Summary
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth impresses fans with detailed revisits to iconic locations like Junon and the Gold Saucer.
- Despite some lack of surprises for newer players, the dedication of developers is evident in this hit game.
- The ending of the Remake trilogy may be limited by Advent Children's requirements, leaving little room for unexpected twists.
Spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are ahead. Square Enix is still in the middle of creating what will be one of its most fondly remembered works years after it ends with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and the yet untitled third installment that week to remake Final Fantasy 7 for both old and new audiences. After Remake made Midgar incredibly large and expansive, Rebirth lets fans revisit Junon, the Gold Saucer, and more in just as much detail. The developers at the helm of the project are extremely dedicated to bringing fan-favorite moments in games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to life and it shows.
This effort has most certainly played in Square Enix's favor, as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been a hit with both critics and fans. If there was anything to criticize the game for it would be its lack of surprises for newer players despite how much Rebirth was called an "unknown journey" with plenty of uncertainty. While there's still room for a few more plot twists, as it isn't entirely clear that Aerith is dead by the time the game ends, the entire FF7 Remake trilogy will lead to Advent Children when everything's said and done, which makes it very clear that these remakes are still just remakes.
The Final Fantasy 7 Remake Project Might Be Stuck With What Advent Children Requires
It's understandable why the developers of the Remake project want to keep it in line with Advent Children because the full-fledged sequel film to the original FF7 still means a lot to many fans. In order for this connection to hold, however, there's very little room for things to change in terms of the trilogy's ending which takes the wind out of the sails of much of its uncertainty, as Advent Children deals with mourning important character deaths.
If anything, Aerith and Zack will still be dead, and Cloud may still have to deal with his grief due to feeling like even more of a failure after not having saved them both.
With this in mind, this leaves the entire Remake trilogy in a bit of a tricky situation - one that is only compounded by the vague nature of Rebirth's ending. After narrowly knocking Sephiroth's sword away, Aerith should have been saved from the fatal blow, but realities clash between one where she lives and one where she dies, with Aerith's fate remaining uncertain as everyone mourns her, but Cloud can still see her despite that.
Including Advent Children as the End of the FF7 Remake Trilogy Leaves Little Elbow Room For a New Ending
The upcoming third installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is likely to go in-depth with what exactly is happening to Aerith, and by extension, Zack and Biggs as well. However, Advent Children's very obvious theme of Cloud having to mourn the loss of Aerith and Zack means that there are not many routes the story can take without breaking the continuity the devs seem to want to establish. If anything, Aerith and Zack will still be dead, and Cloud may still have to deal with his grief due to feeling like even more of a failure after not having saved them both.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gives some hope that their fates may be changed just like the trilogy keeps teasing between each installment, though. With the introduction of the multiple worlds in which Zack and Biggs are still alive and are trying to save their fate, there could be an alternate ending in which Aerith still gets to live. She could easily remain in the other world along with Final Fantasy 7's Zack and still hold a connection to Cloud, explaining why he can see and hear them in Advent Children. Even still, what the FF7 movie already offers might keep the story of the Remake trilogy rather predictable, but fans will just need to stay tuned to see how the ending really plays out in the next few years.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Metascore
- 93
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
