Though the Final Fantasy 7 Remake isn’t confirmed for E3, the game’s latest trailer indicates we’ll see more during Square Enix’s E3 presentation on Monday, June 10, at 6 PM PT. Given how work on the project has been “progressing favorably” according to director Tetsuya Nomura, the following are a few features we hope to witness if it does indeed show up at the company’s annual showcase soon.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 | Gaia
Final Fantasy 7 is a massive RPG, as it transports Cloud and his party to sprawling cities, dense forests, and lonely canyons across the world of Gaia. Unfortunately, Remake has only shown off glimpses of Midgar so far. During E3 this year, Square Enix could take fans to other areas that may be included in the game’s first half, like the town of Kalm, the Mythrill Mine, or Junon Harbor. A look at Nibelheim would also be welcome, as it can showcase the game’s improved narrative and provide a window into Cloud’s relationship with Sephiroth early on.
Given today’s open-world games, Square Enix may opt to reveal Remake‘s overworld or the size of its locations compared to the original game. Should the company want to emphasize how lived-in its cities are, it may want to have Cloud interact with some inhabitants on Midgar’s streets or embark on a Remake-exclusive side mission.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 | A mini-game or two
Part of what makes the original Final Fantasy 7 feel so alive is its mini-games. The strategy mini-game at Fort Condor, arm wrestling, Shooting Coaster, and Chocobo racing are among some of best diversions that players can pursue when they want a change of pace from the main campaign. Square Enix should show its willingness to keep some of these mini-games intact by hinting that it will include the amusement park, Gold Saucer, in each episode. A brief snippet of Cloud shooting a basketball at the end of the next trailer may do the trick.
Seeing as how the company has improved its driving mechanics in the the two decades since Final Fantasy 7 released, it will be interesting to see how Cloud will control when cruising through Midgar on his motorcycle or how Chocobos will maneuver when stomping through racing circuits. Though most mini-games are welcome to come back in Remake, the one that involves giving a girl CPR may garner the wrong kind of attention today.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 | More combat
Skeptics argue that Remake may be doing away with Final Fantasy 7‘s charm by not preserving the Active Time Battle system found in the original game. While damage counters and Limit Breaks seem to be making a comeback, Remake looks like it will indeed be adopting Final Fantasy 15‘s real-time combat rather than adhering to its former mechanics. Square Enix could offer a better glimpse at the game’s combat this E3 by offering an in-depth window into the game’s denser RPG mechanics.
For instance, a look at Remake‘s Materia system would be appreciated. Given the elements that Final Fantasy games have introduced since 1997, a dive into the remade version’s skill structure could reveal new Materia to experiment with aside from those that are fire, ice, and thunder-based. New spells, modifiers, and summons could further encourage veterans to try out the title for themselves in case they weren’t already sold at the mere concept of the game.
In a way, Remake could serve to improve upon Final Fantasy 15‘s vanilla battle system by challenging players to come up with creative uses for their Materia and forcing them to use different characters to topple opponents. The first boss fight with Jenova aboard Shinra’s cargo ship can serve as an excellent means of showcasing how fans will still need to strategize if they hope to complete the game. This could also work to dispel the perception that the title will be a cakewalk.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 | Better voice acting
Though Beau Billingslea is a phenomenal English voice actor, his lines as Barret in the latest Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer have been criticized by fans as being too stereotypical. Square Enix could ameliorate this by quickly highlighting some of the character’s interactions with party members outside of combat. This could also help evidence the emotional element that voice acting implies, as the original game’s dialogue wasn’t spoken.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake at E3 | More characters
After last month’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer, it was hard not to notice all the Aerith images or GIFs on social media. Square Enix still has plenty of other fan favorite characters to reveal, including Tifa, Red 13, Cait Sith, Yuffie, and Vincent. The company may be shinning the spotlight on martial arts master Tifa Lockhart next, as the most recent trailer shows her name assigned to a health gauge but doesn’t have her actually appear in combat. Her popularity among Final Fantasy fans should indicate that she’ll make an appearance in an upcoming trailer sooner rather than later.
Square Enix would also be wise to announce that Yuffie and Vincent will no longer be optional party members, as each plays a pivotal role in the game’s story. There’s no use punishing newcomers who aren’t following a guide.
Rumors indicate that fans could get their hands on the first part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake next year and that a demo may be available for PlayStation Plus subscribers soon. Whatever the case may be, here’s hoping that the game manages to live up to fan expectations and that its episodic format doesn’t get in the way of the fun.
