The "Final Fantasy VII Remake" was officially unveiled during 2015's Electronic Entertainment Expo conference. In an age of reboots and reimaginings, it is hardly surprising that Square Enix opted to return to the world of Gaia. Unfortunately, a release date has yet to be announced and a recent leak from the "Final Fantasy" 30th Anniversary celebration suggests that 2023 might be a realistic window.
The leak references a conversation transcript between Yoshinori Kitase, who is producing the "Final Fantasy VII Remake," and Naoki Hamaguchi. Just to be clear, the comment appears to have been made in jest, but that does not mean there is no truth lurking within the joke.
At this point, precious little is known about the PS4 remake, although plans are in place to release the game in episodes rather than as one complete experience. If 2023 marks the end of a string of releases, that would actually be rather reasonable.
A PlayStation One retrospective
"Final Fantasy VII" was released in 1997 as a PlayStation One exclusive. Originally planned for the Super NES, Square jumped ship due to Sony offering a superior storage format in the CD-ROM. While the visuals have not aged particularly well, at the time, the title was considered groundbreaking. As the first JRPG to feature 3D computer graphics and full motion video, Square's title served as one of the landmarks releases of Sony's debut console.
Square's release was way more than just a tech demo. Led by the relatable Cloud Strife, the JRPG told a fascinating storyline that ventured into some truly strange places. Crucially, Square's title served as an introductory point into the franchise for many gamers. Inaugurated in 1987, Square Enix series ranks among the most influential in history.
'Kingdom Hearts'
PS4 players have more to look forward to than just a straightforward high-definition remaster of the classic JRPG. Going by the footage shown at previous conventions, including the PlayStation Experience 2015, "Final Fantasy VII Remake" will discard the original's turn-based combat for a real-time battle system similar to "Kingdom Hearts" and the recent "Final Fantasy XV." In recent years, Square Enix has seemed reluctant to return to the franchise's classic style of combat and that is probably not going to change anytime soon.
Square Enix's game is a long way from done; hopefully, in the upcoming months, the developer supplies fans with a little more information.
