For over 20 years, Final Fantasy VII has enjoyed a legacy as one of the greatest games of all time. The original 1997 release revolutionised the Japanese RPG genre, adopted by Western audiences unlike any of the entries that came before it – altering conceptions of an RPG with a fluid battle system, enormous 3D environments and a timeless soundtrack. At the same time, it was still decidedly Japanese when it came to much of the game’s characters, humour and overall atmosphere, resulting in a unique blend that not only secured Final Fantasy VII its incredible success, but also attracted one of the most devoted and die-hard fanbases in the entire gaming industry. So when the announcement came that a ground-up remake of the classic was coming after so many years, it was met with both resounding excitement and more than a little concern. Would it still be as epic and grand as we remember it being? What pieces of the adventure would have to be left behind? Will this remake do anything for those who never experienced the original? To quickly answer these questions and summarise the words that follow: the Final Fantasy VII Remake is incredible. While it may just be a piece of a larger picture at the moment, it is an experience brimming with tons of content, exciting combat and amazing personalities. After two decades we finally have the remake that not only does justice to the source material, but manages to push things even further.
For those uninitiated to the tale, Final Fantasy VII follows protagonist Cloud Strife, a military defector turned soldier for hire. Players join him as he begins a job with eco-extremist cell Avalanche, offering protection as the group prepares to destroy an energy reactor on the edge of the world’s largest and most powerful city, Midgar. The technological capital is completely controlled by the Shinra Electric Power Company, Cloud’s former employers and the entity that powers the city by siphoning and draining the Earth’s energy known as Mako. Believing that this practice is killing the Earth, Avalanche’s Barret Wallace has resolved to take the Shinra juggernaut down at any cost. Cloud is hired off the back of a tip from his childhood friend and fellow Avalanche member Tifa Lockhart, who finds herself becoming increasingly apprehensive as the group’s use of violence escalates. The opening mission also sees Cloud cross paths with Aerith Gainsborough, a local florist and healer that Cloud quickly discovers is far more than meets the eye. The general plot, characters and key moments all play out as they did in the 1997 original, and most of the above will be immediately recognisable to those with even a passing interest in the game. It’s important to note that this Final Fantasy VII Remake, as we have today, is not the complete adventure from the original – rather the opening events that occur within the city of Midgar. This is possibly the only point that detracts from the game overall, and it will really only hurt those who have taken the full adventure before. We know that there is so much more to the game outside the borders of this initial act – an enormous world littered with towns, caves, forests and people – so knowing that this world is cut off from us here can often be a bitter pill to swallow. However this first installment uses the opportunity to sharpen and focus its plot and features to such a point that you easily gain as much as you feel you may be missing.
First and foremost, the expanded character work included in the remake is phenomenal. Where the original presented us with blocky, emotionless character models and written dialogue, the 2020 version features fully voiced and realistic personalities with ample room to breathe. Each of the four main leads retain their basic archetypes from the original – Cloud as the cold, distant mercenary, Tifa as the calm yet powerful voice of reason, Barret as the fast talking brute and Aerith as the benevolent and confident free spirit. However it’s what this expanded adventure does with these characters that makes each of them so special, allowing for a far deeper look at how each interact with one other and the finer points of their own personalities. Cloud’s initial cold exterior is broken down here about as much as his entire arc in the original, with his actions later in the game designed to surprise both him and the player. Similarly, characters such as Barret who begin feeling stereotypical and predictable end up achieving far more character development and growth than you’d expect. Even side characters such as Avalanche’s Jessie, Biggs and Wedge are heavily expanded upon compared to the original, again subverting what you may expect at the outset. This is all in addition to the multiple new characters introduced in the remake, with some growing to be key figures in a game where they once never existed.
The expansion work within the Final Fantasy VII Remake is not contained to just characters, as the game’s world and features have also evolved to meet the new generation. Both the upper and lower levels of Midgar are now sprawling, bustling areas full of chatting locals, hidden paths and side tasks to keep you busy. Midgar is still quite linear when it boils down to it – with the remake being made up of many laneways and thin paths without ever really being ‘open-world’. However this is the same case as with the original, and the remake provides more than enough distractions to pull you from the beaten track. Fancy a game of darts? Perhaps some increasingly difficult colosseum battles? How about one of several side missions dotted throughout each of the major destinations? Participating in many of these activities will generally net you some useful items for the main adventure and completing groups of them will reward you with further plot and character moments as the story rolls on. While some new areas and missions can feel like needless extensions within an otherwise shorter game, most are well worth the time spent to soak up as much of the world as possible. Special mention goes to the events within the Honey Bee Inn, which – despite concerns that things would be toned down from the original – is an absolutely outrageous fifteen minutes that simply cannot be put into words. Exploring the sights and sounds is also helped immensely by how downright incredible the game looks, often turning even the most mundane slums or dimly lit streets into something special and memorable.
It’s worth mentioning that you won’t just be strolling through these lovely surroundings without a care, but rather tearing through them in a barrage of action, fire and gunshots. Enemies wander the roads and dark corners outside of landmarks, and there are no longer random encounters as there had been in the original. Battles in Final Fantasy VII Remake occur in real time, similar to how fights play out in both Final Fantasy XV and the Kingdom Hearts series. Each character has a basic attack which, after consecutive uses, charges a meter used to pull off more powerful moves and magic. Where the remake differentiates itself from many other similar games is in how specialised each character is. Cloud is a swordfighter that cleaves through enemies at close range with a variety of stances. Tifa is also a close range fighter, but instead fights with an incredibly fast and agile hand to hand style to overwhelm opponents. Barret quite literally has a machine gun grafted to his right arm, and so excels in picking off ranged enemies in a barrage of bullets. Aerith is heavily focused on magic, keeping the party alive and healthy while casting deadly ranged spells. You’re able to switch between active members of your group any time during battle to take advantage of these differences, or you can issue them orders on the fly as you continue an assault. Managing each of their strengths and weaknesses is key to overturning the odds in some of the tougher fights, and watching your crew cut through a group of enemies in a flurry of blades and explosions is always satisfying. For those looking to fight battles in a way more faithful to the original, there are classic battle options available and multiple difficulties on offer if you’re looking to mix things up – especially when you factor in the game’s chapter select and new game plus modes.
The 2020 Final Fantasy VII Remake is, quite simply, something amazing. Not only does it deliver on an enormous, decades old legacy, it also somehow manages to exceed it in multiple areas. The completely overhauled visuals, deep character development and broader plot growth are so huge that going back to the 1997 original now would just be a hollow experience. While it does sting slightly to know that this is just a taste of the full adventure, it almost works to build excitement more than it feels restrictive or disjointed. Excitement for what is to come for the rest of story that remains untold, and how extraordinary the following entries will be with the start we’ve been given here. An absolute must-buy for those interested or familiar with the series, and a great entry point for newcomers who want in on the hype. No snappy end quote, no witty conclusion, just get it. Play it. Love it.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is available now on PS4.