The Final Fantasy 7 Remake saga is getting a potential new wrinkle, according to a recent Chinese-language interview with producer Yoshinori Kitase about Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion, Square Enix’s remaster of the PlayStation Portable game.
The team originally decided to remake Crisis Core while working on Final Fantasy 7 Remake because they wanted players to experience Zack Fair’s story for themselves, according to comments from Kitase translated by streamer and Final Fantasy fan Audrey on Twitter. In addition to the new English-language voice cast, the remake will also get updates to its combat systems to make it more approachable for Final Fantasy 7 Remake players.
But what really makes Kitase’s interview interesting is his focus on the game’s story. Kitase says that the story will “basically not change” from the original Crisis Core, but hinted that something might feel “off” for players of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Kitase then encouraged fans to think of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion as part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake project.
[Warning: This post contains spoilers for the end of the original Crisis Core and Final Fantasy 7 Remake.]
For those who don’t know, Zack Fair dies in Crisis Core, setting Cloud Strife on the path that leads him to Final Fantasy 7. However, Zack is alive in a specific timeline at the end of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. So while the plot in the Crisis Core remake may be the same, there appears to be at least one major change for it to line up with Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
All of this has to be taken with a grain of salt, as Kitase’s meaning may be lost in translation. But these new comments lead to more speculation about the meta changes that appeared in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and the first trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
How will Zack Fair survive Crisis Core? How will Crisis Core set up Zack’s assumed appearance in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? We’ll probably learn the answers to some of those questions when Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion launches later this year.