When I first got my clingy teen squad on Final Fantasy 7, I couldn’t have wanted more Listen How these characters sounded, I could see their words on the screen but my ears felt left out. Thanks to an incredible new release from fan developers Tsunamods that adds voice acting to the entire game, my ears can finally join the party.
Although Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake offered a high-budget retelling of the first act of the RPG classic, the Echo-S7 mod provides voice acting for the entire game. Echo-S7 available for free download Tsnuamod’s website (opens in new tab), Voice acting is provided by talented people studio still (opens in new tab)Whose YouTube channel is full of impressive fandubs and voice actor showcases.
Even the bits of dialogue in the Echo-S 7 trailer are an absolute delight. I love hearing the grumpy rocket pilot Cid say, “Quit Mumblin’! Dude, put the donkey on the chair and drink your goddamn tea”. It’s one thing to read the text box where Final Fantasy 7’s weirdo hero Claude tells me “Mossi”, it’s another to hear it out loud.
Be forewarned, though: the mod has already proven popular enough that Tsunamods’ servers have exceeded their weekly download quota. one in twitter post (opens in new tab)One of the Echo-S7’s creators celebrated the mod’s popularity but urged fans to “wait a couple days” for “Weekly”. [download] Cap reset”.
Cross-Border
Final Fantasy 7 is distinguished in part because of its excellent dialogue. The game is full of delicate emotional journeys and subtle character development, with memorable setpieces, like Aerith’s death and Cloud’s horrifying revelation in the Temple of the Ancients.
Final Fantasy 7’s real strength, though, is how it offers quiet moments to give context to those grand scenes. I can’t wait to hear one scene in particular: Barrett’s rousing speech to Cloud in the wake of Aerith’s death. This is a turning point for Claude, and so far I’ve only read the words that turn him on, not heard them. For all the spectacle of Final Fantasy 7’s original incarnation, for me, it’s the subtle emotional moments that really make the game special.
As excited as I am for the next part in Square Enix’s remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, I’m considering pushing through a full playthrough of the original game with this mod installed in the meantime. Re-experiencing the frantic ups and downs of the original story and pacing, the trailer has me excited to get to know the cast of characters in a whole new way.
I’m exactly the kind of fan this mod is aimed at, and couldn’t be happier with what SunaMods have achieved. Final Fantasy 7’s original Polygonal cast members from 1997 should have received their own voices, and I’m happy to report that thanks to the efforts of these intrepid modders, these old favorites have been brought to life in a whole new way .