Where should I start? I mean there are so many outstanding things about this game it's quite difficult to pick them. As one of the few games to live up to the hype, Final Fantasy 7 shines as the single greatest RPG ever made. Gameplay, Music, Storyline everything included in one solid package.

When you pop this baby into your PSX the first thing you'll notice is the visuals. The graphics are phenomenal, nearly eye-popping. The spells are amazing, nothing can compare to the sight of Ifrit burning all your foes on the screen into a crispy cinder. Unlike other RPGs, magic comes in the form af tiny balls called materia, putting these into slots in your weapons gives command of that type of magic. Materia are also divided into 5 different groups: magic, support, independent, command and summon. There are a huge amount of Materia in the game, about 82 to be exact and each one of them is capable of housing 3 different spells. The overall depth of the battle system is baffling. Although materia is the core of it, many other things stem into the system. Limit breaks, a new addition to the FF system give an extra perspective on battles. When a party member is hit, his/her Limit meter will go up in increments depending on how much damage was inflicted. Once charged up, you are able to release a devastating attack on the enemy. Simple, No? But there's an extra twist, you get more Limit breaks as you beat the stuffings out of bad guys and use your present ones. The little details added to the game also give you a warm, squishy feeling inside. When you change your weapon, you can actually see it in action, it may sound trivial but seeing that Nail Bat bash intruders over the head is quite exhilarating.

Gameplay aside, FF7 is even more astounding (I can't seem to find enough words to compliment this game) with Full-Motion-Video cut scenes which will blow everything you've ever thought could be in a videogame far, far away. As you watch the events unfold before your eyes, it's like watching an interactive movie. Immersion is FF7's main plus, the design and feel lend you to "be" in the game itself.

Thinking back to previous FF's, storyline was always a strength, and was always portrayed in an organized, well-thought manner. Can FF7 retain this? HELL YEAH! Final Fantasy 7 isn't just any game, it's an epic that will be remembered for eons (exageration on my part).

As you journey with Cloud finding out about your past which has been shrouded in mystery for so long, you will be 'put' into the story. Events in the game will feel like events in real-time. The way the plot is pieced together is just... pure genius! I have never seen such a beautifuly vivid and flowing story, even in a blockbuster film or novel, certain events may bring you on the brink of tears (2nd disk anyone?).

The music is also very befitting to the mood of the game. It is very well composed as one would expect from Nobuo Uematsu, 'Valley of the Fallen Star' and 'One-Winged Angel' will bring back memories from Final Fantasy 3 and amaze you all their own. Cons? I find them quite trivial, but nothing is perfect. One gripe I found was the slightly over-zealous design by Square. They tried to make it into 'the best thing ever', and a couple shortfalls were present along the way. One was the plot, it was a bit confusing in the latter part of it. But in the overall scope of things these few plot inconsistencies are no match for the masterpiece that is 'Final Fantasy 7'. I think this game is the defining thing in videogames, every RPG, new or old will be compared with FF7 for years to come.

Final Fantasy 7 is Square's crowning achievement, and after bringing millions and millions of new fans to the RPG genre I think they deserve a round of applause, for a job very, very, very well done!