Final Fantasy VII

A 1997 role-playing video game by Square, following Cloud Strife and his allies as they oppose the megacorporation Shinra and confront Sephiroth. Its blend of pre-rendered environments, 3D characters, and cinematic storytelling helped establish the series internationally.

Active Time Battle: A combat system in which characters act when individual time gauges fill. Final Fantasy VII adapts this system for menu-driven battles under real-time pressure.
Cloud Strife: A mercenary and former SOLDIER who becomes the central protagonist of Final Fantasy VII. His uncertain identity drives the story’s personal conflict.
Hironobu Sakaguchi: A Japanese game designer who created the Final Fantasy series and directed its early entries. As producer, he helped guide the project that became Final Fantasy VII.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children: A 2005 animated film sequel to Final Fantasy VII. It continues the story of Cloud and his allies after the game’s ending.
Materia: Magical orbs that grant abilities and can be linked to modify their effects. Equipping materia determines much of each character’s magic, summons, and support abilities.
Sephiroth: A powerful former SOLDIER who becomes the central antagonist of Final Fantasy VII. His pursuit of catastrophic power links the game’s personal and planetary threats.
Yoshinori Kitase: A Japanese game director and producer known for directing several Final Fantasy games. He directed Final Fantasy VII and shaped its cinematic storytelling.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII: A 2007 action role-playing game that tells a prequel story set before Final Fantasy VII. It expands the history of Zack Fair and the events preceding the original game.
Limit Break: A special attack or ability charged by combat events in certain Final Fantasy games. Taking damage fills characters’ gauges, unlocking powerful actions in battle.
Shinra Electric Power Company: A corporation that controls much of the world in Final Fantasy VII by extracting mako energy. The group’s exploitation of the planet sparks the conflict with Cloud’s allies.

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Sony PlayStationBroader topic: Its success helped demonstrate the commercial reach of PlayStation CD-ROM games.