We're only a few months away from the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. And, while we already got the release date of the upcoming remake/sequel earlier this year, which means that the ESRB rating shouldn't be much of a talking point anymore, alas, here we are.
Ahead of The Game Awards in December, Final Fantasy fans can't help but contain their excitement (and emotions) after the ESRB rating all but confirmed that a pivotal moment from the original game will still happen in the remake trilogy.
Rated T for Teen, FF7 Rebirth promises to deliver an action role-playing experience filled with quintessential elements of the series. The ESRB rating highlights aspects like combat enhanced with impact sounds, cries of pain, and explosions as well as the use of swords, staffs, guns, and magic spells. Most notably, the rating mentions scenes of characters being impaled or slashed by swords, sometimes in slow motion, accompanied by splatters or pools of blood. This description has understandably led to speculation about the fate of one of the franchise's most beloved characters, Aerith, who meets a tragic end in the original game.
The rating's mention of characters being impaled by swords, with a particular emphasis on the vivid depiction of such a violent act, all but confirms that FF7 will stick to the original storyline, as teased earlier. In the original game, Aerith dies mid-game, impaled by the antagonist, Sephiroth. The inclusion of this level of violence is significant, as it suggests that the game may not shy away from the more impactful and emotional moments of its source material.
