No game is unanimously loved by 100% of gamers. You can't please everyone and that is understandable, there will always be a minority that did not enjoy a great game for various reasons and there is nothing wrong with that.

I feel it will be really bad for Final Fantasy VII however. No matter what it does, it will probably get masses of hate. For example, let's look at one thing that always makes each Final Fantasy game unique: the combat system.

Does the FFVII remake stick to the classic ATB system which is not relevant to today's gaming generation? Or does it modernise and become an action RPG that alienates long time fans of FFVII?

Does the story play it safe and do nothing different? Well it could but it might be criticized as a wasted opportunity. In fact on Neogaf there is a topic stating that this remake will deviate in some forms, and already some people are starting to become concerned the atmosphere and story of the first game will change too drastically.

Whether this game plays just like FFVII or it modernises to today's gaming standards in aspects other than graphics this game is going to generate hate I think. Poor SE. :/

I feel like FFVII just won't hold up compared to modern games, if they don't change it much. It came out at a time where simply having story and talking characters was kind of a new thing, but when you compare it to modern games it's quite shallow.

I'd bet that the combat stays pretty similar to the original but the second news gets out of a scene or character being cut or changed in some way is going to set off an unmitigated shitstorm.

Personally, as someone who doesn't think very highly of FF7, the more changed the better. Completely change the combat system, re-write the script and I'd actually be interested in playing it. But obviously that wouldn't fly at all for fans of the original so I'm not getting my hopes up too much.

At that stage though, you just want a new game though right? What benefit would there be in making FF7 again if they re-wrote the script and changed the combat? Keeping the same characters?

I feel like there will be a lot of unfair criticism, and a lot of blind praise with very little in between.

They better not change that line about the "golden shiny wire of hope."

Having seen the stuff about them making changes to the game, I feel like the poll thread thing should be changed.

If they remove the classic i.e. proper FF turn based combat and make it more like 13 or 15, then I'm out. I'm not some huge fan of the game and I'd be okay with them making minor alterations to the story and stuff but as soon as they make a fundamental change to the battle system, just because they think turn-based combat is bad now, they lose all my respect. I think what fans of FF7 have wanted all along was basically just a visual update. The game needs to be updated, not completely redesigned.

My feelings on this remake are already leaning full cynical after seeing the stuff about a modern audience not liking it the old gameplay.

@jesus_phish: I do want a new game and 15 appears to be giving me potentially what I want. I realize this remake just isn't for me. I'm just saying what it would take for me to actually be interested in this. Telling that same story with the writing cleaned up and with modern combat systems could be interesting to me.

FF7 might just be the most divisive Final Fantasy, so yeah, totally. There's already two predisposed armies of people set to either love it with a passion or hate it with a vengeance.

Only now there could be an extra layer of nuance of some of the haters being won over by changes, and old fans becoming bitter from changes.

This game'll get Internet'd hard.

I'm happily sitting in the middle as someone who's never played a Final Fantasy game. I have no love or hate baggage to carry around other than a vague dislike of Cloud (seriously, that sword is silly). I'm kinda interested in being that guy who will take it for what it is rather than constantly viewing it though a lens.

if they just update graphics and dont update much else and its gonna feel jarring

make changes or improvements to minor story points and gameplay and people will freak out.

its basically a no win sitaution for the group of people that are gonna complain about that kinda stuff. im not saying no one will be happy but rather a select group will find something to be mad about.

the game is a childhood favorite of many people and a lot of those people have rose coloured glasses . its hard updating a 20 year old game and making everyone happy espically when a lot of people have warped memories of what the game was.

im with @milkman though. update what you need to update to make it fun in a modern sense and ill be more interested. then again we are not the intended audience for it : D

This game is going to be either totally fucked because people will complain if things stay exactly the same but just a visual update, but any kind of minor change will queue up a massive shitstorm. People already complain about this stupidest minor changes when games come across territories. A game with a massive following like Final Fantasy VII? It's fucked no matter what they do.

