# Overview FINAL FANTASY VII has undoubtably cemented itself as a revolutionary release in both SQUARE-ENIX's lineup and the gaming industry as a whole. With the release of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, the audience for this game has expanded dramatically. REMAKE is best described as a "reimagining" of the original game, debatably a sequel to it in fact, and thus is not a replacement for it in any way. For those who wish to experience the original 1997 game today, there *aren't many great official options* available to choose from. SQUARE-ENIX is releasing episodic content in the form of a mobile game called *FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS*. They tout it as "another option for a remake", but it is still a far cry from the original game, playing more like a "greatest hits" of missions from within the game, rather than a single continuous adventure. The gameplay style is some kind of hybrid between the original FINAL FANTASY VII and REMAKE. There's nothing wrong with playing this release, but I wouldn't call it a "replacement" for the original release in any way. Like REMAKE, it is more accurately described as *"supplemental" content*. FINAL FANTASY VII's first release was on the original *PlayStation* in 1997. Playing this version would be ideal for the *absolute purists* that want the most authentic experience the original game had to offer, but time has not been kind to this release. The original resolution was about 240p (322x224), which will look awful on modern displays, unless you have access to a CRT TV, which few people do anymore. Menus in the game run at 60 FPS, with the field and battles locked at 30 FPS. The game was ported to PC in 1998 by EIDOS. This port was re-released on *Steam* in 2013. While easily being the most accessible version of the game, there are some tradeoffs with playing this version. The game is upscaled to 480p (640x480), but the FPS in battles is locked to 15 FPS, down from 30 FPS on the original PlayStation. Not only is this visually unpleasing, it actually makes pulling off Tifa and Cait Sith's Limit Breaks more difficult. The 1998 release, and earlier versions of the Steam release had inferior music quality to the original PlayStation version, though this was fixed in a patch to the Steam release after launch. This version is ideal for those who want the *easiest access* to the game today. You could always emulate the original PlayStation release, which would address the FPS issues of the PC port, as well as allow for upscaling the resolution, which should at least put it above the stock Steam release being sold today. However, there is one issue that affects every release of the original game above all else: the original translation. The original English translation of FINAL FANTASY VII for the PlayStation is subpar at best. Many lines of the original script have been butchered beyond repair, to the point that the game actively lies to you about how battle mechanics work in the very first boss battle of the game. It goes far beyond poor word choices or misspellings, major plot details are actively enshrouded in unnecessary mystery due to the poor translation. The 1998 PC release addressed some minor issues in the translation, which carried over to the Steam release, but not nearly enough to make it worth recommending as the ideal way to play in the modern day. This brings us to unofficial fan mods, which are available for both the original PlayStation release and the PC releases. The *PlayStation* version has a *complete retranslation* available [here](https://www.romhacking.net/translations/2340/). This would be best enjoyed via *emulation*, upscaling the resolution as desired. This version is ideal for the *almost purists*, who want something close to the original experience, but want the plot in its most ideal form. Alternatively, we could utilize *PC mods for the Steam release*. This can be a rabbit hole, but my recommendations will make it so that you spend minimal time fussing with mods, so that you can get to what matters: experiencing the best version of the original game. PC mods are best for the audience that wants the *best experience possible* of the original game, and aren't afraid to put a little work in to do so. It is my most highly recommended version of the game to play. The next section is entirely dedicated to everything you need to know about FINAL FANTASY VII PC modding for the Steam release, including my preferred mods for the game, to save you the pain of experimenting on your own. # PC Modding FINAL FANTASY VII has a vibrant PC modding community, thanks in part to the resurgence in its popularity with the release of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE. Since REMAKE is better described as a compliment to the original game, rather than a replacement for it, the community took it into