Final Fantasy VII is, hands down, the best of the Final Fantasies released so far. Final Fantasy VII has an amazing plot, game play, mini games, characters, battle system, and equipment list. When I think of the best game for the PS2, not just PlayStation 1, Final Fantasy VII is an easy first place! This classic among video games has set the tone for nearly every role playing game and now this game is viewed, to many, as a legend. The only thing that I can think of about the game that can be complained about is the graphics, which were the best of its time on the PlayStation 1. Final Fantasy VII, after just a half hour, can be played without the graphics bothering the player very much, if at all. The old school graphics can even add to the game during some moments and situations.

The gameplay in Final Fantasy VII set the tone for the future Final Fantasies, being a combat bar that fills for each individual characters turn. This system works so well for Final Fantasy that the newest Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XIII, will still be using a combat system like this games and will come out this year. There are so many different strategies to use in Final Fantasy VII and each individual character has strengths and weaknesses but what really makes this Final Fantasy rise above the pack are the ultimate weapons that are fairly easily obtained, the equippable "materia" in weapon and armor slots, and the beautiful simplicity of the game that mixes with a high level of strategy.

One of the simple and effective aspects of Final Fantasy VII are the limit breaks. Each limit break for the playable characters in Final Fantasy VII are quite simple and effective, as some characters just need the limit selected and others have a simple button combination limit.

The plot in Final Fantasy VII is one of the best. Cloud is the main character of the party and has the world on his shoulders while protecting the ones he loves. Clouds past is shadowed in a painfully forgotten history that he slowly remembers as the story proceeds. Armed with a massive, brutal sword, its no wonder that Cloud comes to mind when the words "Final Fantasy" are uttered. Cloud became such a popular character that he was put into many games like Kingdom Hearts, movies like Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, and has had many pictures depicting him in it.

Barret is a teammate of Cloud's and has a "gun arm", a machine gun grafted into his arm. Being a potty mouth and tough guy with a tender side for his daughter, Barret has a very painful past that is discovered by Cloud and his teammates as the story continues.

Tifa, a childhood friend and lover of Cloud, is a martial arts master. Pummeling enemies with her fists, Tifa is someone that you don't want to mess with.

Aeris is a quiet, magical person in Cloud's team. The last of he ancients or Cetra, Aeris has a very mysterious past that also is revealed throughout the game. Cloud and Aeris also have an attraction to each other.

Red XIII or Nanaki first joins the party excaping from a "Shinra" testing facility. Red XIII has the appearance of a red wolf and is the equivalent of a sixteen year old. Red XIII brings wisdom and strength to Cloud's team.

Vincent, a gun bearing...vampire..... has quite a past himself as well. Vincent joins the party for revenge and adds a lot of mystery to the party.

Cait Sith is a large white stuffed animal being ridden by a black cat with a megaphone. Cait Sith bases attacks on the statistic of luck, using skills with dice. Cait Sith is a relatively unknown character, at first, in the party and has his high and low points.

Cid, a spear wielding, blond, middle aged man is the pilot of the team. He has always wanted to be an astronaut but settles for piloting airships and a small plane called the "Tiny Bronco".

Yuffie is a ninja and materia thief. Using a pointy-edged boomerang, Yuffie has quite a bit of power despite her small size. Yuffie always keeps the team on their toes...

Final Fantasy VII has a variety of mini games, offering the best chocobo side quests and a mini game emporium at the "Gold Saucer". The chocobo side quest is quite fun, as you race, breed, and catch chocobo, trying to obtain a gold one for the ultimate summon materia. The Gold Saucer has a lot of different mini games and events that you had to play to continue the game, now for fun. The Gold Saucer is OK for a little entertainment but the highlights of mini games in Final Fantasy VII is definitely chocobo side quests.

Overall, Final Fantasy VII is the best game I've ever played and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good way to spend some time on the PS1 or PS2. This game really set the tone for RPGs in today's video gaming world.