Final Fantasy VII Remake

Final Fantasy VII Remake
source
Title	Final Fantasy VII Remake
Developer	Square Enix, Square Soft
Publisher	Square Enix
Director	Tetsuya Nomura
Producer	Yoshinori Kitase
Designer	Tetsuya Nomura, Naoki Hamaguchi
Artist	Tetsuya Nomura, Emiko Iwasaki
Composer	Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, Mitsuto Suzuki
Series	Final Fantasy
Platforms	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows
Released	2020–2021
Genre	Action role-playing game
Modes	Single-player

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a 2020 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. It is a reimagining of the 1997 Final Fantasy VII originally developed by Square for the PlayStation; the project blends cinematic presentation, contemporary gameplay, and expanded narrative content. The title revitalized legacy elements from the original while introducing new mechanics, characters, and plot developments that interact with the wider Final Fantasy canon and related media.

Gameplay

The game combines real-time action with strategic menu-driven systems, integrating influences from Devil May Cry, Kingdom Hearts, and the original Final Fantasy VII tactical commands. Players control multiple protagonists including Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, and Aerith Gainsborough across segments tied to locations such as Midgar's Sector 7, Shinra Electric Power Company facilities, and the Wall Market; combat switches perspectives and leverages the Active Time Battle heritage through the ATB gauge, materia customization, and Limit Breaks. Party composition, materia loadouts, weapon upgrades, and summons like Ifrit and Shiva echo systems from Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy XII while introducing action combos, parries, and enemy AI rooted in design patterns seen in Monster Hunter and Dark Souls. Exploration includes side quests, minigames referencing Chocobo series entries, and interactive sequences influenced by cinematic direction akin to Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV.

Plot

Set primarily in the industrial city of Midgar, the narrative follows the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE and mercenary Cloud Strife as they oppose the Shinra corporation's exploitation of Mako energy and confront mysteries tied to Sephiroth. Expanded scenes deepen relationships among Barret Wallace, Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, Red XIII, and ancillary figures like Reno and Rude of the Turks, as well as new characters introduced to broaden ties to Zack Fair lore and Nibelheim flashbacks. The revised storyline diverges at key junctures, invoking concepts from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, and meta-narrative elements that engage with time travel themes found in works like Chrono Trigger and Steins;Gate; these revisions culminate in an ending that reframes canonical expectations and sets narrative threads toward subsequent installments.

Development

Development was helmed by veterans from Square Enix and Square Soft including director Tetsuya Nomura and producer Yoshinori Kitase, with scenario contributions from Kazushige Nojima. The project originated after the corporate merger that formed Square Enix and drew technical resources from teams experienced on Final Fantasy XV, Kingdom Hearts III, and Nier: Automata; the latter influenced combat refinement through collaboration with developers linked to PlatinumGames design philosophies. The soundtrack reimagined compositions by Nobuo Uematsu with new arrangements by Masashi Hamauzu and Mitsuto Suzuki, integrating orchestral sessions comparable to those for Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XV concerts. Development faced challenges balancing nostalgia for the original PlayStation release, modern expectations shaped by The Last of Us, Uncharted, and production constraints similar to those experienced on Final Fantasy XV's prolonged development cycle.

Release and editions

Initially released for PlayStation 4 in April 2020, the title later saw an expanded Intergrade version for PlayStation 5 in 2021 that included exclusive content featuring Yuffie Kisaragi and graphical enhancements akin to next-generation updates like those for The Witcher 3. A native Windows port followed, joining other flagship PC releases by Square Enix such as Final Fantasy XV (Windows Edition). Editions included standard, deluxe, digital deluxe, and collector's packages featuring artbooks, soundtrack CDs, and figurines produced in collaboration with manufacturers like Good Smile Company and licensors associated with PlayArts. Promotional tie-ins involved appearances at events including E3, the Tokyo Game Show, and collaborations with PlayStation hardware marketing.

Reception

Critics praised the game for its cinematic presentation, musical score, and reworked combat while noting pacing issues and deviations from the original's structure; reviews referenced peers like The Last of Us Part II and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice when discussing narrative and difficulty. The title received awards and nominations from organizations such as The Game Awards, D.I.C.E. Awards, and Golden Joystick Awards, and was subject to academic and fan analysis paralleling discourse on remakes and narrative adaptation seen in other media like Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Community response included modding activity on platforms similar to Nexus Mods and fan projects inspired by the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.

Sales and impact

The game achieved strong commercial performance, topping sales charts on Famitsu and global retail rankings, contributing to renewed interest in the Final Fantasy franchise comparable to boosts after Final Fantasy VII's original release and Final Fantasy XIV's relaunch. Its success influenced Square Enix's strategy for live-service titles, single-player productions, and multimedia extensions, echoing corporate moves seen in companies like Capcom and Konami. The remake's cultural footprint extended into merchandise, concert tours mirroring Distant Worlds, and renewed scholarly attention to game preservation and transmedia storytelling.

Category:Final Fantasy games