To this day, opinion remains divided on Final Fantasy VII. Many believe it to be one of the greatest games of all time while others view it as overrated and distinctly average overall. Whatever your personal opinion, nobody can deny the effect Final Fantasy VII had on gaming itself. It broke down the barriers that had previously prevented Japanese Role-Playing Games from being successful outside of Asia and brought a bunch of new innovations (mostly technical) to the genre for the first time. The game's story is a particular highlight too. On the surface, it's full of JRPG cliches but underneath, there's some darker themes working. This is a game that explores the psyche of its characters and brings their flaws and inner problems to the fore on a regular basis. Many characters are searching for answers to their own identities while journeying the world; the reveal of certain events and facts is really well done, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Of course, it's not flawless. There's a lot of problems with Final Fantasy VII and not all of them are technical. It can be slightly disturbing at times and several scenes will leave you clueless as to what you've just witnessed. Still, it's a game full of interesting facts and hidden details; some of which were only uncovered in recent years, thanks to advances in high-definition imagery or finding cut content on the game disc.