It’s honestly crazy to think that Final Fantasy VII Remake is already six years old. It feels like yesterday, but at the same time it feels like a completely different world. It came out right in the heart of 2020, when everything was shutting down and nobody really knew what was going on. And then this game — something people had been dreaming about for what felt like over a decade — finally released. I still remember those early rumors, the first teaser, that moment where you realized this wasn’t just wishful thinking anymore. They were actually remaking Final Fantasy VII. For a lot of people, myself included, that felt impossible.
Final Fantasy VII has always been a huge part of my life. I played it when I was younger, probably too young to really understand the deeper themes — environmentalism, corporate greed, saving the planet, all of that stuff definitely went over my head. Even some of the more mature or weird moments didn’t fully register. But what did stick with me was the cast: Cloud, Barret, Aerith, Tifa, Sephiroth, Red XIII, Yuffie, Vincent, Cid. It’s just an all-time lineup. Even as blocky polygon characters, they felt iconic. So the idea of seeing them fully realized — talking, emoting, actually feeling like real people — was basically the dream.
And then Remake actually delivered that.
I’ll never forget booting it up for the first time. I was living with a couple people, moved my PlayStation into their room because they had the bigger TV, and I literally told them this was my Super Bowl. When that opening shot of Midgar hits, the music swelling, the camera pulling back — it was one of those moments where you just sit there and go, holy shit. This is really happening. This world that lived in your imagination for years is suddenly fully realized.
What impressed me most is that this wasn’t just a straight remake. At first, it feels like it. You’re going through the Midgar section, which in the original game is only a small portion, but here it’s expanded massively. More story, more character moments, more time with Avalanche, especially Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge, who are way more fleshed out. Jessie in particular gets so much personality. Even the Turks — Reno and Rude — became some of my favorite characters after playing this. They’re just cool. Seeing them come to life, especially after Advent Children, was awesome. And climbing the pillar again, fighting them at the top, all of that still hits.
But then the game starts doing something different. The ghosts, the whispers, the feeling that something is off. And eventually it becomes clear: this isn’t just a remake. This is almost a meta reimagining. Sephiroth seems aware that these events have already happened. The game is playing with timelines, destiny, and the idea of breaking away from what the original game was. That’s where it got divisive for some fans, but personally, I loved it. If you’re going to remake something this legendary, doing something bold with it makes sense. Otherwise, you’re just retreading ground.
The combat system was another huge win. Going from turn-based to this fast, fluid, hybrid system could’ve been risky, but they nailed it. Swapping between characters, building ATB, using abilities, it just felt great. I played this game multiple times — easy, normal, hard — and even went for the platinum. It’s not too big, not too small. That perfect size where replaying it doesn’t feel like a chore. The boss fights were incredible, especially Sephiroth. The music was phenomenal. Everything just felt polished.
Even sections I dreaded from the original, like Wall Market, ended up being fun. As a kid, that whole dress sequence was annoying. Here, they lean into the absurdity and make it entertaining. The mini-games, the gym, the side quests — none of it felt overly tedious, even when going for all the dress variations for the platinum. They somehow took a section I used to dislike and made it memorable.
Another thing I loved was how they handled Cloud. In the original, he can come off a little awkward or unsure early on. Here, they lean more into him being cool and capable right away, while still hinting at the deeper stuff going on. And then you start getting hints about Zack, timelines crossing, characters maybe living or dying differently. It sets up so many questions for the rest of the trilogy.
That’s really what Remake does best — it launches something. It’s not just nostalgia. It’s the foundation for a new version of this story. A trilogy that’s doing its own thing while still respecting the original. And for me, they absolutely nailed the start. Sure, some chapters drag a little, like any game, but overall this was a 10 out of 10 experience. I played it multiple times, watched others play it, and every time it still felt special.
Seeing these characters fully realized, hearing them talk, watching their relationships develop — that’s the magic of this remake. It’s the same reason I’d love to see Final Fantasy IX get this treatment someday. When you take beloved characters and actually bring them to life like this, it hits differently.
Six years later, I still think Final Fantasy VII Remake is something really special. It came out at the perfect time, delivered on an impossible expectation, and somehow managed to surprise people by not just remaking the past, but rewriting it. I can’t wait to see how the trilogy ends, but as a starting point, Remake couldn’t have done it better.
