The original Final Fantasy 7 is still an all-time classic JRPG, which is why it now has a trilogy of AAA action RPGs. Neither game invalidates the other, so fans who have a preference can still go back to the original or enjoy those modern visuals and real-time combat.
However, with more classic re-releases adding some quality-of-life features to make things a bit easier, we have to wonder why Final Fantasy 7 doesn’t have full analog control. Sure, you can use the analog stick to control Cloud, but it still feels like you’re using a d-pad with awkward movement.
Konami’s recent Suikoden re-release has added full analog movement to both games, making them feel a lot better when moving. It seems like a small thing at first, but being able to move in full 3D dimensions is a privilege many take for granted. Seeing them on modern games isn’t a big deal, but having them affect older titles make them feel better.
Admittedly, there are fans who would argue that the original Final Fantasy 7 controls fine with its current re-release. Fans can play this version on PS4, Xbox One, and Switch without much issue. They also have some interesting QOL features, like turning off battles, instantly having all skills, or making fights faster.
But none of them have full analog control and that just seems a bit silly.
I’ll admit that going back to the original PS1 classic can be difficult without full analog control. Maybe it’s because I’ve played too many modern games, but moving Cloud awkwardly with either the analog or d-pad just doesn’t feel good. While this isn’t a movement-based game, just turning and moving in different directions can be a major pain when playing.
There are plenty of gamers who can probably play Final Fantasy 7 without relying on full analog control. Since this is a game with turn-based battles, this isn’t an RPG that needs to use analog for anything. That doesn’t change the fact that moving around is a pain, but many gamers have gotten over it, so maybe this writer should as well.
click to enlargeWe could argue that this is something needed to keep Cloud’s original adventure as is, alongside the chunky 3D polygons and ATB battle system. However, recent re-releases already add cheats to make battles easier and faster, so would full analog control be the worst thing to put into the game?
It’s doubtful that the original Final Fantasy 7 is going to add analog control anytime soon, especially with PC mods and the Remake trilogy becoming popular. But this would have been a nice feature to make this dated JRPG feel a bit better.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Features and Final Fantasy page.