Computers Technos: Final Fantasy VII – Fantasy Pocket

Tested version: iPhone (1.0.0)

Digital Delivery: App Store

Price: € 15.99

For someone who has played before on Playstation and then PC-lapse , lie between the covers in a stormy parenthesis in August to play Final Fantasy VII is a little magic. It is almost difficult to digest all the good things contained in a device from a handful of inches. Then, suddenly, a glimmer of lucidity reminds that from November 1997 has been nearly eighteen and that the world has moved on a long time. In a few years the mobile industry has come to give us titles technically monstrous and behold, the magic turns into a sort of melancholy that does not stifle but the desire to thrown back on the streets of the beautiful Midgard, a combination of extreme fantasy and cyberpunk tones. A departure in style for Final Fantasy VII immediately able to assault the senses of the player with three-dimensional animations elaborate cut-scenes at the time of the highest level and a powerful mix of animations in computer graphics and three-dimensional characters. Fantasy pocket All this mixed with a game system is not particularly complex but able to tickle the ego of the player with simplicity: we speak of course of the materials, of those gems that allow embedded in weapons powerful combinations that are even more powerful when combined with potions and objects that bring the characters to life or of a repeat attack. The combinations most powerful so increase the potential of the character as will enable it to face the two Weapon, two beings so massive and powerful to be beaten if faced with no preparation. It is nonetheless clear that it is absolutely unnecessary extra. Final Fantasy VII can entertain for a good hundred hours but can be addressed, tasted and finished comfortably without reaching anywhere near the full potential of the character. With the sole purpose of enjoying the experience serve approximately forty hours to face the inevitable fate of Cloud that is to chase the nemesis Sephiroth, discover the mysteries of the specimen Jenova and suffer mishaps that not to mention do not ruin the experience to newcomers although it is difficult to believe that there is someone who does not know what we’re talking about. Final Fantasy VII has sold more than 100,000 copies in the first two weeks of availability on the PlayStation Network, was re-released for the second PC, and has continued to sell on his arrival on Steam in July 2013. Besides, this is the heart of Final Fantasy VII, its ability to engage with simplicity. No wonder it was the first JRPG to hit with force in the West, perfect flagship international clear in mechanical and powerful in terms of narrative.

A world of memories in the palm of your hand

Already available for iOS and probably coming for Android, the mobile version of Final Fantasy VII for the Japanese is already playable from 2014 through the streaming service Dive In anticipates the expected and finally announced the remake that fans of the title of the most iconic series have been clamoring for years. The issue in question is not the one PlayStation but the PC 1998 that has allowed some features graphics acceleration. This translates into a more pleasant and world map in models softer but also more detached from the two-dimensional seabed that today, especially on tablet, are rather aged. The effect of interlaced scanning, typical of monitors and CRT TVs, but would help as we will see this port, whose greatest value are loads fast, is not the most cared; Also consumption is quite high for a game that comes close to twenty years of age but it is also true that Final Fantasy VII never gives respite to the battery of shots, scenes in computer graphics and continuous transitions between the battlefield and the exploratory stage. Final Fantasy VII marked the advent of JRPG spectacular and because of this has left its mark: the first chapter of the series in 3D , has exceeded the inevitable technological limitations of his time by placing the characters of funds in graphics Two-dimensional and adding to the recipe testing in graphical adventure as animations in computer graphics integrated into the fabric of the game. Fantasy pocket The models have never been at the top but survived, thanks to the characterization deformed, at once powerful cutscenes that are left still watching but which are inevitably age. Are still spectacular, less poverty polygons, the limit break, super moves loaded passively suffering blows from the enemies, and three-dimensional animations that become stunning in case of spells as Knights of the Round and Neo Bahamut. In this case the 3D although clearly vintage shows muscles while shots spinning and alternate quick to magnify lasers, gunfire and explosions in a blaze of fireworks and rock fragments. Some of these animations are really massive, spectacular sequences yet so long as not to be digested if repeated too many times just as they did in certain situations in Final Fantasy VII. Who has faced Weapon knows what we’re talking about and try a chill discovering that even in this porting mobile title Square there is no way to skip animations of spells. Fortunately, the configuration menu is rich and beautiful also includes a slider that allows you to slow down or significantly increase the speed of the game, including animated. The rescue system is contrary to the original: in the middle of the missions you need to find the save point and in the main map, you can save it at will. The additions actual porting this are few and a couple may distort heavily the experience : the first is undoubtedly positive and describes the implementation of iCloud support, which in addition to match the name of the protagonist allows you to secure the bailouts and to use them both on the iPad than on iPhone. The second new feature is rather controversial, although in many ways convenient, and results in a button that allows you to completely disable the random encounters. The latest addition could instead be dangerous in the configuration menu we are in fact given the opportunity to maximize the character to enjoy the experience without too much trouble narrative, but yielding to temptation is the gameplay with less risk than playing becomes mortally boring.
Final Fantasy VII – Launch trailer for the iOS version Final Fantasy VII - Launch trailer for the iOS version

