‘Final Fantasy VII Remake’ Developers Go In-Depth in 20-Minute Behind-the-Scenes Video

Final Fantasy VII is one of the most beloved video games ever made, so it’s no surprise that the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake is generating a lot of excitement. Remake is a complete overhaul of the 1997 original, updating everything from the graphics to the size and scope of the game for a modern audience. The developers go in-depth on exactly what they’ve done to rebuild the popular RPG in a new 20-minute behind-the-scenes video just uploaded to the official Final Fantasy YouTube channel. Make sure to click the CC button to turn the captions on, as the video is entirely in Japanese.

The video includes interviews with several members of the Final Fantasy VII Remake design team, including producer Yoshinori Kitase, director Tetsuya Nomura, story & scenario designer Kazushige Nojima, and co-directors Naoki Hamaguchi and Motomu Toriyama. They discuss how the project was initially conceived, and elaborate on the decision to break Final Fantasy VII Remake up into several games. This first game only contains the first 10 hours or so of the original, up to the team’s escape from the city of Midgar, but the developers stress that they’ve expanded on that section so much that it now has as much content as a full Final Fantasy release (it’s so much content, in fact, that it won’t fit onto a single Blu-ray disc).

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Image via Square Enix

The team also reveals why they chose to make Final Fantasy VII Remake an action RPG rather than using the turn-based combat system from the original. In Remake, they blended the menu-based combat with real-time action to modernize the game but still retain its identity. It’s a controversial decision among some hardcore fans, but it plays infinitely more smoothly than its predecessor, and it allows the game to flow easily in and out of combat and exploration.

Some time is also spent talking about the game’s music. The classic Final Fantasy theme remains, as well as the original game’s score, albeit updated with brand-new, fully realized arrangements. The massive amount of new material that’s been added to the game meant composing a bunch of new music as well, including dynamic tracks that change depending on what’s happening onscreen. Finally, the developers talk about their decision to create as highly-detailed a world as possible without making the graphics completely photorealistic. That absolutely feels like the right decision, because I have no desire to see a photorealistic Cloud Strife – not only would he lose that distinct Final Fantasy look, but he would also look either terrifying or hilarious (or both).

The video is a must-watch for fans of the series, people nostalgic for the 1997 original, and anyone eagerly awaiting Final Fantasy VII Remake’s April 10 release date. Check it out below:

BY TOM REIMANN/Collider