SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE’S ENDING
Many publications have already made lists featuring Final Fantasy titles that deserve to be remade. It has been an especially popular topic to discuss since Final Fantasy VII Remake made waves a few months ago. The action-roleplaying remake fleshed out tons of characters. It made favorites easier to love and making supporting characters actually play a significant role in the story.
This article isn’t here to discuss Final Fantasy games that just deserve a remake. You have likely already read that. This article is based on the controversial ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake.
This is your last chance to avoid spoilers.
Final Fantasy VII Remake‘s final act completely turns the original story upside down. It allows for the characters to change their fates. Now future Final Fantasy VII Remake titles can be more like original Final Fantasy games that use the Final Fantasy VII cast. There is the possibility that we are looking at completely different games.
As controversial as the ending is, I loved the ending. I’m sure purists felt betrayed by the sudden change that makes Final Fantasy VII Remake more like a sequel rather than a remake. To me, this felt like the best-case scenario. The opening act of Final Fantasy VII is a spectacle. It introduced players to an incredible new world with some great characters. Unfortunately, things get messy as the game progresses. The journey becomes a convoluted mess. Final Fantasy VII Remake now has the opportunity to remedy this.
Despite how messy and confusing the Final Fantasy VII story got, the characters were always great. The cast is easy to love, and most of the characters are among the most popular in the series. Final Fantasy VII Remake‘s crowning achievement is making me fall in love with characters all over again. More importantly, I fell deeper in love with them. I also fell in love with characters that I once didn’t care for, like Biggs and Jessie.
Final Fantasy VII Remake also capitalized on making the most of all its filler by adding depth to the locations. The setting of Final Fantasy VII Remake is gorgeous. It benefits from the remake treatment almost as much as the characters do.
This is why I am fine with the changes made in Final Fantasy VII. The most important part of the original – the characters and the setting – are improved upon in every possible way. I’m not attached to the story, I’m attached to the characters and the world. Now I get to see them all in a way I’ve never seen them before. This got me thinking about other Final Fantasy games that had strong casts but weaker stories. If they got a remake, it might be better to completely overhaul some parts of the story and focus on character development.
With that in mind, here are a few Final Fantasy games that could use some overhauling.
Final Fantasy III has already gotten a remake on the Nintendo DS. The remake fleshed out the characters a bit but didn’t give them much depth. It’s possible that this is due to how simple the story in Final Fantasy III is. It would be nice to see those cute characters appear in a new story where they can have proper arcs and grow. I could even do without the brutal endgame.
Final Fantasy V gets the least attention out of almost all the games in the franchise, and it is a shame. The story has some genuinely great moments that are unforgettable. Aside from these beats though, Final Fantasy V isn’t all that special. The job system and a couple of the party members are fantastic though. Seeing those two things in a remake would be a treat. The story (and tone) can stay intact, it would just be nice to see some more development for the story and characters. Just don’t touch Gilgamesh. He is already perfect.
Final Fantasy VIII is the first game on this list that has a deep story with tons going on. Unlike Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy VII, this entry is full of intrigue, politics, and dynamic characters. One thing that hurts the experience though is the mind-bending storyline. The and the main romance is also underwhelming. I love Squall and Rinoa as much as the next guy, but the characters could definitely have a more natural relationship. This is even more clear when players choose Squall’s aloof answers when having him speak to Rinoa. Most of the supporting cast is neglected when it comes to growth. Giving them the love and care that the VII Remake characters received could make this one of the best Final Fantasy games out there.
Final Fantasy XIII might be too new for a remake, but it could absolutely use one when it comes to the narrative. Final Fantasy XIII has an incredible cast, with Lightning possibly being the most iconic protagonist in the series next to Cloud. The world of Final Fantasy XIII is a wild one, and it should have gotten explored more than it was. The linear stages could be fixed in a remake, remedying one of the biggest complaints of the game. With some love and care, Final Fantasy XIII‘s legacy can be repaired, and it can start with a neat remake.
Out of the entire series, these are the entries that could benefit most from a remake that altered significant pieces of the story. Games like Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy VI, and Final Fantasy XII don’t need this kind of attention. They feature both fantastic characters and great stories. Sure, it would be nice to see these worlds realized with gorgeous 4K visuals, but it’s clear that Square Enix isn’t interested in remaking Final Fantasy games that only rebuild the graphics from the ground up. There isn’t a need for remakes, and these games have aged well anyway.
Which Final Fantasy title do you want to see a narrative-changing remake for? Let us know in the comments!
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