AVERAGE??
I wouldn't say that 7 had the best graphics, most to blame was the psx limitation, but it was good back then. And yea, the music was great. I have a few of them on my Zen.
Gameplay was fun, but I thought it lacked gamers interaction. Mostly you could just glue down the "O" button (accept) and the characters would simply attack and win any enemy there was. Except a few bosses, of course.
BUT the story!
The story made all that a minor thing. It was the story that gave the game its soul!
The super soldier theme, the way that Shinra corrupted the entire world for domination with Mako. Barrets anger with the destruction of his hometown and his oath to break Shinra. Yuffie's futile attempts to raise her country from the sink of defeat. Vincent's lamentation in the basement, where he hoped for naught but his own death.
Sephiroth realising his true origins, and razing everything in his rage. And of course the emo Cloud and Tifa, the couple that could never be a couple.
All these ingredients is what blew life in 7. It wasn't the graphics, any future game can beat that. Not the gameplay, lets be fair, it wasn't the best. Music? There can always be new music that others like.
No, it was the story. The backgrounds around these characters is what was amazing in this game.
And I bet every gamer played a part in their own minds with the characters backstory. Feeling their hope, anger and sorrow.
Who hasn't had their dreams crushed, just like Cid?
Who hasn't had thoughts of suicide, after failing the ones you love, like Vincent?
Who hasn't had a family member leave forever, to never know the intentions, like Red XII?
/dramafanrant ends
Phew... had to get this outta my chest.
To be fair, Jay, you know way more about the franchise than I do. I can't say that 7 was better than its predecessors. But its future versions, 8 9 10 and so forth?
7 still stands as the best, storywise