Final Fantasy VII had such a huge influence on both of us when we were growing up, just as we're sure it did for many of you who watch our content. It makes this particular video was pretty special and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we enjoyed pulling it together. ~Darryl/Lauren
Thank you so much for this video. I very much enjoyed it, as I first played the game about 20 years ago, it has held special place in my heart. I never knew how much history and trials square encountered during its development. It’s crazy , Nintendo said “never come back” , but their decision to use PlayStation over them blossomed the most beautiful collaboration of team members to create an unforgettable game and story.
Thank you for this video, I think this might sound hyperbolic but I think this is the best video I’ve seen on the production of a video game and I felt both yours and the creators passion behind it. This has made my day and I can’t wait to share this with my friends who enjoyed the game and are excited for the remake.
In 1997 i remember telling mom and step dad that all i wanted for christmas that year was a ps1 and FF7. Man i was so heartbroken when I didn't get one but when I took my stuff back to my room there it was on my bed wrapped up with some games from my dad to go along with FF7. Best Christmas EVER.
Similarly I wanted a Nintendo and Super Mario Bros when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My parents came back from the store and said they didn't get it. I felt so much disappointment, and they told me they actually did get it for me! Then I felt so ashamed because I had THE BEST parents who gave me anything I wanted. I was so spoiled ,that only looking back now do I realize how amazing they really are.
It's just amazing to see a game that pays tribute to one's mother (Sakaguchi's mother passed away while he was making FF3), become one of the greatest and most influential games of all time.
This game truly is a masterpiece. No matter how many times I play through this, the stories, their depth, and in combination with the music has always gotten to me. I think even if the music were to be off in any way, this game wouldn't have had the same impact as it did. Like, even if I so much as hear Aerith's theme, no matter the format, be it the PS soundchip, or full orchestra, I feel like I could break. And in her death scene, it's utter emotional destruction, as I'm then empathetic to Cloud's feelings. They wrote this so well, and I can't even find anything yet that holds a candle to this.
@5555Thecrow ps5 is going to have an ssd drive indtead of an hdd. And have about 3x more horsepower. That doesnt mean 50x better graphics, but not a single new gen system offered such a leap compared to its predecessor. The biggest effects will be larger worlds due to much, much faster loading times thanks to the ssd, and much better lighting. It may take a year before we truly feel the impact, but it will absolutely feel "next gen". Ps4 has been out for quite some time now, its not like they are milking you, developers just need more resources from the hardware to go beyond whats possible now.
@5555Thecrow PS5 will make games 4k 60 fps. Imagine playing FF7R and all the other parts on higher resolution and 60fps. PS6 may come in another 7-8 years.
5555Thecrow uhh well for the rest of us if we can afford it than we will buy it just because it’s the new thing 😂 not flexing, but actually flexing lmao.
Might be because I'm drunk, might be my FF fan heart, but hearing about how well VII did made me cry. I love this game and I was only 3 when it came out, still my favorite FF along with VIII.
Proud of you guys, I used to listen to your podcasts 10 years ago when I used to work the nightshift at a gas station. You guys helped the shift go by way faster. This is great content your making here. Keep up the amazing work!
I have a bad feeling I will not leave being very impressed. How can the developers justify stretching a 4-5 hour segment of an original game into a 40-50 hour experience? Will it be justified by making all of Midgar an open world? And I am not impressed by some of the voice over work.
As someone who grew up with Final Fantasy 7, the PlayStation 1 having been my first console, I never thought it would be possible that I would still be able to learn new information about this game's history. Thanks for the very in-depth history of one of the greatest games ever.
I can't believe no one has mentioned the original planned storyline. EDIT: I meant that I've never heard anyone ever mention it, lol They still haven't made that game yet, where decisions made by the father affect things in the son's storyline. That would be brilliant! Maybe they can revisit that for FF XVI.... 2ND EDIT: I FORGOT ABOUT LAGUNA/SQUALL DYNAMIC IN FF VIII, SO JUST IGNORE ME, LOL
After hearing the story nintendo being mad for FF7 going to ps is kind of their own doing, after saying they are going to use cd and not delivering. While i have heard some of the dev. story still thank you, FF7 is really my first jrpg and really appreciate hearing this story
Nintendo screwed over Square not once, but twice! Square spent a lot of time and money developing for Nintendo's platforms that failed to come to fruition, so it should have been expected they would go elsewhere. Ever since Nintendo overtook Atari as the most popular console, Nintendo has been an authoritarian bully in the game industry, and it's a wonder how they're still in business with their reputation, and superior platforms competing against them.
Nintendo are as arrogant of a development as can be. They believe their creations are God's gifts to the world and they owe nothing to no one. Square dumping them because of their arrogance and refusing to adapt to CDs is exactly what they deserved. It was Squaresoft that helped Sony destroy Nintendo during that era. A sort of poetic justice.
That decision was one of the biggest blunders Nintendo ever made and they damn well knew it too. Square proved to be right and Nintendo should've listened to them about using discs at the time. Nowadys their relationship is on much better terms and thank god for that.
Very informative video. I have been going on a Final Fantasy VII binge since completing the Remake and falling in love with the game all over again. Thank you!
I’m currently playing this on the Switch and I can definitely see why it’s so beloved. The difficulty is just right, the story is engaging, and the characters are some of the most memorable I have ever seen in a game. I’m grateful that this game exists, especially in these times.
Yeah, the game's pitch-perfect difficulty curve is a real unsung hero in the story of how it ended up creating millions of RPG players in America. Even if you're not very good at optimizing your materia loadout, Cloud's limit breaks will generally bail you out during tough battles.
Great video 👍 Final Fantasy VII is still my favourite video game of all time, the story, characters, events and tragedies have stayed with me for nearly 25 years, that's testament to how brilliant and influential the game was.
Square at the time were so innovative and always pushing forward. Final Fanatsy The Spirits Within changed everything. You should do a video about that if you haven't already. After that movie flopped Square became a different company altogether. They became less willing to risk. They were a company that looked forward. Now they keep looking back trying to re-capture what they once were. My hope is that FFVIIR (which looks amazing) will help them recapture that again. It will help them remember what they once were and why FFVII existed in the first place. Maybe they will finally be brave enough to tackle the Chrono series again. Now that they are doing FFVIIR the skies the limit.
