I first played the PC version of the game late last century. The computer I used was kind of old, so the game, especially the graphics, didn't move very smoothly. After beating it, I started over, but never finished my 2nd play-through mostly due to being too busy with school. It took a few minutes for me to understand the materia system.
WARNING: VERY UNPOPULAR OPINION AND SPOILERS Unlike everyone, out of all the FF games I've played, FFVII was my least favorite... yes, you read that correctly. There are several reasons, but one of the biggest reason was the scary sneak up and stabbing. Yes, I've long resigned to the fact that I'm a wimp. I can't handle being shocked and startled, because it takes a long time for me to calm down. That's why I don't like surprises. Then, when characters were stabbed, I felt as if I was stabbed in the area myself.
I was glad to finally get out of Midgar. That place was just too dark and creepy, and I couldn't stand most of the songs they played in that area. That is another reason I didn't like FFVII: starting out and being stuck in a dark and gloomy area with battles almost everywhere for a long time.
---
"You don't need a reason to help people." (Zidane Tribal of FFIX)