As fans have been playing through Final Fantasy 7 Remake and replaying for the postgame, it's becoming fairly clear that there are a number of similarities between this recent release and Square-Enix's previous title in the series. Considering that Final Fantasy 15 was originally designed and directed by Tetsua Nomura, the Game Director for Final Fantasy 7 Remake, these similarities certainly make sense.
In a lot of ways, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a huge improvement on a number of the mechanics that first appeared in Final Fantasy 15, albeit with a few features that fans would have liked to see stay. As a result, this most recent remake is not only the obvious evolution of the original, but the series as a whole.
Improved Final Fantasy Combat
The combat system in Final Fantasy 7 almost seems like the inevitable next step for the more active combat systems that Square-Enix has been moving towards since Final Fantasy 13. As a result, this newest title has taken a very similar style of combat from Final Fantasy 15, complete with button mashing and issuing commands while jumping around the combat arenas with a cinematic flare.
In an attempt to cut down on making the new game feel too much like Kingdom Hearts, the ATB system from the original Final Fantasy 7 makes for the ultimate combination of the fast paced action of Final Fantasy 15 with the tactical battles of the earlier series. However, that doesn't mean that every single aspect from the combat is an improvement, as the previous entry still holds one feature over its successor.
Final Fantasy AI Companions Should Have Stayed the Same
The AI companions in Final Fantasy 15 were pivotal to everything from the combat system to the plot. Especially considering that only Noctis was playable at release, the others had to be controlled by an intelligent system that could best utilize their fighting styles while the player issued simple commands and controlled the main character.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake forgoes this complex AI in favor of allowing the player to control all of the characters in the party on their own. As a result, while the characters not currently under the player's control can attack and defend, they have trouble filling their ATB bars on their own and require the player to take control in most fights in order to make the most of the new combat system.
Improved Final Fantasy Cinematics
It would be a tough sell to try claiming that the cinematics from Final Fantasy 15 weren't some of the best that we had seen at the time of its release, or since it released for that matter. However, the visuals, while trying not to break up the gameplay too much, often relied on a dynamic camera similar to the single shot mechanic from God of War, which both makes for a visually stunning experience, but also a fairly limited view of events.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake instead took reference from Advent Children, the CGI animated movie from 2005 that acted as a cap off for the original game's Cloud vs Sephiroth plotline. As a result, even certain attacks like Limit Breaks and Summon abilities weren't afraid to use jump cuts in order to give every movement, action, and fight a much more cinematic feel, that while distancing the player, offers a much more visually appealing experience.
Final Fantasy's Open World Take Should Have Stayed the Same
Almost every game these days wants to be a massive open world adventure, filled with side quests and a thriving ecosystem. Final Fantasy 15 was the first attempt by Square-Enix to open the world to this extent, even filling the space with challenging optional dungeons and unique enemies to face off against, and even its shortcomings had something to bring the world alive nonetheless.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake took a much more linear style, often putting players on rails similar to how Final Fantasy 13 played out. While it would have been a big ask to request an open world in the remake of a previously fairly linear game, and Midgar already feels alive as is, many players were hoping for a more open experience that allowed players to explore the slums and plates more freely.
Improved Final Fantasy Magic
This could easily fit with what makes the combat so much better in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but the magic system in Final Fantasy 15 hurting allies deserves its own attention. More than just being inconvenient to use, Final Fantasy 15 also made players jump through hoops just to access the magic available within the game, forcing them to sacrifice rare materials to create powerful spells.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake takes the materia system from the original game and adds a layer of nuance that makes using the stronger and weaker versions more or less useful depending on the situation. However, most importantly is the fact that casting magic doesn't hurt companions if they are in the blast zone, making magic infinitely more useful, since players don't have to weigh the cost benefit of nuking their own teammates.
Optional FF Dungeons Should Have Stayed the Same
This one is likely a side effect of isolating the first episode of Final Fantasy 7 Remake into Midgar, limiting the locations and scope of the world that players are allowed to explore. As a result, while the new remake has secret boss fights, and side quests that send players through dungeons a second or third time, there's nothing quite as intricate as Pitioss or challenging as Costlemark from Final Fantasy 15.
It's possible that future episodes will open up more optional dungeons or they could be arriving in DLC, but with the addition of areas like Hojo's lab and the secret facility under the Sector 7 Slums, there is clearly room for more challenging enemies and bosses to fill compelling optional dungeons. The real problem comes from the extremely linear path that players are set on as soon as they boot up Final Fantasy 7 Remake that takes control out of the player's hands and forces the story to follow the rails that the game wants it to follow, which may not be a deal breaker, but certainly works to the game's disadvantage.
Final Fantasy 7 is available now for PS4.