I don't know if the music was the reason, but this video almost brought a tear to my eye. Like many others, this game was a defining moment in my childhood. Although FF VI was the first Final Fantasy I played, and honestly one of the first big games I've played, FF VII really lasted with me. I loved the characters and their development, the story, the challenges, and just about every little aspect. Wonderful job on putting this story together!
I've heard about rejected concepts for FF7 turning into Parasite Eve and Xenogears, but didn't know that FF8 was the concept they were working with before switching to Playstation. It goes a long way to explain why so many characters designed for 7 ended up in 8 instead, like Edea, Fujin, and Raijin.
I did'nt even know about this, but from the history I do know that does explain their rapid releases of the games back then. They had concepts for at least 2 be born from 7 and Sakaguchi's own idea eventually became 9. I hope they get hit this kind of motherload again soon.
@@shaokhan4421 I just started playing 9 a couple days ago. The juvenile elements were kind of a deterent at first but a few hours in and I'm into the story. The ability and battle system is good too. I was really into 8, I loved being in an advanced special forces detachment and I was into the characters and battle system. Then I got to the part where you randomly become 3 other people and I was immediately turned off. Haven't tried it since. I still believe the materia system from 7 is one of the best build customizers around, rivaling the job system from FFTactics. I was really glad they maintained it in the 7Remake.
This made me cry from sheer joy at the success of these incredible creative geniuses where so many have failed and so many more stand in the way of anyone that puts the consumer and the product before the bottom line.
I first saw this game at the end of my freshmen year of high school when one of my classmates recorded the final fight and brought it to school. I was blown away by how amazing it looked. I got my first job that summer so I could by a ps1 and this game and have loved it ever since
Mate what an excellent summary of one of my favourite games of all time. That was thoroughly informative and well presented. Covered everything in intricate detail. Well done.
Considering the history between Square and Nintendo, seeing them work so well together now is kind of amazing. Not only do we have 2 Square-Enix characters in Smash Bros, we also have Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 all on the Nintendo Switch.
well.. the availability across multiple platform benefits both nintendo and SE they were not in good terms for quite a while after square’s pivot to playstation
But expexct next mainline ff titles (and ff vii remake) will not available on nintendo console anytime soon, because nintendo usual underpowered console
@@hathaway.1166 Nomura's ideas would be laughed off at any film or book publisher. He is a great character designer, though it's all really one note. But his writing is teenage angst nonsense more akin to cringe juvenile fanfiction than to a product of an even mildly competent writer. The Last of Us, Part I and especially Part II, are better written in all aspects than anything Nomura has written, or will ever write.
Final Fantasy VII was the reason I bought a PSX. Final Fantasy VII Remake is the reason I bought a PS4. This just shows how powerful this series is and how it resonated with me and many other players around the world.
I've been blasting the remake soundtrack (as well as crisis core) and several people including my mom have asked me what that beautiful shit is. Positively inspirational
@@malakai_adam Nooooo!!! *cries in Lifestream* Joke aside, too bad. Least we'll be able to get it later this year. :)Hopefully at least. Too many songs from this franchise that are so darn good.
What a great video! Thank you so much for posting! This brought back so many memories from when I was a young kid :) I am really excited to play the remake next month! Final Fantasy VII is still my favorite game of all time. Nothing has even come close in story telling, suspense, character depth, and just pure enjoyment. I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.
Cheers from one of the million europeans that bought the game back in 1998 (not sure whem it was available in europe, late 1997 maybe?) I remembering me spending the whole summer holidays with the game. And how devastating it was to witness Aeriths death. I really felt it within my heart. Feelings that nobody can understand but fellow gamers. I still want to marry Tifa btw ^^ Great Video, great Channel, thank you for your work. Subbed
Through you guys I have come to know the greatness of Square as a company and has made me motivated to pursue my goals in game development! Thank you Final Fantasy Union!
@@FinalFantasyUnion good going. I love a well edited video. Especially if it's cut to music/beat etc. Could sit for hours just making sure each clip fits perfectly.
FF7 was one of those games that I was too young to appreciate when it came out (we bought when I was in 1st grade). Years later I went back to play it just because I was bored of Halo at the time or something. This game single-handedly turned me from a predominantly FPS player into an RPG player. I'm 30 years old and I still tear up just by hearing Aerith's theme.
I had one of my best Christmases the year I got my Playstation. All gifts had been given and my cousins were gearing up to leave (25 of us crammed into a little living room). Someone saw one last gift 'hiding' in the hall closet. Playstation with Crash Bandicoot and the beloved FF7. My best bud and I would just sit and watch each other play for hours. Amazing that a single-player game could captivate two people so completely, for hours. Such a great memory. In the last couple decades I've downloaded the game on various platforms and grinded it all, including all the optional content. No other game has ever stayed with me so meaningfully.
My first encounter with FFVII was when my uncle left it at my house, I had played all my other games to death so it was the only fresh game. At first I was unimpressed, just having a limited amount of attacks to choose from which were essentially a choice between damage or less damage. Despite this, i found the dark and dysphoric setting strangely intriguing so I continued to play, eventually when it started to introduce the customisation systems, world, characters and story I began to understand the direction it was headed and I quickly became hooked verging on obsessed. Unbeknownst to at the time FFVII would be my gateway into what would be many years of infatuation with a franchise.
I appreciate how you put it in a way that square utilized all the talents they have. The creativity of the staff were put to good use and not just one voice was heard in every decision making they do. When I heard you talk about a father leaving behind books for his son to read, I remembered Jecht leaving video orbs for his son to collect. When you talked about the father hailed as a coward, I remembered Seto. I began to have a deeper appreciation to all the FF series. Thank you for your hard work!
