What worries a lot of players about Final Fantasy VII Remake is the episodic structure that Square Enix is laying out even though they are trying to make each episode a full RPG game. From what I’ve played at PAX West and gathered from the various trailers, I think that what will be available in the first episode will provide enough depth to make it feel like a varied, complete experience regardless of the rest of the story coming later. I am also interested if elements of the expanded Final Fantasy VII universe, such as Crisis Core or Dirge of Cerberus, will eventually be explored or if those games will be remastered entirely.

What worries me is the massive undertaking, coupled with potential holds that this production likely put on furthering the Final Fantasy franchise. If Square Enix really are seeking to make these episodes the absolute best version of the of the Final Fantasy VII story, they may have several years of work ahead of them. It also seems like Square Enix has been struggling with DLC which was evident in the unfocused nature of what was added and tweaked in Final Fantasy XV and the reactions to the Kingdom Hearts III Re: Mind content. Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy XV both suffered from having extreme expectations and gravitas, but both ultimately failed to meet that energy. I consider both to be fine games, but I walked away from Kingdom Hearts III disappointed.

Despite these worries, I think that Final Fantasy VII Remake is going to impress a lot of players both new to the classic story and those who know it front to back. The combat especially feels meaningful, tactical, and engaging throughout almost every second of any given encounter. Playing as other characters feels awesome and there were lots of reasons to switch around in the demo I played at PAX West in September 2019, which included the battle in the mako reactor against the red scorpion.

While I am far more connected to Final Fantasy IX, Final Fantasy VII also has a special place in my heart. In fact, my wife walked down the aisle to Aerith’s theme. Hearing that theme or that melody in the remake immediately swells my soul with feelings. For that alone, I plan on picking up FFVII Remake as soon as I can.

More information can be learned by keeping up to date with official Square Enix social media sites and their website.

Find my hands-on impressions of Final Fantasy VII Remake and Trials of Mana over at Marooners’ Rock.