Balancing the Legacy: Insights from Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Director
(Image credit: Square Enix)
Final Fantasy 7 undoubtedly boasts a myriad of spin-offs and supplementary tales, far surpassing any other entry in the beloved franchise. As the developers work on the ongoing Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, integrating years of lore has become an essential aspect of the project. In a recent interview with GamerBraves, director Naoki Hamaguchi shared some fascinating insights on this intricate balancing act.
“Even from members such as creative director [Tetsuya] Nomura and producer [Yoshinori] Kitase, they didn’t just want to make a remake,” Hamaguchi explained. “They aimed to weave in the compilation of spin-offs and the essence they have cultivated over the years into this new project, giving a fresh feel to Final Fantasy 7.”
Hamaguchi further discussed the challenges faced while trying to craft a cohesive narrative. “As a compilation of all these new stories that came post the original Final Fantasy 7, one of the things we sort of grappled with is how much do we show, how much do we include [for] players who wouldn’t know these new characters from the spin-offs,” he noted. “When discussing what we could express within a single game, we had to take timelines into account. At the same time, with numerous spin-offs bringing in popular characters not present in the original game, we considered how much we could add to give players a sense of freshness and excitement in the remake.”
Square Enix is not merely stopping at the current titles, as Hamaguchi mentioned the possibility of expanding the franchise even further. “We’re actively considering” DLC for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, he hinted, suggesting that even another installment might be on the horizon. “Things are really up in the air.”
While 1997’s Final Fantasy 7 stands as a monumental journey, the narrative landscape grows even more complex when you look at the Vincent Valentine-focused Dirge of Cerberus, the Zack-centric prequel Crisis Core, and the widely-discussed animated sequel, Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children. So far, Advent Children hasn’t been explicitly referenced in the remakes, although Kitase previously indicated to GamesRadar+ a desire to integrate it into the story: “We are finally going to link up with Advent Children—this will become part of the canon. The overall storyline and developments will not stray wildly from what Advent Children established.”
As fans await more details, the anticipation building around the direction of the trilogy and its connections to existing lore continues to rise. With Hamaguchi and his team dedicated to crafting an experience that honors the past while bringing something new to the table, the adventure of Final Fantasy 7 is far from over.