@@ExistentHope Sure it does. Sometimes you have to look back to understand how to go forward. To me, maybe Square Enix needed to take a look back at one of their greats to understand what makes the series great. While they could've just actually looked back at their old games to do that, I'm hoping actually working on the Remake and seeing why that story resonated with so many people back in the day informs their decisions of Final Fantasy storytelling in the future. Maybe then we won't be getting any more of the "L'cie/Falcie/Focus" nonsense of FFXIII or the "There's actually a really decent story here, but the development time and the way we had to really butcher this game up to get it out in time... after ten years" of FFXV will hopefully be a thing of the past.
It's just not the same without Sakaguchi TBH after all he was the one that believe in pushing boundaries and getting out of the comfort zone but people just can't stop faulting him for making spirit within and flopped.
It’s crazy to realize the impact that a video game can have on the medium of storytelling and art. Playing ff7 back then you don’t think about that for sure, but now as an adult you understand just how significant it really was. Great video guys 👍
This game means SO much to me. It was the first PlayStation title I ever tried. It was the first game I played "with" my husband - in that he sat with me and helped me figure out what to do, because he'd already played it and I was a total newbie. I remember being intimidated by the controller, even. This was the first game I screamed at, cried at, obsessed over. And I still love it. Thank you for this video
Hearing how some original concepts for FFVII were reworked into future games as economical kind of reminds me of the Verum Rex related stuff in KH3 that pretty blatantly has its origins in Nomura’s vision of Versus XIII. While the fandom talks abt Nomura being salty for doing that, in light of just how forward thinking some of the original concepts were for games, it just makes me think it’s Square saving old concept for later use again. :3
I remember I got a PlayStation for Christmas and went to the game store Boxingday morning with my Christmas money, saw Final Fantasy VII on the shelf, it looked amazing on the cover so I bought it. Because of this I got imports of the previous games and I’ve been in love with the Final Fantasy Series
This game and 11 changed my life. They say life imitates art. No truer statement was true for me when I played 7 when I was 14 yrs old. I’ll never forget it.
I already finished the remake and realized just how much they added to the game. It truly is a remake and the game will likely be much larger than anticipated. Now how long do we wait for the second installment?
Damnit, even you just talking about Aerith brought me to tears... My 14 year old self was already a huge fan of Square. The day FF7 released my uncle took me to GameStop (hell it may have still been E B Games) I have never looked back. Final Fantasy made me who I am.
Well done fellas, I thoroughly enjoyed the video despite already being obsessively familiar with the game, and to a very slightly lesser extent, the entire franchise up until & including XIII (barring XI as I am generally not a fan of MMORPGs). Regardless, I very much enjoyed the detail you put into it, especially regarding the development prior and leading up to VII itself. There were a few details you touched on that I was either only vaguely familiar with or else had flat out forgotten about a long time ago, so it was genuinely entertaining and enjoyable to relive them through your narative. I can tell you are both sincere and avid fans of the game as well as it's history which, for someone who has been a massive fan of the franchise since it's inception, is always a welcome sentiment to *randomly encounter.* (Yeah, I am pretty old... 😂 I was 13 when FFVII originally released, so I'll let you do the math)
First played this game when I was 13 and it came out. I last played it when I was 35 and I'm still not bored of it. I'm getting those childlike feelings again waiting for the remake.
Nintendo always gave them up. They always let them down. They always ran and deserted them. They made them cry, and always said goodbye, yet they still said a lie, to hurt them.
Imagine how history would've been different if Nintendo hadn't though. If the SNES CD had happened: -Chrono Trigger wouldn't exist - Secret of Mana would've been bigger. If the n64 had been given a CD drive - Final Fantasy 7 would almost certainly have been an n64 exclusive. If the 64 DD had actually released on time worldwide - Much harder to know the outcome of this, but Square may just have stuck with Nintendo. (plus 64 megabyte games would have been possible in 1997, or perhaps even multi-disk games, depending on how much the disks cost to manufacture. If they're cheap enough, using 3-4 disks is not a huge deal... And if you've ever played the kind of games that fit on a 64 megabyte cartridge, you'd know that would've made a huge difference if even just that much space had been available early in the system's life) Alas, we will never know, what might have been...
Had to hold back tears this entire video. I takes me back to when I first discovered Japanese media, and it's weird to think that those years not only opened up a whole new world for JRPG's, it also opened up a whole new world for us as well. I remember first experiencing japanese media, through bad quality kazaa downloads or other non-mainstream sources, I remember seeing part of Akira on a tv screen in a local lasertag hall, I was more entranced by the movie than I was by the game. All of it felt like seeing something from another world, japan at that point barely felt like a real place, so many barriers still lay in between us and them. Even the poor quality made it feel like I was watching some kind of broadcast that was only barely coming in from some other dimension. The art style was so foreign to everything I'd seen a thousand times, the language so alien, the visuals were so gory and unrestrained. Then when I was 12 my brother downloaded FFVII, VIII, and IX. And for the next few months I did nothing but play them, those are the formative moments that ended up defining me as a person, I even ended up studying game design because of it. FFX was the last final fantasy I really, truly loved, and I've been waiting for almost 20 years now to experience that feeling again. IX was always my favorite, and over the years, I've slowly lost a bit of love for VIII, but VII especially seemed to just get better and better the more I grew up and the more I dissected the story and analysed the methods they used to tell it. I think right now I am a bigger fan of VII than I've ever been, just in time for the remake, I can't wait.
I still remember the ff7 commercial and I was instantly hyped for it at that moment. Yep!!! I need to play this game. I got it for Christmas the year it came out and I fell in love with that game. If I fail at saving the world "I can always hit the reset button!!" This iconic game made me fall in love with JRPGs. Nothing will ever top the original ff7 in my opinion. No gaming publisher wants to take risks in their creativity and video games anymore just go with what is safe and digestible to the masses for sales numbers and to get by in the worldly public eye. I wish video games could go back to being a niche market where you do have your big names sellers but small time titles can be just as fun as the mainstream selling titles.
When I was at college in early 1997, the Japanese kid across the hall showed me this game. It absolutely blew my mind, and all I wanted for Christmas that year was to get a PlayStation of my own to play this game in English. That Christmas, not only did I get my beloved PlayStation and a copy of this game, but my divorced parents worked together for once to scrape together the money to buy me a top of the line Sony Trinitron 24-in TV, which was the cutting edge of technology back in those days. To this day, probably the greatest gift that I ever received in my life and my love of gaming has never changed. Here I am at 46 years old, thinking with fondness and gratitude about this game and the team that made it happen.
