Remember that hullabaloo surrounding the episodic format of Final Fantasy VII Remake? Square Enix has clarified yet again that each instalment will boast the size and scale of a full game – not too dissimilar to a single entry in the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy. In other words, each "episode" will probably keep you occupied for a good 50 hours or so.
"It will essentially be a full scale game for each part of the multi-part series [...] if we're just looking at each of these parts, one part should be on par with the scale of one Final Fantasy XIII game," producer Yoshinori Kitase explained in an interview with Game Informer magazine. The veteran was eager to express, however, that the story will not be structured in the same way as Lightning's.
He said: "In XIII, each instalment told the story from a different angle. It was kind of like approaching an unknown territory in a sense. Whereas with Final Fantasy VII Remake, we already have a pre-existing story, so it wouldn't really make sense if that isn't encompassed in a multi-part series." In other words: the publisher will be re-telling the story that you already know across multiple games.
Having said that, you probably should anticipate some tweaks. "I, along with [Tetsuya] Nomura-san and [Kazushige] Nojima-san – who are involved with the remake – were also involved with the original Final Fantasy [VII]. We were the people who created it, so in that sense, we don't think that anything is untouchable. That isn't to say that we're changing everything!"
We suspect that some of the original dialogue's going to have to go, to be honest. Are there any changes that you want to be made, or do you want the remake to stick as closely to the original as possible? Sign up for SOLDIER in the comments section below.
[source gameinformer.com, via uk.ign.com]
Comments 33
Not at all surprising. Honestly the first thing I thought when they announced the remake was how on earth they'd fit all of the stuff that happened in the original into one game. Nice that they've confirmed everything but thought it was fairly obvious from the very first mention of 'episodic'.
How much would each episode cost?
Still not sure about how I will approach it: either play as they come out or wait for the inevitable all-encompasing collection.
@WanderingBullet I think the same as a full game it's the same like FF13.
said it ages ago they would be full games, people jumped to conclusions again
@WanderingBullet They're going to be full games, so $60.
Did they say how many episodes yet? I think it's 3 if it's 50 hours, 150 should cover the main game and sidequests. Thing is though they will have to turn the sidequests into main quests if they want to hit 50 hours per game. I think my first play thru was about 100 without getting or following the minor character storylines.
And how often? My wife said last night she expects the first game in 2018, which I told her was bad b/c then 2 and 3 would be on the PS5. If they do 1 a year, 17, 18 19, they could still have them all on PS4, which seems only fair. Even if they say each one is a full game experience it's still only 1 game and should therefore be on only 1 console.
And if they are stretching 1 game into 3 I hope they give us a discount, I want to play FF7 again, but maybe not for $180. $150 might be palatable, they could front load it if they want, $60, $50, $40, b/c who is going to play 2 or 3 without 1? And 1 is the most work I would guess building the game engine graphics and battle system, 2 and 3 are just working in the story. If they are $60 each I really might have to pass.
@get2sammyb But they aren't 3 original games. The story already exists, the characters already exist, the weapons already exist, the settings already exists, the music already exists. FFXII was 3 new stories they had to create. This is a reboot. Ratchet and Clank is $40 (in the US) but it's a completely new game in that same way isn't it? I don't see how slapping an old game on a new engine, which I'd guess is already built for FFXV so no development costs there, can be justified for $180, all the real work is already done, old game, existing graphics engine. It isn't the same situation as FF13 at all, not even close.
@Flaming_Kaiser @get2sammyb Thanks.
@rjejr What about waiting for a Complete Edition? They tend to be cheaper and maybe Square Enix will release one eventually.
Anyways, it's gonna be interesting to see when the subsequent episodes are going to be released, though.
I'm fine with it there was a lot to the original game. Plus they had a lot of work to do remaking this the original used a lot of pre-rendered backgrounds they couldn't take that short cut with this version of the game. That and having to voice all that Dialogue etc.
@rjejr Sure, but they're being built from the ground up. Even though the story's already written, they're re-designing the gameplay and doing everything from scratch. I don't think the Ratchet & Clank comparison's a good one because, for all intents and purposes, that's a $60 game. Sony's just decided to sell it at a lower price because... I dunno. Maybe it hopes to get kids on board thanks to the movie or something.
