Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will feature an ambiguous ending that will keep players wondering about the third and final part of the trilogy, according to the game's producer.
13.01.2024 - 21:25 / gameinformer.com / Brian Shea / Kazushige Nojima / Tetsuya Nomura / Naoki Hamaguchi
Just as Final Fantasy VII Remake featured a predetermined endpoint – the escape from Midgar – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth players also know when their adventure will culminate in this game. The Forgotten Capital, the location that plays host to one of the most impactful moments in any video game, is the destination for the story contained within Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the original version of Final Fantasy VII.
Since the main story and side content of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth centers on deepening the relationships between Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Sephiroth, and the rest of the cast, players will need to reckon with Aerith's story arc with a better understanding of the dynamics between characters. «For Rebirth, we are following Cloud and the party's journey all the way up to the Forgotten Capital where we will seek our Aerith's fate; that is the landing point for Rebirth,» director Naoki Hamaguchi says. «Along the way, players will see the characters interact and deepen their bonds with each other. That is a focal point.»
When I asked the development team about this scene, the jovial conversation turned somber. The team took care to spare any details about how that scene will play out in Rebirth, but it insists it has achieved something that will shock even the players who have played through the original scene in question multiple times. The creation of this scene in Rebirth started with a written scenario from writer Kazushige Nojima, who has worked on the Final Fantasy franchise since the original VII. From there, the team added their own ideas.
«Beginning with the original Final Fantasy VII, when we had started working on it, it was already decided from the get-go that 'life' would be the central theme,» creative director Tetsuya Nomura says. «I knew that we had to depict life and death within this title. Prior to Final Fantasy VII, there have been other titles where characters have experienced tragedy, but many of them have come back or been revived in some ways. But I believe that loss is something that happens unexpectedly, and it's not something so dramatic or drawn out, but is something in which a person that you have just conversed with is suddenly gone and never to come back. I believe that the person who dies should not return in this title, and that is what we did with the original.»
The team feels it was truly able to do something novel and more emotional through Rebirth's version of the scene. «I do believe that the way we have depicted it brings about a new emotion and a new feeling for both players who have played the original Final Fantasy VII and newcomers.»
«I was able to do what I truly wanted to show in this title,» Nomura adds.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will feature an ambiguous ending that will keep players wondering about the third and final part of the trilogy, according to the game's producer.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was designed for multiple playthroughs, according to the game's co-director.
For every issue of Game Informer magazine, we print a handful of Game Informer Gold editions. These versions sometimes feature alternate art, have a gold embossed logo on the front, are individually numbered and feature higher quality paper. They're very nice, and we reserve them for special occasions like charity auctions or, as is the case here, giveaways.
For every issue of Game Informer magazine, we print a handful of Game Informer Gold editions. These versions sometimes feature alternate art, have a gold embossed logo on the front, are individually numbered and feature higher quality paper. They're very nice, and we reserve them for special occasions like charity auctions or, as is the case here, giveaways.
Many people are looking forward to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and that’s not a shock at all. When Square Enix released the first entry of the “remake saga” back in 2020, gamers were stunned by how well the publisher had remade the original title despite focusing only on the Midgar storyline for the “first part.” The graphics were stunning, the voice acting was on point, and the updated combat system made it feel like an RPG while also being “upgraded” to fit modern times. However, a few flaws held it back, mainly in the party system.
When Square Enix announced the “remake saga” for their all-time classic RPG and then noted that the game would be “cut into sections” to ensure quality throughout, gamers were a bit concerned. The game was in “full form” back on the PS1 and obtained legendary status, so why wouldn’t it be “In full” here? Well, their gambit paid off, and the first title featuring the “Midgar Saga” was a hit, not just because of the graphical upgrade but also because of the new elements fleshed out that part of the story. So, with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, gamers are expecting more of the same.
For the record, we didn’t plan two stories about items you can get for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to come in back-to-back days. Life decided to have a little fun with us, and we don’t mind. Yesterday, we discussed how Square Enix Reward Program members could get a special glitter globe featuring the Gold Saucer from the upcoming RPG. It was cute and adorable, and we’re sure some of you have already subscribed to the program so you can get it or are cashing in points to ensure you get it. But, if you’re looking for something a bit more “substantial,” then perhaps Amazon is where you go to get the game.
When it comes to video games, many who play them don’t just want the “memories” of playing them; they want items in the real world that’ll help them remember those memories in a different way. Pre-order items are a big deal in this respect, as people will pay out the nose to get unique items that can only be bought through these special deals. Square Enix decided to up the ante with the upcoming release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth by offering its Reward Members the chance to get a special glitter globe featuring the Gold Saucer from the upcoming title.
Following the events of 2020's Final Fantasy VII Remake, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and Red XIII have escaped the confines of Midgar and gotten rid of the Whispers, meaning the possibilities as they step out into the vast world depicted in the middle portion of the original Final Fantasy VII are endless. In contrast to the corridor-heavy structure of Remake, the openness of Rebirth is immediately refreshing, but as I found out during both my hands-on and hands-off demos, the improvements don't even come close to stopping there.
Final Fantasy VII Remake set the tone for what players could expect from this three-part retelling of the beloved 1997 Square RPG. The excellent updates to the combat system, the fantastic expansions on character relationships, and the stellar production values told us Square Enix is not taking the responsibility of remaking one of its most iconic games lightly. However, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth looks to take several components of the experience to the next level, largely thanks to its emphasis on side content.
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is coming to PlayStation 5 next month, and Square Enix is kicking its campaign into gear with a brand new trailer and some new screenshots for the much-anticipated second installment in the planned remake trilogy.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is right around the corner, hitting PlayStation 5 exclusively on February 29. Game Informer has been covering it all month long as the game graced the cover of our latest magazine issue, and you can read all of our exclusive Final Fantasy VII Rebirth coverage here. But, with little over a month to go until the game's release, Square Enix has released a new trailer that teases a climactic fight between protagonist Cloud Strife and his arch-enemy, Sephiroth.