The demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake was recently released on the PlayStation Network after months of speculation.
It was a truly magical recreation of the original Final Fantasy VII’s opening moments, fleshed out with new and interesting dialogue, some additional character development, and an all-new combat system that is sure to please new and old fans alike.
But perhaps most intriguing for longtime fans of the franchise is the greater implications surrounding the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, which was a series of games and movies that came out in the early 2000s meant to flesh out the events both before and after the original game.
Many people assumed that the Remake’s existence meant that the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII was no longer considered being “in canon” with the main storyline.
However that might not be the case.
There were a number of instances wherein the demo’s story intersected with the tales laid out by Final Fantasy VII Before Crisis and Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core.
Both of those titles were prequels to the original game.
To start out, we have Cloud’s signature weapon, The Buster Sword. Cloud receives the sword from his friend Zack. That has always been a part of Final Fantasy VII’s story. However, Crisis Core shows us that Zack receives it from his mentor Angeal. The weapon is inherited from warrior to warrior.
The demo’s status screen describes the Buster Sword as “A large broadsword that has inherited the hopes of those who fight.” That seems like a pretty clear indication that the story of Crisis Core still persists.
At one point in the demo, Jessie mentions an informant who got her the passcodes for the Mako Reactor.
In Before Crisis, it was actually Rufus Shinra who was secretly feeding Avalanche information on his father’s company, in an attempt to weaken his dad’s position and take control for himself.
The events of Before Crisis are referenced again later in the demo, when Heidegger is speaking with President Shinra. She tells the president that the rebels are called Avalanche and that he is investigating whether they were involved with the group that made an attempt on the president’s life.
That’s actually something that happened in Before Crisis. An earlier incarnation of Avalanche attempted to assassinate President Shinra in Junon. He was saved by the Turks.
When asked about the Compilation, Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Tetsuya Nomura had this to say.
“No characters from it appear in this game, but certain elements from it are touched upon in a certain way. Moreover, it’s not part of Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, but there are characters from Nojima’s side story novel Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright who appear in the game.”
Final Fantasy VII Remake releases on the PlayStation 4 on April 10, 2020.
