A few days ago I rhapsodized about A Boy and His Blob, only to have Bob Mackey provide me with a reality check. The game had its flaws. He's right! This morning I read IGN's roundtable discussion on Final Fantasy VII, which set out to determine if the game is overrated.
I don't think FFVII could have possibly come at a better time in order to enjoy canonical status today. A huge portion of today's video game journalists were probably ten to fifteen when the game was released. I vividly remember seeing the game's trailers aired during ABC's TGIFriday. Even my parents were impressed.
FFVII did a lot of things right. Emotional impact, grand scale, excellent atmosphere. These are the things we are likely to remember about video games. Much moreso than the battle systems and core mechanics, areas in which many people feel the game fell short. My point is, thinking back to those days when you're a rugrat, dwarfed by you parents' 27" Sanyo, staring wide-eyed as the Jenova conspiracy unravels before your eyes, it's easy to overlook glaring flaws. Nostalgia has no place in games criticism, if we are going to be serious with each other. I think that all reviewers are a little guilty, to a degree. Just look at my anticipation of A Boy and His Blob. But when it comes to evaluating an existing game, I try to leave the nostalgia at the door.
Related Links:
Would You Play a Final Fantasy VII Remake? Hmmm?
Know Your Final Fantasy IV Trivia. It Could Save Your Life.
Cloud's Ghostly Face Says, "More Final Fantasy VII? Only I Know, Suckahs."