So why isn't FF7 criticzed for it's balance like 8 is

All you need is morph materia the ???? enemy skill, and heavy tank for power sources.You can get all this stuff on disc one.

Attached: FF7 is balanced.png (1280x800, 970.14K)

ff7 has a good story and characters so the bad gameplay isn't as pronounced

Probably because from second one you can power level yourself in FF8 making you a god for several hours of the game. until you find new magic and summons in which you can allocate new spells to stats making you a god for another few hours.
While you work for FF7's unbalance instead of it being easily handed to you.

Who's forcing anyone to play like that

Well it does punish you if you play it like any other JRPG in the world at that point.

I usually hear the opposite about 8, people say they find junctioning confusing.

Not really, as long as you get the enemy skill materia in Hojo's lab, the game is a cakewalk from then on. Just use Matra Magic for disc 1, Beta or Magic Breath on disc 2, Shadow Flare on disc 3.

Of course, when the fuck isn't blue magic overpowered as shit?

About the enemy spawner in Junon

FFX
Kimari is garbage.

None of which you need and the plot isn't quite as much of a mess ad FF8 though it's still pretty bad in it's own way.