Several days ago, Square Enix finally released the highly-anticipated remake of its 1997 classic game, Final Fantasy 7. The latest reimagining of Final Fantasy 7 isn't just a direct retelling of the original game's story. Instead, Square Enix introduced several changes to Final Fantasy 7's story and structure, expanding on the foundations set by the original game and making it an even bigger JRPG. A fair warning to readers that this article will have MAJOR SPOILERS.
However, players shouldn't worry about Final Fantasy 7 changing too much. Most of the game's story elements are still there, but the remake introduced slight changes to give the story more depth and meaning. Players would also see more of Midgar than ever before, which means that new side quests and characters are also introduced to fill in the games. Now, for players who are interested to know, here are the major changes in Final Fantasy 7 remake. There are a ton of changes to the story and new inclusions such as the Whispers, but to avoid as many spoilers as possible, those have been avoided here.
Avalanche is Bigger
Unlike in the original game, the remake depicts Avalanche as a bigger organization containing multiple factions where the main characters are just one part. Avalanche is also well equipped and even has a more variety of weapons and multiple helicopters. This equipment comes in handy as Avalance had to rescue Cloud and company a couple of times in the game's story. Additionally, many of Avalanche's members get more screen time in the remake.
Apart from Aerith, Tifa, and Barret, Final Fantasy 7 remake also allowed players to get to know other members such as Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs. Given that the first few hours of the remake have been more fleshed out, these three characters get plenty of screen time, allowing players to get to know them better as opposed to the original game.
Cloud is More Fleshed Out
In the original game, Cloud doesn't really have that much personality. He often acts cold and distant, which is typical for protagonists of the '90s. However, the remake changes all that making him more human and relatable, and the game also spends a lot of time revealing Cloud's inner thoughts and insight into the other sides of his personality. Additionally, the game depicts Cloud as a more complex character than in the original game, and the new story contains a lot of scenes that showed more of Cloud's caring side.
Sepiroth Appears Early
One of the biggest changes in Final Fantasy 7 remake revolves around Sepiroth. In the original game, Sepiroth does not make a proper appearance in Midgar. Instead, players would only see the aftermath of his actions, but he won't actually make a physical appearance in the first part of the game. The remake shows Sepiroth early, and he is more involved in the beginning part of the story than ever before. It is obvious at the start that his mere presence upsets Cloud, which showed just how threatening Sepiroth is, and that the two of them have a history that sheds some light into Cloud's past.
Sepiroth would make several appearances throughout the story, and although he is more involved in the remake as opposed to the original, his character still retains some level of mystery, especially in the context of his link with Cloud. It is likely that Square Enix will be fleshing out this link in future parts of the game, which would shed more light on both characters of Cloud and Sepiroth.
New Side Quests and Mini-Game
Of course, since Final Fantasy 7 shows players more of Midgar, players have the opportunity to embark on odd jobs and side quests to increase their reputation as a mercenary. This allows players to see the ins and outs of Midgar and meet some of the city's residents. Players may take three sidequests from three chapters in the game, which could lead to an additional storyline in the main campaign. Furthermore, these side quests also allow players to get additional weapons for different characters.
Apart from sidequests, there is also a new dancing mini-game in Final Fantasy 7 remake. As part of players attempting to infiltrate Don Corneo's place to find Tifa, players would come across the Honey Bee Inn, where they will meet Andrea Rhodea, the owner of the establishment. Here, players will participate in a dancing mini-game where Cloud has to take the stage and mimic Rhodea's dance moves to impress him. It is worth knowing that this mini-game is fast-paced and involves hitting the correct button at the right time.
New Boss Fights
Final Fantasy 7 remake also introduces new bosses and combat elements. In chapter 4 of the game, players will encounter Roche who is renegade SOLDIER 3rd Class, and players will meet him during a motorcycle ride with Jessie heading to the Shinra warehouse. The encounter with Roche leads to a fight against him, and he expresses that he enjoys battling against Cloud just as much as he loves riding his motorcycle. After that players will also end up fighting with him one-on-one.
Of course, the combat in Final Fantasy 7 remake has been overhauled as well. Instead of the classic turn-based combat that has been a staple in early Final Fantasy games, players fight real-time in the remake. However, players will still make use of the ATB gauge, which will fill up every time the player lands a hit on the enemy. The remake also features a weapon upgrade system that allows players to improve the fighting style of each character.
Final Fantasy 7 is available now for PS4.