Fantastic but not too

No matter how Final Fantasy VII is indeed vast: the greatest value of the JRPG Square is to transmit amplitude, variety, dramatic light, the inevitable environmental message and a lot of beautiful music vintage. Thanks to this, Final Fantasy VII is still able to keep us glued to the screen, but this magic cracks when we are battling with touch controls that, as has already happened with countless porting, are totally inadequate to the title Square . The controls, part of which overlaps with the game screen with a bad visual effect, are woody and inaccurate, which worsens when playing on smartphones and the small size of the image makes it even difficult to tell the direction to be taken. Fortunately there is a button that activates the on-screen, as in the original, and having to do with a role-playing game we have all the time in the world to make our way. Also in the fighting although the control system is in any case difficult is not particularly difficult to move around in the menus to choose attacks, spells and items to use. But you still can not completely overlook the matter even taking into account the inherent difficulties of porting a mobile title that he will soon turn 20 years and had their assets originals have been partially lost. Fantasy pocket We do not complain of the game screen in four thirds, we do not claim even the adaptation of texts in Italian and we never hoped for a remake or a distorted version since this will arrive next year. But we would expect to see a price more appropriate given the numerous compromises and we would have wished a greater commitment on the part of developers, we can bet, you got to work on this conversion are fully aware that the mobile version of Final Fantasy VII intended to sell a lot. But in this port it was not even implemented the rotation of the screen, and so we find ourselves in the hands a title with an interface difficult to use and bad to see that does not offer major changes from the original. However, I have to say, all the buttons visible on the screen can be used, we can choose between cross directional dynamic or fixed, and the title is compatible with controllers MFi. Adapting is short as possible and do it can make sense both for the nostalgic who own at least one iPhone 4S and for those who did not have the opportunity to play one of the universal symbols of the JRPG genre. A title that made not only from the technical sector, the only element compromised by years, but by the iconic music, from the bunch of bananas placed on the head of Cloud, a thousand creatures unlikely and a compartment narrative full of memorable characters and events of all kinds . Between appointments gallant influenced by the choices in the dialogues and mini-games as the race chocobos is a full plate to be caught for hours lulled by an amazing soundtrack composed by Uematsu one fully fit. For the occasion, the composer even when they have the optical media preferred the samples midi, probably for reasons of space, but this choice did not prevent the combat music of Final Fantasy VII being one of the songs most recognizable and popular among gamers of every age. The only exception, not negative, is the trace of the battle with Sephiroth One Winged Angel, created using sampled voices mentioning excerpts of Carmina Burana and make the final fight to say the least memorable. Essentially a mobile version of Final Fantasy is still playable and is still a memorable experience even if the work of Square Enix on this conversion turns the side several criticisms and 16 euro price make it even heavier this unpleasant fact.