What Will be the Big Changes in Final Fantasy VII Remake? – by Edgar Duncan
Final Fantasy VII, the original, the only, and the one about to be remade…
When Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced at E3 2015, the crowd erupted in a cacophony of cheers. It’s the dream remake, the one gamers have been calling out for since the early naughties. Yet, let’s face it, gaming has moved on. Final Fantasy VII is a product of its time, both gameplay-wise and graphically. So when game director Tetsuya Nomura stated ‘There will be some dramatic changes [as] this is not a simple remake. […] I don’t think [just improving the graphics] would surpass the original version’, it isn’t hard to see why, looking back at the RPG of RPGs. The question on everyone’s lips, however, is what will change?
Source: httpcdni.wired.co.uk620x413d_fff7_remake_01.jpg
The easiest comparison would be with the gameplay seen from the upcoming title, Final Fantasy XV. Main character, Noctis, is seen running about a free-roaming environment and tackling large Adamantoise beasts with the dexterity of a lemur and acrobatics of a grasshopper. When Final Fantasy VII‘s separate battle screens and turn-based combat menus are put next to Final Fantasy XV‘s fluid, real-time fights, it feels archaic in design. It’s far more likely that Final Fantasy VII Remake will adopt this newer system, one which has also seen the successful Kingdom Hearts series through its time.
Source: finalfantasy.wikia.com
Another likely change is the random battle encounter system. Once a staple of RPGs, this system meant you were thrown into a separate battle screen after every few steps, unable to avoid encounters with strange monsters until you’re already face-to-face with them. There’s no need of these in modern RPGs unless the game deliberately attempts to represent a past era (such as Bravely Default, although even then that has a speed-up function to whiz through them), or stop the player from abusing the system to seek out particular enemies (Pokémon). Current game consoles, as well as PCs, are well equipped to handling several monsters on screen in a city or field, and Final Fantasy XV already does it, so it’s likely Final Fantasy VII Remake will do the same in a free-roaming environment. In fact, the option to disable random encounters has already been implemented into the iOS release of the original game. This was done in order to help more casual players experience the story better. I must attest, the traditional style of going out of you way to battle weaker enemies in random battles, just to level up and proceed past a difficult boss encounter, does wear thin after a while, so to put them back into the remake would be counter-productive.
Source: httpwww.giantbomb.comfinal-fantasy-vii3030-13053forumsthe-case-for-final-fantasy-vii-why-a-remake-is-nee-493676
With the battle mechanics likely to change, it’s highly feasible that you, as the player, will only be able to control one character, Cloud, in combat (up until later parts, depending how much of the story will change). With this in mind, surely the Gambit system from Final Fantasy XII will prove fruitful in controlling the other allies in your team? Kingdom Hearts II does something similar but on a lesser scale, whilst Final Fantasy XIII had Paradigm Shifts to change the focus of the AI allies’ actions, but Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit system was perhaps the best way of crafting how you wanted your allies to act in combat and at particular moments. If an enemy had full health, for instance, you could have your allies steal their goods, but then change their actions as soon as an enemy had 80% less health and have them cast Firaga or something, instead. It was a neat way of controlling your allies without actually controlling them. A brief set up before combat ensures they’ll do what you want and at any given time.
Source: httpwww.gamezone.comoriginalsfive-changes-we-d-like-to-see-in-the-final-fantasy-7-remake-jvh62
One of the big memorable sections in the original was the Gold Saucer – a massive amusement park where players could compete in mini-games such as boxing, snowboarding and, of course, Chocobo racing. Many an hour was toiled away riding these big birds through races, to build them up for breeding purposes and access new areas in the game. Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG which has reached incredible heights of success, has since included the huge Gold Saucer theme park into its fold, and it’s likely Final Fantasy VII Remake will do the same. However, I can see many of these mini-games changing or being removed entirely. After all, Final Fantasy VII is full of mini-games throughout the story, most of which could be replayed at the Gold Saucer, but many of them don’t really add much to the game. Realistically I can see them being removed to free up space and time for development, especially as only the Chocobo races and battle arenas saw any true replay. With online play added, these races could become competitive and even more fun, so it makes absolute sense to keep these races, but ditch the others, perhaps putting in alternative multiplayer mini-games in their place.
Source: httpfinalfantasy.wikia.comwikiJoe_%28Final_Fantasy_VII%29
Speaking of memorable sections, the original game featured Cloud dressing up as a feisty young woman in order to attract Don Corneo’s attention (for unspeakable acts of passion, no less). Depending on where you looked and how well you performed in a bunch of squat thrusts (among other things) would determine the quality of your cologne, wig and, uh, underwear. Tetsuya Nomura has already confirmed this entertaining section will return for the remake, stating to ‘look forward to it’, but what about the one section which involved the Honey Bee Inn? In this scene, whilst you search for cross-dressing items, you can potentially find yourself gang-raped by horny, bulking men. This is a real thing. Whilst the camera does pan up as the men all pile onto Cloud, the intention is as clear as day. Unfortunately, in this day and age where game age ratings are a lot stricter, it’s unfortunately likely to be removed to avoid an 18 rating, or Adult. It’s a shame, but sacrifices must be made, I suppose.
Source: httpkotaku.comfinal-fantasy-vii-scenes-that-would-look-crazy-in-the-r-1711958042
Despite all of these potential changes, Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that developer Square Enix doesn’t ‘want to interfere with what makes the original title iconic […] There are certain plot points we don’t want to interfere with or disturb, nor will we want to change elements that fans have very big attachments to’, so expect Aeris/Aerith to still snuff it by Sephiroth’s masamune. In fact, expect Aeris’ name to be properly translated to Aerith, this time. The translation was one factor which has been in dire need of updating, so the remake will ensure to fix this, so no more ‘This man are sick’ text boxes or ‘Off course’ when you agree to continue fighting in the battle arena. So no matter how open the world may become, how airships may end up working as a quick travel option which so many modern RPGs have, or how levelling Materia will work, it’s a safe bet that you’ll still at least enjoy the story and its new clarity. Heck, the story will probably be expanded thanks to the onslaught of Final Fantasy VII spin-off media which has come out since, such as Zack’s story in Crises Core, or Vincent’s in Dirge of Cerberus. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how the remake turns out and, if for whatever reason I don’t like it so much, there’s always the original to go back and play as many times as I wish.
Source: httpwww.twinfinite.net20150617final-fantasy-vii-remake-cloud-dress
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