The pillars of the original story stand strong: mercenary Cloud Strife, his eco-freedom-fighter cohorts Barret and Tifa, and compassionate flower girl Aerith take on the Shinra Corporation, who mine and deplete the planet of energy-rich Mako in order to power Midgar and provide safety and comfort to its citizens. Cloud is still a mopey asshole, Barret still has a mouth as big as his gun arm, and Aerith’s positivity still pierces through the game’s dark overtones like a beacon in the night. The major story developments remain largely unchanged.
Release Date: April 10, 2020
Platform: PS4
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: RPG
Just as the remake’s visuals are in higher definition than its predecessor, its story is told in higher detail as well. We learn new things about the characters, like how Wedge loves cats (it’s adorable and it makes sense). A character like Jessie, who was little more than a blip in the original game’s grand narrative, now provides some of the story’s most memorable, emotional scenes. And while we always knew Cloud was a mercenary, now we get to actually collect bounties with him across Midgar. You really get a sense of how big and bustling the city is, and in general, Final Fantasy VII Remake has an impressive sense of scale and depth that puts to rest fans’ worries about the game feeling cursory or insubstantial.
Some of the issues with the original story remain—many of the villains feel interchangeable and the plot gets more convoluted as it unfolds. But while the plot can be a little messy and illogical, the emotional journeys of the characters are the main focus, which really gives the story gravity and makes things easier to digest and invest in. Square Enix games can sometimes feel soulless and overwrought, bogged down by lore and exposition, but that’s not the case here. This is a soulful game full of genuinely moving character moments and voice actors who actually sound like real people dealing with real issues (only Barret’s voice actor ever ventured into over-the-top territory, but it’s tasteful for the most part).
Storytelling is the priority in nearly every moment of the game, whether it be during cutscenes, exploration, or even during combat, and I loved this. The characters are constantly exchanging playful banter (Final Fantasy XV fans, rejoice), and obviously, the fact that the characters are brought to life with voice actors and gloriously detailed character models gives the game a much fuller cinematic quality than the original had.
Another thing that stands out to me as a reason the remake is so darn good is the presentation. One of the main reasons the original Final Fantasy VII was such a groundbreaking game was the way it looked and sounded. When it debuted in 1997, it was arguably the most cinematic game ever created, with dazzling FMV cutscenes that truly breathed life into the already excellent story. On top of that, the character and environmental designs were iconic (still are), and composer Nobuo Uematsu arranged one of the greatest video game scores of all time. It looked and sounded more like a big-budget movie than any game that had come before it.
