Remake Interviews: Catch-all Thread

[Wol]

So he considers VII games to be connected, you heard it from the mastermind himself.

 

[KindOfBlue]

I mean yeah, they’re all Final Fantasy VII

 

[Wol]

I mean yeah, they’re all Final Fantasy VII

If the translation is correct, "connect" means they could be related (canonically, even). It's not just "they're all FFVII, duh".

 

[Odysseus]

I feel like it was always assumed all FF7 games are canonically connected, so I'm not sure that's a big revelation.

 

[Wol]

I feel like it was always assumed all FF7 games are canonically connected, so I'm not sure that's a big revelation.

Even Remake? Or he was just referring to compilation?

 

[Makoeyes987]

Yes, even the Remake. Because it's still FFVII, just a different adaption or version of FFVII. It ultimately will lead to the same narrative end point as the original, even if it goes there differently.

 

[Wol]

Yes, even the Remake. Because it's still FFVII, just a different adaption or version of FFVII. It ultimately will lead to the same narrative end point as the original, even if it goes there differently.

That's one way to see it. But connected to me implies a much stronger tie than just adaptation.

 

[Odysseus]

Well, for at least two characters this is their second go around of the events, so in some ways it's a sequel as well.

 

[KindOfBlue]

If the translation is correct, "connect" means they could be related (canonically, even). It's not just "they're all FFVII, duh".

Sure, though I guess this could be another instance where we need to distinguish between “canon” and “continuity”

 

[Eerie]

Well, for at least two characters this is their second go around of the events, so in some ways it's a sequel as well.

??? I mean Sephiroth from the far future trying to manipulate Cloud has already lived through those events, ok, but what's the other one? Also he comes from the future, so it's hardly a sequel there, rather some weird time travel through the Lifestream fckery.

 

[ForceStealer]

I assume he means Aerith, but I think that's arguable as to whether it's actually her "second go round," or just that she's having some premonitions.

 

[Eerie]

She IS having premonitions, I mean, FFS... Nomura even mentions it's her FIRST TIME meeting Cloud and the Whispers are there just to make sure it happens!!!

 

[Odysseus]

Aerith is the other one, yeah, with Cloud getting special mention for also having a few flash forwards. She's not time traveling like Sephiroth but she's clearly got a lot of foreknowledge. She clearly knows Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Marlene already before even meeting them, and there's several indicators she already knows what happens to her originally.

I'm not gonna argue about what constitutes a sequel but the whole final battle is a big AC homage and the way things are presented already expects that you the audience members know what happened before, especially in regards to Cloud's identity crisis and Sephiroth.

 

[ForceStealer]

Well in fairness I think even if the position that it is Aerith's second time through, she only seems partially aware of that fact.

But yes, I think premonitions is the simpler explanation as well.

Sephiroth being from the future can still support the sort-of-a-sequel idea, but to be honest I don't know why that particular argument gets so intense. What difference does it make?

 

[Odysseus]

Well in fairness I think even if the position that it is Aerith's second time through, she only seems partially aware of that fact.

But yes, I think premonitions is the simpler explanation as well.

If I recall from the remake ultimania, it's that at some unspecified point in the past she gained a bunch of knowledge of the future somehow, and the reason she "loses a part of herself" every time the whispers touch her is because they remove that future knowledge when they touch her.

Sephiroth being from the future can still support the sort-of-a-sequel idea, but to be honest I don't know what that particular argument gets so intense. What difference does it make?

It's mainly "straight forward remake" vs "New story that still mostly follows the original beats but with a bunch of differences" I guess.

 

[ForceStealer]

It's mainly "straight forward remake" vs "New story that still mostly follows the original beats but with a bunch of differences" I guess.

I guess...but that seems pretty "asked and answered" to me. The latter is what it's going to be whether its a "sequel" or not.

 

[Odysseus]

I guess some hesitancy toward Sephiroth being from the future in particular could be because, through time stuff, this would be the "most recent" version of him we have seen. That carries with it the implication that this will possibly be the final confrontation with him, which means it's at least possible the ending would be different and not lead into AC and DoC. There's a lot of resistance to that possibility lol. I know Theo has a way where it can do both.

 

[ForceStealer]

And the concern if it doesn't lead into them because they want them to be remade too? Or just general wanting all the compilation titles to still flow into each other?

I liked my first formed theory that future Sephiroth came back using the whispers, but after trying to interfere in subtle ways realized he needed them destroyed to allow for a different future. So once they were destroyed he could no longer reach back. So it was just a blind attempt to hope things turn out better for him, but could still go the same. But yeah yeah I know they wouldn't build him up like that in the singularity to not see him again yada yada.

 

[Odysseus]

And the concern if it doesn't lead into them because they want them to be remade too? Or just general wanting all the compilation titles to still flow into each other?

The latter probably. Even I'd be a bit miffed if AC and Dirge were effectively wiped from the continuity. It's probably too early to really guess at any of this.

 

[KindOfBlue]

I'm not gonna argue about what constitutes a sequel but the whole final battle is a big AC homage and the way things are presented already expects that you the audience members know what happened before, especially in regards to Cloud's identity crisis and Sephiroth.

That is, if you already played the OG…I don’t think they had that same expectation for newcomers though

The latter probably. Even I'd be a bit miffed if AC and Dirge were effectively wiped from the continuity. It's probably too early to really guess at any of this.

Would it make much of a difference though? Remake’s continuity is already distinct so AC and DoC would still be the canon follow-ups to the OG

 

[Odysseus]

That is, if you already played the OG…I don’t think they had that same expectation for newcomers though

Remember in all the recent interviews how they said they introduced these new mysteries because old players wouldn't be satisfied with the same old information?

Would it make much of a difference though? Remake’s continuity is already distinct so AC and DoC would still be the canon follow-ups to the OG

Depends. If it's all one timeline then AC and Dirge are basically wiped from the table if things play out differently.

 

[KindOfBlue]

Remember in all the recent interviews how they said they introduced these new mysteries because old players wouldn't be satisfied with the same old information?

That’s what I mean though because in another statement they suggest newcomers could start with even Rebirth, they’ve definitely got both old and new fans in mind

Depends. If it's all one timeline then AC and Dirge are basically wiped from the table if things play out differently.

But I think that would also mean retconing the OG to include the Whispers and Zack surviving, so I find it easier to just think of the remake trilogy as a separate continuity altogether, albeit still based on the Compilation but not 100% subject to it

 

[Leafonthebreeze]

Haven't they just said that they won't remake DoC yet as it would spoil the ending of the Remake project? That seems to imply DoC will still be the sequel.

 

[KindOfBlue]

Haven't they just said that they won't remake DoC yet as it would spoil the ending of the Remake project? That seems to imply DoC will still be the sequel.

I believe they said there’s no plans to remake DoC or BC as of yet, which could mean anything at this point

 

[Odysseus]

That’s what I mean though because in another statement they suggest newcomers could start with even Rebirth, they’ve definitely got both old and new fans in mind

Yeah, I'm just saying that the fact new people will play it doesn't mean it won't play on the expectations of people who already played the original game. Most of the confusing elements will probably get explained in the narrative at some point so new players can keep up.

But I think that would also mean retconing the OG to include the Whispers and Zack surviving, so I find it easier to just think of the remake trilogy as a separate continuity altogether, albeit still based on the Compilation but not 100% subject to it

That'd be nice, but I seem to remember plot ghost versions of Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo fighting us because our actions were gonna lead them to no longer happen, so that's why I don't believe that's the case.