You still got Christmas presents in college? And on top of that, they got you a brand new TV? Damn. That truly might've been the greatest gift one could get.
This could not have come out at a better time. I just started my umpteenth playthrough of FFVII yesterday!! and to my brother and I, this game was so very special to us when we played it for the first time. Although we didn't have a memory card for a while, we would literally just play as long as we could and see how far we could get without saving (and sometimes just plain leaving the PS running at night). We would all the way to Junon :P
Just finished the remake and decided to see if FFUnion had any content on ff7 so good to get a great background on the original game , and how it came to be.
Rich in symbolism and meaning. Think of Cloud falling in a flower bed in a peaceful church surrounded by the filth of Midgar. Here in that place of solace we're reminded that despite the gloom around us, there are always places if beautu, carefully tended to by those who know it and value it, like Aeris. The story is full of examples like that.
A job well done, sir! Great video. Full of good information, that even some avid fans probably didn't know. Also, you have a great speaking voice and good pacing.
@@FinalFantasyUnion It's my pleasure Darryl, I have no idea how long you spent making this video, but I think it's only fair for me to Like, Comment, and Subscribe and show you my support and appreciation.
I know the Remake is gonna be fun! And I'm really thankful Square has remade one of the GREATEST games of all time! But the original Final Fantasy VII will still and always hold the top spot over the remake! Thank you for this video guys!!! I love it!!!
Dude I bought this on PC when I was 14. Played it frontways and sideways! I still have the whole game memorized...lol. No wonder I got the remake on pre-order.....FF3/6 popped my cherry tho
Orcania of time on N64 and ff7 on ps will stay with me forever,the effect they had on me back then was huge and even to this day they are never far from my thoughts
I remember seeing in a magazine the photos of the CGI demo of FF6 leading up to 7, and I was definitely excited to play FF7 on the Ultra 64. When I heard that Square was going with the new PlayStation console, I was actually offended and thought about how potentially few people might then get to play it, maybe even me. As it turned out, I was wrong, and FF7 is still one of my favorite video games ever and, I believe, significantly responsible in how the future of video games played out from influencing RPG design and popularity in the West to helping ensure the success of Sony's initial venture with video game consoles and all that has resulted from that! Edit: I also wanted to comment that the video was nicely produced and -- perhaps more importantly -- remained professional throughout, so thank you.
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Final Fantasy VII had such a huge influence on both of us when we were growing up, just as we're sure it did for many of you who watch our content. It makes this particular video was pretty special and we hope you guys enjoy it as much as we enjoyed pulling it together. ~Darryl/Lauren
Still waiting for the Aerith vid 👀
Thank you so much for this video. I very much enjoyed it, as I first played the game about 20 years ago, it has held special place in my heart. I never knew how much history and trials square encountered during its development. It’s crazy , Nintendo said “never come back” , but their decision to use PlayStation over them blossomed the most beautiful collaboration of team members to create an unforgettable game and story.
Thank you for this video, I think this might sound hyperbolic but I think this is the best video I’ve seen on the production of a video game and I felt both yours and the creators passion behind it. This has made my day and I can’t wait to share this with my friends who enjoyed the game and are excited for the remake.
back in the day they don't have an ethics committee
Saying that 6 is bloated is a little harsh
In 1997 i remember telling mom and step dad that all i wanted for christmas that year was a ps1 and FF7. Man i was so heartbroken when I didn't get one but when I took my stuff back to my room there it was on my bed wrapped up with some games from my dad to go along with FF7. Best Christmas EVER.
How heartfelt.....
Fucking tears....
Similarly I wanted a Nintendo and Super Mario Bros when I was about 6 or 7 years old. My parents came back from the store and said they didn't get it. I felt so much disappointment, and they told me they actually did get it for me! Then I felt so ashamed because I had THE BEST parents who gave me anything I wanted. I was so spoiled ,that only looking back now do I realize how amazing they really are.
Fucking tears!!
Wow I love this story 🙏
It's just amazing to see a game that pays tribute to one's mother (Sakaguchi's mother passed away while he was making FF3), become one of the greatest and most influential games of all time.
I remember having a save at the iconic fire scene just to show my nintendo friends back on the day.
I was a Nintendo fanboy, but got to play FF7 on PC.
I’m trying to think what scene you’re referring to. Do you mean the Neibelheim fire scene?
Divided States of America of course.
Not My Name completely unnecessary.
Not My Name you’re a moron
This game truly is a masterpiece. No matter how many times I play through this, the stories, their depth, and in combination with the music has always gotten to me. I think even if the music were to be off in any way, this game wouldn't have had the same impact as it did. Like, even if I so much as hear Aerith's theme, no matter the format, be it the PS soundchip, or full orchestra, I feel like I could break. And in her death scene, it's utter emotional destruction, as I'm then empathetic to Cloud's feelings. They wrote this so well, and I can't even find anything yet that holds a candle to this.
The ads for FF7 were crazy, it really hyped up the game and gave the game a wider appeal.
Wish I was back there to see it.....
I love that FFVII is coming back, it will dominate the end of the Era of PS4. PS4 going out with a bang.
@5555Thecrow ps5 is going to have an ssd drive indtead of an hdd. And have about 3x more horsepower. That doesnt mean 50x better graphics, but not a single new gen system offered such a leap compared to its predecessor. The biggest effects will be larger worlds due to much, much faster loading times thanks to the ssd, and much better lighting. It may take a year before we truly feel the impact, but it will absolutely feel "next gen". Ps4 has been out for quite some time now, its not like they are milking you, developers just need more resources from the hardware to go beyond whats possible now.
@5555Thecrow PS5 will make games 4k 60 fps. Imagine playing FF7R and all the other parts on higher resolution and 60fps. PS6 may come in another 7-8 years.
@5555Thecrow ps5 is massive leap..better than previous gen leap
5555Thecrow uhh well for the rest of us if we can afford it than we will buy it just because it’s the new thing 😂 not flexing, but actually flexing lmao.
