TheFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketrilogy is progressing smoothly towards its conclusion, withFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthhaving just migrated to PC and the third entry getting an early status report. Although it’s taking a while to finish, the individual parts have been worth the wait, asFF7 Remakegave fans an in-depth tour of Midgar whileFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcovered most of the overworld. Some story changes have been controversial, but the games as a whole have been respectful, beautiful, and fun counterparts to the originalFinal Fantasy 7.
Exemplifying the virtue of “fun,”Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthurges players to get lost in its seemingly endless side activities and character customization, and the core gameplay tying them all together presents a firm foundation. Even without the original Active-Time Battle system making a return, its legacy is alive in the ATB resources and strategic paused menus thatRemakeandRebirthuse, whileFF7’s Materia and weaponscreate even more builds and gameplay opportunities than ever before. It would be a shame to lose all of this work after theFF7Rtrilogy is complete, but fortunately, theFinal Fantasyfranchise has another avenue to keep it around.
Action Mechanics Have Mostly Prospered In Final Fantasy’s Side Games
While some fans have advocated forFF7 RemakeandRebirth’s real-time-with-pause combat to migrate to a mainlineFinal Fantasyentry, there’s another direction it could take. Action combat was traditionally consideredthe domain ofFinal Fantasyspin-offs, like theCrystal ChroniclesandKingdom Heartsseries. Even afterFinal Fantasy 15and16made the jump to full action, spin-offs still have more room to experiment without any RPG expectations holding them back. The hybrid gameplay inFF7 RemakeandRebirthwas designed to give action combat aFinal Fantasyvibe, so just about anyFFspin-off could use it and feel right, but one game would feel the most natural.
A Final Fantasy Type-0 Comeback Is Long Overdue
Final Fantasy Type-0is an action RPG that’s part of theFabula Nova Crystallisseries alongsideFinal Fantasy 13, but it always felt like it was meant for more. Even before the game’s international console and PC release in 2015,Final Fantasy Type-0already had a spin-off of its own, accompanying trademarks forType-1throughType-3, and statements from director Hajime Tabata that he wouldlike theType-0series to continue. It never did, as its own side gamesAgitoandAwakeningwere both shut down by 2020, and Tabata left Square Enix, but there’s now a good reason to finally bringFinal Fantasy Type-0back.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Can Help A Type-0 Sequel Nail Its Gameplay
There are a surprising number of similarities betweenFF7 RebirthandFF Type-0’s combat already, starting with their party system. Both games bring parties of three into fights, and allow for character-switching in real time. All of these party members play differently with their own abilities, and can equip both those unique skills, passives, and magic, with varying restrictions.Type-0even has an Ability Gauge in addition to its MP,similar toRebirth’s ATB Gauge, and summons that require fulfilling certain requirements to use. It’s not hard to viewRemakeandRebirthas direct upgrades fromType-0.
FF7 Rebirth Feels Like 13 Years Of Innovation Over Type-0
Of course, that’s because the latter games have more to them. Character bonds are emphasized throughFF7 Rebirth’s Synergy Skills and Synergy Abilities, real-time combat and party control are made more palatable thanks to the paused menu, weapons can impact a character’s base play style, and, most notably, party members can equip more than two abilities each.Final Fantasy Type-1would have most of its combat design in place if it inheritsFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s mechanics, all the while ensuring that one ofFinal Fantasy’s most impressive combat systems gets to stay in use.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
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.
