After 23 long years, Final Fantasy VII has been remade. (To a degree, at least.) And I’ve spent a large portion of the last couple months processing it.
For nearly the entire time playing Final Fantasy VII Remake, I couldn’t stop thinking about how surreal the experience was. The very idea of this game has existed for so long within the collective cultural consciousness. An ethereal concept that would probably never come to fruition in the precise way that anyone imagined.
Except they did. Square Enix actually pulled it off. I still can’t believe it.
While the jury is still out on whether Remake’s sequels will succeed at accomplishing what the first game did, none of that will ever take away from what this game has accomplished.
Sure, this is only the beginning of a larger reimagining of FFVII. Only the first part of the story. But it executed on everything I wanted to see in a remake. The characters, storytelling, combat, music, art direction, the tone, the atmosphere… I could go on and on. If any one of these elements didn’t feel just right, the entire experience could have been compromised.
It wasn’t. They knocked it out of the park.
With so much to love about this game, I decided an article was in order. Here’s my VII favorite things Final Fantasy VII Remake did.
Spoilers below, in case you were wondering.
Paying Homage To The Original
Before you even install the game, Remake successfully pays homage to the original with just the box art.
Then there’s the menu screen.
After that? The opening movie.
Within the first few minutes of starting this game, you’re immediately reassured that the original game is being honored with the utmost reverence. That continues throughout the entire game. These references range from the obvious, like those listed above, to the obscure, which might only be noticed by FFVII diehards. Check out this article from GameSpot to see what I’m talking about: 36 FF7 Remake Easter Eggs And References You Probably Missed.
Lovable Characters
The original Final Fantasy VII was certainly never lacking in the character department. It wouldn’t be the cultural touchstone that it is if the characters hadn’t successfully resonated with so many people over such a long period of time.
Yet here I am, absolutely blown away at how much better this game entrenches these characters into my mind. I don’t just like these characters. I care about them. To a stupid degree.
When Aerith died in the original game, I was sad I suppose. Even though I knew it was coming, just like pretty much everyone that didn’t play the game back in its heyday. (I first played FFVII in 2008.) It’s a great, iconic moment. I just didn’t feel that bad about it. For me, it was more like “Wow, Sephiroth is a bad man.”
Now? I don’t think I’m prepared to handle watching this version of Aerith meet the end of Sephiroth’s Masamune. (Fortunately, I won’t have to for another game or two.)
Remake takes these characters and makes them so incredibly realized and fleshed out. It’s a testament to the writers, the actors, the localization team, and whatever magic the animators used to make the characters express themselves like real people. Every little mannerism and facial tic adds an element of character that just wasn’t possible in 1997. Oh, and I can’t wait to see what they look like on next-gen.
A Reinvented Soundtrack
Final Fantasy VII has some of the most iconic music in gaming. Remake could have easily just orchestrated the score and left it at that. But that would have been too easy. We’ve heard orchestral versions of FFVII music for years. Something had to be different.
I was delighted to discover that Remake’s soundtrack featured a complete reinvention of many pieces. The game takes music that feels familiar and makes it seem like you’re listening to it for the first time. This works to great effect during many of the game’s stellar boss battles. As you progress through the different boss phases, the music will swell and morph to match the intensity of what’s happening on screen.
Don’t just take my word for it though. Go listen to it yourself.
It’s all just so good. If anyone from Square Enix is reading, I’d like them to know that I’m eagerly awaiting this soundtrack on Spotify.
Midgar Expanded
Ah, Midgar. The city takes center stage in Remake. What was once a memorable location in the opening hours of the original game now becomes the focus of a 40-hour journey (give or take).
Midgar feels alive in a way that the original FFVII’s pre-rendered backgrounds couldn’t quite convey. And that sense of liveliness runs far deeper than just being able to explore a state-of-the-art rendition of the city. Remake adds layers upon layers of context and intrigue that give the player so much more to think about. NPCs chatter in the streets about their lives, Shinra, and Avalanche. Each location feels distinct and lived-in, from the Sector 7 slums to Wall Market.
Fleshing out the city to such an extent helps place greater emphasis on the political nature of the plot, which proves as timely as ever. Dealing with themes of environmentalism, class divide, and even state-controlled propaganda, Remake has a lot for you to think about.
A Complement To The Original
Story changes aside (Is it a pseudo-sequel? A remake? Both?), I found Remake to be a nice complement to the original FFVII.
When I finished Remake, one of the first things I did was load up the original on my Switch to dive in again. While I haven’t had the time to play through the entire game again, I found myself enjoying the original for its own merits. While there’s a shared story, it’s still a unique experience presented in its own way.
Now that I think about it, I might actually have a greater appreciation for the original now that Remake is out. FFVII’s blocky characters seem a little more charming now that I’m not wondering what all of them would look like if the game were made on modern hardware. It’s easier to appreciate it all as a product of its time.
The Ending
At the end of Final Fantasy VII Remake, you literally defeat the manifestation of fate in order to alter the course of destiny. That uh… wasn’t part of the original.
Naturally, people are divided on it. I’m 100% here for it.
To begin with, I will always welcome an opportunity to fight Sephiroth as a new, masterfully-composed rendition of One Winged Angel plays (which I linked to above.) Even if nothing of the sort happened in the original game.
Secondly, as someone that did play through Crisis Core, I’m thrilled that Zack Fair seems to be very much alive in this new-and-improved Remake world we’re living in. According to a few fan theories out there, this Zack may be from an alternate timeline, but I’ll take what I can get.
Remake is setting out to build something new. And the ending appears to be the thesis statement for the project as it moves forward. In my mind, that’s far more interesting than a strict retelling.
Hype For The Future
And finally, while we’re on the subject of the game’s changes, I wanted to talk about how Remake got me pumped about the future of the series.
Series. Final Fantasy VII is a series now. Yeah, there used to be the “Compilation of Final Fantasy VII” with stuff like Crisis Core, Dirge of Cerberus, and Advent Children. All that did well to expand on the world of Final Fantasy VII, but I was always hoping it would end up leading to something more. A Final Fantasy VII-2, for example.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is different on a fundamental level. It’s the beginning of a (hopefully) coherent series designed around a singular narrative with a consistent cast. I don’t know where this series is going to lead or how much it’s going to change. But I’m ecstatic to find out. Even more so than I was when Remake was originally announced back at E3 2015.
Finished Final Fantasy VII Remake yet? What was your favorite part? Let me know in the comments!
Wyatt Mode 