@5555Thecrow Thanks, I will.
Might be because I'm drunk, might be my FF fan heart, but hearing about how well VII did made me cry. I love this game and I was only 3 when it came out, still my favorite FF along with VIII.
My sister is around your age and we didn't play it until she was 9 and I was 14. Huge sentimental value in this game for me.
Final fantasy 7 is the game that got me into playing games.
Same here
Aerith`s death was actually the first time ever i shed a tear over a videogame. The feeling comes back everytime i reach that point.
Proud of you guys, I used to listen to your podcasts 10 years ago when I used to work the nightshift at a gas station. You guys helped the shift go by way faster. This is great content your making here. Keep up the amazing work!
That is so awesome Sonny! We're glad our content has kept you company for so long :) ~Darryl/Lauren
@Final Fantasy Union can u plz tell me the song playing in background?
Among Chaos and Doubt, a Gem was Born.
and for the last 20y or so whenever I hear square I think of a red triangle ...
(thank you for the video)
When spring comes, I'm going to Midgar
Me too.
The world is going to The Reunion!
Kirsty Thompson technically that’s not happening yet in this game lol
It might still be on lockdown due to corona
@@LordMalice6d9 go watch *"Abzu Battle Gameplay, TGS 2019"* and then come back here to apologize
I have a bad feeling I will not leave being very impressed.
How can the developers justify stretching a 4-5 hour segment of an original game into a 40-50 hour experience? Will it be justified by making all of Midgar an open world? And I am not impressed by some of the voice over work.
As someone who grew up with Final Fantasy 7, the PlayStation 1 having been my first console, I never thought it would be possible that I would still be able to learn new information about this game's history. Thanks for the very in-depth history of one of the greatest games ever.
You're most welcome Max! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the video :) ~Darryl
This was an excellent video yall put together, good job!
I can't believe no one has mentioned the original planned storyline. EDIT: I meant that I've never heard anyone ever mention it, lol They still haven't made that game yet, where decisions made by the father affect things in the son's storyline. That would be brilliant! Maybe they can revisit that for FF XVI.... 2ND EDIT: I FORGOT ABOUT LAGUNA/SQUALL DYNAMIC IN FF VIII, SO JUST IGNORE ME, LOL
David Quintanilla while not exactly the same that idea was sort of used in FF8.
FF8 already used that story concept, even if all the mechanics they wanted to implement didn't make it in.
@ThePookaPrince of course, I forgot all about poor Laguna, lol. Thanks for correcting me! 🤪
After hearing the story nintendo being mad for FF7 going to ps is kind of their own doing, after saying they are going to use cd and not delivering.
While i have heard some of the dev. story still thank you, FF7 is really my first jrpg and really appreciate hearing this story
Nintendo screwed over Square not once, but twice! Square spent a lot of time and money developing for Nintendo's platforms that failed to come to fruition, so it should have been expected they would go elsewhere. Ever since Nintendo overtook Atari as the most popular console, Nintendo has been an authoritarian bully in the game industry, and it's a wonder how they're still in business with their reputation, and superior platforms competing against them.
Nintendo are as arrogant of a development as can be. They believe their creations are God's gifts to the world and they owe nothing to no one. Square dumping them because of their arrogance and refusing to adapt to CDs is exactly what they deserved. It was Squaresoft that helped Sony destroy Nintendo during that era. A sort of poetic justice.
Yeah fuck Nintendo, I don't even know why they're still making consoles if they're full of shit.
That decision was one of the biggest blunders Nintendo ever made and they damn well knew it too. Square proved to be right and Nintendo should've listened to them about using discs at the time. Nowadys their relationship is on much better terms and thank god for that.
@@GracelessTarnished I remember the confrontation between Sony and Nintendo back in the day. Nintendo got theie assed kicked for being arrogant.
I don't often comment on TH-cam, but this was absolutely brilliant. Thanks for this - sincerely.
Very informative video. I have been going on a Final Fantasy VII binge since completing the Remake and falling in love with the game all over again. Thank you!
You're most welcome Kevin! ~Darryl
Who else has to self-quarantine when this comes out?
I’m currently playing this on the Switch and I can definitely see why it’s so beloved. The difficulty is just right, the story is engaging, and the characters are some of the most memorable I have ever seen in a game. I’m grateful that this game exists, especially in these times.
Yeah, the game's pitch-perfect difficulty curve is a real unsung hero in the story of how it ended up creating millions of RPG players in America. Even if you're not very good at optimizing your materia loadout, Cloud's limit breaks will generally bail you out during tough battles.
Great video 👍
Final Fantasy VII is still my favourite video game of all time, the story, characters, events and tragedies have stayed with me for nearly 25 years, that's testament to how brilliant and influential the game was.
Square at the time were so innovative and always pushing forward. Final Fanatsy The Spirits Within changed everything. You should do a video about that if you haven't already. After that movie flopped Square became a different company altogether. They became less willing to risk. They were a company that looked forward. Now they keep looking back trying to re-capture what they once were. My hope is that FFVIIR (which looks amazing) will help them recapture that again. It will help them remember what they once were and why FFVII existed in the first place. Maybe they will finally be brave enough to tackle the Chrono series again. Now that they are doing FFVIIR the skies the limit.
Hey give that film some credit, it actually influence the art direction of Mass Effect :P
I don't know if the music was the reason, but this video almost brought a tear to my eye. Like many others, this game was a defining moment in my childhood. Although FF VI was the first Final Fantasy I played, and honestly one of the first big games I've played, FF VII really lasted with me. I loved the characters and their development, the story, the challenges, and just about every little aspect.
Wonderful job on putting this story together!
@Oblic008 u know the track playing?
I honestly didnt know that FFVII was such a big deal and such a game changer back in the day. That's so cool
Safaa Lag FF7 was the trump card for Sony to defeat Nintendo back in the day.
Thank you for all of your great Final Fantasy content.
I've heard about rejected concepts for FF7 turning into Parasite Eve and Xenogears, but didn't know that FF8 was the concept they were working with before switching to Playstation. It goes a long way to explain why so many characters designed for 7 ended up in 8 instead, like Edea, Fujin, and Raijin.
