I can’t stop comparing the dialogue from the original, messy FF7 localization and its vastly improved fan translation
Final Fantasy 7’s history on PC has been complicated by persistent localization issues. The original 1998 PC port, which differed from the 1997 PlayStation version, featured a notoriously rushed translation. When Square Enix re-released the game to modern platforms in 2013, they had an opportunity to create a definitive version by fixing the original localization problems. Instead, the publisher took shortcuts and failed to comprehensively address the dated, messy dialogue that plagued the original release.
The story highlights how a fan-created translation of Final Fantasy 7 offers a vastly improved alternative to the official versions. By comparing dialogue between the original localization and the fan translation, significant improvements in clarity, accuracy, and overall quality become apparent. This underscores a broader issue in game preservation: community efforts sometimes produce better results than official re-releases when publishers prioritize quick updates over comprehensive improvements.
The article emphasizes the disconnect between Square Enix’s resources and their approach to preserving their classic title. Despite having the opportunity and capability to modernize FF7’s text for contemporary audiences, the company chose not to fully address longstanding translation issues, leaving a gap that dedicated fans have filled with their own translation work.