Square Enix has finally announced the second part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project, although it is no longer calling itself a remake.
Officially revealed as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, it will release in Winter 2023 as a PS5 exclusive. Our first look at the title came during Final Fantasy 7’s 25th Anniversary celebration on Thursday. While we’ve always known this remake would be released in parts, producer Yoshinori Kitase reported that the plan is to create a Remake trilogy, ending with a currently unnamed third entry.
The brief gameplay snippet showed us Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, and Sephiroth. You can also hear a narration from Aerith, which alludes to the main events of the original PS1 game. It’s a very famous moment in Final Fantasy 7 and there’s no guarantee it will happen again in Rebirth, but this could be spoilery for some. If that’s not an issue, you can watch the reveal trailer below:
Otherwise, the 25th anniversary broadcast brought some additional surprises. After six months of Epic Games Store exclusivity on PC, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is launching on Steam today. Even better, it’s also compatible with the Steam Deck.
Finally, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has also been announced, due for release in late 2022. Arriving on all major consoles and PC, Square Enix is ​​remastering this previously PSP-exclusive prequel focused on Zack Fair. Giving it a visual upgrade, Reunion includes new 3D models, full voice acting for all dialogue, and a newly arranged soundtrack.
Is Rebirth what the fans really wanted?
At this point, it’s no secret that Final Fantasy 7 Remake has taken a drastically different approach and there will be some spoilers in the paragraph below.
While the Remake starts off as the PS1 game, we soon learn that events take a drastically different turn. However, Remake simultaneously recognizes what originally happened through the ghostly Whispers, who attempted to preserve the original timeline. With their defeat, our band of heroes defies fate, clearing the way for a new timeline with no continuity restrictions.
The remake ended up being highly rated, and while I personally loved that approach, it left some fans divided. After years of wanting a straightforward remake, Square Enix evidently wasn’t happy to rest on its laurels from the original Final Fantasy 7. quite appropriate.
Right now, anyone looking for a direct remake of Final Fantasy 7 might be better served by Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis. Keeping the Active Time Battle system from the original game, this retells the wider Final Fantasy 7 build. So expect this to adapt the original PS1 game Advent Children, Before Crisis, Crisis Core, and Dirge of Cerberus.
However, Ever Crisis doesn’t seem to cover the entire Final Fantasy 7 compilation, just its main events. It’s also mobile-only and thanks to its episodic and free model it’s supported by loot boxes, I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect alternative either. Still, if you’re curious to try it out, the 25th Anniversary broadcast has confirmed that an Ever Crisis beta will launch later this year.
