Role-Playing

I think Dale was more insulted by this title than I was, though I was particularly appalled at the horrendous art direction. Like some kind of outsourced nightmare, everything from the cut sequence, to the pre-rendered backgrounds, to the character sprites, don't just look as if different teams did them, they look as if different companies did them! There isn't any visual cohesion to ground all the other elements in the game.

Rather than wiping out endless hordes of monsters for fortune, glory, and (of course) experience points, Pokémon encourages captivity over annihilation. So much so, that collecting, trading, and training the stubborn little pocket monsters make up the heart of the game.

Game Description: In Pokémon Blue/Red, your mission is to collect all 150 Pokémon. To collect all 150, you'll need to train each captured Pokémon. Once they evolve, each Pokémon gains power, which can be used to defeat and capture other Pokémon. Along the way, several skilled trainers will challenge you to Pokémon duels. To win the game, you must defeat them all. Keep in mind that some Pokémon are rare and won't be found in your game. To get all 150, trade Pokémon with your friends using the Game Boy Link Cable, which allows the transfer of Pokémon between Game Paks.

Game Description: Featuring seamless 3D gameplay and animation, Final Fantasy VII contains hundreds of pre-rendered, computer-generated backgrounds and features real-time battles, vast map screens, and a complex and engrossing storyline. Published on three CDs, Final Fantasy VII will be one of the largest and most richly detailed gaming experiences ever created.

One of the most eagerly anticipated games of 1997, Final Fantasy VII (FF7), did not disappoint fans when it finally was released. With plenty of hype already surrounding the game, Sony further promoted it with commercial spots that resembled movie trailers, begging to elevate the integrity of videogames up to a status equal with more mainstream media like film and television.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Animated Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes

Make no mistake about it, FF7 is a graphical showcase, first and foremost, and an RPG second. No matter what Square says about trying to add movie-like elements to their games to aid in storytelling, they are obviously in love with their SGI machines and are determined to put them to use at any cost. Graphics took such a precedence over gameplay that playing through any part of the game was akin to being lead by a leash; I was allowed some freedom, but if I really strayed, I was snapped back to path by the designers' invisible, yet heavy hand.