With Final Fantasy VII Remake’s release right around the corner, we’ve been hearing a lot about the game’s heroes, the freedom fighting group known as Avalanche. However, Square Enix recently showed us a tiny peek at the other side of the coin.
A recent tweet on the game’s official Twitter account highlighted two of the main figures at the Shinra Electric Power Company, the evil corporation at the center of the city of Midgar.
Specifically, we saw Heidegger, the second in command of the organization, and President Shinra himself.
“Here’s a quick look at two shadowy figures who make an appearance in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo, Heidegger and President Shinra,” Square said in the tweet.
A short video then plays, giving us a glimpse of the two evil corporate heads throughout the game.
Heidegger is described as, “Arrogant Executive,” while President Shinra is called “Ambitious Dictator.”
There are quotes associated with the two throughout the 22 second video. Heidegger is quoted as saying, “We must crush them,” while President Shinra’s quote is, “Now then, my dear sewer rats.”
That second quote was one we all heard in a recent trailer for Final Fantasy VII Remake, in which President Shinra, via a holographic projection, is addressing members of Avalanche outside of the Sector 5 Mako reactor.
In the original game, both Heidegger and President Shinra play an important role. In the game’s first chapter, we see President Shinra as the grand mastermind behind some truly terrible atrocities. At one point, we even see him watching a terrifying moment from atop the Shinra building while classical music plays in the background.
Heidegger is a consistent annoyance throughout the entire game in the original 1997 release. He is characterized by his signature laugh, which is spelled out as, “Ghah hah hah” in the game’s dialogue boxes.
Heidegger is eventually encountered indirectly as a boss in the original game, when he pilots the giant mech Proud Clod against Avalanche.
This game marks one of the first times we’ve ever seen Heidegger or President Shinra rendered in HD. They were not included in any CGI cut scenes in the original game. Additionally, they did not appear in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus, or Crisis Core, which made up the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is scheduled for release on April 10, 2020. However, the only way that players can be sure to get the game on release day is to pre-order it digitally through the PlayStation Network. Retail closures due to COVID-19 may impact the availability of physical copies.
