasy VII Tech Demo |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/05/17/e3-2005-eyes-on-the-final-fantasy-vii-tech-demo |website=IGN |access-date=July 16, 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106111737/http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/05/17/e3-2005-eyes-on-the-final-fantasy-vii-tech-demo |archive-date=November 6, 2012}} After a decade of speculation, a remake was announced at E3 2015. The game saw changes made to its story and combat system.{{cite web |url=http://siliconera.com/2015/06/23/final-fantasy-vii-remake-will-be-more-realistic-but-wont-have-new-characters/ |title=Final Fantasy VII Remake Will Be More Realistic, But Won't Have New Characters |author=Sato |work=Siliconera |date=June 23, 2015 |access-date=January 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818102615/http://www.siliconera.com/2015/06/23/final-fantasy-vii-remake-will-be-more-realistic-but-wont-have-new-characters/|archive-date=August 18, 2016|url-status=live}} The game is planned to be released over three installments, with the first part being released for the PlayStation 4 in 2020.{{Cite web |url=https://press.na.square-enix.com/GET-READY-FOR-LAUNCH-FINAL-FANTASY-VII-REMAKE-DIGITAL-PRE-LOAD-STARTS- |title=Get Ready for Launch – Final Fantasy VII Remake Digital Pre-Load Starts Today On Playstation 4 |publisher=Square Enix North America Press Hub |access-date=April 10, 2020 |archive-date=April 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428100152/https://press.na.square-enix.com/GET-READY-FOR-LAUNCH-FINAL-FANTASY-VII-REMAKE-DIGITAL-PRE-LOAD-STARTS- |url-status=live }} The follow-up, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released for PlayStation 5 in February 2024.{{Cite web |title=Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Revealed As Name Of Remake Part 2, Part Of A Trilogy |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-revealed-previously-known-as-remake-part-2/1100-6504637/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US |archive-date=January 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129012018/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-revealed-previously-known-as-remake-part-2/1100-6504637/ |url-status=live }} Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, a remaster of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, which was released in December 2022, is also considered a prequel to the larger Final Fantasy VII Remake project.{{Cite web |date=2022-07-18 |title=Crisis Core Reunion can be considered part of the FF7 Remake project, producer says |url=https://www.destructoid.com/crisis-core-reunion-final-fantasy-vii-remake-project-kitase-quote-news/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=Destructoid |language=en-CA |archive-date=October 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221014184942/https://www.destructoid.com/crisis-core-reunion-final-fantasy-vii-remake-project-kitase-quote-news/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Team Discusses Changes Coming To Game And If Zack Or Cloud Is The Better Character |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crisis-core-final-fantasy-7-reunion-team-discusses-changes-coming-to-game-and-if-zack-or-cloud-is-the-better-character/1100-6505171/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=GameSpot |language=en-US |archive-date=September 13, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913165617/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crisis-core-final-fantasy-7-reunion-team-discusses-changes-coming-to-game-and-if-zack-or-cloud-is-the-better-character/1100-6505171/ |url-status=live }}

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