7 Moments From The Original Final Fantasy 7 That Still Shocked Gamers After The Remake Trilogy

I will always stand by that if you are a fan of the Remake trilogy, you should play Final Fantasy 7 at least once. I had decided, years ago, that I would finally hear Cloud’s story with Final Fantasy 7 Remake when it came out, but I had a dear friend tell me that it was more important to play the original first. I listened, and my experience with the series has been very rewarding and enjoyable.

Despite the fact that it is called the Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy 7 and the two Remake games are completely different. Tons of songs in the story may have been expanded and improved compared to the original, but it still tells a different story about defying fate, and may face a completely different cloud. These changes and their impact will only affect you more if you see what is gone or gone for you, in both good and bad ways.

How old Final Fantasy 7’s story is and what the Remake has fixed might lead to some culture shock while you’re at it, too.

7

Headaches in the Clouds

For lack of a better term

Some people want to forget that this side of the cloud exists, but it is important. He’s been through a lot, and that’s important to understanding him and the important revelations that the general story of Final Fantasy 7 builds on. Cloud has times when certain things or phrases force him into a place that doesn’t fit well with his state of mind. In the Remake trilogy, this is shown to the audience through static effects and screen flickering. It matches the way the film Advent Children handled it. It’s a nice continuity and keeps Cloud’s mental episodes intact.

Still, there’s something about the way the original game handled it that’s awful, even now. The way the screen changes different colors, everything stops, and only Cloud falls, holds it, and shakes his head. Playful cries, and strange voices happening. Even if you know the truth and why it happened, it still confuses you and you feel bad for him for what he is going through.

6

Return to Nibelheim

Time to Get a Gas Cloud!

Nibelheim is an important location in The Compilation of FF7, so it makes sense that we would see it many times in its many games. Final Fantasy 7 Reincarnation marks the return of the present day to a small country town, and all dialogue is not provided. Everything was rebuilt after the Sephiroth burned it, and everyone knows that fact. Overall, the way it’s handled in Rebirth makes a lot of sense, and still leaves you with questions.

At first, however, the rebuilding of Nibelheim was a complete shock to everyone. He stumbles upon it in the mountains, and the rest of the group is quick to suggest that Cloud lied about being burned five years ago. It’s terrifying in the clouds, and without a doubt leads to a sense of dread, especially as you talk to nearby NPCs. Ufu is interrogating everyone, looking for evidence, and they don’t know what he’s talking about. It seems that Nibelheim was just another cover for Shinra. Both games allow Nibelheim players to attack in completely different ways.

5

Meeting Midgar Zolom

Run away!!

After leaving Midgar in the original Final Fantasy 7, you will encounter a large, gray swamp. Trying to tear through it will reveal this huge, gigantic snake that grabs you and starts a fight right away. This is Midgar Zolom, or as he is known in FF7 Rebirth, Midgardsormr. Isn’t classic localization fun?

In FF7 Rebirth, he is a mandatory boss, but he wasn’t always mandatory. He was a strong play that was meant to encourage players to go get a Chocobo to beat him. You can fight Midgar Zolom, win, and get a powerful enemy skill from him, but it definitely takes experience to take him out.

Unlike Rebirth and it’s yellow paint, Final Fantasy 7 doesn’t hold your hand all the way, so it’s easy for you to stop and forget that you need a Chocobo, meet this snake, and see the game on the screen before you even start playing. While the battle for Rebirth is insanely fun, the way Midgar Zolom interacts with you and challenges you is something that will both scare and humble new players. That’s part of the fun of Final Fantasy 7 these days.

4

Blood Trail at Shinra HQ

At least Sephiroth Learns Subtle Overtime

After the Shinra Entrance is destroyed, Cloud and the party rest in their cells in the Shinra building, complete with the Inn’s relaxing jingle. Cloud wakes up to find the door open and the guard dead. After using it as an opportunity to escape, the screen will shift to Hojo’s lab with the floor covered in blood. This blood not only serves as your way forward through a few screens, but stays with you the whole way. It spoils the battle scenes as you rush to find out what happened to Gaia.

Sephiroth appears clean on his second attempt. FF7 Remake tries to give the same effect with the purple “horror route”, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark. The stabbing of Barret and President Shinra makes a big surprise that reveals what is really going on with the Whispers. It proves the fact that there is no way blood in the hallways can have the same effect on a vividly vivid experience. Not the way the story turned out. Having the old school screen transition to the big problem that Sephiroth left as his MO, however, will always have the same emotional impact as it did in 1997.

3

Cid’s Old Temperament

For Lack of a Non-Such Term

In Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, you can ride Cid to fly through the air and progress through the story. He’s a cocky pilot who gets thrown around by a strange crowd Cloud keeps coming around, but he gets used to it. Eventually, he recognizes Aerith and befriends the crew, wanting to help after learning that his mother has died. His scenes are very funny, and he’s a welcome addition even before he joins the team.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Cid’s attitude is part of Final Fantasy 7 as a franchise that separates veteran players from newbies. In the 1997 version, Cid is more intelligent and crude from the start. He swears up a storm and demands things from his fellow astronaut Shera. We get to know FF7’s Cid more and get to know his heart as the game progresses. The fact that it feels like Cid’s personality has been completely changed in the trilogy might make veteran players nervous while playing Rebirth. It really surprised me. I can imagine what happens to anyone who picks up FF7 after playing the trilogy.

2

Meeting the Whole Planet

Go See the World You Save

Whenever people talk about the moments that made playing Final Fantasy 7 worth it, even with the Remake and Rebirth around, most of them mention what it was like to break free from Midgar and see the world map. Suddenly, the twenty or thirty identical screens that make up Midgar turn into a whole 3D map that you can freely walk around and explore. There are villages, towns, and temples to visit and Yuffie to run into.

I get these feelings, but for me, I think the scariest feeling for your system is when that map opens up even more. Maybe it’s just because it’s the first time I’ve heard a world map, it was in a very old port. The satisfaction that comes from beating a boss, seeing a character’s arc, and finding a new way to move felt great when I returned to the map, slow or not. Rebirth is a great game, and that’s fun, too, but I can’t help but wonder how they’re going to make the exploration in the next game sound.

1

Cloud Split against Aerith

I mean For Lack Of A Better Term

The Ancient Temple was truly something else in Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth. It gave it a certain scale and dimension that was not possible the first time. The way Cloud becomes obsessed with Black Materia after is incredibly uncomfortable to watch, too.

However, those who pick up the original are in for a big surprise when they get to that stage and finish. After Cait Sith’s sacrifice, Sephiroth appears and takes the Black Materia from Cloud, which he willingly hands over. The cloud is really divided in two by this. Aerith tries to talk him down, but ends up accepting how his broken mind handles it. And that’s by punching him. Again and again.

We all know Aerith dies. That’s one spoiler that’s out. No one said anything about Aerith being pressured and beaten by Cloud. It’s visceral. It’s understandable why it’s not in Rebirth, but it also helps communicate how Cloud grew up around this time. It’s details like this that really sold the deep story of Final Fantasy 7, and it still affects us gamers today.

Released

January 31, 1997

The ESRB

IT For Teens: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Language, Sexual Themes

Engineer(s).

Square Enix

Publisher

Square Enix

Engine

Unusual Engine 4

Cross-Platform Play

p.s. pc

Cross Keep

Players who have already started their journey on iOS or Android can use save skills