FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE
Work is already under way on the followup to Final Fantasy VII Remake
Devs tell us what remaking a classic means to them – and confirm a followup is in the works.
PLAYING THIS WILL EXPAND YOUR EXPECTATIONS JUST LIKE THE WORLD THAT EXTENDS BEYOND MIDGAR.
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As amazing as the superdetailed reimagining of Final Fantasy VII looks like being, it’s worth reiterating that it only covers the Midgar portion of the original game. While we’ve a short time to wait before it’s released, the development team has revealed they’ve started working on the game’s followup, which will continue at least part of Cloud’s adventure. “We’ve already begun working on the next one as well, but I’m confident that playing through this title will expand your expectations just like the world that extends beyond Midgar,” shares Tetsuya Nomura, the game’s director and concept designer. He calls their version
“a rich depiction”.
But although Final Fantasy VII Remake covers just part of the original narrative, that doesn’t mean it will be a fleeting experience. The team has greatly expanded what was previously four or five hours of activity into something we’ve been told is the length you’d expect from a modern Final Fantasy game – and we all know how meaty those are.
“In regard to the size of the game that many are asking about – there’s no reason at all to worry. Even in this Midgar portion alone, the density and volume are so great that I had to give directions to lighten them,” says Nomura reassuringly.
SOMEDAY IS NOW
Ever since the 2005 PS3 tech demo that recreated Final Fantasy VII’s opening in order to showcase the hardware’s power, people have been longing to see the game get a fresh coat of paint. Producer Yoshinori Kitase recalls that when talking to fans and journalists “The question that I always got as we got up to part ways was, ‘When are you making the Final Fantasy VII Remake?’ It was to the point where it almost felt like an alternative way to say goodbye.” Because of this, he started to tell people that while remaking the game would be a
challenge, “someday” the time might be right to do it.
That time is now. Kitase points out that as the original game is over 20 years old, the dev team is made up of an interesting mix of those who worked on that PS1 game, and those who grew up being fans, engrossed in every detail. “As a result, the game that is about to be born surpasses even my own expectations as the one who voiced the desire to take this endeavour on in the first place. In fact, the one who’s looking forward to playing this game the most right now might actually be me,” he says.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE
One veteran on the team is Motomu Toriyama, the co-director in charge of the scenario, who worked on the original’s planning team. “The thoughts and feelings I had when I was just starting out back then were revived, and at the same time, I took on the challenge of new methods of expression that I’m able to execute now that I have the experience,” he says of coming to Remake.
It’s now possible to achieve levels of detail that the older hardware simply wasn’t capable of. Toriyama continues: “When remaking the Honey-Bee Inn at the Wall Market, we revived it is as a pantheon of entertainment, which couldn’t be realised back then. Here, the scene that many of you have been eager to see, where Cloud disguises himself.” That’s the scene where Cloud and Aerith have to sneak into Don Corneo’s mansion in order to rescue Tifa from the lecherous mobster.
Many more memorable moments are being given extra oomph, as the devs really dive into and expand upon those bits we loved in the original. Expect episodes like the motorcycle chase to now be much more meaningful. In a clip we’ve seen, one such chase has our party pursued by a SOLDIER we’ve never seen before, and it looks as though the iconic villain Sephiroth will hang over these earlier escapades more than he did the first time around. We can’t wait to revisit what we loved, while also having brand-new experiences in an expanded Midgar.
YOUNGBLOOD
Naoki Hamaguchi, who’s the co-director taking the lead on programming and game design, has come to the experience from a different angle to Toriyama. “When the original Final Fantasy VII was released, I was just another student who dreamed of being in the gaming industry,” he says. “I of course played the game, but I also reread the guidebook over and over again, my heart stolen by the engaging universe. I remember wishing strongly that I’d be able to create a game like it someday. Twenty-two years later, that student who dreamed of Final Fantasy VII is now involved in developing the remake. I can’t help but feel like it’s fate.”
While we appreciate everyone who put together the classic JRPG, which had us in awe back in 1997 and we’ve remembered fondly ever since, we think the presence of Hamaguchi and other newcomers will greatly help to revitalise it for this reimagining. Look at how well it worked out for Resident Evil 2 last year, after all. “With all this in mind, I’ve considered the following phrase important: ‘respect for the original’,” says Hamaguchi. “For those who’ve played it: ‘new but familiar.’ For those who haven’t played it: ‘experience the charm of Final Fantasy VII, which moved the hearts of many, now created with the most exciting modern technology available’.” Remake is going to be old and new, evoking memories of our past while redefining the future of JRPGs.
What moment are you looking forward reliving? Let us know @OPM_UK.
THE GAME THAT IS ABOUT TO BE BORN SURPASSES EVEN MY OWN EXPECTATIONS.