I can already see the Kotaku article pointing out every little major and minor change and also the article bemoaning how Square Enix is basically making a visual update to a 20 year old game. There is no winning.

If they take out the combat I will be mad.

I agree. Which is why I think Square should go as bonkers with it as they think is necessary for making good sales. They should make hard, definite choices and stick with them. Kind of like if Ninja Theory during DMC's development had elected to keep "smokin' Dante" in the game, but on an exponential scale. As I see it, you don't get to beg and beg and beg and BEG for this to happen and also go "oh, well - I don't really like... Oh, hmm...." No, you wanted this; time to see what "this" is.

Don't like the voice actors we announced? Tough shit, deal.

Don't like the gameplay changes? Watch an LP.

Don't think the translation changes are acceptable? Write your congressman.

Now, I should say that criticism is a wonderful thing and should be welcomed, including in this case. Give this game no quarter or leeway when it comes to judging it. However, don't bookend your decade long petition (I'm putting the start at about the PS3 tech demo) by shunning the very thing you demanded because every little thing isn't right. If we get FF7 - 2: Cloud Returns out of this, then yeah, put that thing on blast. But I think if it comes out and is as good as XII with a good story, I'll be counting my lucky stars.

I'm not saying don't give it a 3 star rating if you think it deserves it, just don't start with "God, they never should have made this. Really, a hopeless venture living up to this game". Because that's fucking unfair.

They should definitely be willing to make big changes now a days. I hope that's the case as a big fan of the game when it came out. I hope they would do more in this day in the age. I just hope it's faithful in spirit.

They can do so much more with the world, combat, overworld (with vehicles), story, etc that I hope they are willing to change it up. I am fine with changing parts of the story too be cause I think they could definitely be done better.

I think it will find critics but no matter what if it's good they will have an audience. You have to think it has at least the usual Final Fantasy audience plus people with love for 7 if they just go all out with this game.

The PS4 port of the PC release is still coming out this year, which makes me think that they're going into full-on redesign mode and it's going to be a hugely different experience. Which, yeah, that's going to piss off a whole lot of people and satisfy a whole lot of other people.

You keep all the same basics as far as plot but just change the dialogue for example. You could have better dialogue in the game. This same thing was done with Final Fantasy Tactics when it was updated and done very well.

There are lots of awesome moments in 7, people like the characters, people like a lot of the story, they like the design, they like the music. I'm sure if you had them originally magically make 7 with today's technology there would be more in the game and things done differently about the game. Like the maps are much more open for example. I don't care if the combat is turn based but I certainly hope it is changed in some way because it can be done better. The character progression could be done better. I hope summons are done in a better way (less just watching a long cutscene). I hope the music is redone but faithful. I hope the graphics can enable the characters to look even more like what they should look like given the designers work.

I hope they are willing to deviate with this game while still being faithful. I'd hope to be blown away by a remake of 7 because 7 blew me away when I played it with its scope and production values.

This game already generate hate. It has for the last 17 years. This is nothing new. Its just that in the age of twitter people are too fucking loud about everything. 17 years ago it would have been "hm I think original ff7 was better". Now its "FUCK YOU SQUARE YOU RUIN FF FUCKING JRPG ASSHOLE". Everything is so damn extreme and cynical.

My take is this game will be fine. Just like FF13 was fine, not a good game but its not the worst game ever and it certainly did not destroy FF. If they modernize it half the fanbase will go on tumblr screaming and crying. Same with if it stay the same. Just make the game you want to make and stop trying to follow the market. The best games in the market are ones with a very focus creative vision. In recent years, japan have lost a lot of that focus. Luckily we still have Miyazaki, Kamiya, Miyamoto, the good atlus people, Falcom and maybe, we will have Nomura back.

The gameplay is being changed, and not only is the script being rewritten the story is being reimagined.

The game plays fine. I played it a couple months ago.

