Living in a Materia World - A Final Fantasy VII Remake Review

It starts the moment I behold the city streets. The grime-covered pipes bleeding green sparks into the air. The girl in the red coat and pink dress walking down a dark alleyway. The man who steps on a delicate yellow flower, just fallen from her grasp. The look on her face. Dismay, as if the man had wounded her rather than the soft petals. She holds the flower to her chest, looks up to the sky, directly at me, and I melt. I know this girl. I’ve seen the ocean of green in her eyes years before, but it was different. Back then, I searched her face for a spark of life. Now it’s as if she’s looking at me, peering into the depths of my soul. I knew her, but it feels as if those days are fragments of another life, one to which I can never return.

All of a sudden, my perspective shifts. It’s as if I’m flying, soaring above the girl and the city streets. A helicopter flies past me. I see verdant Mako energy fill the night sky, and the seven reactors venting green-tinged smoke out into the ether. I hear the music swell, the logo flashing on screen as the orchestra begins its crescendo. I’m back in Midgar again, after 23 years.

It is glorious.

[Editor’s Note: This is a very long-form article, so you might want to bring a drink and sandwich with you for this. Also, we tried to keep spoilers to a minimum, but a few minor ones may fall through. Please be warned! And we will be doing a spoiler podcast for the game in the near future, so be on the lookout for that!]

Breaking Limits

Although I’m not a Final Fantasy VII scholar, I do know the major beats of the story. I was a teenager when the original game came out on the Sony Playstation in 1997, and I recall the phenomenon that it was when it landed on retail shelves back then. Touted as a narrative experience that could not be matched by any other form of media, including film, FFVII was more than just a simple game to many of us. It was a glimpse into the future of the industry, as games outgrew the simpler days of mascot platformers and scrolling shoot-’em-ups. It told an engrossing story through gameplay and mind-blowing cinematic sequences featuring characters that players immediately latched on to, from the aloof and mysterious Cloud to the spirited and hot-tempered Barret.

FFVII was also the coming out party for the Japanese Role-Playing Game (or JRPG) genre in the North American market. Though JRPGs were popular before FFVII’s release, it was the game that made the genre a household name, just as the Playstation itself became the most popular gaming console in the world. Backed by a $20 million marketing budget in North America, Squaresoft, the game’s developer and publisher, built a primetime ad campaign around the game’s release on September 7, 1997. It was a smash hit, selling 3 million copies in the region by 1998.

Final Fantasy VII wasn’t “just a game” to an entire generation of us. For many, it was our introduction to the world of the Final Fantasy franchise, as well as the JRPG genre. For others, FFVII was the greatest game ever made, even though it may not have been the most technically perfect. The nitpicks didn’t really matter; players loved FFVII’s goofy dialogue, pre-rendered 2D backgrounds, and squat, flat-shaded characters because they were surprisingly expressive and charming. After the story was over and the evil Sephiroth had been defeated, many of us wondered if we would ever be able to revisit this world again.

Advent Adulthood

The answer to that question, as it turned out, was yes. In the ensuing years since FFVII’s original release, Squaresoft merged with their largest competitor, Enix (creators of the Dragon Quest series), and formed the powerhouse publisher known as Square Enix. The company released the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, which not only featured a mobile action-RPG game called Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII, but also two animated film projects, Last Order and Advent Children, in 2005. One year later, a Playstation 2-exclusive third-person shooter called Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, was released, followed by Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, an action-RPG for the Playstation Portable, in 2007. The Compilation project was a massive undertaking, and served to showcase the events surrounding Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core featured Cloud’s friend, Zack Fair, prior to the events of FFVII, while Dirge of Cerberus takes place after the conclusion of the Advent Children film and follows the adventures of Vincent Valentine, a major character in the original game.

There was, however, one final piece of the puzzle that hadn’t been revealed: Final Fantasy VII Remake. Whispers of its existence began to circulate as soon as the Compilation was announced, and Square Enix seemed to test the waters with the Playstation 3 Final Fantasy VII Tech Demo trailer at E3 2005. It’s safe to say that the crowd went bananas at the time.

