Final Fantasy 7 Remake?
Will This Role Play Game Ever Be Rereleased For the Playstation 3?
For almost three years now, a remake of Final Fantasy VII has been rumored for the Playstation 3 but, as of yet, there has been no one willing to verify this report.
It has now been over 10 years since Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix) was released for the Sony PlayStation. In 1997, the game became an instant classic and was praised both commercially and critically. The game was highly influential and has been acknowledged as the first Role Playing Game (RPG) to truly find acceptance outside of Japan with a mainstream audience. Now that technology has advanced to such a high level, people have wondered (and hoped) if this monumental and influential game will be remade for the Sony PlayStation 3. After 2 years of speculation and teasing by Square, there is now apparently some good news -- a rumored release date.
The Original Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 7 strived to be something different in comparison to past RPG’s. Through its amazing focus on character development and story, the game became a blueprint to follow for companies attempting to create an RPG of their own.
Originally, the game was so advanced graphically and structured so deeply (in terms of story) that it was only possible to release it on 3 CD’s. The game made a transition from the typical 2D format into the realm of 3D computer graphics (with fully rendered characters) and its story mode consisted of over 50 hours of gameplay. The game was definitely innovative for its time and created a special bond between the gamer and the characters.
The Final Fantasy VII influence has not been completely ignored however. In recent years, games such as Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII (only for mobile) Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core and the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children have all taken advantage of its success and have provided many answers to questions left unresolved in the stories of particular characters from the game. It has inspired many RPG’s and continues to be a strong presence in the video game world. Though there may be many spin-offs, these games still do not reflect an actual remake.
Are the Rumors True?
In 2005, at E3, Square Enix presented a two-minute demo recreating moments from Final Fantasy 7 in an effort to present the technical and graphical capabilities of the PlayStation 3. The response was so overwhelming that it created a stir amongst gamers that a planned remake was on the way. However, nothing came of it.
In September of 2007, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core was released in Japan (only for the PSP) and included a special bonus. After completion of the game, a retooled version of the two minute segment shown at E3 appeared and helped to once again ignite a debate about a possible remake.
The buzz once again fizzled when one of the producers behind Crisis Core, Hideki Izaizumi, denied that any remake was in the works. Square Enix has even denied that there is to be a remake because the people that were involved in the creation and production of the original game are all currently involved with other projects. However, the company noted that it is possible it could happen but not at this time. So, once again, the dreams of a new-gen presentation of the game were deterred.
Just recently however, (in October, 2007) it was noted on the 1up website that a Final Fantasy VII remake was to be released on January 1, 2008. This was later pushed back to November 1, 2008. Is this true? If Square Enix has adamantly denied any truth behind a remake then why would a prominent website in the videogame industry claim that the game will be released later this year? Does this site know something that the general public doesn’t? Is it wishful thinking? Whatever the case may be, there is no sign that this game is in development. If it was, it would surely be noted on other sites. A game of this magnitude doesn’t come along too often and a remake would most likely not be kept a secret.
The Impact of Final Fantasy 7
The first game to date has sold more than 9.8 million copies worldwide(according to Guinness World Records, it is the second best-selling game of all time for the original Playstation-behind only Gran Turismo). This would be a grave financial mistake on behalf of Square if they were merely waiting to spring this upon the general public at a later date. Why wait? Do it now.
There is a large market out there for this game. The PlayStation 3 has not been doing as well as expected and a game that has had such a commercial success in the past is perhaps an answer to that problem. If Square were to release the game, it would be sure to make millions, as well as help to generate sales for the PlayStation 3. If the game looks as good as the two minute demo looks, then it would be sure to truly show off the capabilities that are present on the PlayStation 3. There is such a tremendous amount of memory space available to achieve an ever greater look to the game than what was available on the original PlayStation.
To sum it up, if the company does not want to be harassed then they shouldn’t tease gamers with the possibility of an actual release. Has there ever been a game shrouded in so much secrecy that the very creation of the game is a mystery?
