It hasn’t been long after Square Enix dropped an information bomb about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth at the recent State of Play showcase.
Now, in a recent interview with IGN, Final Fantasy Brand Manager, Yoshinori Kitase, unveiled that Zack Fair, a character who has steadily grown in popularity since his introduction, will have a “new episode” in the forthcoming title.
The confirmation guarantees that Zack Fair is the “different” playable protagonist that will take over at the end of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Zack Fair didn’t have a significant role in the initial Final Fantasy 7, leaving fans of the original game leaving many fans yearning more. The release of Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core and its remaster guaranteed that such clamor would increase. Thus, with the release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, gamers found themselves surprised when Zack made a noteworthy cameo at the end, a stark deviation from the original storyline.
Kitase, in his dialogue with IGN, emphasized this by stating, “We see at the end of Remake that he has appeared, which, you know, is quite a difference from the original title.” He further teased about Zack’s extended role in Rebirth but stopped short of revealing any more details.
However, Zack’s introduction isn’t the only major twist awaiting players. Kitase and his team have hinted at changes in the sequence of events and locations compared to the original Final Fantasy 7. One such example is the Gold Saucer, which can now be revisited anytime to indulge in minigames. Furthermore, there’s an assurance of an expansive world map peppered with numerous locations not even linked to the primary storyline. Kitase himself claimed that the team pushed their boundaries to incorporate scenes diverging from the original narrative. These deviations are expected to be audacious and are designed to enchant both longstanding fans and newcomers.
As the internet speculates about the significance of Zack’s role in the story, many believe he’ll play an instrumental role in building suspense throughout the trilogy. He’s the monkey wrench, or so to speak. While his unexpected addition is raising questions about the overarching plot and Sephiroth’s intentions, we can’t deny that Zack will bring a refreshing element to the mix. Not just a mere carbon copy of Cloud Strife, Zack’s character stands on its own with a unique charm and a simple, unfulfilled dream of becoming a hero.
If you played through Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core, you’ll understand why Zack is such a fan favorite.
While the spin-off had its narrative flaws, Zack emerged as a likable protagonist at the end. He’s basically what made Cloud want to become a hero. Now that both are expected to be part of the same game, it’ll be interesting to see how Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will explore this dynamic.
If nothing else, Square Enix won’t be hard-pressed to squeeze in Zack’s story in FF7 Rebirth. The two-disc game packs over a hundred hours of content. When paired with the first game, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which, by the way, is technically available for free, you’re easily looking at losing days if not months to this years-long narrative.
While Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth draws inspiration from the original game and the Remake, players can anticipate renewed perspective with new plots and character developments.
We’ll find out on February 29, 2024 if FF7 Rebirth is as good as expected.
For those wondering if FF7 Rebirth is coming to other platforms, its exclusivity on the PS5 lasts three months. However, a PC port let alone an Xbox port, aren’t guaranteed. But, Final Fantasy 16 has an incoming PC port with two paid DLCs for the game also in development as well.
In the meantime, PlayStation 5 owners can look forward to the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which has gone gold ahead of its October 20 launch.
