While some claim Final Fantasy VI is the better game, 1997’s Final Fantasy VII is probably the bolder one in this anything-but-final roleplaying series.
Laying complex 3D polygonal graphics over beautiful pre-rendered backgrounds, Japanese developer Squaresoft took advantage of the PlayStation’s compact-disc drive to craft an experience Sony rival Nintendo — who’d rejected Sony’s pitch for a disc-based add-on to the Super Nintendo — simply couldn’t.
The operatic, labyrinthine and often wonderfully weird tale of eco-minded heroes out to save their “living” planet from corporate energy raiders proved the most popular in the series, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and prompting fans to clamor annually for a remake.