MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion.
Summary
After a four-year-long wait, the story of Cloud and his companions is finally continuing.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthcontinues where the story ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeleft off, but only after a few brief sequences, such as the game’s first chapter that deals with the events of Cloud’s Mt. Nibel mission. For manyFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthplayers, this isn’t their first time viewing these events, and it most likely won’t be the last. The story of what happened in Nibelheim is incredibly important, and may be a big reason whyCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunioncame out in 2022.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7deserved a rereleasefor quite a long time, but with how the “Reunion” remaster changed details to match theFF7 Remakeproject, there was an obvious deeper reason as to why the game was finally put on more platforms than just the PSP. It got those new toFF7andRemakecaught up on who Zack Fair was, but it’s also to help fans understand how Cloud is an unreliable narrator.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Makes All the Smaller Details in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Impossible To Ignore
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Shows the Truth Before Fans Relive the Lie
The story ofCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionfocuses on the energetic Zack Fair, an important character who would have been missing throughoutFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeif it weren’t for its surprising ending. Zack’s story is, and has always been, important toFF7because he is the SOLDIER operative that Cloud believes he is, and players experience Nibelheim from Cloud’s false recollection as well as Zack’s truth to the events across multiple games.Rebirthcarries on this tradition. However, thanks to howFF7 Rebirthis made for fans above all else, the newest telling of the tale uses prior knowledge to unsettle those able to pay close attention.
While Cloud spends most of his story taking Zack’s place, even when fighting alongside Sephiroth, paying close attention makes it clear when it’s Cloud’s memory and when it’s not.
Unlike the game thatFF7 Rebirthis trying to renew for a new generation, the newer title has no reason to hidehow Cloud’s story isn’t fully realand the players who are aware of the events going in will be treated to unsettling details as a result. Cloud’s way of speaking clearly belongs to Zack, and Sephiroth calls him Zack’s playful “puppy” nickname. Even specific scenes fromCrisis Corebeing played out almost note-for-note is already enough to make those aware unsettled by what’s really happening as they play Cloud’s self-indulgent flashback.
The Details That Might Be Missed in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s First Chapter
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthdoesn’t just show the truth of Nibelheim with a few obvious changes, however. The scene is full of details that push the fact that what he remembers isn’t real. While Cloud spends most of his story taking Zack’s place, even whenfighting alongside Sephiroth, paying close attention to scenes where the screen doesn’t flash with cells, or even how Cloud speaks makes it clear when it’s his memory and when it’s not.
The most unsettling detail involves the one infantryman soldier that Cloud interacts with during the mission, who players would already know from playingCrisis Coreis Cloud himself. Even in Cloud’s retelling, eagle-eyed players can see the blonde hair underneath his helmet. He’s even played by Cody Christian,Cloud’s voice actor, making it very clear that Cloud is talking to himself. All of these details make the story fun but unsettling to experience, which heightens it long-term, and only those aware ofCrisis Core’s context would be able to spot it.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
