Final Fantasy 7 Turns Twenty Eight!
What is Final Fantasy Anyway
If you’re just stepping into the RPG world, Final Fantasy is basically the series that made us all fall in love with epic adventures. Square kicked things off in the late ’80s, and over the years, the series grew into a sprawling universe packed with unforgettable heroes, jaw-dropping music, and battles that tug at your heartstrings. Each game is its own world with its own squad of legends, but every single one screams Final Fantasy: magic, friendship, and adventure in every pixel.
The Game That Changed Everything
September 7, 1997—mark that in your calendars, gamers. That’s when North America got its first taste of Final Fantasy 7, and for many of us, it wasn’t just a new game—it was a revelation. Suddenly, RPGs weren’t just fun little side quests, they were cinematic experiences. Full 3D graphics, jaw-dropping cutscenes, and a story that actually made us feel something? FF7 set the bar sky-high and turned players into lifelong fans overnight.
Cloud, Sephiroth, and the Story That Hooked Us
FF7 follows Cloud Strife, the ultimate spiky-haired mercenary, as he joins AVALANCHE to take down the evil Shinra Corporation. But the story quickly dives into identity, loss, and destiny, with Sephiroth showing up as one of the most iconic villains in gaming history. Nearly thirty years later, players still quote the lines, relive the battles, and obsess over every twist. Honestly, the story still hits like a nostalgia hammer.
Why September 7 1997 is Legendary
For fans, that release day was more than a disc hitting store shelves. It was when RPGs officially went mainstream. Before FF7, the genre was niche and a little underground. After FF7? Millions of players were hooked, the world took notice, and storytelling in games was never the same again.
A Milestone in Gaming History
FF7 didn’t just raise the bar—it shattered it. CG cutscenes, a massive open world, and deep, layered characters made it feel like a blockbuster movie you could control. Square cemented the RPG genre as a heavyweight contender in gaming history, and honestly, every new RPG owes something to FF7’s trailblazing magic.
Music That Still Gives Us Goosebumps
Nobuo Uematsu’s score isn’t just background noise—it’s legendary. From the haunting “Aerith’s Theme” to the heart-pumping “One Winged Angel,” these tracks are burned into our gamer souls. Even today, hearing them takes you straight back to late nights in front of the TV, controller in hand, completely immersed in Midgar.
Characters That Stayed With Us
Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, Red XIII, Yuffie, Vincent—the cast of FF7 is a squad we’ll never forget. Each character felt alive, each story arc hit hard, and the friendships and bonds we formed with them were groundbreaking. It’s why this game is still celebrated and dissected decades later. Let's also not forget the beloved Chocobos!
Celebrating the Date Every Year
Every September 7, fans around the world remember FF7’s North American debut. It’s a day for nostalgia, for fan art, cosplay, and late-night streams, and for reflecting on how one game reshaped the gaming universe. Even in 2025, the hype hasn’t died, and the impact is still massive.
FF7’s story didn’t end in 1997. Advent Children, Crisis Core, and the epic remake series continue to expand this beloved universe. But for purists and longtime fans, that original release day is sacred—the moment it all began.
Here’s to Midgar, to Cloud, to Sephiroth, and to all of us still obsessing over every detail nearly three decades later!
Thanks for reading,
