The Argument For and Against a Final Fantasy 6 Remake Like 7

Summary

Final Fantasy 6's popularity continues to spark interest in a remake of it like FF7's, with the potential to greatly enhance visuals and opportunities to expand storytelling.
Challenges for an FF6 remake include navigating possible story and character changes, balancing complex gameplay mechanics, and the need for developer Square Enix to devote significant time and resources to such a project.
Despite obstacles, the allure of an FF6 remake remains strong, making it a good candidate to pick up the remake mantle after Final Fantasy 7 Remake's final installment.

Final Fantasy 6 is perpetually in conversations about the most impactful and influential games ever to grace the industry. Square's timeless tale of identity, loss, and friendships forged from overcoming heartbreaking hardships continues to resonate in the over 30 years since its original 1994 release. Final Fantasy 6 is regarded as a milestone in gaming, pushing the boundaries of what an RPG, and indeed the medium, could achieve and convey, becoming cemented among the all-time greats.

The studio followed up in 1997 with the also-beloved Final Fantasy 7, which left the series' pixel era behind and, among other innovations, introduced one of the franchise's most famous and complex protagonists along with a similarly compelling and emotional story. Square Enix's venture remaking FF7 from the ground up for a modern trilogy starting in 2020 has been highly successful, and the project has garnered much praise from fans. In its wake, it spurred talk about if, and how, a remake of Final Fantasy 6 in the same style could work, and there is much to be said on both sides about the possibility of it receiving the treatment.

Adding to the discussion, it was recently revealed that Hironobu Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy creator and former longtime director, is developing a title he describes as an FF6 successor.

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The Pros and Cons of a Final Fantasy 6 Remake Like FF7

A Remake of Final Fantasy 6 in the Vein of FF7 Could be Even More Epic

Final Fantasy 6's legacy is as strong as ever, and the desire for a remake is arguably at an all-time high, especially in light of the reception FF7's has seen so far. Some developers have already expressed interest in one, and given its perennially popular status, it seems like it might be a natural decision for Square Enix to turn its attention to one after FF7 Remake's third and final part is released. Opportunities to expand on the characters, setting, and storytelling that follow in Final Fantasy 7 Remake's footsteps are abundant for a potential FF6 one.

Though Final Fantasy's Pixel Remasters did an excellent job of refining the experience while retaining the titles' classic look, the visual fidelity of FF7 Remake and Rebirth's realistic character models applied to FF6 would likewise be able to more clearly express the breadth of emotions on display throughout the adventure. While the original's 16-bit sprites are some of its most charming and cherished aspects, their sometimes cartoonish presentation could contrast at times with the more serious and somber parts of the plot. Combined with being fully voice-acted, rendering them in the manner of FF7's remakes would make the memorable highs and lows hit home even harder.

Final Fantasy 6 also holds the crown for the largest cast of party members in the series. And while Terra, Locke, and Celeste are often thought of as its "main" protagonists, each of the eleven others has their own involved tales, and could equally benefit from the above. This might even extend to smaller subplots and previously minor NPCs, like how Leslie was elevated in the Remake.

Finally, some of Final Fantasy 6's most famous inclusions, like the opera house scene and the unforgettable marathon final battle against Kefka (who himself would likely be even more imposing and unsettling in a version like this), as well as the entire world itself, would all look incredible if designed to align with FF7 Remake's production standards in mind.

There have been persistent rumors and leaks about a Final Fantasy 9 Remake being next in line, though this has not been officially confirmed.

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A Final Fantasy 6 Remake In the Style of FF7 Would Face Some Interesting Challenges

Why It May Be More Difficult For a Final Fantasy 6 Remake to Be Like FF7's

One of the biggest surprises was the changes made to Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth's story versus the original. These played with fans' previous knowledge of the plot, subverting expectations in a number of ways. Final Fantasy 6 may be a bit more straightforward in its overall story structure comparatively, but it contains just as much depth and character development heavily predicated on events unfolding as they did originally. Altering any of them in a remake the way FF7 has would make pulling off the same narrative trick twice quite tricky, if not impossible, without hugely impacting existing elements.

There are other major gameplay and mechanical considerations that might present hurdles to translating a hypothetical Final Fantasy 6 remake into FF7's designs. The Magicite system is already complex and extensive, and while Final Fantasy 7's materia is somewhat similar in terms of flexibility and progression, the sheer number of possibilities and combinations in FF6 easily outstrips it. This isn't even to mention how the combat might need to be intricately reworked and finely balanced to respect FF6's unique and diverse cast, keeping the feel of the classic ATB while incorporating FF7 Remake's more action-oriented style.

More practically, such an undertaking would require Square Enix to devote a substantial amount of time and resources to it. Studio Vice President and Final Fantasy 7 Remake producer, Yoshinori Kitase, previously stated in an interview that he estimated an FF6 remake akin to FF7 might take around 20 years due to the number of moving parts and the effort needed to properly address it. And like FF7, it would probably need to be split into separate entries, with at least two covering the Worlds of Balance and Ruin respectively, and potentially dividing the latter into distinct halves. This would see fans waiting years again between releases before the entire experience was complete.

Still, interest in a Final Fantasy 6 remake ala FF7 persists, and it is an enticing prospect. Even so, Square Enix would need to weigh all its options carefully and plan accordingly if it eventually were to commit to one. In the meantime, fans can continue to imagine what one might look like as they await the forthcoming final chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy.

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