Final Fantasy Vii

With such a huge and hardcore following, there's a significant amount of contention over the best Final Fantasy game. However, it's hard to disagree that few have had the worldwide impact of the series' seventh instalment. It's been lauded as a turning point in video game history, and for once that's not an exaggeration. It's with this game that Square really catapulted into the west, and that led to numerous other titles on this list. More than that, though, it brought RPGs to the forefront of gaming. Square took a risk with the transition from 2D to 3D, and it's one that paid off exponentially. With the switch, Final Fantasy's developers were able to bring the full scope of their imagination to the screen. With beautiful environments and intricate and creative characters, it's instantly memorable. Its soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu appears with equal mastery, combining with great sound design to create a timeless feeling of ambiance. In retrospect, however, none of those things alone gave VII the worldwide success it deserved. That's owed to its simplicity, which makes the bursting world so accessible. There are hundreds of things to do, such as Chocobo breeding, but a humble combat system that is only complex if you want it to be. Then when you're done messing around for hours on end, the games epic plot begins to take hold. It follows Cloud Strife and his nemesis Sephiroth in their debut, portrayed so excellently that the names still instantly resonate. Cloud is a deeply human character who grows throughout the story, ultimately resulting in a tear-inducing ride that you can't help but experience a second time.