Final Fantasy VII (Famicom)

Infobox VG
title = Final Fantasy VII Advent Children"


caption=The title screen of the game
developer = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology
publisher = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology
released = 2005
modes = Single-player
genre = Console role-playing
series=
platforms = Famicom
media = 2 megabyte cartridge
input= Game controller

"Final Fantasy VII" (Chinese: 最终幻想7 "ZuiZhongHuanXiang 7") is a China-exclusive unofficial, unlicensed, remake of the 1997 console role playing game "Final Fantasy VII", originally developed by Square for the PlayStation. The two-dimensional "port"Bianco, Karn [http://pcgames.gwn.com/news/story.php/id/15116/Video_Final_Fantasy_VII_On_The_NES.html Video: Final Fantasy VII On The NES] . Gameworld Network (2008-02-26) Retrieved on 2008-03-08] was developed and published by the Chinese company ShenZhen Nanjing Technology (深圳市南晶科技有限公司 "ShenZhenShi NanJing LiKe YouXianGongSi") for the Famicom console. The cartridge itself is unique, structurally different from licensed Famicom cartridges.

The game features many gameplay elements of the original "Final Fantasy VII", including a three-member party structure and adaptations of the the game's subsystems. The items, spells and equipment available to the player are based upon those in the original game, although a large number have been omitted,cite web|url=http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/final-fantasy-vii-ported-to-the-famicom-finally/ |title=Final Fantasy VII ported to the Famicom. Finally! |accessdate=2008-02-22 |author=Orland, Kyle |date=2008-02-22 |work=Joystiq |publisher=Weblogs, Inc.] as have the optional characters and some side quests.cite manual
author = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology Corporation
title = Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual
section = pp. 5-12 (in Chinese)] However, the original story was reproduced in very minute detail.

Gameplay

In "Final Fantasy VII", the player directs the protagonist throughout the game world with a group of three interchangeable party members, exploring areas and interacting with non-player characters. Most of "Final Fantasy VII" occurs within the city of Midgar for the first act, later expanding to towns, dungeons, caves, and similar areas for the rest of the game. Players can save their game at any time when not in combat to the game's single save slot for later playing.

Starting from the second act, players can journey between field screen locations via the world map, a downsized representation of "Final Fantasy VII"'s world. Players can freely navigate the world map screen unless restricted by geographical obstacles, such as water or mountains. To overcome this, players can ride emu-like chocobos and various vehicles available to them, though usage is limited. As in other "Final Fantasy"-related games, travel across the world map screen and hostile areas is frequently interrupted by random enemy encounters.

Combat

Whenever the protagonist encounters an enemy, the map changes to the "battle screen". On this, the enemy appears opposite to the three characters in the party; each battle uses a turn-based battle system similar to that featured in "Final Fantasy III".cite web| url = http://www.gamespot.com/features/vgs/universal/finalfantasy_hs/| title = The History of Final Fantasy| author = Vestal, Andrew| publisher = GameSpot| accessdate = 2007-09-28] All characters can physically attack the enemy, use spells from equipped materia, or use an item in one turn. Combat ends when the player either defeats all enemies and the game returns to the area map, or all party members are defeated in which case the game ends and returns to the title screen. If one of the party members successfully flee, the battle also ends.

A character's performance in battle is determined by numerical values for categories such as speed, strength, and magical power. Character statistics are driven by experience—players are awarded "experience points" for winning battles, which accumulate until characters gain "experience levels". When characters "level up", the statistics for their attributes increase permanently, which can also be amplified by the types of equipment the character is wearing. Winning battles may reward the player money (Gil) and items.

Equipment and abilities

Each character brings one materia into the party when they join, carrying one spell that can be used in combat. Materia have a limited number of uses before they must be recharged at one of the game's magic shops. Like party members, materia gain experience when used, and can be levelled up to a maximum level of nine.cite manual
author = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology Corporation
title = Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual
section = pp. 2-3 (in Chinese)] Characters can swap materia among themselves, with unequipped materia being used mid-battle for such things as healing party members, compensating for the limited amount of healing items.

Weapons follows the same principle as materia in terms of attack power, gaining experience and levelling up. Unlike materia, they cannot be swapped or replaced, and have unlimited usage. In addition to weapons, each has four types of armor that can be equipped for defense, which can be purchased at armor shops or found in chests scattered throughout the game. Armor directly affects the vitality statistic, which will in turn affect the amount of health gained when leveling up.cite manual
author = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology Corporation
title = Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual
section = p. 4 (in Chinese)] Also available in the game are curative items, which can be purchased at designated shops or found in chests. These items can be used in or out of combat to restore health ("HP"), materia usage ("CP"), or revive fallen party members.