But alas, Square brushed off questions about their plans to remake the original game, declaring that the video was simply a test of their new rendering engine, known as Crystal Tools. Gamers were understandably heartbroken at the news, and it seemed that a remake of the game would never materialize.

Phoenix Down

Fast forward ten years, to Sony’s E3 2015 press conference, where this happened... 

...and the crowd went wild. Square Enix finally made the Remake’s existence official, and five years later, we have the end result in our hands. Of course, many of us had feelings of trepidation surrounding the remake. The modern AAA gaming market is a far different beast than it was back in 1997, and Square Enix had come under fire for mishandling some of their more recent titles (such as the Final Fantasy XIV debacle). The franchise itself has lost some of its luster for many gamers, and mainstream audiences seem far more interested in battle royale games like Fortnite or team-based multiplayer shooters like Overwatch. Would FFVII Remake be a success, given all these factors?

For me, the answer is yes. Everything from the game’s gorgeous graphics and spellbinding battle system to its amusingly cheesy (yet charming) dialogue and incredible characters made this remake shine for me. It touched my blackened heart in the same way that the original game did. Indeed, Remake took me back to the days of my youth as I revisited the dark city of Midgar, home to many heroes and fond memories.

An Avalanche of Character

So, are the characters in Remake true to their original depictions back in ‘97? I’d say yes, and one of the main reasons for that is because the original scenario writer of FFVII, Kazushige Nojima, has returned to pen the story here. He ensures the characters retain their core personalities while expanding on many of the relationships between them, and weaves many new elements into the narrative as well, like the enigmatic Whispers of Fate. Core cast members like Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Barret behave in similar ways to their original incarnations. For instance, Cloud is still quiet and aloof, and his natural response to most questions remains an *annoyed grunt*. Barret, on the other hand, is as loud and emotional as he is huge, a firebrand with a gatling gun arm. Tifa is a gentle, empathetic, maternal soul with a mean right hook and a dolphin kick that will knock you flat on your ass, and Aerith is sweet, playful, and caring, with a bit of a snarky edge to her.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the trio of Avalanche members who remain some of my favorite supporting characters in gaming to this day. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie get a lot of time to shine here, as they provide moments of levity that the game needs (and I still love the fact that Biggs and Wedge are named after old Star Wars characters). Jessie is even more flirtatious with Cloud than she was in the original game. She’s (naturally) my favorite of the three, and I love that she has a good heart beneath her playfulness and seemingly all-encompassing thirst for Cloud. I mean, she gets some of the best lines in this game, and that’s saying something.

Speaking of which, the dialogue during character interactions is far more natural and endearing, thanks to Remake’s excellent English translation and stellar voice cast. Even the stilted or cringe-inducing elicited a chuckle from me. I know that cheesy dialogue isn’t fun for some people, but it’s not a deal-breaker for me. On the other hand, there was a part of me that wanted to see the Advent Children cast reunite for this game, but the new voice cast does an excellent job of staying true to themselves while paying homage to those who came before them. Just hearing these characters come to life was enough to hook me into the narrative, and I hope Square Enix retains these actors for the upcoming chapters in the Remake. It’d be a shame to hear anyone else voice them after this.

Of Buster Swords and Dolphin Kicks

Okay, so the dialogue is tight and the characters are all well-written, but what about the combat? Let me assure you, the combat in this game is amazing. Purists may dislike the more action-oriented battles this time around, but I think it works. The Active Time Battle (or ATB) system still exists as the primary method for using magic and items, lending the combat a bit of that ol’ turn-based feeling. During battles, your AI-controlled party members attack targets on their own, and you can command them to attack specific targets or cast spells, as long as they have enough of their ATB meter charged up to do so.

In order to cast spells, FFVII Remake brings back the Materia system from the original game, and it is as essential as ever. A good Materia build is necessary to survive Remake’s tougher battles, and using linked Materia to ward off incoming elemental damage or to magnify a healing spell to restore your entire team’s HP is very satisfying. Elemental spells are fun to watch as they often result in screen-filling explosions and particle effects galore. Summoned monsters are no longer as devastating as they once were, and they can only be called forth once per battle, but fighting alongside them and witnessing their final attacks always evokes a feeling of awe. They may not decimate everything on screen like they did in the original game, but Ifrit, Shiva, Bahamut, and the other Summons still rock the house, and they look better than ever!