I thought this was fairly obvious when it was announced but bicester to get clarification none the less. I'm more concerned with what if any data crosses between games, whether it'd be gear or levels
@carlos82 you will probably have a special save once you finish each game that you load up on the next game that carries all your stuff over
I am happy for this and am glad it will probably be 3 full AAA productions. If they tried to cram it in one game alot would get left IMO. This way we can get AAA level productions and have it all look great.
@FullbringIchigo I'm hoping for something along those lines, as well as being able to influence parts of the story similar to mass effect.
@Majic12 not to mention if they tried to do it all at once it would probably take longer to make than FFVsXIII/FFXV has and i reckon that they want to release the first part next year for the original releases 20th anniversary (1997, it's been a long time......i feel old now)
@rjejr FFXV and FFVII remake don't use the same engine...
To be honest i want them to leave the story as it is. Add stuff to it yes ..improve graphics yes.
Add tons of new stuff include extra story parts yes.
Just dont remove anything from story,materia or summons from original because you start messing with that .. thats where it messes up..
Follow @T34RIN if your a big final fantasy fan !!
Peace!
One last thing!
REMAKE FINAL FANTASY VIII
For crying out loud!
I hope they don't just use the main game FF7. They have advent children and the spin off games like crisis core, I hope they pull from all of it. I didn't care for the ff7 first time around and had a hard time seeing why everyone thought it was so great. This version though, very excited for it.
@get2sammyb "Sony's just decided to sell it at a lower price because... I dunno."
That's why I like you, you never claim to know everything, you're very humble.
Was it Sony's choice to make it $40 or did Ted Price decide to make it $40 b/c it isn't a new game, it's a remake/reboot, and thoe shouldn't be the same price as NEW games? (Well unless you're Nitneod remaking Starfox for the 3rd time, but even that's technically only $50, Guard is $10. Both TP and WW HDs were only $50, not $60, b/c, you know, not new.)
Say what you want, call it what you want, but at the end of the day it's still a remake or a reboot of 1 game, and $180 for 1 reboot is a lot of money. How much are you willing to pay for an FF7 remake? If they make it 9 episodes (like Xenosaga was supposed to be) are you wiling to pay $540?
@T34RIN Preferably as 1 game. And w/o the "Draw" mechanic, unless they keep it in and the first time you do it it's maxed out at 99, that simple change might work. Really just HD w/ max Draw and I'd buy it for $20.
@AyeHaley Thanks for that. So they are making an entirely new engine just for FF7, and FFXV has its own engine? No wonder it takes them 10 years to put out 1 game. I know KH3 must have it's own engine, it looks nothing like the Star Ocean or FF Games. For a new engine I'll give them $50 per game, but everything else still already exists so I still don't see how they could possibly justify $180 for 1 story we all already know. For $180 I'm just going to watch all the cut scenes on Youtube.
I wonder if there working in the plots of Crisis Core and Advent Children too.
@Grawlog So what is your favourite JRPG? When I ask that question to anybody I usually get one of three, Chrono Trigger, FFVI or FFVII.
It's just like Mass Effect in my mind so I have no problem with this format at all
Please extend the Story to include Advent Children!
"do you want the remake to stick as closely to the original as possible?"
no because then it wouldn't be a remake, i want it to be completely new, apart from the story of course
if i wanted to play the same game again i would just play the PS1 original
@FullbringIchigo My thoughts exactly. Final Fantasy VII is my favourite game of all time, but I want it to be different. Like you said, if I wanted to play the original I would just play the original. If they mix it up a bit with the remake, then I will have two games that I can love.
Keep the battle system and the story and change everything else. Yes the dialouge has to go except "there is no getting off of this train!"
Sounds right. Mix it up as much as you want tbh the original still stands as it is.
It's a win-win. Square makes more money, and the players get more content.
I know some people would rather just one game. But to me, ~150-200+ hours of FF 7 sounds better than 40-60 hours.
@Kellanved plus it also means they can get it to us quicker
This is amazing news. It'll help them tie everything together with the Compilation and equals more time with some of my favorite characters.
Will it be more or less effort and content then FF15?
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