Final Fantasy XIII: the new FFVII?

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Will it do for PS3 what FFVII achieved for PSOne?

Sept 06 2007

Ok, so it's a bit of a fanboy line - but Final Fantasy VII was the game credited with single handedly popularising RPGs outside of Japan. Tomorrow will be the game's tenth anniversary, and those fanboys are still trying to find a way to resurrect Aeris. But with its past success looming over the Japanese developer, will Square Enix be able to make FFXIII do for PS3 what FFVII achieved for PSOne?

FFVII was a massive step up for the series in almost every respect, weaving a convoluted narrative that tugged on the heartstrings and full of characters who fostered genuine emotional attachment - no mean feat considering they drawn withhalfof their facial features. But its real success was that it gave credence to the old 'Power of Playstation' slogan; if not for the aesthetic aplomb of the shiny new 3D environments laid over rendered backgrounds or pioneering use of FMV in cutscenes, then for its sheer size - a game spanning 40 hours and three discs in '97 was something to be stared at. All of which helped tie thousands to Sony's platform in the process. But in our mind, there are three things standing in the way of Squenix repeating the trick.