Ever since Sony’s E3 2015 announcement, anticipation for the Final Fantasy 7 remake has been building to a fever pitch. Knowing one of the most beloved titles in gaming history would be remade has sparked frenzied speculation about how the story might change, what the battle system might look like, and even more metaphysical questions about the nature of the afterlife, and what exactly it will be like after our souls leave our bodies. Here are a few of the biggest details we’re dying to know about the upcoming Square Enix blockbuster, and a few big questions we here at OGN still have about what happens to us after we die.


Will the classic Final Fantasy 7 story be kept intact?



Director Tetsuya Nomura has insisted that they don’t want the new Final Fantasy to just be a 1:1 remake of the original, and that some aspects of the story have been updated for more modern and sophisticated audiences. That being said, most of the major plot points are expected to remain the same, and fans should look forward to enjoying most of their favorite moments with Cloud, Red XIII, and Tifa.




After death, will we get to see all our family and friends who have passed away from the mortal world?




We hope the answer to this one is a resounding “Yes” because it would be really sad otherwise. Even if heaven is a great place, we wouldn’t want to have an afterlife where we are all alone or didn’t know the people around us. It is comforting to think of being reunited with our loved ones, but we don’t know if it is true or just wishful thinking.



What changes will be made to the turn-based combat system?



In what may be the biggest change from the classic game, it seems the old turn-based combat system is being overhauled with a more action-oriented system similar to Final Fantasy 15. As you attack, dodge, and block in real time, players will fill up a meter to execute special moves. It seems like an interesting mash-up of the old ’90s system and newer RPGs, although players who wish to will be able to opt for an entirely turn-based version of the classic system.




Will we exist as fully formed humans up there? Or is it only our spirit which shall live on?




Specifically what we’re concerned about here is whether you walk around in the afterlife realm, perhaps hand-in-hand with a spouse or loved one? Will you still have a face and a body, or is the afterlife just a place for our minds, like a state of being that’s impossible to imagine with our earthly minds?



Is Hell real?



We here at OGN all like to think we are good people, but the concept of Hell is still frightening. It seems cruel to sentence a flawed human being to an eternity of suffering when we are all flawed in some way. Still, shouldn’t there be some punishment for evil as well? It wouldn’t be fair for everyone to end up in the same place no matter how we lived. Can there be good without evil? Light without darkness? And what sort of just all-powerful creator would knowingly create human beings who can commit horrendous acts of violence and then punish them for exactly those deeds?




How big will the final game be?



This is one of the most burning questions out there for gamers, and thankfully we’ve gotten confirmation that the remake is so huge it will be split up into multiple entries. That’s right, these redesigned areas are apparently massive reimagining, with the first release taking place entirely within the city of Midgar. That’s a huge game!




Can you eat and drink in the afterlife?



It would be sad to never eat a nice fresh-baked loaf of bread or a chocolate bar again, but if you could eat and drink would that mean you also get hungry? We would hate not having coffee for all eternity. Maybe you can eat and drink however much you want and never get full? This actually opens up a lot more questions.




Will our pets be there?



We miss our dog, Oreo, a lot and would want to see her again. It’s scary to think of passing away, but it’s much easier if we know she’s waiting up there for us with that big happy smile on her face.

