You run around the field as one of three characters in your party, attacking with a single button while pausing time to perform spells and abilities. Its battle system takes the fast pace of Kingdom Hearts 3 and amps up the difficulty while implementing a fair amount of strategy. That, and not knowing whatвЂ™s yet to come, makes a hardcore fan like me all the more excited.Д«ut it isnвЂ™t all about narrative, despite it sitting at the crux of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I predict this game is going to leave a polarising trail in its wake вЂ“ and for good reason вЂ“ but canвЂ™t help but admire what has been accomplished here.

It maintains the spirit but isnвЂ™t afraid to pull you in some truly shocking directions. This is far more than a traditional remake, with Square Enix seemingly keen to create a different interpretation of the story rather than recreate it with utmost accuracy. ThereвЂ™s enough humour, romance and drama to carry you through to the conclusion and wanting more, especially with some of the lingering questions left once the credits roll. The friendships that bloom between the main cast вЂ“ Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Aerith вЂ“ feel genuine and heartfelt as they grow to trust one another in the face of impossible odds. ItвЂ™s emotionally resonant, allowing her to shine where she didnвЂ™t before.ДЇinal Fantasy 7 Remake is filled with wonderful character moments like this, using the original as a foundation and building upon it with creative brilliance.

You learn about her family life, and what drew her away from a career in the arts to fight for the planetвЂ™s wellbeing. One chapter follows Jessie as you venture to her parentвЂ™s house in the upper-class estates. However, not all of them land, with some additional parts in the later acts feeling like unnecessary fluff preventing you from reaching the climax, but others are revelatory. ItвЂ™s no longer black and white, with Avalanche and Shinra having to deal with the consequences of their decisions. The majority of these are beautifully done, shining a greater light on the motivations of supporting personalities and giving the moral politics of this world a far more nuanced definition than before. Square Enix has taken many unexpected liberties with the narrative, expanding upon existing moments and even adding entirely new sections to flesh out existing characters. ThereвЂ™s also Sephiroth to deal with вЂ“ the beloved villain plays a far more significant role this time around, appearing at pivotal moments where he was never present in the 1997 original. ItвЂ™s your job to bring them down, as you uncover their true intentions and come to terms with your own throughout the 30-hour adventure. ItвЂ™s slowly but surely killing our home, interested in profit margins and power above anything else. This tyrannical corporation rules over the region of Midgar with an iron fist, using its industrial facilities to drain the planet of a precious resource known as Mako Energy. These aside, this is one of the best Final Fantasy games in years, carving a fascinating future not only for the remakeвЂ™s future chapters but the franchise as a whole.ДЇinal Fantasy 7 Remake follows Cloud Strife, a mercenary who finds himself working for eco-terrorist group Avalanche as they seek to destroy a reactor owned by the Shinra Power Company. Supreme care has been taken to ensure Cloud and companyвЂ™s reimagined adventure is worthy of the identity it inhabits, even if a few small fumbles are made along the way. The characters, location and atmosphere all feel eerily familiar, like they were plucked from my childhood imagination and thrown onto a modern console. Now, itвЂ™s finally here вЂ“ well, the first instalment at least.ДЇinal Fantasy 7 Remake is both a brave departure from the original and a faithful retelling that remembers everything that made it so special all those years ago. I felt the same, but deep down pined for a modern interpretation of the classic. It was a task that appeared too ambitious, and if colour appeared outside the lines even once, fans would riot in their millions. Square Enix drew from the well with spin-offs like Crisis Core and Advent Children, but the idea of recreating the original felt almost sacrilegious. Cloud and his gargantuan sword were instantly iconic, instilling a legacy many were afraid to touch for years.

It was a similar revelation for countless others, ushering in a new era of JRPGs outside of Japan that can still be felt today. It was the first big game I played as a child, enrapturing me in its dystopian cyberpunk world and misfit cast of characters. IвЂ™ll level with you now вЂ“ the original Final Fantasy 7 shaped my taste in fiction.

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