I did'nt even know about this, but from the history I do know that does explain their rapid releases of the games back then. They had concepts for at least 2 be born from 7 and Sakaguchi's own idea eventually became 9. I hope they get hit this kind of motherload again soon.
RedfurredPikachu 7, 8, 9 were great
@@shaokhan4421 I just started playing 9 a couple days ago. The juvenile elements were kind of a deterent at first but a few hours in and I'm into the story. The ability and battle system is good too.
I was really into 8, I loved being in an advanced special forces detachment and I was into the characters and battle system. Then I got to the part where you randomly become 3 other people and I was immediately turned off. Haven't tried it since.
I still believe the materia system from 7 is one of the best build customizers around, rivaling the job system from FFTactics. I was really glad they maintained it in the 7Remake.
This made me cry from sheer joy at the success of these incredible creative geniuses where so many have failed and so many more stand in the way of anyone that puts the consumer and the product before the bottom line.
I first saw this game at the end of my freshmen year of high school when one of my classmates recorded the final fight and brought it to school. I was blown away by how amazing it looked. I got my first job that summer so I could by a ps1 and this game and have loved it ever since
Mate what an excellent summary of one of my favourite games of all time. That was thoroughly informative and well presented. Covered everything in intricate detail. Well done.
I’m not even a big fan of VII and yet here I am tearing up over how they created Aerith’s story.
Considering the history between Square and Nintendo, seeing them work so well together now is kind of amazing. Not only do we have 2 Square-Enix characters in Smash Bros, we also have Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 all on the Nintendo Switch.
well.. the availability across multiple platform benefits both nintendo and SE
they were not in good terms for quite a while after square’s pivot to playstation
Also, FF is present at both NES and SNES Classic
But expexct next mainline ff titles (and ff vii remake) will not available on nintendo console anytime soon, because nintendo usual underpowered console
S M Haryanto Nintendo is already out of the high end powerful console business. Now all they have left is handheld console and weak home console.
@@worawatsr9803 Which sell like hotcakes.
Wow I didn't realize just how important Nomura was in making the story.
Hes awesome
Despite people shiting on him as a director, this guy is still a better writer thaan Druckmann.
@@hathaway.1166 Druckmann did a phenomenal job with TLOU2 story
@@hathaway.1166 hes a good writer when he’s being kept in check by others
@@hathaway.1166 Nomura's ideas would be laughed off at any film or book publisher.
He is a great character designer, though it's all really one note. But his writing is teenage angst nonsense more akin to cringe juvenile fanfiction than to a product of an even mildly competent writer.
The Last of Us, Part I and especially Part II, are better written in all aspects than anything Nomura has written, or will ever write.
Final Fantasy VII was the reason I bought a PSX.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is the reason I bought a PS4.
This just shows how powerful this series is and how it resonated with me and many other players around the world.
I've been blasting the remake soundtrack (as well as crisis core) and several people including my mom have asked me what that beautiful shit is. Positively inspirational
Wait, it is already available for purchase? :D I need me some more OST to increase my tiny collection.
@@KingKjellboy I don't know I listen to all my music via youtube
@@malakai_adam Nooooo!!! *cries in Lifestream* Joke aside, too bad. Least we'll be able to get it later this year. :)Hopefully at least. Too many songs from this franchise that are so darn good.
@@KingKjellboy you said it 👊
Me freakin too! Cant wait for the game!
What a great video! Thank you so much for posting! This brought back so many memories from when I was a young kid :) I am really excited to play the remake next month! Final Fantasy VII is still my favorite game of all time. Nothing has even come close in story telling, suspense, character depth, and just pure enjoyment. I look forward to seeing more of your videos in the future.
Cheers from one of the million europeans that bought the game back in 1998 (not sure whem it was available in europe, late 1997 maybe?)
I remembering me spending the whole summer holidays with the game. And how devastating it was to witness Aeriths death. I really felt it within my heart. Feelings that nobody can understand but fellow gamers. I still want to marry Tifa btw ^^
Great Video, great Channel, thank you for your work. Subbed
Tuesday mornings are my favourite part of the week because of you guys
Thank you for the background which went behind the creation of this timeless game!!
just made me dinner and saw you upload this video :) Best moment of the day
Thank you for putting this amazing video together. I have a newfound respect for this game.
Through you guys I have come to know the greatness of Square as a company and has made me motivated to pursue my goals in game development!
Thank you Final Fantasy Union!
FF7 gave me so much feelings, I got very emotional. Thank you for this video, I teared up. ❤
do you do the editing too? Real smart use of visual, which complements the audio nicely.
Yep, we do everything between the pair of us! :) ~Darryl
@@FinalFantasyUnion good going. I love a well edited video. Especially if it's cut to music/beat etc. Could sit for hours just making sure each clip fits perfectly.
@FF7_FAN do u know the music in a this video
FF7 was one of those games that I was too young to appreciate when it came out (we bought when I was in 1st grade). Years later I went back to play it just because I was bored of Halo at the time or something. This game single-handedly turned me from a predominantly FPS player into an RPG player. I'm 30 years old and I still tear up just by hearing Aerith's theme.
I'm the same age as you and I appreciated the hell out of FF7 when it came out
Your an amazing story teller ! I love learning things like this, and you draw such a beautiful and intriguing picture with your words! Thank you ❤
Thank you so much Sora X, that's such a nice thing to say ~Darryl
What a brilliant video.
I had one of my best Christmases the year I got my Playstation. All gifts had been given and my cousins were gearing up to leave (25 of us crammed into a little living room). Someone saw one last gift 'hiding' in the hall closet. Playstation with Crash Bandicoot and the beloved FF7. My best bud and I would just sit and watch each other play for hours. Amazing that a single-player game could captivate two people so completely, for hours. Such a great memory. In the last couple decades I've downloaded the game on various platforms and grinded it all, including all the optional content. No other game has ever stayed with me so meaningfully.
Hell yeah I was waiting for this one. Love videos that touch on the history of stuff I love.
