Here are the story and gameplay elements that we’re looking forward to seeing in the sequel to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and the final entry in the Remake trilogy.
For those who haven’t played or finished the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy and would like to steer clear of spoilers, now is the time to stop reading. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth ended on a major cliffhanger, which has led to speculation regarding the direction that the story will take in the sequel, and how this would impact gameplay. We’re here to delve into some of these possibilities.
Black Materia
In the final moments of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Cloud is seen having possession of the Black Materia. Before taking off for the north in the Tiny Bronco with the rest of the crew, he has his Buster Sword absorb the Materia. In the 1998 original, Cloud is under the control of Jenova and Sephiroth, due to which he ends up delivering it to Sephiroth’s true form in the Northern cave. This is a pivotal moment in the storyline, and we’re excited to see how things will play out in the final chapter of the trilogy. Aerith mentioning she would stop the Meteor suggests that Cloud does plan on handing over the Black Materia to Sephiroth, as it’s the only way the Meteor can be summoned.
Role of Aerith
Even in death, Aerith helps her friends in stopping the Meteor in the 1998 original. As mentioned above, in Rebirth’s ending, she make a vow to Cloud that she would stop the Meteor. But things don’t always go according to plan, and Aerith already making such promises seems to suggest that things may play out differently in the final entry in the Remake trilogy. Having knowledge of the original timeline, Sephiroth may have devised a way to stop Aerith from interfering in his grand scheme, or he may have found some alternate use of the Black Materia that doesn’t involve summoning the Meteor.
Another major question with regards to Aerith is the matter of her existence in Rebirth. Did she die and become a part of the lifestream? Cloud appeared to have saved her from Sephiroth’s attack, but was that merely the latter and Jenova taking advantage of his deteriorating mental health? Or did those events actually lead to the creation of a new timeline in which Aerith lives? It’s hard to tell either way, but we’re excited to find out.
Playable Vincent & Cissnei
Practically everyone who is a fan of the original Final Fantasy VII was looking forward to the chance to play as Vincent in Rebirth. While that didn’t happen, he will undoubtedly be playable in the next game, and we’re thrilling to see which of his moves carry over from the original, or even Dirge of Cerberus. But that’s not all. We believe Zack’s former friend Cissnei wasn’t just brought over to the Remake trilogy for fan service. She’s a playable character in Before Crisis, and is also likely to be one in the final entry in the new trilogy.
Party Swap During Combat
Given the large number of potential playable characters that will be available in the third entry in the Final Fantasy Remake trilogy, it only makes sense for there to be a feature that lets players swap out one trio of party members with another. It would ultimately make battles more strategic and varied. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s combat system already shows signs of this, as the game lets active party members trigger synergy abilities with those that are inactive.
Flyable Tiny Bronco
While we were able to use the Tiny Bronco for traveling across water towards the end of of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, we’re expecting the next game to let players fly it from the very get-go. It will be interesting to see how the development team repurposes the open world to accommodate this gameplay mechanic.
We’ve listed just some of the things we’re looking forward to seeing in the next entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. There’s arguably much more to be excited about, and we can’t wait to catch out first glimpse of the game.