• Crazy Materia combinations need to be opened up earlier in the game.
• They need to retranslate everything but keep some of the more iconic lines the same. "Let's mosey."
• The world map needs roads between settlements. It's always bothered me.
• Was Wutai a city-state or a country? It's hard to have a believable world when the world feels empty.
• Needs more farmland. People gotta eat.

Every step it takes, every move it makes. Every single day, before and after it gets played, people will find a laundry list of things to chronically bitch about ad nauseam.

I miss 1997. Back then we'd just throw rocks.

because that would still qualify as a remake.

Of course it will be criticized ad nauseam. Just like every Zelda game that comes out, everything changed will be hated and everything kept the same will be hated. I plan on avoiding the places where people like to waste their own time waving around their big opinion sticks.

Let's be realistic though, if they're going for the gritty realism as it seems like they are, just taking the original word for word and making it look pretty won't work. Entire scenes will have to be reworked to allow smooth and realistic dialogue, Barret's entire character needs to be redone because the "Japanese idea of an angry black man" won't fly in today's society, and obviously the battle system is dated. Random encounters and slow turn based battles are becoming a thing of the past. No matter how they change it, or keep it exactly the same, someone is going to hate it.

Say they remove random encounters. Say they use 15's fighting system instead of turn based battles. Can you imagine the shitstorm? People will flip out, start petitions, spam forums in all caps how their childhood has been ruined, and carry resentment for Square Enix all the way to their graves. Meanwhile, the rest of us will play the game, maybe even enjoy it, and move on with our lives, and (hopefully) so will Square Enix. Because at the end of the day, this game will probably sell okay.

Unless they pull a Versus XIII/Last Guardian and this game stays in development hell for 10 years, cause then who cares.

i guess the impression there's going to be a lot of changes going by the trailer. i'm hoping they keep ATB but i won't bring out the pitchfork if they don't (i have fond memories and it was a massive thing of its time but i'm not a rabid fan).

I will continue to criticize it heavily for not being Phantasy Star IV and not feel the least bit bad about it.

besides agreeing with this post just want to say you have the best username *chortle*

I used to think remakes were a great idea.

...And then Twin Snakes came out. I know better now.

I would still play this when/if it comes out. I'm just not holding my breath.

I played FF7 for the first time last year (I bought the Steam edition for the record). Honestly, I can see why it was considered amazing at the time, but I don't particularly feel that game holds up super well anymore. I hope they do some work to modernize the mechanics, particularly the battle and materia systems, and storytelling in addition to recreating the world in full HD.

Basically how I feel about everyone suggesting changes to the story or combat systems. If you're a person who wants something changed then you are not the person they're remaking this for. If you're that person, you just want a new game set in the same universe with the same characters. You want a retelling not unlike the new Ratchet game, not a remake.

The only FF games I've played more than an hour of are Tactics Advance and 14, so I don't have a horse in this race; I'm just approaching it from the most logical standpoint.

@thesilenttruth said:

Back then we'd just tell our friends if something sucked and that was the end of it.

@ripelivejam said:

I mostly agree, although I would add that in the spirit of "avoiding as much of the shitstorm as possible," Squeenix should be upfront when they do make a decision and announce core changes early. I think the issue I'm already starting to see with some of the articles today is that while Squeenix is announcing this as a remake, they might be treating it more as a reimagining.

Which is fine. As long as they're clear that's the direction they're headed in. If they want to ditch turn based combat for FFXIII/FFXV-style real time stuff - fine. If they want to ditch the wackier parts of the game like riding a dolphin around in order to be more serious - fine. It'll probably disappoint a lot of people and piss some more off but ultimately it's their product and they should do what they feel they want/need to do to make it successful. But have the confidence to own those decisions and stand up for them.

