The direction of both games is probably the single most important reason why each is so widely loved. Individual opinions vary, but both CT and FFVII have excellent gameplay that offers entertainment, interaction, immersion, and provokes thought and imagination. Each game has well-paced, expressive action that speaks to modern values and human instincts alike, via compelling characters to whom we can personally relate, who live out tight plotlines that tackle big ideas and evocative problems in colorful ways, all framed with rich music and ingenious graphics that provide both an aural and visual dimension to the overall experience, allowing for further ways of appreciating it. There is room for disagreement, but there is a strong quantitative arguement that both games are masterpieces.
As for the music itself, there's no shame in having a minority opinion.