their own hands to remaster the original FINAL FANTASY VII and bring it inline with the modern series. ## Definitions There is a bit of terminology that needs to be defined before diving into the modding process. - The **Gears Engine** is the in-house game engine that Square built Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IX and Xenogears with. **Tsunamods** is a group of modders that specialize in **Gears Engine** games. They are most popularly known for their work on the **Echo-S** series of mods, which adds high-quality fan-made voice acting to various games, among other features. A complete list of their work can be found on their [website](https://www.tsunamods.com/). - [7th Heaven](https://7thheaven.rocks/) is a mod manager for the Final Fantasy VII PC port that is maintained by **Tsunamods**. It allows you to browse, install, and configure mods for any Final Fantasy VII PC release. [7thDeck](https://github.com/dotaxis/7thDeck) is an installer for **7th Heaven** on SteamOS. - [FFNx](https://github.com/julianxhokaxhiu/FFNx) is a next generation modding platform for Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. It is a driver that is baked into the **7th Heaven** mod manager by default. It includes features such as [Cosmos Lighting](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=20612.0), which adds real-time lighting and shadows to the game. ## Installing **7th Heaven** (Linux) > [!NOTE] > All of the steps in this section assume that they are performed on a **Steam Deck** or other **Linux device running KDE** that you intend to play modded Final Fantasy VII on. This guide also assumes that you have a copy of **Final Fantasy VII on Steam**. All steps are to be performed in **Desktop Mode**. If you are on Windows, follow the steps in the next section, instead. > [!NOTE] > If you have previously modded Final Fantasy VII on this device and wish to remove the mods, simply uninstall the game from your device, then reinstall it. If you have not already, download your copy of Final Fantasy VII onto your device. Click the ⚙️ (gear) icon, then click "Properties". In the "Compatibility" tab, ensure the "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool" is unchecked, then close the popup window. Launch the game via Steam once. When the launcher window opens, close the window. Launch "Dolphin File Manager". Create a folder called "Games" (if you do not already have one), then navigate into that folder. Create a folder "7th Heaven". To download the latest version of **7thDeck**, click [here](https://github.com/dotaxis/7thDeck/archive/refs/heads/master.zip). Launch "Dolphin File Manager" and navigate to the "Downloads" directory. Right click (or left trigger) the file, navigate down to "Extract", then click "Extract archive here, autodetect subfolder". Navigate into the newly created folder, then right click (left trigger) the "install.sh" file, and click "Run in Konsole". When a popup window appears that says "Choose an installation path for 7th Heaven", seelct the "7th Heaven" directory created in the "Games" directory. Let the installer complete its process, then close the window when it says to. **7th Heaven** will now be installed on your device. It can be launched via Steam, the desktop shortcut, or the applications menu. Launch **7th Heaven**. In the popup window that appears, click "Save". ## Installing **7th Heaven** (Windows) To download the latest version of 7th Heaven, click [here](https://highwind.7thheaven.rocks/download/latest/exe). ## Mods List Below is my (subjective) "definitive" mods list for Final Fantasy VII, all of which are available for download via **7th Heaven**. Just download each of the mods listed below, and in the following section, we'll walk through the minimal configuration needed for the best experience. > [!TIP] [Echo-S 7](https://www.tsunamods.com/echo-s-7/) > The **Echo-S 7** mod adds a variety of features to Final Fantasy VII, including a complete **retranslation** of the original English script, as well as full **voice acting** for each character. It also includes Time Keeper, which adds a **day/night cycle** that can alter the encounters based on the in-game time of day, as well as a **new soundtrack** called Echoes of the Planet. > [!TIP] [60/30 FPS Gameplay](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=21010.0) > Run the game at a buttery-smooth, **frame-interpolated 60 FPS** (up from 15 FPS in the field). > [!TIP] [NiNoStyle Models](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=21235.0) > Modern, faithful renditions of the original **battle models** and **Chibi field models**. > [!TIP] [Avalanche Arisen](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=18029.0) > Hand-crafted, high-quality **battle arena retextures**. > [!TIP] [Cosmos Limit Break](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=21686.msg290102#msg290102) > AI-assisted, artist-perfected **16:9 field textures** (up from 4:3). > [!TIP] [Cosmos FMV](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=21029.msg286837#msg286837) > Replaces the original models with **NiNoStyle Models in cutscenes**. > [!TIP] [Cosmos Gaia](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=21687.msg290103#msg290103) > Cosmos Gaia mod is a worldmap overhaul that re-implements the terrain rendering to **add analog movement and camera controls**, **real-time lighting** and **extended view distance**. > [!TIP] [Cosmo Memory](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=20475.0) > Comprehensive audio overhaul, including **ambient sounds** for each field and battle arena, **voiced attacks** for party members, **context-sensitive footstep sounds**, and **new sound effects**. > [!TIP] [Enhanced Stock UI](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=19120) (ESUI) > A complete, **modern menu overhaul**. > [!TIP] [Finishing Touch](https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=20669.0) > Additional **menu enhancements**. ## Game Configuration The original release of FINAL FANTASY VII used the Japanese-style button layout, where the "Confirm" and "Cancel" options are swapped from the Western-style layout. To remedy this, in **7th Heaven**, click "Settings" at the top, then "Controls". In the popup window, change the preset from the "Default" one to the "Default-alt" one, then click "Close". You'll also need to adjust the "Finishing Touch" mod's settings by clicking the "Configure Mod" button on the corresponding row. In the popup window, expand the "UI Theme" category, then click "Icon Order". Change the icon order to the "Swap" layout, then press "Save". The Cosmos FMV mod needs to be configured as well, to use the NinoStyle Chibi models in cutscenes instead of the original models. You can make the change in the same way as before: click the "Configure Mod" button on the corresponding row, then select the "NinoStyle Chibi models" entry from the dropdown menu, then press "Save". You are free to explore other configuration options if you like, or you can hop right in and play the game now! ## Additional Considerations > [!WARNING] Cutscene Quality > Cutscenes for the game (excluding the opening cutscene, which was customized for Echo-S 7) will remain in their original 4:3 aspect ratio, as there is no mod today that allows for expanding the viewport of these scenes. Cutscenes that did not utilize the Chibi-style models originally will not be modified in any way, apart from being upscaled from their original resolution. > [!INFO] NinoStyle HD Field Models > You could opt to use the NiNoStyle HD Field Models instead of the Chibi ones, though there will be an inconsistency in presentation of the game from cutscenes to gameplay. > [!INFO] [Cosmos FMV II](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUiI18aysYk) > There is a major update coming to Cosmos FMV in the future which will replace the models in all cutscenes that did not use the Chibi-style models to begin with (such as the opening cutscene). > [!TIP] New Threat 2.0 > There is a major game overhaul mod called "New Threat 2.0" that adds features, rebalances gameplay, and alters story progression. **This mod is incompatible with Echo-S 7**, and makes **drastic changes** that divert heavily from the original vision of the game. It comes with 2 modes that can be selected from the "New Game" menu, Mode A and Mode B. Mode A is a rebalancing mode, while Mode B adds expanded content along with it. **If you are interested in a follow-up playthrough**, definitely consider **New Threat 2.0 Mode B** for the additional content. # Resources ## Complete Guides > [!INFO] [FINAL FANTASY VII Video Guide Series by FuzzfingerGaming](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLawwJPcwj4deHqbfrUZ3qc9pC25WHbwfM) > FuzzfingerGaming has produced over 100 videos of FINAL FANTASY VII tutorial content that covers everything there is to do in the game in an efficient manner with minimal grunt work. > [!INFO] [FINAL FANTASY VII New Threat 2.0 Mod Video Guide Series by FuzzfingerGaming](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLawwJPcwj4ddSVs0doubkADyLjEAG-S3j) > FuzzfingerGaming has also produced a separate series of tutorial content that covers the New Threat 2.0 mod in its entirety. ## Tips & Tricks > [!TIP] ["Best Bromance" Achievement Guide](https://jegged.com/Games/Final-Fantasy-VII/Side-Quests/Gold-Saucer-Date.html) > [!TIP] ["Consummate Cross-Dresser" Achievement Guide](https://jegged.com/Games/Final-Fantasy-VII/Walkthrough/Disc-1/03-Wall-Market.html) > [!TIP] [Final Fantasy VII How OVERPOWERED! Can You Get BEFORE Cosmo Canyon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgkARHJi0Qo) > [!TIP] [All 50 Missable Items in FF7](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft8WJF2BCPQ)