Players familiar with the original Final Fantasy VII know the game like the back of their hand. However, the 2020 remake brought significant changes to the beloved title. Since then, discussions have been rampant about what alterations the future remakes might hold and how they will unfold.
Just before the weekend, Square Enix unveiled a trailer for the next installment, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, concluding PlayStation’s State of Play livestream. Producer Yoshinori Kitase followed up with an online message, hinting at the sequel’s grand scope. He acknowledged the pivotal moment that fans have been speculating about: Aerith's tragic fate at the hands of Sephiroth, an event etched in the memories of players since the original 1997 release. Kitase expressed, “The story will unfold more dramatically than ever before, with a rapid pace of major twists and turns. We know fans are dying to see one scene in particular.” Creative director Tetsuya Nomura chimed in, teasing that Rebirth’s narrative will extend to The Forgotten Capital, where “the greatest fate of Final Fantasy VII awaits you.”
Aerith’s fate is a watershed moment in gaming history, making it a delicate subject to alter. Whether the game adheres to the original events or introduces a twist remains to be seen.
The Rebirth trailer offered a tantalizing glimpse of an alternate timeline, featuring Zack Fair and an injured Cloud on their journey to Midgard. With multiple timelines and two iterations of Cloud, the possibilities are intriguing. It raises the question: who might meet a different fate in place of Aerith? It could be Cloud, Zack, or another character altogether. The trailer's opening scene, showing members of the Avalanche crew in dire straits, adds to the enigma.
We await the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on February 29, 2024, exclusively for the PlayStation 5, spanning across two discs.
