When you look at the greatest video game announcements in history, few hold as much weight as the Final Fantasy VII Remake at this year's E3. This is a game that has been widely requested for more than eight years, and for a while it seemed as though Square Enix would never consider investing resources on such a complicated dream project.
Square Enix's decision to listen to its fans and craft the game that they have voiced interest in the most has been met with overwhelming praise. The announcement of Final Fantasy VII Remake was considered to be the star of E3 2015, a show that had a wealth of great games and announcements including Shenmue 3.
At just two weeks post-announcement the Final Fantasy VII Remake trailer has over 10 million views on YouTube, a triumph rarely achieved in the gaming industry. To put that into perspective, the second most viewed trailer of the show was Uncharted 4: A Thief's End which has accumulated 3.6 million views, which is a feat in and of itself. Given that the physical version of Final Fantasy VII for PlayStation One sold a record-setting 9.8 million units, you can also view it as if every person who ever played the game watched the trailer.
Some might not understand why a remake of a game has caused so much commotion in the gaming community. Truthfully, it's difficult to explain to someone who didn't play it in the late 90's. This was a game that had one of the most compelling worlds at that point in time. Its universe was rich with admirable characters, brimming with seemingly endless content, and backed by a story that captivated from beginning to end. While certainly not everyone will agree, many of us consider it the best video game of all-time.
The problem is that Final Fantasy VII was developed at a time when 3D graphics were a new thing in the industry. In contrast to the timeless sprite visuals of the RPGs that came before it, Final Fantasy VII was a game with beautifully designed zones but blocky characters that lacked definition. In 2015, it's a game that shows its age as much as any despite being considered revolutionary just 18 years ago.
I, for one, am infinitely grateful that Square Enix has decided to make this game. There simply is no greater announcement that they could have made as far as I'm concerned, and judging by the volume of views its trailer has on YouTube, I'm not alone.