On the negative side, there are times when the camera can become stuck in a weird angle or position during battles, which is particularly annoying during a difficult boss fight. Locking on to a target can sometimes cause this to occur, which is unfortunate. It’s easy enough to just re-lock on, but it’s a notable blemish that I hope Square Enix will fix in the future.

In addition, difficulty levels can spike dramatically upwards in certain sections of the game. Personally, I’m glad that Remake isn’t a cakewalk, but it could be frustrating if you’re mainly playing the game just to see the story unfold. Normal is the ideal difficulty level for an initial play-through, but you can choose an easier mode in the main menu.

Ultimately, these are nitpicks, and I found Remake’s combat mechanics to be some of the best I’ve ever seen in a video game. Staying patient and calm as you figure out enemy patterns is the name of the game, and targeting enemy weak points in order to stagger them makes it far easier to take them out. It certainly took me a while to acclimate to Remake’s battle systems, but it soon became second nature. And the tough yet satisfying boss battles are perfect. Combat isn’t too easy, nor is it impossible to grasp. It’s balanced just well enough to make you feel competent and accomplished when you finally beat the game.

Midgar Blues

While combat itself is visually arresting, and the battle music composed by Nobuo Uematsu is undeniably great, the vast majority of the game is spent walking around and exploring areas on foot, sometimes with varying degrees of success. There are some bad texture pop-in issues in some areas of the game. For example, I was maneuvering Cloud through a path in the Sector 5 slums, and an entire group of characters suddenly popped in, directly in front of me. What did they do, phase in from the Starship Enterprise? Additionally, there are horrendous door textures that look like they’re from the Playstation 2 era, which stand out like a sore thumb in such a beautiful game. It’s not a huge issue for me, but it does break immersion. 

And this game is all about immersion. Stepping out of Aerith’s church on to the rooftops as the sun bathes the screen in daylight and looking out at the trash-strewn ruins on the path to Sector 5… Walking over the bridge and seeing Aerith’s home and garden for the first time… Sneaking into Shinra Headquarters and seeing the areas devoted to the villainous corporation’s executive team… Looking out at the destruction in Sector 7 as Cloud, Barret, and Tifa climb the crumbling walls up to Shinra HQ… There were so many moments where I had to stop moving and just take it all in. Even with its gaffes and imperfections, FFVII Remake is a gorgeous game, and Uematsu’s musical score (which he composed with Masashi Hamauzu) only adds to its majesty.

However, there is one major issue I had with the game that I must cover here: the tedious side-quests. While I understand the need to pad out Remake’s runtime in order to give us more character interactions and build Cloud’s reputation, I wanted to continue on with the main story more than I wanted to find Betty’s lost cats or defeat random monster in the neighborhood factory. It felt perfunctory, like we were wasting time. When a character’s been kidnapped, it’s not the time to find music discs for a jukebox that people can dance to. It’s time to saddle up and mosey onward, pilgrim!

That said, I still felt satisfied with the game when it was over. Once you’re done with the side missions, the optional minigames, and going in and out of rooms with lousy door textures on them, you’ll discover one thing, like Aerith eventually does…

“I miss it. The steel sky.”

Final Fantasy VII Remake is not just a nostalgia bomb. It’s a reimagining of the original game, and in that sense, perhaps not what we expected. There are new elements at play in this version of the FFVII story, with different implications and an even more epic narrative at its core. Though this part of the Remake only covers the opening five or so hours of the original game, it raises questions about the direction in which the story may go in future installments. Many have objected to this, and some fans have misgivings regarding Square’s ability to continue the Remake in a timely or satisfactory fashion. Maybe I’m being too optimistic, but I think we should give them a chance. For me, Remake is nigh-perfect, apart from a few nitpicks, so Square Enix has earned my support for the time being.

Consider the fact that so much of our popular culture is reliant upon exploiting nostalgic feelings for profit. Final Fantasy VII Remake could have been another Rise of Skywalker, but it dares to be more. It shows us that these characters and this world are still as vibrant and lively as they were in our imaginations. It brings a new perspective to the story and weaves in questions of determinism and the impact our own choices have on our lives.