Development

"Final Fantasy VII" was originally developed by Square and released worldwide in 1997 for the PlayStation. At an unknown date, ShenZhen Nanjing Technology developed an unauthorized remake of the game, for the Famicom. The game was released in 2005, and both the box and manual make reference to "Final Fantasy VII Advent Children" as the game's name, [http://www.efgcw.com/?pagetype-bbsthread-and-tid-3582-and-page-1.html SKY LEAGUE] "SKY LEAGUE" Retrieved on 2008-03-12 (in Chinese)] [http://hi.baidu.com/tszone%5Ffc/blog/item/9a9500a8a3273db2ca130c96.html Baidu.com] Baidu. Retrieved on 2008-03-06 (in Chinese)] a statement supported by the game's manual.cite manual
author = ShenZhen Nanjing Technology Corporation
title = Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, Instruction Manual
section = p. 1 (in Chinese)] Despite the name on the box and cartridge, the title screen simply states "Final Fantasy VII," and the game itself includes no content or plot elements from the film. The game was developed for the SUBOR entertainment system, a clone of the Famicom, though it works on a regular Famicom and will on a NES with an adapter.Sobodash, Derrick. [http://cinnamonpirate.com/blog/514/ You thought FF7 was a hoax?] . CinnamonPirate.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.]

Due to the Famicom's restricted hardware, the remake is entirely two-dimensional, unlike the original "Final Fantasy VII". Special compensation was made for some of the battle sprites such as Cloud Strife's, combining two 16x24 pixel sprites side-by-side instead of the usual single sprite to account for weapons such as Cloud's sword or Barret's gun. While most Japanese games use only 8x8-pixel hiragana or katakana fonts, and most Chinese games use 4-color 16x16-pixel tiles stored in dedicated CHR ROM pages, this game uses its own several-hundred 16x16-pixel monochrome font instead. The script itself is strewn in chunks across the code; at the beginning of each dialog box script piece is a three digit code in the form of "@###", which represents which character portrait to display.Sobodash, Derrick. [http://cinnamonpirate.com/blog/507/ From Polygons to Pixels: Final Fantasy VII] . CinnamonPirate.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-18.]

The board for the cartridge is unique: unlike most Famicom boards [ [http://nesdev.parodius.com/#HardwareCartridges NES info, programs, and demos: Cartridge Hardware schematic subsection] . NESDev. Retrieved on 2008-03-06] it has a single two megabyte PRG (program) rom without any CHR (character/sprite) ROMs. As a result, character graphics are strewn across the PRG ROM in various banks, a method which appears similar to ROM dumps of Super Nintendo or Sega Genesis games. It only features one 8-kilobyte battery-backed SaveRAM, used for the game's single save slot.

Despite similar appearance to and sharing some elements with "Final Fantasy III", the game is not a ROM hack. However many of its sprites are borrowed from other games (mostly other "Final Fantasy" titles), including some SNES sprites converted to fit the 4-color palette the Famicom assigns to graphics. Much of the music is borrowed from other games as well, though in many cases shortened significantly to a few repeating notes.

Reception

While the game has received praise for covering the entire story within the game, it has been noted to be extremely difficult, with an inconsistent battle rate and fights that take a long time to complete. [http://www.geocities.jp/rinkaku89/pachigame3/63_fc_ff7.html Ⅶ final fantasy] , as referenced by insertcredit.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-02 (in Japanese)] The game's limited healing options and slow growth rate for materia and weapons compound this, with one reviewer recommending "play it — but cheat." The game has drawn close comparison regarding appearance and handling to "Final Fantasy III". Despite these issues, interest has been shown regarding an eventual English patch now that the game has been dumped, [Sheffield, Brandon. [http://www.insertcredit.com/archives/002248.html News: FF VII Famicom, with video] (2008-02-24). insert credit. Retrieved on 2008-03-02] and the game has gained mention on several major gaming websites, including Gameworld Network and Japan-based Gpara.com. [ [http://www.gpara.com/kaigainews/eanda/2008022602/ Gpara coverage of FFVII Famicom] (2008-02-22). GPara.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-13 (in Japanese)]

The game has received both praise and criticism from various sources. Kotaku cited the Famicom game as "...an achievement I have no hesitation in labeling Herculean" and "...a triumph of the human spirit." [Plunkett, Luke. [http://kotaku.com/360174/ffvii-on-nes-is-a-triumph-of-the-human-spirit FFVII On NES Is A Triumph Of The Human Spirit] . (2008-02-25). Kotaku. Retrieved on 2008-03-04] Boing Boing Gadgets wrote the game is "more than just a knock-off — it's an act of true skill and commitment by an unknown team of Chinese coders." [Johnson, Joel. [http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/02/25/amazing-unlicensed-b.html Amazing Unlicensed Backport of Final Fantasy VII...to the NES] (2008-02-25). Boing Boing Gadgets. Retrieved on 2008-03-04] On the other hand, Michael Trouten of "The Tanooki" chastised the game for removal of many elements such as limit breaks and chocobo racing from the original, and the choice of Famicom hardware over the Super Famicom, asking "is there any point in playing a downgrade remake of a game that is already starting to feel dated?" [Trouten, Michael. [http://www.thetanooki.com/2008/02/27/final-fantasy-vii-remake-for-the-nes/ Final Fantasy VII remake, for the NES?] (2008-02-27). The Tanooki. Retrieved on 2008-03-07]

References

External links

* [http://www.gpara.com/kaigainews/eanda/2008022602/ Gpara coverage (Japanese)]
* [http://www.gamespark.jp/modules/news/index.php?p=5177 Gamespark coverage (Japanese)]
* [http://www.sznanjing.com/ Shenzhen Nanjing Technology website]