Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most beloved games in history. For many, it was their first introduction to the world of the turn-based RPG. Some fell in love with its story, and its colorful and diverse cast of characters. For others, the variety offered by its intuitive combat system was eye-opening. It stands as one of the greatest games in modern times, so when the long awaited remake was released, it certainly had a lot to live up to. On its release in 2020, Final Fantasy 7 Remake managed to live up to the fans' rather lofty expectations, and delivered an experience that felt both nostalgic and brand-new at the same time.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the sequel and 2nd part of a now-confirmed trilogy, has the unenviable task of not only continuing this experience but growing it even further. With the recent announcement of a 'next winter' release date and a first look at some (albeit brief) gameplay footage, the sense of anticipation is growing by the day. Perhaps the main reason for the excitement is not what possible upgrades to the combat or visuals could look like, but exactly where the story could go.
Opening Pandora's Box
The climax of Final Fantasy 7 Remake saw protagonist Cloud Strife and his group of ragtag friends at a crossroads. Players learned that the sequence of events that played out in the original 1997 game is not necessarily the same set of events that will unfold across this new trilogy. Mysterious entities known as 'Whispers' were present throughout this retelling of the story, with their role being to ensure that any event that wasn't destined to happen was prevented. Upon defeating these whispers in the game's climax, Cloud and his friends effectively opened Pandora's box, with nothing now stopping events from playing out completely differently. 'Boundless, terrifying freedom,' as Aerith called it.
This opens up an incredible amount of possibilities, which is a smart move by Square Enix. The developer has effectively removed the shackles from itself in terms of mapping out the story for this new trilogy. No longer are major events such as Aerith's death guaranteed to happen. With so much about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth unknown, there are many huge questions unanswered. Fans have to wonder whether the story will play out the same, if FF7 Rebirth will introduce new characters, and if Cloud and his friends will follow the same path fans saw them take in the original game, hitting all the major landmarks along the way.
The Same, But Different
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Certain story events in Final Fantasy 7 were instrumental in shaping Cloud's journey. Having left Midgar, Cloud and his friends head to the small town of Kalm. It is here that Cloud recounts key events from earlier in his life, that took place with Sephiroth in the village of Nibelheim. It would make logical sense for these events to take place right at the start of Rebirth, laying the foundations for the narrative and character motivations early into the journey. After this point though, in theory, the sequence of events could change drastically.
During Final Fantasy 7, Many of the towns and cities which Cloud passes through in his dogged pursuit of Sephiroth all play integral parts in moving the plot forward in a particular order. Key locations include Junon, Costa Del Sol, Wutai, Nibelheim, Cosmo Canyon, and Gold Saucer. In each of these locations, significant plot points are revealed. These range from discovering Vincent Valentine in the depths of an old church in Nibelheim to visiting Red XIII's hometown of Cosmo Canyon and learning more about the planet's history with Bugenhagen. Cloud's pursuit of Sephiroth is initially fueled purely by a thirst for revenge, but as the plot develops, with each new location and discovery, his and the rest of the party's motivations shift and change. What starts as a revenge mission very quickly turns into a quest to save the planet.
The Path Well Traveled
One of Final Fantasy 7 Remake's few criticisms was that it was extremely linear. Aside from some side missions, the player wasn't really free to go and do their own thing in any order they liked without following Final Fantasy 7's timeline. With the open-world genre becoming somewhat saturated lately, this isn't necessarily the worst thing. Still, while it's not known if Square Enix will take the same approach with Rebirth, with the world opening up the way that it does post-Midgar in the original, it would make logical sense for this sequel to give the player far more control over how they proceed. With a wealth of content presumably to be saved for the third and final chapter, exactly where in the story Square Enix decide to finish Rebirth is not known.
A solid option for an endpoint would be right after the Temple of the Ancients. In the original, it is here that the narrative hurtles forward and the stakes are raised. Cloud, under the control of Sephiroth, hands over the Black Materia to him, which Sephiroth intends to use in order to summon Meteor and devastate the planet. It's a point in the story where the player realizes the scale of this quest, and it would set up the final chapter really well. The other obvious option is The Forgotten City. In the original, this is the setting for Aerith's tragic demise, which some argue is the best death in video game history. Depending on how things play out, though, that might not even end up happening here or at all.
The Future Is Not Guaranteed
Whatever Square Enix decides to do with the story, it is likely impossible that it will manage to please everyone. Some fans will want the developers to stick as rigidly to the story as possible, meaning all landmarks and plot points should unfold in the exact same order. Equally, others who are less resistant to change will be hoping to see a fresh spin on events, with some of the huge story points in the original FF7 either changed or removed completely. Square Enix will understandably want to keep details under wraps until as close to launch as possible, so in the meantime, there will be plenty of speculation while fans try to come up with their own theories.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is currently scheduled to release in Winter 2023 for PS5.