One of Square Enix' beloved role-playing games, Final Fantasy 7, has finally arrived in mobile form to iOS-powered iPhone and iPad devices. The title was first released back in 1997 and, until now, it has only been playable in on Sony's PlayStation consoles and Windows PC.
The developer has made the game available on Apple's App Store and is quick to point out that it is ported based on the PC version. As such, this mobile Final Fantasy 7 does not have any change or addition made to its story.
Nevertheless, a couple of new features have been introduced which admittedly make the gameplay really different. One big change involves the new option for players to disable random encounters. These random battles have been one of the Final Fantasy 7's main aspects and now, players can just skip them entirely.
Furthermore, those who will play FF7 on iOS devices also have the ability to max out their warrior's stats, essentially allowing them to "become all-powerful in the blink of an eye." So, in other words, these new features are practically "cheats" that are built natively into the mobile version. We are not sure why Square Enix would do such a thing but this is definitely a welcome change for impatient mobile players.
When it comes to controls, Final Fantasy 7 gamers on iOS can either choose on-screen analog controls or a digital D-pad. In an effort to emphasize the title's adventure-filled gameplay, Square Enix has also provided the option to adjust the opacity (transparency) of the user interface.
Since this is reportedly ported from the PC version, updated graphics should not be expected. The game is also relatively heavy at 1.63GB so players should ensure that their devices have at least 4GB of free memory and that they are connected to a Wi-Fi network.
While Final Fantasy 7 is compatible to models running iOS 8.0 and above, Square Enix recommends that an iPhone 5s or later, an iPad mini 2 or later, or a 3rd generation iPad or later should be used in order to avoid slow running speeds. The iPod Touch is listed as a compatible device in the iTunes listing but it isn't actually supported.
Most Final Fantasy players welcome the game's arrival on iOS especially because they may now be able to play it anywhere they want. However, some hardcore fans may be enraged to learn that one of their cherished classics are ported into other platforms apart from actual game consoles.
Nonetheless, this has always been expected to happen. Square Enix had been pretty consistent in releasing classic games to mobile devices. Having said that, Final Fantasy 7 fans who are wondering about the game's arrival to Android might not need to worry. If previous trends are of any indication, Square Enix will definitely port the game shortly after releasing it to iOS devices.
For now, those who own Apple models mentioned above and who are willing to become $15.99 poorer can enjoy Final Fantasy 7 by downloading it on iTunes. While waiting for the download to complete, users can watch the newly-released FF7 for iOS trailer below.
