Guide To Final Fantasy 7

Final Fantasy VII marked a departure from the previous six installments of this incredibly popular video game series.  The overall look, the artist in charge, its media and even its gaming partnership changed.  Released in 1997, it was an enormous critical and commercial success.  Multiple polls, reviewers and gaming experts rate it as one of the best games ever.

Tetsura Nomura took over for Yoshitaka Amano as creative visionary on installment 7.  Under Nomura's guidance, FF VII became the first within the series to use 3D computer graphics.  It was also the first to use full-motion video.

In fact, it was this desire to incorporate new full-motion video technology that spurred the change from cartridge to CD--and thus from Nintendo to Sony's PlayStation.  Using the previous system, the game would have required a ridiculous number of cartridges.  As it was, the game required full use of three CD-ROMS.

Today, spin-offs inspired by Final Fantasy VII continue to be created.  2006 alone saw the release of Final Fantasy VII: Dirgeof Cerberus, Advent Children, Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis and more.  Game reviewers place all these new games solidly in categories ranging from "good" to "great."

In addition to its famous visuals, Final Fantasy VII also has a compelling soundtrack.  Surpassing expectations for the genre, the music is featured on multiple recordings, and has enjoyed two full-scale concert treatments from the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall.  The original soundtrack was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and released on four discs.  Subsequently, selected tracks were released in a single disc entitled, "Final Fantasy VII: Reunion Tracks."  Piano-only releases are also available.