The original Final Fantasy 7 is packed full of epic, memorable moments. When Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released over 20 years later, it gave gamers the opportunity to relive some of their favorite moments from the Midgar section of the story all over again. From the battle with Airbuster and the Plate collapsing to infiltrating Shinra HQ, each of these key segments of the story were brought to life in stunning new detail.
it isn't confirmed how much of the story Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth will actually cover. However, it could well include many more of FF7's most exciting moments, if developer Square Enix decides to keep the key plot points the same. Here are just some of the moments fans are excited to experience all over again.
Sephiroth Destroys Nibelheim
Few moments from FF7 are as recognizable as Sephiroth, giant blade in hand, walking through the raging fires of Nibelheim. After learning the truth about his origins, Sephiroth proceeds to slaughter the entire town's inhabitants in an event that marks the beginning of his descent into madness. Based on the chronological order of events in the original game, this scene should play out toward the beginning of Rebirth as long as the story isn't altered too much. It should serve to perfectly set up the narrative and establish some key backstory for both Cloud and Sephiroth.
Given FF7 Remake's final cutscenes confirmed the survival of Zack Fair in this story, it will be interesting to see how he fits in to this arc, with him playing a key role in the original events at Nibelheim. Whether Square Enix decides to stick or twist here, the events at Nibelheim will surely surface in one way or another, and gamers might just get another iconic cutscene of Sephiroth surrounded by flames.
Exploring Gold Saucer
Gold Saucer is a huge theme park located in the middle of the desert. Owned by eccentric businessman Dio, it was undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching, entertaining areas in FF7. Players could have plenty of fun exploring the park, with a variety of things to do and see. The park itself is broken up into 7 distinct zones, all offering a range of activities. These range from betting on Chocobo racing to a wealth of mini-games including rail-shooters, a snowboarding simulator, and a gondola ride. There's also a battle arena where Cloud and his party can participate in various combat encounters with prizes tied directly to difficulty. The prospect of all of this brought to life in Rebirth, with the technological advancements available to developers today, is an exciting one to say the least.
It's not too far a stretch to say Gold Saucer could be fleshed out into an area that players could easily spend hours in. Anyone who played the mini-game Fort Condor which was part of the FF7 Remake: Intergrade DLC, can see just how intuitive and addictive these mini-games can be. With Gold Saucer likely to have upwards of 10 of these types of games, it's very easy to see the vast potential this area has to be one of the biggest and best in the game.
Battling Ruby And Emerald Weapons
FF7 veterans will know Ruby and Emerald Weapon all too well. Once Sephiroth begins his mission to destroy the planet, the planet fights back by unleashing multiple giant mechanical weapons in its defense. Gamers found themselves at odds with several of these weapons throughout their journey, with some fights against them being compulsory. The two toughest of these weapons though, Ruby and Emerald, are entirely optional - and for good reason, too. They are easily some of the most powerful bosses in Final Fantasy, with both fights being a significant step up from anything else the player can find throughout the world of FF7.
Ruby is located in the desert, its giant red claw-like arm poking up out of the sand, and flying Cloud's airship into this arm triggers the unforgettable fight. Emerald is found patrolling the bottom of the ocean and can be bumped into using Cloud's submarine in order to trigger a battle. The prospect of these two titanic encounters recreated in Rebirth, complete with all the new mechanics and nuances of FF7 Remake's combat system, is incredibly mouth-watering. Questions remain over how the fights would work logistically - for example, the Emerald fight takes place completely underwater- but Square Enix will surely find a solution to this that will allow FF7 Remake's free-flowing combat to remain center stage.
Aerith's Death
A list like this wouldn't be complete without including Aerith's death, an event that many consider to be one of the most powerful deaths in video game history. At the time, it was considered relatively unheard of for one of the main characters to be killed off, especially so early into the game. Yet that's exactly what happened. Surprisingly moving and emotionally impactful, Aerith's death at the hands of Sephiroth remains a haunting and memorable moment. Arguably the standout sequence in the entire game, perhaps the biggest question that remains for Rebirth is not how this moment will be recreated, but if in fact it will even be recreated at all. FF7 Remake taught fans that the famous story can and likely will change, so gamers should keep their expectations in check for this one. Aerith may well live to fight another day.
Many More Moments To Look Forward To
These are just a handful of the moments gamers should be excited about. There are many more to choose from, with events at the Temple of the Ancients, Cosmo Canon, and Junon all being standout parts of the plot that Rebirth could reinvigorate by putting its own spin on things. Just how many of these will be saved for the third and final part of the trilogy is not known, and much depends on which direction the story goes in. Whatever happens, though, there are sure to be some truly epic moments in FF7: Rebirth that will rival the original in terms of scope and impact.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth is currently scheduled to release in Winter 2023 for PS5.