Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Remake is well-received by both old fans of the original game and the franchise itself, as well as new fans who have just played as Cloud Strife in this massive retelling.
The team behind FFVII Remake previously announced that the game would be episodic, and now that the first part has been launched, fans knew that it only includes the Midgar storyline and that we'll see more of the original story in future episodes.
But besides that, fans of the old game easily noticed the massive story changes between the original version and the Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Here are all of the biggest ones that could potentially change the overall storyline of the game for the new fans who are curious and the old fans to reminisce about, courtesy of ScreenRant. Nevertheless, the following contains spoilers.
Avalanche and Jessie's Mission
One of the biggest changes fans noticed instantly was how the Remake gave the other members of the eco-extremist group Avalanche more focus. Additionally, the group itself in the original FFVII game only consists of Barret and the crew, but soon grew into an organization during the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7.
Jessie's mission was also missing from the original game along with the motorcycle-loving villain, Roche, who is a SOLDIER 3rd class.
The Avalanche's Fate
Besides more appearances and interaction with Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge, Final Fantasy VII Remake also let them live (although Jessie's fate remains unclear).
In the original game, all of them met a tragic end during the Sector 7 pillar attack. But this time around, Wedge clearly made it through while the end of the game's part 1 hinted that Biggs is alive--and maybe even Jessie.
Hidden Shinra Lab
The hidden Shinra lab is another significant change the developers brought to the game, further solidifying Shinra's image as the biggest, worst villain in all of Midgar and beyond. In the lab, the party will discover that the company has been experimenting with citizens, creating grotesque creatures.
Sephiroth is a Stronger Presence
Sephiroth is more of a legend in the original Final Fantasy VII, often appearing in Cloud's visions. But in the Remake, he has a much stronger presence, showing himself more in the game, trying to mess up the timeline.
Final Fantasy VII Remake's Ending
The ending of FFVII Remake might have confused almost every old fan of the original game, especially since the final boss battle of the Remake is Sephiroth. Instead of Cloud and the party found him, the ultimate FFVII villain finds them.
It is soon known that the story that unfolded in the original game has already happened in an earlier timeline, an alternate reality. Meanwhile, the Remake seems to have a story and timeline of its own that may or may not deviate from the original script.
That's where the Arbiters of Fate enters.
The Arbiters of Fate
Throughout the first part of Final Fantasy VII Remake, the party will occasionally meet cloaked figures that are both enemies and foes. They do not appear in the original game, but rather are remnants of the original script.
Basically, they protect the original FFVII script and make sure everything goes as planned, often appearing when the game faces a massive change that could redirect the party's destinies.
Nevertheless, by the end of the game, the party defeats the Whisper Harbinger, which means that the timeline is messed up and that the Remake may or may not follow the original storyline--anything is possible.
Case in point: Zack Fair.
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Zack is Alive!
The most significant change of all is that Zack is alive, a SOLDIER and a close friend of Cloud. In the original game, he dies while trying to help Cloud escape a lab from Nibelheim. He then acquires Zack's memories and a bit of his personality.
But in Final Fantasy VII Remake, it's shown that Zack survived and hauled Cloud to Midgar himself. However, another scene implied that Zack did survive, but not in the timeline that FFVII Remake is happening in as Shinra's mascot, Stamp, is different.
There are still questions lingering in the minds of every Final Fantasy VII fan, especially with how the story will unfold and how the changes will affect the crew.
For now, all we can do is wait for the second part of the game and see how it plays out.
