Sephiroth: badass. Super-soldier. Terrifying...

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

“Sephiroth: badass. Super-soldier. Terrifying megalomaniacal mass-murdering sociopath… and mama’s boy. An entire generation of geeks was transformed by Final Fantasy VII, for reasons that had little to do with the game’s groundbreaking graphics or gameplay. Games with complex plots and three-dimensional characters had been popular in Japan for some time, but Final Fantasy VII was the first introduction for many American gamers to the concept of games as an art form —- as truly interactive storytelling. What made it work was the way so many of the characters resonated as their facets were gradually revealed. True, none of us were stereotypical fantasy-story warriors able to wield gigantic swords or summon dragons, as the game’s hero Cloud appeared at first glance. But all of us could understand the kind of crippling insecurity that lurked behind Cloud’s stoic façade. Most of us had no great desire to dominate the earth, but we all knew what it was to struggle for the approval of a parent or authority figure. Even if that parent was an incomprehensible alien life form —- or the real-world equivalent thereof.” Geek Wisdom: The Sacred Teachings of Nerd Culture, Stephen H. Seagal (via livvyplaysfinalfantasy)