the7k wrote:Which always confused me, because I felt like FF7 was more or less just retreading the same water FF6 did. Same ATB system, materia was more or less just a slight deviation on magicite, similar story, similar level of technology, etc. FF6 was a bit more grimdark and due to it's 2D graphics has certainly aged a lot better, but that's about it.
I disagree on this, particularly on the materia versus magicite system. Materia didn't have the same stat-influencing properties and even leveled up kept characters limited in what they could do spell-wise compared to the open "everybody can do this" system of FF6. Also the materia system had an influence on the simplified equipment system for FF7, to keep characters from being able to equip too much of it.
In general I'd say characters found themselves much more specialized in FF7, with tailored weapons, a heavy focus on personal limit breaks, and a constricted magic system. I'm not saying they were only specialized, as many of these constrictions could be circumvented or gotten around, but they didn't have nearly the versatility of FF6's everyone-can-learn magic system or mostly open equipment system.