Save The Planet – Final Fantasy VII. 11 video games with a powerful message
Table of Contents
In 1997, the ecological theme in Final Fantasy 7 was probably treated more like a curiosity than a real issue. Twenty-three years later, as we watch the devastating fires in Australia, droughts in Europe and other natural disasters, it is probably worth having a more serious look at this subject. The remake of this part of Final Fantasy, which offers stunning visuals, makes it even easier to notice that issue. Of course, the game takes place in its imaginative, fantastic world, but the associations with problems of our real planet are pretty obvious.
The plot presented in the slightly "cut" remake focuses on the battle of the so-called eco-warriors of the Avalanche group against the powerful Shinra corporation, which mindlessly exploits the raw material required to create Mako-Energy, increasing its influence and power. Midgar, that is, a huge metropolis consisting of many levels and powered by Mako-energy reactors, plays an important role here. The poor people live in the bottom levels contaminated with poisonous pollution, while the rich lead a carefree life in the top section of the futuristic city. The world in Final Fantasy 7 is slowly dying due to the greedy politics of a large corporation. Members of the Avalanche faction stand up to fight with this dreadful reality and when we hear the justifications of their actions we may agree that they do the right thing.
Many of the themes and problems presented in the game can be easily referred to the contemporary state of planet Earth. The exploitation of raw material to create Mako energy and huge level of pollution in Midagrd is like oil extraction and excessive CO2 emissions, as well as a whole bunch of other problems associated with excessive exploitation of our planet. The symbolism of FF7 is probably not that difficult to identify. It's a positive thing that pro-ecological movement is present in various video games.
