What we want from Final Fantasy 7 revival, and how it should be improved upon remaking

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Officially announced, it has already proven to be a popular talking point – perhaps as you might expect, given the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake. This is a sequel that seems to deviate violently from the promised path, and “Rebirth” is sure to knock the point back home.

But what do we really want from rebirth? What can Square Enix do to improve it when it’s remade? We decided to get push the box The editorial team got together to talk about the upcoming PS5 exclusive (except for Stephen, who tried really hard to like Remake, but turned it down after a few hours).

Robert Ramsey, lifelong Final Fantasy fan

I loved the remake, but I didn’t. Overall, I think the game’s highs outweigh its lows, but I still think there’s plenty of room for improvement in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – especially from a structural perspective. For a start, it would be nice to explore further. I enjoyed how well we are aware of a lot of the world of Remake – Midgar will always be a great place – but the amount of arcade-like environments you have to do slowly Walking is a joke. There’s a lot of stuffing in Remake—horrible, borderline side missions included—so we hope Rebirth finds a better pace and sticks to it.

With Rebirth, the only thing I have complete faith in is combat. I thought the system in Remake was great – a near-perfect blend of command-driven strategy and movement-based combat. The evolution of these mechanisms can be incredible, especially if more party members are involved.

As for the story stuff, I don’t know what to think. I don’t particularly trust Square Enix to make a ‘new’ narrative no A complete mess. God knows what they’re doing with alternate timelines and all that crap. Rebirth may defy expectations and take the world of Final Fantasy VII in a fun new direction. I certainly hope that’s the case, but I wouldn’t bet exactly that.

In the end, I look forward to seeing where it goes – but my expectations will fade.

Liam Croft, first-time Final Fantasy VII player

I love Final Fantasy and I love good video games, so playing Final Fantasy VII Remake again at launch was the perfect fit despite not playing the original on PS1. I have absolutely no nostalgia for that classic experience, and I absolutely loved what happened at the end of the remake. I’m a guy who loves games that derail and get weird – the earlier in the story the better – and boy did Square Enix do it. The fact that it’s not really a “remake” anymore is pretty cool to me, and I’m here for everything that’s going on in Rebirth.

Square Enix, I tell you now: Don’t stick to the narrative from 1997. Keep Erith alive. Kill Tifa. Get Cloud and Sephiroth’s kiss for all that matters to me. I want the most mental story possible. Put it this way: If you pissed off hardcore fans, I’d probably like him more.

When I actually play the game, let’s make the environments bigger and open for exploration. I’ve been playing Final Fantasy XIII I recently finished the linear hallway after the linear hallway. Improve the side quests and you have a reason to get off the beaten path. One of the screenshots of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth features a compass with a target more than 1,000 meters away, and that gives me hope for a slightly more open game. Or that Cloud and Sephiroth could wander along a really long way into a flashback scene, I’m told.

No matter what happens, I’m playing this sequel. In 2024, because you didn’t get Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in the same year. Sorry!

Sammy Parker, Final Fantasy Casual

I came to Final Fantasy VII Late, so I don’t have the built-in nostalgia that many others have. Having said that, while I was enjoying my time with Final Fantasy VII Remake, it left me a bit #Concerned. To be honest, I have a little patience for the anime crap, and while the original left me basically confused, I don’t think we’re looking at a remake anymore. Even the sequel’s subtitle, Rebirth, suggests we’ll be turning dramatically in a different direction.

I can see how that comes with some excitement for longtime fans: Where are they going next? But for me, I find it frustrating — even close to insulting, to be honest. My favorite parts of Final Fantasy VII Remake were the moments where familiar scenes were adapted – not necessarily hitting for the beat, but at least recognizable. If we’re heading to a different timeline, a multiverse if you will, I don’t trust the writing team at Square Enix to put something together.

From a gameplay perspective, I’m quite satisfied with what we got, so the iteration on that would be big – however, a few Poundland side quests would be appreciated. But again, it’s all about the plot to me: I already feel like it was Kingdom Hearts-ed – I’m afraid things are about to go wrong. Ironically aside, I sincerely hope he will prove me wrong.

Are you looking forward to the Final Fantasy VII revival? What are your hopes and dreams for the sequel? Vote in our poll, then write your own story in the comments section below.