My first encounter with FFVII was when my uncle left it at my house, I had played all my other games to death so it was the only fresh game. At first I was unimpressed, just having a limited amount of attacks to choose from which were essentially a choice between damage or less damage. Despite this, i found the dark and dysphoric setting strangely intriguing so I continued to play, eventually when it started to introduce the customisation systems, world, characters and story I began to understand the direction it was headed and I quickly became hooked verging on obsessed. Unbeknownst to at the time FFVII would be my gateway into what would be many years of infatuation with a franchise.
Interesting.....
Sounds like they've bet almost everything for this game, and I must say that it was quite, courageous, and I'm glad they succeeded.
A wonderful little doc. I really enjoyed this.
I appreciate how you put it in a way that square utilized all the talents they have. The creativity of the staff were put to good use and not just one voice was heard in every decision making they do.
When I heard you talk about a father leaving behind books for his son to read, I remembered Jecht leaving video orbs for his son to collect. When you talked about the father hailed as a coward, I remembered Seto. I began to have a deeper appreciation to all the FF series. Thank you for your hard work!
The whole father and son as main characters is pretty much final fantasy 8... or at least very blatantly hinted at in 8.
I still believe that Final Fantasy can be made great again, tbh.
It just needs the right vision. And FF7 Remake doesn't count.
@@ExistentHope Sure it does. Sometimes you have to look back to understand how to go forward. To me, maybe Square Enix needed to take a look back at one of their greats to understand what makes the series great. While they could've just actually looked back at their old games to do that, I'm hoping actually working on the Remake and seeing why that story resonated with so many people back in the day informs their decisions of Final Fantasy storytelling in the future. Maybe then we won't be getting any more of the "L'cie/Falcie/Focus" nonsense of FFXIII or the "There's actually a really decent story here, but the development time and the way we had to really butcher this game up to get it out in time... after ten years" of FFXV will hopefully be a thing of the past.
@@ExistentHope Of course it counts. It will lay a new foundation how future FF game will be created. Just like FF7 the original did.
@@ExistentHope yes it does
It's just not the same without Sakaguchi TBH after all he was the one that believe in pushing boundaries and getting out of the comfort zone but people just can't stop faulting him for making spirit within and flopped.
It’s crazy to realize the impact that a video game can have on the medium of storytelling and art. Playing ff7 back then you don’t think about that for sure, but now as an adult you understand just how significant it really was. Great video guys 👍
This was SUCH A GREAT VIDEO! Thanks so much for your hard-work!
Glad you enjoyed it Forrest :)
This game means SO much to me. It was the first PlayStation title I ever tried. It was the first game I played "with" my husband - in that he sat with me and helped me figure out what to do, because he'd already played it and I was a total newbie. I remember being intimidated by the controller, even.
This was the first game I screamed at, cried at, obsessed over.
And I still love it.
Thank you for this video
How could anyone dislike this video?
So good 👌
This was very interesting. Thank you
Keep up the great work FFU!
The Reunion is at hand!!!!
I love ff7, it's the one that introduced me to this amazing series. I still have my copy as well as the 4 action figures XD.
Wow.....
Hearing you discuss Aeriths death gave me chills same with hearing the words greatest entertainment piece of all time
"One of the best games you will ever play" - Quite possibly the understatement of the century.
Hearing how some original concepts for FFVII were reworked into future games as economical kind of reminds me of the Verum Rex related stuff in KH3 that pretty blatantly has its origins in Nomura’s vision of Versus XIII. While the fandom talks abt Nomura being salty for doing that, in light of just how forward thinking some of the original concepts were for games, it just makes me think it’s Square saving old concept for later use again. :3
I remember I got a PlayStation for Christmas and went to the game store Boxingday morning with my Christmas money, saw Final Fantasy VII on the shelf, it looked amazing on the cover so I bought it. Because of this I got imports of the previous games and I’ve been in love with the Final Fantasy Series
This game and 11 changed my life. They say life imitates art. No truer statement was true for me when I played 7 when I was 14 yrs old. I’ll never forget it.
As someone who played the Remake and then went back and played the OG 7 I think this video is perfect. Thank you! I have huge respect for Square Enix.
I already finished the remake and realized just how much they added to the game. It truly is a remake and the game will likely be much larger than anticipated. Now how long do we wait for the second installment?
My first and favorite Final Fantasy game I’ve ever played! Thank you!
Fantastic video, really hit me in the feels since I was blown away by this as a little kid & felt it was so big with 3 disks
the king of the jrpg genre ♥️
A classic that changed how we enjoyed RPG. Awesome videos!
Fascinating insight! The emotions playing the remake are going to be through the roof.
Damnit, even you just talking about Aerith brought me to tears... My 14 year old self was already a huge fan of Square. The day FF7 released my uncle took me to GameStop (hell it may have still been E B Games) I have never looked back. Final Fantasy made me who I am.
Well done fellas, I thoroughly enjoyed the video despite already being obsessively familiar with the game, and to a very slightly lesser extent, the entire franchise up until & including XIII (barring XI as I am generally not a fan of MMORPGs).
Regardless, I very much enjoyed the detail you put into it, especially regarding the development prior and leading up to VII itself. There were a few details you touched on that I was either only vaguely familiar with or else had flat out forgotten about a long time ago, so it was genuinely entertaining and enjoyable to relive them through your narative.
I can tell you are both sincere and avid fans of the game as well as it's history which, for someone who has been a massive fan of the franchise since it's inception, is always a welcome sentiment to *randomly encounter.*
(Yeah, I am pretty old... 😂 I was 13 when FFVII originally released, so I'll let you do the math)
First played this game when I was 13 and it came out. I last played it when I was 35 and I'm still not bored of it. I'm getting those childlike feelings again waiting for the remake.
Damn, they relied a lot on Nintendo but they always let them down.
Nintendo always gave them up. They always let them down. They always ran and deserted them. They made them cry, and always said goodbye, yet they still said a lie, to hurt them.
Yeah, but inside, we both know what's been going on.
I just got Rick rolled.... o k
Imagine how history would've been different if Nintendo hadn't though.
If the SNES CD had happened:
-Chrono Trigger wouldn't exist
- Secret of Mana would've been bigger.
