Final Fantasy 7 Remake released in 2020 as a full modern day re-imagining of the classic JRPG. Its graphics and soundtrack are top-notch, the gameplay shifted from turn-based to real-time action, and there are details aplenty for hardcore Final Fantasy fans. To call the game a complete remake is a disservice though, as Final Fantasy 7 Remake only retells the first few hours of the original game.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a linear game. It extends the opening act of Midgar - something that takes a handful of hours in the original - into a full 40-hour campaign. The remake's linearity is not a problem here considering the original Midgar is also straightforward. However, concerns arise when looking at the rest of the game. After players leave the city of Midgar, Final Fantasy 7's world completely opens up. This makes a linear Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 seemingly impossible, so the game's style will most likely change as a result.

RELATED: Final Fantasy 7 Launches 25th Anniversary Virtual Fan Art Exhibit

Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Linear Structure

cloud action combat

Final Fantasy 7 Remake's linearity and extended runtime work to its advantage. Since the pacing is slowed down, characters like Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge get backstories and more of a chance to shine. Areas are now densely populated, and Midgar feels more like a city than ever. The slower story allows players to get even more invested into the start of Cloud's journey, though the structure does not come without its faults.

While Final Fantasy 7 Remake expands on Midgar and its residents, a lot of the game's plot feels like fluff. This is not relegated to just side content either, the game's linearity thrusts players into it. Sections like the haunted Train Graveyard contain original storylines that hold no relevance to the plot. Fluff and padding was inevitable, especially when attempting to extend a five-hour chunk of game into forty hours.

Overall, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's good outweighs the bad. The deeper character relationships and fully realized locations are more memorable than the occasional filler. FF7 Remake is good as a standalone, linear adventure, but there is still a ton of game left to cover. This linear gameplay style will surely have to change in order for Remake Part 2 and games beyond that to succeed.

RELATED: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Has Big Boots To Fill

Final Fantasy 7 After Leaving Midgar

Final Fantasy 7 Open World

After leaving Midgar, Final Fantasy 7 turns from a linear JRPG to a fully open adventure. There is still a main objective to follow, but players are free to explore the world map and find side content. Here, players even gain access to Chocobos they can ride and breed, and the typical Final Fantasy airship. Overall, there are too many areas to realistically expect the same level of detail given to 7 Remake Part 1 - unless each part stretches just one section into a full experience.

Luckily, developer Square Enix has a history making modern open-world games. Final Fantasy 15 is fully open-world, even if the game's map is not terribly detailed. Combining the world designs of 7 Remake and 15 would be the best bet: have an interactive world for players to explore, and save the densely packed details for major hub areas like Cosmo Canyon and Junon Harbor. Midgar also happens to be one of the largest areas in the original, so giving it the most scale and detail fits within the context of the world. That said, the end of the first part changes the story so drastically that everything beyond may tell a different story entirely.

Final Fantasy Remake's Potential Story Changes

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Sephiroth

Putting filler aside, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's story deviates heavily by the end of the game, resulting in a final battle with Sephiroth that takes place dozens of hours too early. It is heavily implied that the remainder of 7 Remake will take place in an alternate timeline, and the problem here is immediately clear. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not a true remake if it only tells the first part of the story before switching to something else entirely. That said, changing the story up can allow the first part's polish and gameplay style to continue while surprising longtime fans with something new.

If 7 Remake's future installments are not faithful, Square Enix is free to make whatever type of game it likes. The linear style fits the first part well, so applying something similar to a new story centered around famous set pieces from the original game could also work in the second part and beyond. Square Enix should know that changing the story too much will disappoint fans, so the majority of it will hopefully be kept regardless.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 has a lot to live up to. Not only will fans want to see a faithful recreation of the original game, but a worthy successor to the remake's first part. Square Enix has a lot to decide on when it comes to pacing, the story, and the overall gameplay structure. Regardless, it will likely be years before Final Fantasy 7 Remake is complete.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in development.

MORE: The Perfect Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Reveal Date Seems Obvious