Final Fantasy 7 was always on the list of games I said I would eventually get to, but we all know how that goes. Backlogs grow faster than they shrink, and “someday” quickly turns into “never.” But with the upcoming release of Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, the third entry in the big remake or something like that of FF7, I couldn't help but start to feel this overwhelming feeling that I was about to miss my opportunity to be a part of something incredible.
After watching Summer Games Fest 2026 and seeing the buzz among the FF7 community as they prepare for the conclusion they've been waiting for for years, I knew that if I was ever going to jump into FF7, now was the time. I didn't want to see the reaction to FF7 Revelation as an outsider. I wanted to be a part of it.
The road to revelation begins here
With just over six months to catch up, I was faced with the dilemma that all new FF7 players seem to face: do I play the original 1997 release or jump straight into the remakes? Of course, rather than decide for myself, I searched the internet for an answer to strangers. Some fans argued that the original was necessary to appreciate the remakes, while others warned that the dated original might turn off new players entirely.
Since some of my favorite games were from the late 90s and early 00s, I wasn't intimidated by the thought of features that showed their age. But I also thought that playing the remakes first would help me develop a deeper appreciation for the original, and not the other way around. .
In the end I settled on a chaotic compromise. I would play both. At the same time.
Believe me, I am aware that this is not what anyone would recommend. But seeing moments unfold side by side has made for a fascinating real-time comparison between the two versions of this story. Of course, once I reach the end of Rebirth, I intend to finish the rest of the original before Revelation is released.
What almost 30 years of hype does to a first playthrough
When most of you sat down to play FF7 for the first time, you probably didn't know much about it beyond what you'd seen in a trailer or heard by word of mouth. But in 2026, even if you're not actively seeking information about something, spoilers have a way of finding you.
Memes spread across social media, character deaths are on every YouTube thumbnail, and in this case, the characters appear in games outside of their franchise. While I managed to avoid learning the details of the story, I couldn't escape every detail or the millions of people screaming about how special FF7 was from every corner of the internet.
Even though it was nearly impossible, I still tried to have the most authentic first playthrough I could, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how much was still a mystery to me. I knew Cloud was the protagonist, Tifa was a love interest, and Sephiroth was the villain. But I had no idea that Cloud wasn't the white knight hero type I expected, that Tifa wasn't the only love interest, and that Sephiroth was someone Cloud used to look up to.
For every detail I thought I knew about FF7, there were ten layers of mystery left to uncover. No, this wasn't the same experience I might have had before the internet made everything public knowledge, and I don't think you can get a real first impression of this game anymore. But if anything, having some of my expectations actively revealed made those moments stand out more.
Most of these “expectations” are that if I'd never heard of the character, it's probably because they died quickly and weren't relevant. I can't tell you how sure I was that Barret was a goer during the first missions. The municipality needs to mention him more often!
So while I don't think it's possible to have a truly pristine first playthrough of Final Fantasy 7 anymore, I can say that it's still entirely possible to have a phenomenal first experience.
Final Fantasy 7, I'm sorry I'm late
After all these years, it was strange to finally jump into Final Fantasy 7, but in the best way. Instead of discovering something new, it was like I was finally filling in the gaps of a story I had only heard in passing.
From the first close-up of Cloud's face in FF7 Remake, I got goosebumps. It was so obvious that this moment was purposely created to give fans of the original the jaw-dropping reintroduction they'd been waiting decades for. And even without my own memories of Cloud, that feeling washed over me like a wave of borrowed nostalgia, and my excitement continued to build with each passing moment.
And then sometime during my playthrough it clicked. I finally understood why Final Fantasy 7 had lasted almost 30 years. Why Cloud, Tifa and Sephiroth have become bigger than the FF series itself. And most importantly, how a world I had never experienced myself still managed to feel like home.
Each character was unique and fully fleshed out, and I couldn't wait to learn more about them. I desperately needed to know Cloud's background and understand his connection to Sephiroth. I longed to get to know Barret, Marlene's father, not just Barret the vigilante.
What was the beginning of Avalanche? What was Sephiroth's ultimate goal, and how were they going to stop him? The questions never stopped, and the more I discovered, the more I wanted to know. No amount of time with these characters felt like enough, and I began to dread how quickly chapters seemed to fly by. The world kept growing, and I never wanted to leave it.
I imagine that same feeling is why the community has worked together to keep it alive all these years. So I may have arrived here 30 years late, with a bag full of spoilers, some off character knowledge, and tons of second-hand gameplay advice, but Final Fantasy 7 still managed to surprise me in ways I never thought possible after all this time.
I've seen for myself that it's not just nostalgia that keeps this series alive. It's the care and passion that several brilliant minds at Square Enix poured into every part of it. Now, with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation finally on the horizon, I can't wait to share this conclusion with the rest of the community, which I should have listened to a long time ago.
