Final Fantasy VII Remake Made Me Happy Like Few Games Have
The much-anticipated Final Fantasy VIII Remake is here about a half decade after its initial announcement — finally, after much clamoring from the FF fanbase, the entry that few would argue is the series’ most defining has been rebuilt for modern audiences. Not content to build a shot-for-shot visual upgrade of the game, developer Square Enix has elected to release the remake in the form of a multi-part saga, with this first entry taking place entirely within the game’s iconic city of Midgar (in essence, the first act of the game). It’s especially welcome to see a release of this magnitude during this time of lockdown, but where does one begin in evaluating a title like this?
It’s wonderful. What was a 4 to 6 hour segment of gameplay in the original has been expanded to a 30-some hour epic experience, and Square Enix’s efforts have largely been successful. My first reaction when I stepped out of the Midgar city limits in the original FF7 was: “Is that all I get to see?” Midgar is one of gaming’s most iconic locales for a reason — the inspired steampunk visuals and dystopian atmosphere of the double-layered city were begging to be explored more, and FF7R provides ample opportunity to do so. Pacing the streets of the upper plate and exploring the slums below feels like entering a fully realized world, but for players of the original FF7, it feels familiar in spite of the vast advancements in graphics. The game’s story had withstood the test of time, with main protagonist Cloud Strife’s escapades alongside the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE against the authoritarian Shinra Electric Power Company still feeling as fresh and relevant as it did in 1997.
It’s not just the recreations of old locations and events that impress, but also the effort that the developers have put in to evolve certain areas and sequences for modern consoles. For example, in the original FF7, the Wall Market area was a seedy nightlife area that was ruled by criminals. FF7R retains this characterization, but doubles down on the glitz and glamour of the neighborhood, turning it into a rowdy party spot in a way that completely works in the context of the game. Cloud’s crossdressing escapade is transformed from an off-the-cuff disguise to a full-blown spectacle involving a bombastic dance sequence and a lovely reimagining of Cloud’s makeover, updated for more modern sensibilities of gender. It turns the dial up to eleven without losing the spirit of the original.
Man, is it good to see FF7’s cast back in high definition. Every character feels like the definitive portrayal of themselves when taking into account the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. The game’s character interactions are one of its strong points, which is helped by the amazing voice acting and direction. Any scene shared by Cloud and Tifa makes me feel all warm and fuzzy thanks to the realism with which their relationship is depicted, and Aerith steals every scene that she’s in with her pure-hearted goofiness. The characters that have had their roles expanded (such as AVALANCHE members Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie) still fit right at home with the more established playable party members, and even new characters (such as Roche, the adrenaline addict SOLDIER) leave a lasting impression. Seeing the lengths to which Square went to realize such an iconic group of characters simply makes my heart feel full.
What cuts to the core of the magic of this remake is the respect and love the developers clearly have for the original. Given the heft that the iconic source material has, it would have been easy for the developers to resort to going all-in on shameless fanservice for fanservice’s sake, with sly references and in-jokes around every corner. However, the game is gracious enough to play most everything completely straight — no winks at the camera, no “you remember this, right?” In a way, its aversion to leaning into tongue-in-cheek and unsubtle references while still capturing everything that made the original FF7 magical is the perfect fanservice in and of itself. The game actually manages to throw in the Hell House, one of the original game’s (probably series’) most absurd enemies, and makes it fit within the tone and context of the narrative. Final Fantasy VII has always been a game with many absurdities, and by presenting them to players with the utmost confidence, the remake has done a sublime job at honoring the legacy of the original.
There’s much more that I can gush about, so I’ll rattle off a few short-form thoughts here as I wind down:
- Combat is rad— it’s Square Enix’s best effort yet at synthesizing action and traditional RPG elements in a Final Fantasy game. Attacks feel impactful, the bosses are cinematic and dynamic, and there’s plenty of room for mastering the system and improving your tactical skill to adapt to enemies. I’m particularly fond of the battle against Rufus.
- The soundtrack is among the best of this console generation — the composers of this game did a wonderful job capturing the varied musical styles of the original, as well as expanding on some of the original game’s musical motifs. The rippin’ electric guitar version of Those Who Fight Further that plays during the Airbuster fight is required listening.
- Every main character in this game is gorgeously rendered and a joy to look at. It’s hard to believe that we can play a game that looks even better than Advent Children did. How is it possible for a cast of characters to be so attractive?
Final Fantasy VII Remake is certainly not perfect — there are some glaring graphical issues regarding textures, there is plenty of padded story and filler content that can wear thin during portions of the game, and the sidequests often feels glaringly unpolished compared to the main story. Although the ending has (somewhat infamously) divided the fanbase given that it’s opened the gates for the dev team to take plenty of creative liberties with the story of future entries in this remake series, I’m tentatively optimistic that Square Enix will treat FF7 with the care that it warrants. That this remake exists in the first place is good enough for me, but the game’s tangible levels of effort and love that have been put into it blow me away. Once again, I’m ready to see what lies beyond the city limits of Midgar.