Most of all, though, it brings us to this...

The Big Question: Tifa or Aerith?

This, friends, is an extremely tough question to answer, because I love them both, and Jessie, too! Geez, how does Cloud have so much luck with the ladies? I mean, his standard response to most interactions is a hearty “Ugh,” but they love him anyway! Maybe I need one of those Luck Up Materia orbs, too!

All kidding aside, I know this article has gone on for long enough, but indulge me a little while longer, because I need to talk about my favorite characters in the game.

Here’s the thing: I love me some Tifa. She was my favorite in the original game and in Advent Children (I still love Rachael Leigh Cook’s voice in the role), and she’s my favorite character to play as during battles. Her fighting style is astonishing to watch and so much fun to utilize! She cares deeply for Cloud, and is protective of those she loves. She’s strong, beautiful, kind, and a fantastic character! I thought voice actress Britt Baron did a marvelous job voicing her, especially during her quieter moments. She infused Tifa with a poise and grace that was perfect for the character. And I love that she never gives up on Cloud, even when he’s acting a bit sullen and jerky toward her. Tifa’s amazing, and she’s the best fighter among them all.

On the other hand, Aerith always seemed like a tag-along in the original game. She wasn’t badly written, though there may have been some issues with her English translation. She was a useful magic caster and healer. I always found her likable, though I was definitely more of a Tifa guy back then.

Now I have a slightly different perspective. In this remake, Aerith is so lovable and goofy that I couldn’t help but change my mind with regard to her character. Briana White’s vocal performance is my favorite in the entire game. She brings so much charm, heart, joy, wit, and warmth to her performance that I was immediately drawn to her. Though Aerith is the softer of the two, she and Tifa never clash. They become fast friends, and though they both love Cloud, they aren’t jealous of each other’s bond with him. The game never seems to be in favor of one over the other. “It isn’t Tifa or Aerith,” it seems to say.

It’s Tifa and Aerith.

Each one represents something that Cloud needs to learn or discover within himself. Tifa is his connection to people. She is there for him, checking on him, showing him that he’s never alone. She loves him, not because he’s flawless, but because of who he is, warts and all.

Tifa is Cloud’s soulmate and his best friend.

Aerith, on the other hand, never lets Cloud rest on his laurels. She challenges him, and pushes him to be present. He tries to push her away, to maintain distance from her, but she has none of it. When she and Cloud reach the playground at the outskirts of Sector 6, they both sit down on top of a slide. He tries to sit a couple of feet apart from her, but she instantly closes the gap between them. And she persuades him to go after Tifa when they discover that she’s being driven to Don Corneo’s mansion. Aerith does this without even meeting Tifa, though she can see that Cloud cares for his friend.

Aerith drives the narrative forward when Cloud is content to sit still and just be...well, Cloud. She brings out his humanity in a way that no one else does.

I love Tifa because she’s awesome. She’s well-voiced and animated, and she’s a lot of fun to control in battles. On the other hand, I freakin’ adore Aerith, because she is the heart of this story. She’s sweet and charming and a little enigmatic. The developers did a great job portraying the two of them, and when this Remake is all over, I’ll be sitting in the corner, sobbing like a baby. I’m going to miss these characters.

“Let’s keep on truckin’!”

In the end, those of us who played the original game or saw spoilers about its story over the past 23 years know the road that lies ahead, or are aware of the characters’ fates. Maybe the question at the heart of the remake is this: Can, and should, destiny be changed? What would you do to save someone you love? Do our choices really matter? I suppose we’ll just have to wait and find out!

I love this game, Renegades. And I highly recommend it. For me, Final Fantasy VII Remake has been a godsend, a true Phoenix Down for the soul, one might say, especially now, as we’re all stuck at home due to a global pandemic and political chaos. Play it now!

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Keona, aka Neo or Neoplasmic, is the co-founder of Renegade Pop Culture, and a lifelong gamer. He really hopes Square Enix can pull off the rest of the FFVII Remake chapters in a satisfying way. Also, he loved his dog, Dawnie, who was tragically lost to us in December 2020. RIP, Dawnie. I miss you. This one’s for you.

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