In just a week, Final Fantasy 7 Remake's first outing will be releasing to players around the world. Some lucky few may already be playing the game, but soon everyone will be introduced to a reimagining of one of the greatest RPGs of all time.
PlayStation recently put out the final trailer before the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake today. Though it's chock full of some questionably specific details, here's what was in the final trailer and how these details may factor into the full game. Note: this trailer and breakdown may contain spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Remake's full game.
FF7 Remake Spoilers -- Probably Too Much Information
It's important to reiterate that Final Fantasy 7 Remake's latest trailer is chock full of specific details and potential spoilers. Fans are given a glimpse into some of the newly confirmed characters coming to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, as well as revealing some returning characters for the first time. Many story beats, both old and new, were revealed in this final trailer hinting at several plot elements about what will occur over the course of this upcoming first episode.
The trailer begins with Cloud and Aerith having their iconic moment on the slide, talking with one another after the Turks came after Aerith. This is the first time the game hints at Zack, whom we'll hear more about later on. Aerith is also revealed to be an Ancient, though fans who've played the original Final Fantasy 7 would've already known that. The trailer then gives a first glimpse at one of the Nibelheim flashbacks, showing Tifa hunched over her murdered father exclaiming her disgust for Shinra and SOLDIER. A montage of scenes of the Shinra Tower infiltration ensues afterwards, culminating in the reveal of soon-to-be President Rufus Shinra. We also learn that Avalanche comes into direct contact with President Shinra before he is assassinated by Sephiroth.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake's latest trailer doesn't dive into too much detail, but there are moments throughout that are deeply concerning for anyone who wanted to avoid any new spoilers for the upcoming game.
Arbiters of Fate
Some of the earlier trailers of Final Fantasy 7 Remake prominently featured dark celestial beings floating through the air. We now know, according to Red XIII, that these beings are called "Whispers." Described by Red XIII as "arbiters of fate," these mysterious dark entities are strongly implied to have some kind of connection with Sephiroth and what's to come. These husks of darkness seem to appear in various parts of the story in various forms. In earlier trailers these Whispers have attacked Cloud and the party, but in this trailer they seem to surround the characters in a non-threatening scenario. Their true purpose is for now unknown, but Aerith seems to know a bit more about them, even coming into direct contact with these beings.
Aerith's knowledge of the Whispers is vague, but she does mention something specific: "Every time the Whispers touch me, I lose something. A part of myself." Later on the Whispers appear again, seemingly guarding something at the edge of Midgar's highway. Red XIII specifically notes the Whispers are connected to "her," noting they "could well be her last line of defense." It's very possible he is referencing Jenova, which we know Jenova is already appearing in Remake's story much earlier than the original, though it's never outright expressed to whom or what Red XIII is referring to. Either way, these Whisper creatures are still completely new and seem to be very important for shaping the story of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
The Nibelheim Incident
Prevalent throughout this latest trailer was the use of flashbacks to some of Final Fantasy 7's earliest plot elements. Scenes of Nibelheim show that this first episode intends to reveal more about Cloud and Sephiroth's origins early on in Remake's story. In the original game, many of these flashbacks of Nibelheim don't occur until after the players leave Midgar for the first time. Now it seems Remake will be splicing these moments in between the events of the Midgar story, rather than saving them for Kalm when the party gathers together in the wake of leaving Midgar.
Of these flashbacks, there is one final scene at the end of the trailer that showcases someone with a Buster Sword looking at Midgar from afar. Fans have pointed to the fact that the Buster Sword's edge is pointed towards the left, rather than the right when Cloud has sheathed it. Assuming this is a hint at/evidence for a certain other character who wielded a Buster Sword in the original Final Fantasy 7, it seems we're learning of Zack's identity much earlier compared to the original game. Granted this isn't the first time Final Fantasy 7 Remake has referenced Zack Fair, as some of the early concept art references Crisis Core.
Premonitions of a Greater Calamity
It seems the trailer is very overtly hinting at some of the huge moments that come later in Final Fantasy 7's original story. Despite the fact that this first episode of Final Fantasy 7 Remake only focuses on Midgar, players will be getting plenty of foreshadowing of the rest of the plot very early on. There are even moments that represent Sephiroth summoning Meteor, but these scenes are likely either vision or premonitions of what's to occur later on in the story. For know, this trailer shows off quite a bit of material for what's to come in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, though perhaps a bit too spoilery for the coveted RPG's reimagined plot.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is coming to PS4 on April 10, 2020.