Okay, a thread of my thoughts on #FFVIIRemake

It has one of the best scripts of any video game ever. It's the first time I've ever seen video game characters who know how to swear. The writers clearly have a nuanced familiarity with how people speak, which is a special literary talent

Also among the merits of the writing is the perceptiveness to politics/economics in the world-building, something lacking in video games in general. The world's class dynamics are richly portrayed. Hundreds of NPC's all express their mundane struggles in this stratified society

This includes the expanded portrayals of the main characters. The visit to Jessie's house is my favorite part. The scene of her Mako-diseased dad was subtle and touching. In general, the way that Shinra *workers* are added to the script is a welcome detail of the class dynamics

This is a beautiful game. The outdoors environments are gorgeous. However, the industrial settings are frankly ugly. Catwalks and long steel hallways have never been particularly captivating in video games and these felt eagerly stuffed in to increase the game's length.

The mission in the Sector V reactor was an absolute drag. Hours of repetitive gameplay in a bland environment devoted to a relatively scant segment of the plot. The transition to meeting Aerith in the Sector 5 slums was a massive relief

The gameplay is challenging, exhilarating, and varied enough to never feel repetitive. Gameplay has become shallow in recent FF installments and it's great to see the modern action-centered gameplay synthesized with the classic focus on strategy. Battles require you to think

while still being, well, fun. It's a kinesthetic experience.