The real pitfall lies if/when Squeenix tries to string people along with vague statements of "remaining faithful" or "respecting the original," etc. when that's not actually what's happening. When you let people believe what they want to believe without being clear of what your game is and isn't is how you end up with a Destiny situation - a lot of sales married to and overall feeling of disappointment (I'm terrified of this happening to No Man's Sky too).

@ajamafalous: Unrelated: Tactics Advance is dope. Remake that, enough of this Cloud stuff.

It's kind of damned if they do and damned if they don't. Some people want it to be this new upgraded thing. Some want a faithful version of the original. I'm totally fine, with them just giving it a real good graphical overhaul and leaving the mechanics the same.

The promise has been made its a remake not a reimagining. Why can't ATB system work? Bravely Default, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland 2 and XCOM had turn based combat, hell the space sim was dead then bang Star Citizen & Elite Dangerous don't confuse unfashionable with something modern gamers hate.

They will need to be upfront and open about the development. Already I've seen stories saying things will, and have to, change as they make this game. The quicker that stuff spreads the better it is for them.

Of coarse people will complain. Some of those complaints will be justified, and others not. It will also get outrages praise from people that will refuse to believe it's anything less than perfect.

Taking the Hype Cycle, and adapting it to games, we're in the phase of fast ascension to the Peak of Inflated Expectations. When more news come out, we'll start descending to the Trough of Disillusionment.

True, but we shouldn't be hoping to have JRPG stories that are "good for JRPG's," we want JRPG stories that are just good. Also with another Nier game coming out there's at least one upcoming JRPG that should have a great story.

@lawgamer: Yes, I agree. I'm less an FF7 fan and more of an FF7 experience fan, if that makes sense. The feeling I got when I played it - in 2008! - was awesome. The actual game... Eh. So, the dream outcome is to get that feeling again, with tremendous gameplay.

Though, my lack of loyalty to FF7 as a brand means that I can say unreasonable shit like this and not care about... well, how unreasonable it is. So, I'm only half serious: they should make hard decisions they stick with. But they shouldn't be the huge dicks I might imply in my comment. Also, yes, openness about the direction of the product in a case like this is astronomically important. It wouldn't be fair at all to make the types of changes I allude to, say it's a "faithful remake" and then basically release

"Final Fantasy 7: Remake. In which Cloud Strife and his fellow mercenary companions hunt down the war criminal Sephiroth, disillusioned and suffering from PTSD after his time in combat. However, there is more to Sephiroth than it appears, as he has strange connections with a woman named Jenova, the new head of the mega-corporation Shinra. But they'll be hindered in their efforts by the Turks, Shinra agents who want to capture Sephiroth for use in the corporation's cloning project. They must also beware the presence of one Vincent Valentine. Cursed with a fate worse than death, he too seeks Sephiroth for answers about his debilitating condition, as the same disease is said to have driven Sephiroth insane. Is he a friend or foe? Are he and Sephiroth closer than they appear? And what about this mysterious, leather-clad, punk-beauty named Aerith? Once Sephiroth's lover, she betrayed him for unknown reasons and now is seeking revenge after he left her and their daughter, Yuffie."

That's FREE, by the way, Square. You can have that. God, I almost puked writing that.

Anyway, I think decisiveness is important. But that shouldn't be mutually exclusive with taking the development slowly, steadily and OPENLY.

@poobumbutt: you forgot that vincent must be an actual vampire and falls in love with yuffie. cait sith becomes the new leader of the turks and some kind of underground arms dealer. after shinra co. crumbles and rufus absconds to costa del sol, grows a beard, and opens an aquatic theme park under a different name. tifa becomes a... dolphin trainer...? and cid runs a hard tea shop.

yeah, i'm running out of steam on this golden ideas train.

The problem is, FFVII was revolutionary at the time. Everything it did well has been done much better since. It sounds weird, but there's no way Square can make it as good as it was without making, well, a different game entirely.

If they change the combat I'll be pretty disappointed. They should rewrite/retranslate the script though. Keep the meaning of the words but make it look less like a teen wrote it without an editor.

