Final Fantasy VII is basically synonymous with the term "JRPG." When you think of the genre as a whole, it's hard to think of any game that has had as much of an impact as Final Fantasy VII. Frankly, JRPGs would not be where they are today without this game, and the fact that it's being remade is a treat in and of itself. To take Cloud and his band of overzealous companions on this adventure, to save the world and ultimately defeat Sephiroth, from an entirely new perspective is something I've wanted to do for quite a while.
That is why, this E3, I'm hoping that Square Enix reveals the ways in which Final Fantasy VII Remake is broken up. Back when the game was first announced four years ago at E3 2015, Square Enix said that the game would be episodic. Not only do I have the memory of jumping head first into my ceiling fan due to sheer excitement at the game's reveal, but I also remember many fans were displeased with the fact the game will be broken up.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Df0YG3qfZ8E
Since the 2015 announcement, the remake has changed development studios, going from CyberConnect2 to an in-house development team at Square Enix. Final Fantasy VII Remake has likely changed quite a lot over the past few years, but even with the game's May State of Play re-reveal, Square Enix has continued pushing the fact that the game will still be broken up into several chapters. Now, I'm not here to discuss my opinions on episodic video games; at this point, I've made peace with the fact that the game won't be a singular experience. Now I'm only curious as to how exactly Tetsuya Nomura and his team will break up Cloud's adventure.
I have some of my own theories based on what we've seen so far. It's a given that the first episode will have a more sprawling version of Midgar than ever before. But how far outside of Midgar will we get before we see the first game's credits roll? Some have theorized that the game will end once the player exits the city for the first time. However, I don't think that'll be the case.
I personally think Final Fantasy VII Remake will work best as two parts. And you probably know where I'm going with this, but having the first episode end at Aerith's game-changing scene seems like the perfect place to leave us off.
[pullquote]"At this point, I've made peace with the fact that the game won't be a singular experience."[/pullquote]
To have the first part not end on one of the most iconic scenes in gaming history would be a huge letdown, especially after waiting to hear anything substantial about the game in nearly five years. Obviously, we know the story that's readily available from the original game and the large variety of platforms it's available on. But I wouldn't be surprised if the canonical timeline of Final Fantasy VII is changed in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
I'd probably keep any information about Zack or Vincent out of the first episode; Nomura needs to be careful in his delivery, and will likely receive some sort of criticism either way. I think for the first episode to be effective, not only does it need to end with a bang, but it needs to give longtime fans of the game something to look forward to in the second episode. That's of course assuming that the game is in two parts, which some Internet rumors seem to suggest. While Aerith's scene is the most gut-wrenching, Zack and Vincent also act as compelling character arcs for the story to explore. Two parts are probably for the best though, as the third act in Final Fantasy VII gets a bit weird, as it always does in this series. I can only speculate that the first episode will be the better of the two.
[pullquote]"It's time for Square Enix to finally show us everything we need to know about one of the most anticipated titles in gaming."[/pullquote]
Talking about the story, we haven't even dived into the other beast that is character progression. I suppose we can only assume Square Enix will have all of your stats carry over into the following game(s); it'd be a bit silly to take everything away or have us start with preset stats. How will we go about learning everyone's final Limit Break? There are so many additional questions on top of the story.
I've been thinking about Final Fantasy VII Remake since it was first revealed. Whether the game is amazing, or good, it'll undoubtedly be a joy to experience. I suppose this is probably what Kingdom Hearts fans felt about the third game in that series. Lord help you if you're a fan of both. We know for a fact that Final Fantasy VII Remake will be making an appearance in some way at E3 2019, and it's time for Square Enix to finally show us everything we need to know about one of the most anticipated titles in gaming. Be sure to let me know how you think the title will be broken up in the comments section.
As we near E3, what do you want to see the most at this year’s show? What’s your dream scenario? Be sure to let us know in the comments. Lastly, be sure to check out some of the other hopes and dreams for E3 2019 from the rest of the DualShockers writers.