Valiona
Since: Mar, 2011
03/25/2021 00:00:00
What exactly didn't you like about Aerith in this game? As the Authors Saving Throw page for this game points out, the remake does a better job of capturing some of the nuances of her character than subsequent FFVII-related works do. It also helps that she has more of a friendship with Tifa in this game rather than merely competing with her over Cloud.
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Change is Mostly Good (Spoiler Free)
There's a lot that can be said for Square Enix's reimagining of their Magnum Opus, both good and bad. Thankfully, it leans mostly towards the former end of the scale. In fact, I actually found that I prefer this new take on our beloved cast of eco-terrorists.
First and foremost is the vastly improved characterization of Cloud and Co., thanks to outstanding English voice acting and expanded cutscenes that bring them to life in ways that we were left to imagine in the original game. In the original, I barely remembered Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge,despite playing FF VII several times. But now, they've become my favorite characters, next to Cloud and Tifa. They seem like real people now, instead of just being NPCs you forget about later.
I also really like the new combat engine. It's not as deep or intuitive as the Tales Of series, but it's serviceable and I had a blast once I finally got the hang of it. Once I learned how to string their basic and special attacks without constantly opening menus, and how to keep enemies staggered, I was able to mow down enemy mobs in in mere seconds and boss fights became far more enjoyable.
But, as with most things, there were some parts I could've done without. Aerith, in particular, being the primary sore spot. In the original and especially Advent Children, she's an endearing character. The Remake makes her anything but, so I'll stick with the previous version.
My only other gripe is that the enemy AI only tagets whichever character you're controlling. So prepare to be ganged up on a lot, while the AI completely ignores your teammates. Made worse since your AI controlled party members are set to 'brain dead', whereas the enemy AI is set to ruthless and efficient. It made me wish SE had borrowed the Tales series tactics menu option for fine tuning your AI teammates.
Aside from that and a couple of minor nitpicks, I enjoyed my time with the Remake and would definitely recommend it. It has a few blemishes, but nothing so godawful that it ruins the game. It's proof that change (as far as game mechanics and its story) can be good... for the most part.