A ComicBook review suggests that while the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy expanded on characters, scenes, and combat, it allowed comedic elements to overly intrude into serious plotlines, weakening the narrative tone of the original. With the third part, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, scheduled for release next year, this remake series that began on April 10, 2020, is also coming to an end.
The review author noted that the original Final Fantasy VII also included humorous bridges, absurd situations, and exaggerated characters, but themes such as corporate oppression, environmental destruction, psychological trauma, and death formed the heavy backdrop of the story. These two temperaments balanced each other, creating a distinct atmosphere in scenes like Midgar.
In the author's view, jokes themselves do not weaken a serious story. Appropriate humor can alleviate tension and highlight subsequent tragedy. The original placed such content in segments like the Gold Saucer and Cloud's cross-dressing, giving players space to digest the preceding plot; the remakes, however, used exaggerated dialogue, reactions, and longer comedic bridges more frequently, which tended to disrupt the emotional flow.
Tetsuya Nomura stated in a 2015 interview that lighter content is also part of Final Fantasy VII. Therefore, the review author does not oppose keeping humor in the remake but believes that certain scenes changed the original atmosphere, and the newly added comic relief did not achieve the same effect as the original. One of the author's least favorite examples was Red XIII doing the moonwalk.
The review also praised the remake's expansion of Midgar. The relatively short Midgar chapter in the original received more screen time in the remake, with locations, supporting characters, and conflicts further developed, giving AVALANCHE members more opportunities to shine. The author believes that remakes can enrich the world and characters but should not change the narrative tone as a result.
High-definition character models and full voice acting also present new challenges for adaptations. Jokes that relied on exaggerated actions in the 1997 title may have different effects in modern visuals and voice performances, requiring greater restraint. Although Final Fantasy VII Rebirth expanded the world, activities, and character interactions, the author felt that some content was redundant and affected the overall experience.
Regarding SE's future remake projects, the author argues that they should first identify the most recognizable elements of the original work before deciding which content needs expansion or modernization. New gameplay systems and character development can supplement the original, but serious scenes should still have ample space for expression when characters experience loss, betrayal, fear, or moral conflict.
ComicBook's original report:
Few projects have had as massive an impact as the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, and with Rebirth releasing next year, fans will finally reach the conclusion of the journey that began on April 10, 2020. The original game was already beloved and acclaimed, while the remake trilogy expanded upon its characters, scenes, and combat system to create a modern RPG experience. The final result offered fans a new way to experience one of the most classic stories in gaming history. However, like many other fans, I was dissatisfied with one particular aspect, and SE must not repeat this mistake in their next remake project.
For me, the biggest problem with the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy lies in its handling of tone. Although the original game also contained humor, absurd plots, and distinctively personality-driven characters, its gloomy atmosphere and serious themes gave the story weight. The remake, however, was frequently filled with clichéd, stale, and exaggerated sequences that disrupted the originally gripping plot. This made it hard for me to get invested in the game, sometimes even causing me to put down the controller and shake my head in sighs. I enjoyed the trilogy's combat system, graphics, and expanded storyline, but the difference in tone indeed damaged the gaming experience.
The original Final Fantasy VII skillfully balanced humor with dark themes
One of the things that attracted me most to the original Final Fantasy VII was its somber tone, even if it wasn't entirely gloomy. The game featured quirky characters,滑稽 situations, and exaggerated character animations. But all of this coexisted with narratives about corporate exploitation, environmental destruction, psychological trauma, and death. It skillfully balanced humor and tragedy, making this game distinctly different from previous works. This balanced theme fit perfectly with the game world, especially Midgar.
This balance is crucial because humor does not automatically undermine a serious story. Well-placed jokes can make characters more relatable, provide relief after tense moments, or make subsequent tragedies more impactful. However, the humor in the game was used sparingly and with careful timing, such as in the Gold Saucer scenes or when Cloud cross-dresses to win Don Corneo's favor. These humorous interludes followed heavier moments, allowing players to catch their breath and process what had happened. In contrast, the exaggerated dialogue, reactions, and lengthy comedic sequences in the remake trilogy made it difficult for players to immerse themselves in the story's dark atmosphere.
Official developer comments from SE indicated that the development team intentionally redesigned the original's characters and scenes. In a 2015 interview, Tetsuya Nomura explained that the lighthearted and humorous moments in the original were essential to the spirit of Final Fantasy VII. Therefore, their inclusion in the remake was reasonable, but SE seems to have overdone it. The tone of some scenes changed, and the newly added light-hearted moments paled in comparison to the original. My least favorite example was undoubtedly Red XIII's moonwalk.
SE should modernize the experience without losing its uniqueness
One of the highlights of Final Fantasy VII Remake was SE's expansion of Midgar. While Midgar's section was relatively short in the original, the remake further expanded various scenes, supporting characters, and conflicts, creating a grander gaming experience. It was especially delightful to spend more time with the members of AVALANCHE. This is exactly what a remake should do: give players more time to experience the game world and characters without disrupting the narrative tone.
The same logic applies to future Final Fantasy remakes. Modern graphics and voice acting technologies offer richer expressiveness for characters but also require creators to be more restrained. Jokes that worked well in the stylized RPGs of 1997 may have completely different effects when presented with detailed character models and full voice-over dialogue. PlayStation hardware limited the development team to conveying emotions in specific ways, which are difficult to perfectly replicate on the PS5.
This point is particularly important if SE looks to earlier games, or even other PS1 and PS2 titles. Each work has its unique style, ranging from the political drama of Final Fantasy Tactics to the melancholic atmosphere of Final Fantasy X. A successful remake should first clarify the distinctive features of the original before deciding which elements need expansion, modernization, or alteration. New game systems and additional character development are important, but they should complement the narrative direction of the original work.
The next Final Fantasy remake needs to maintain the same tone
The most important lesson SE should take from the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is that more content does not always enhance the gaming experience. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth offered a larger world, more activities, and richer character interactions, but even so, it felt overloaded. SE seemed to add unnecessary content just to fill space, some of which even directly harmed the overall gaming experience.
SE needs to trust the emotional power of its stories. When characters experience loss, betrayal, fear, or moral conflict, scenes should have enough space to convey these emotions without being interrupted by unnecessary comedic elements. However, this does not mean every dramatic moment must be serious or devoid of humor. A game can be filled with laughter in one chapter and heart-wrenching in the next, as long as the transitions are natural and smooth, and the script respects the importance of each situation.
I hope SE adopts this standard for their next remake project. Whether SE will attempt such an ambitious remake remains to be seen, but they could certainly draw inspiration from excellent games like Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy IX. The original Final Fantasy VII remains influential today because its worldview, characters, themes, and presentation were more harmoniously unified than in the remake trilogy. Future remakes should maintain the tone and themes of the originals while integrating modern game mechanics and learning from the shortcomings of the Final Fantasy VII Remake.