“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, released in 2024 by Square Enix, serves as a sequel to the highly acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and the second installment in a planned trilogy reimagining the classic 1997 PlayStation game.
Continuing the blend of real-time action with strategic RPG elements found in its predecessor, Rebirth picks up directly after the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake, following protagonist Cloud Strife and the AVALANCHE group on their quest to thwart the nefarious Shinra corporation. Their mission: to prevent Shinra from exploiting the life force of the planet, known as the Lifestream, and to stop the enigmatic Sephiroth from achieving ultimate power.
Development on Rebirth began before the release of Remake, with the game officially announced in June 2022. The key creative team behind Remake returned for Rebirth, with notable changes in roles. Tetsuya Nomura assumed the position of creative director, and Naoki Hamaguchi stepped in as director. Rebirth launched exclusively for the PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, garnering critical acclaim upon release. In terms of gameplay, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth maintains the dynamic mix of action-packed combat and strategic depth introduced in Remake. Players navigate an expansive overworld, undertaking main story quests and side missions with their party, which includes Cloud Strife and various AVALANCHE members. Combat blends real-time action with the Active-Time Battle system, offering players the ability to switch between characters and execute synergized attacks.
The narrative of Rebirth expands on the reimagined world and characters introduced in Final Fantasy VII Remake, focusing on the struggle against Shinra and Sephiroth’s machinations. Locations and events from the original game are revisited, albeit with some alterations in sequence. The diverse cast of characters, including returning favorites and newcomers, play integral roles in the unfolding story, each with their own motivations and backstories. Overall, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth delivers a captivating continuation of the beloved saga, further enriching the iconic tale for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Following the preceding game’s events, Zack Fair arrives in Midgar with Cloud in a comatose state. It’s revealed that Zack resides in a timeline where the world is on the brink of destruction due to the depletion of the Planet’s mako. Shinra has captured Barret and Tifa, while Red XIII sacrifices himself to free Aerith, who is also unconscious. Zack takes Cloud and Aerith to Aerith’s mother’s house to hide and seeks out Biggs, the sole survivor of AVALANCHE. Biggs, from the original timeline, was transported to Zack’s timeline by the Whispers. After Shinra troops kill Biggs and Marlene ominously predicts Aerith’s death at the hands of Sephiroth, Zack grapples with the dilemma of saving Cloud or Aerith.
In the original timeline, Cloud and his friends rest in Kalm, where he recounts his past with Sephiroth. Five years prior, they were sent to Nibelheim to investigate its mako reactor. Sephiroth learns he’s a product of Jenova’s cells and goes berserk, causing havoc in Nibelheim. Tifa reveals that while the events occurred, she doesn’t remember Cloud being there.
The party flees Kalm after a Shinra raid and follows the trail of the “black robes” through various locations. They recruit new members along the way and discover the Planet’s guardians, the Weapons, and the schism among the Whispers. Rufus becomes Shinra’s new president, escalating tensions with Wutai. Sephiroth’s plan to summon Meteor unfolds, leading to a showdown where Aerith sacrifices herself to counter his Black Materia.
Cloud and the party confront Sephiroth, with their timelines briefly converging. Sephiroth retreats, leaving the party mourning Aerith’s death. As they prepare to pursue Sephiroth, Cloud fuses the Black Materia into the Buster Sword, parting ways with an alternate Aerith.