If the n64 had been given a CD drive
- Final Fantasy 7 would almost certainly have been an n64 exclusive.
If the 64 DD had actually released on time worldwide
- Much harder to know the outcome of this, but Square may just have stuck with Nintendo.
(plus 64 megabyte games would have been possible in 1997, or perhaps even multi-disk games, depending on how much the disks cost to manufacture. If they're cheap enough, using 3-4 disks is not a huge deal... And if you've ever played the kind of games that fit on a 64 megabyte cartridge, you'd know that would've made a huge difference if even just that much space had been available early in the system's life)
Alas, we will never know, what might have been...
@@KuraIthys Yep.....
Had to hold back tears this entire video. I takes me back to when I first discovered Japanese media, and it's weird to think that those years not only opened up a whole new world for JRPG's, it also opened up a whole new world for us as well.
I remember first experiencing japanese media, through bad quality kazaa downloads or other non-mainstream sources, I remember seeing part of Akira on a tv screen in a local lasertag hall, I was more entranced by the movie than I was by the game. All of it felt like seeing something from another world, japan at that point barely felt like a real place, so many barriers still lay in between us and them.
Even the poor quality made it feel like I was watching some kind of broadcast that was only barely coming in from some other dimension. The art style was so foreign to everything I'd seen a thousand times, the language so alien, the visuals were so gory and unrestrained.
Then when I was 12 my brother downloaded FFVII, VIII, and IX. And for the next few months I did nothing but play them, those are the formative moments that ended up defining me as a person, I even ended up studying game design because of it.
FFX was the last final fantasy I really, truly loved, and I've been waiting for almost 20 years now to experience that feeling again. IX was always my favorite, and over the years, I've slowly lost a bit of love for VIII, but VII especially seemed to just get better and better the more I grew up and the more I dissected the story and analysed the methods they used to tell it. I think right now I am a bigger fan of VII than I've ever been, just in time for the remake, I can't wait.
I still remember the ff7 commercial and I was instantly hyped for it at that moment. Yep!!! I need to play this game. I got it for Christmas the year it came out and I fell in love with that game. If I fail at saving the world "I can always hit the reset button!!" This iconic game made me fall in love with JRPGs. Nothing will ever top the original ff7 in my opinion.
No gaming publisher wants to take risks in their creativity and video games anymore just go with what is safe and digestible to the masses for sales numbers and to get by in the worldly public eye. I wish video games could go back to being a niche market where you do have your big names sellers but small time titles can be just as fun as the mainstream selling titles.
Superb video, great job! When can we expect similar videos from FF's VIII and IX? :]
As with everything you guys do, this was incredibly fun to watch
When I was at college in early 1997, the Japanese kid across the hall showed me this game. It absolutely blew my mind, and all I wanted for Christmas that year was to get a PlayStation of my own to play this game in English. That Christmas, not only did I get my beloved PlayStation and a copy of this game, but my divorced parents worked together for once to scrape together the money to buy me a top of the line Sony Trinitron 24-in TV, which was the cutting edge of technology back in those days. To this day, probably the greatest gift that I ever received in my life and my love of gaming has never changed. Here I am at 46 years old, thinking with fondness and gratitude about this game and the team that made it happen.
You still got Christmas presents in college? And on top of that, they got you a brand new TV? Damn. That truly might've been the greatest gift one could get.
I love ff7
FFVII was my first Final Fantasy game. I've been hooked ever since. My first JRPG was Dragon Warrior for NES (Dragon Quest)
This could not have come out at a better time. I just started my umpteenth playthrough of FFVII yesterday!! and to my brother and I, this game was so very special to us when we played it for the first time. Although we didn't have a memory card for a while, we would literally just play as long as we could and see how far we could get without saving (and sometimes just plain leaving the PS running at night). We would all the way to Junon :P
Just finished the remake and decided to see if FFUnion had any content on ff7 so good to get a great background on the original game , and how it came to be.
Rich in symbolism and meaning. Think of Cloud falling in a flower bed in a peaceful church surrounded by the filth of Midgar. Here in that place of solace we're reminded that despite the gloom around us, there are always places if beautu, carefully tended to by those who know it and value it, like Aeris. The story is full of examples like that.
This video definitely did what you set out for it to do... I cried all over again when you spoke of aerith
A job well done, sir! Great video. Full of good information, that even some avid fans probably didn't know. Also, you have a great speaking voice and good pacing.
Thank you very much AJ, so glad to hear you enjoyed the video :) ~Darryl
@@FinalFantasyUnion It's my pleasure Darryl, I have no idea how long you spent making this video, but I think it's only fair for me to Like, Comment, and Subscribe and show you my support and appreciation.
I'm still new to playing Final Fantasy VII and i'm enjoying it
I know the Remake is gonna be fun! And I'm really thankful Square has remade one of the GREATEST games of all time! But the original Final Fantasy VII will still and always hold the top spot over the remake! Thank you for this video guys!!! I love it!!!
That's such a great story for FFVII! It's amazing to hear how all of these initial ideas for the game ended up being used in later projects :D
Dude I bought this on PC when I was 14. Played it frontways and sideways! I still have the whole game memorized...lol. No wonder I got the remake on pre-order.....FF3/6 popped my cherry tho
Orcania of time on N64 and ff7 on ps will stay with me forever,the effect they had on me back then was huge and even to this day they are never far from my thoughts
This influence was magical and I really love final fantasy 7, it’s my favourite game of all time.
Amazing video. Fantastic narration and text. Thank you
no matter which year - FF7 will always be a relevant masterpiece ♥️
I remember seeing in a magazine the photos of the CGI demo of FF6 leading up to 7, and I was definitely excited to play FF7 on the Ultra 64. When I heard that Square was going with the new PlayStation console, I was actually offended and thought about how potentially few people might then get to play it, maybe even me. As it turned out, I was wrong, and FF7 is still one of my favorite video games ever and, I believe, significantly responsible in how the future of video games played out from influencing RPG design and popularity in the West to helping ensure the success of Sony's initial venture with video game consoles and all that has resulted from that!
Edit: I also wanted to comment that the video was nicely produced and -- perhaps more importantly -- remained professional throughout, so thank you.