Final Fantasy VII Remake
After years of anticipation and hype, the first entry in the ongoing project to remake legendary 1997 RPG Final Fantasy VII finally arrived in 2020. It remains one of the best Final Fantasy games in recent history, and its slightly more command-based combat system is sure to feel as “real-time” as Final Fantasy XVI’s combat, just with some more tactical considerations as well as full control over a party—something Final Fantasy XVI was notable for eschewing.
Final Fantasy VII doesn’t aim for the same kind of Game-of-Thrones-inspired moodiness and tone, but it certainly covers some heavy concepts. Environmental destruction is a central theme in the struggle the protagonists face, and its heroes are, in their own way, every bit as much the political radicals that Clive and his friends are.
If you’re really in the mood for another epic story, however, and aren’t opposed to playing an older game, I do recommend playing the original, 1997 Final Fantasy VII before jumping into Remake. That first game tells the entire original story (whereas Remake only covers the first act), and there are things that Remake is doing that you’ll only recognize and appreciate if you’re already familiar with the original game.
