Depending on who you ask, Square Enix has been relatively inconsistent with the development of their titles arguably sinceFinal Fantasy XIIIin 2009. Although one of the more divisive titles in its genre, it is the last to make me think “this is what a JRPG can be,” in the sense of visuals, scope, and ambition.Final Fantasy XVcould have been that, but with the hellish development cycle it went through, whether you like the game (like me) or not, it had its obvious problems. Thankfully in 2017, we were blessed with the stylish and charismaticPersona 5and while it is one of the best JRPGs in recent memory, I don’t think that it really raised the bar in any sense.Final Fantasy VII Remakeis the first game sinceXIIIto make me feel that way.
Simply put,Final Fantasy VIIis one of my favorite games of all-time. At the time of its release, it became an instant classic that changed games forever. It was a cinematic spectacle that was never seen before filled with characters, environments, and stories that we still remember to this day. For years leading up to the announcement forFFVIIRemake, fans already wanted a remake and that was before the PS3 tech demo, all but confirming that it was something that Square Enix was working on.
[pullquote]“Simply put,Final Fantasy VIIis one of my favorite games of all-time."[/pullquote]
Sinceits official announcement back in 2015, there have been fans and industry folk alike who have been hesitant onFFVII Remakefor numerous reasons, one just being the fact that it is a remake of one of the most important games in history. Other reasons are more specific like the project being split into parts; even up to now, we don’t know how many parts the game will be, and that is perfectly valid. However, Square has been plenty transparent with us during the development of the game.Final Fantasy VII Remakewill focus on the Midgar portion of the game–which was only the first few hours of the original–but will be fleshed out this time around because it is such an iconic setting and will include new story elements, characters, and of course, exploration.
Even early on, I was worried about the outcome ofFFVII Remakedue to Square’s recent history with their games, includingmy somewhat disappointment ofKingdom Hearts III. With Tetsuya Nomura also taking the reigns forFFVIIRemake, my feelings behindKHIIIwere conflicted with him working on another AAA title at the same time. Nomura was already put in this position in the past withFinal Fantasy Versus XIII(which later turned intoFinal FantasyXV, and look how that turned out) where he had to leave the project to start focusing entirely onKingdom Hearts III.Thankfully, this time around Nomura has the help of originalFinal Fantasy VIIdirector Yoshinori Kitase as well as co-director Naoki Hamaguchi. As time went on and we saw more of the game, I became confident that all the right pieces were being put into place.
[pullquote]“I am confident that Square has covered all their bases to makeFFVIIRemakea truly special game and experience."[/pullquote]
Even when removing the “nostalgia goggles,” everything that we have seen regardingVII Remakeis nothing short of radiant. The gameplay, presentation, and attention to detail continues to blow me away and has gotten better with every new trailer. I luckily have been able to play a small portion of the game twice since E3 2018, and both times I was in partial denial that a JRPG with this level of production value and execution could exist. It honestly felt like something I could possibly expect from a next-generation title.
Combining the best parts of gameplay fromFinal Fantasy XIIIand theKingdom Heartsseries into tactical real-time action is a simplistic stroke of genius, along with adding a new combat mode for those wishing for a more turn-based experience similar to the original. It is smooth, fresh, and satisfying along with beautifully crafted cutscenes and performances for each character. Being a remake,there are so many possibilities that could lead to a complete screw-up andwith being two months away from launch, I feel like some fans still think it’s too good to be true. But it has gotten to the point now that as aFinal Fantasy VIIveteran, I’m not worried about a thing.
Yes, there will obviously be alterations and additions when it comes to the story, but everything that we’ve seen so far looks to be more of an expansion to the original than making major changes. I am confident that Square has covered all their bases to makeFFVIIRemakea truly special game and experience to the point that it will be a landmark for the JRPG genre, just like the original was for all of gaming back in 1997. In general, I’m a pretty optimistic person because I like to believe and trust the good in things when the proof is there, and everything that we have seen ofFinal Fantasy VII Remakeso far has been nothing short of prosperous.
Final Fantasy VII Remakereleases on July 08, 2025 for a one year timed exclusivity deal on PlayStation 4. You can pre-order theDeluxeorStandard Editionof the game on Amazon.
