@dscross I agree with you in some respects. The OG game was straightforward and I guess more clear on it's themes and characters. However storytelling and technological limitations are no longer there to hold back and limit the presentation of themes and characters. Remake/Rebirths complexity is akin to the way a lot of Japanese writers tell their stories. And one of the big aspects you have to consider when looking at these new games is that when the OG came out, the characters and universe were limited strictly to that one game, which for better or worse is no longer the case. Additionally you have to consider that these characters are no longer mysteries to players, many of them are fundamental gaming icons bigger than the game they embody.
With modern context, I do not believe a 1-to-1 retelling of the OG would work and much of the impact would be lost because it's all the same shit with a new coat of paint. I'm struggling to think of a single Remake made today that changes nothing or expands on nothing. But the Resident Evil games change significant things, Dead Space added a whole breath of content and made the main character talk. As a result FF7's Remake was always going to change things, because it had to, and most of what's changed is simple expansion.
However you are going to run into problems when you give characters more life. Namely in that they don't call into question things that they should, like when Cloud starts going looney they have to ignore it and act out of character in order to keep that plot point going forward when with Barret's new expanded personality specifically he would slap the shit outta Cloud and scream at him "What the fuck is your problem man!?" But he doesn't, and it jarred even me out of some of the story towards the end of the game, but you also have to consider that Barret respects Tifa and if Tifa is acting like she doesn't want to press things then Barret would stay quiet for her sake. And that's just an example.
Cloud had a big problem in the original game in which he rapidly flip flops in and out of sanity on a dime and not only does nobody question him about it, he doesn't he realize it exists. The writing had to cut a lot of corners for any number of reasons, but those same corners can't be cut with a fully voice acted modern game because they are too jarring.
I knew from the beginning of this project's announcement that we were not getting a strict 1-to-1 remake, it wasn't possible for all sorts of reasons. Even expanding things and character moments fundamentally fuck up the original's story because the party's bonds with each other were pretty hollow at best. Let alone all the new changes to the story which I still argue are not nearly as vast as people make it out to be. And as a huge fan of the OG game i really enjoy the changes because it let's FF7, my favorite game of all time, feel new again. And whatever better feeling can you have than being able to play your favorite game all over again and not know what's going to happen, so you get to fall in love with it all once again. It's awesome.
I feel like a lot of people pointing at the things that Remake changes have missed the point of the Remake in the first place, namely because of the word "remake" which is not even like the whole title.
There is one thing that will forever hold true though, if people prefer the way the OG did things then that game is still there and readily available for you to play and enjoy. I play it at least once a year because it is still very good and fun to run through.
While technological advancements and a desire to innovate are understandable reasons for changing a game’s narrative and structure, these should not come at the cost of the thematic coherence and emotional impact that made the original beloved.
While Remake and Rebirth offer exciting new content, the extent to which they shift fundamental story elements and character arcs can be seen as undermining rather than enhancing the original themes.
For those who appreciate the original for its thematic depth and narrative focus, the changes might not represent an improvement but a departure from what made Final Fantasy VII resonate so powerfully in the first place.
I'll just break this down a little bit...
1. While it’s true that technological advancements have removed many limitations that previously restricted storytelling, this doesn’t inherently mean that a more complex story is better. The simplicity and directness of the original were not merely due to technological constraints but were artistic choices that served the game's themes effectively.
The narrative's straightforwardness allowed players to deeply connect with the environmental and socio-economic themes without the distraction of convoluted plot mechanisms like alternate timelines. These themes resonate precisely because of their direct presentation, not despite it.
2. The argument that the characters are now iconic and thus cannot be re-explored in the same context overlooks the value of narrative consistency and thematic integrity.
Even iconic characters can be reintroduced in new contexts without altering the fundamental aspects of their personalities or the story’s core messages.
By changing key aspects of characters' behaviours or fates, the Remake risks undermining the very traits that made these characters iconic.
For example, the potential for altering Aerith’s fate in the Remake series might mitigate the impact of her original story arc, which was central to the game's exploration of loss and irreversible consequences.
3. While giving characters "more life" is generally a positive development, doing so at the expense of consistency within their established personalities can be jarring.
For instance, expanding Barret’s personality is beneficial, but it needs to remain true to his core motivations and behavioural patterns. If expansions to character development lead to inconsistencies that even fans notice as jarring, it suggests that these expansions are not seamlessly integrated but rather forced, potentially at the expense of the original narrative flow and believability.
4. You mention the necessity of changes to make the game feel fresh and exciting, which is a valid point. However, it’s crucial to differentiate between changes that serve to enhance and those that might detract from the original game’s essence.
The argument that the Remake needed to change things “because it had to” does not address whether these changes respect and preserve the core themes or dilute them under the guise of innovation.
5. The pleasure of rediscovering a favourite game with new twists is understandable and valid for many. However, this approach assumes that the primary value of the Remake is to surprise and offer novelty, rather than to respect and expand upon the original game's thematic depth in a way that complements its legacy.