I'm really excited for this game since FF7 is one of my all time favs, but I'll also be pretty easy to please. Even if it is not at all what I want I'll probably just shrug my shoulders. I'm a gosh darn adult after all.

I feel like a minority saying this, but I'd be cool with a combat system like FFXV with a materia spin combined with FF7's story and world. Would be fun to duke it out with Jenova and the Weapons in epic real-time RPG combat instead of seeing high-fidelity animation and abilities limited to a menu option again. At least not in the big screen. I'd rather that in a portable or phone or tablet app.

Also if they treat the FF7 summons like how they plan to treat the FFXV summons where they are larger than life, then fuck me just think about Bahamut Zero real-time shooting from space down to the enemies in front of you, or all the Knights of the round coming in and trampling fools all over the place. Or just port Ramuh from FFXV right into FF7 because fuck that guy is awesome! Just think about that guys.

I'll live with the lack of an ATB system if they replace it with an amazing visual combat experience to re-kindle my nostalgia for this game. If they do this, SIGN ME UP!

I guess when I think about these things, I am interpreting the word 'remake' to mean that they are literally re-creating the game as if it was a new project. They want to see what kind of gameplay they would want to make with today's technology and experience, as well as how they would tell the FF7 story with the latest in animation and audio/visual fidelity with voice acting. Of course materia will be integral to the game and I wonder how much they can translate this to real-time combat like FFXV. Also I'm hoping they let you play all of the characters and even create AI routines to allow you to manage how allies would fight. There's a lot of ways to make brand new, interesting experiences with this world if they decide to say 'fuck it' and go all out in re-imagining this game. The FFXV demo alone gives me some hope that they at least know how to aim high and I always saw FFXV as some spiritual successor to the FFXV, at least in style and in theme of both modern and sci-fi technology infused with magic. Not enough games play with science and magic mashed together with a modern look.

If people are thinking they'll just spit out the same game with crazy graphics, that's just a 'remaster' (which I interpret very differently to 'remake') with an over-priced budget when they could just make a chibi-anime style game with some cinematics with more proper-proportioned models for cutscenes and release it as a downloadable title. From the interviews that have come out recently, it's being indicated they will truly 'remake' this and change how this game will play and I am thumbs up in their choice to shake things up.

I say all this as someone that not only loves the potential madness that can come out of this remake, but can also still enjoy the classic game without a care in the world if the FF7 remake doesn't live up to my particular expectations. It's just not that big a problem guys yeesh.

@ominousbedroom: And then when you confront Tifa at her new job about abandoning the noble cause, she says "I believe I'm serving a youthful porpoise!" Thanks, Norm. I'll just rip that right off from ya, there.

In some sick way, I'm actually starting to like this storyline.

The tea shop used to be run by Cid's wife Sheera until she left him due to his heavy drinking. Having driven away everyone he loves and with the business failing, Cid contemplates suicide until a chance encounter with a stray dog convinces him of the beauty and wonder of life. Naming the dog "Red XIII,"after the color of his fur and the day of the month they met, they set off together on a journey of self-discovery and redemption.

It's all the same.

Some people will say they changed it to much, others not enough. Some will say it doesn't hold up, some will say it never stopped holding up. No one's ever happy with anything. People will be angry the game even exists, both lovers and haters of FFVII. Meh, it's life.

Remaking this game is a tremendous challenge if you want it to look like a modern game. FFVII is a very big world and to bring it all to life in 3D is no small undertaking. The story is also very JRPG, and moves between comical bizarness and gritty darkness. Finding an artstyle and tone that works for that is again, no small task. Add on top of that all of people's bullshit hang ups and expectations and of course no one will be happy.

Except, you know, chill people like me. I love FFVII, and I don't care what they do with this remake. Make it super different or make it the same I'm just curious about it. Definitely will play it either way, and I don't expect them to do anything to appease to my personal tastes. It is what it is.