The following contains spoilers for the original Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Outside the introduction to the Whispers and the game's ending effectively removing the shackles from where the rest of the trilogy might go, Final Fantasy 7 Remake would end up largely being a faithful retelling of the original opening to Final Fantasy 7 and the party's time in Midgar. Similarly, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth mostly adheres to the confines of the original game's middle section, with most of the major story beats still intact. But, parts of the game are framed in such a way as to raise questions about where the follow-up to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth might go in delivering its conclusion to the story.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth covers much of the same ground as the majority of the original's Disc 1. The game ends at the Forgotten Capital, with the notorious scene that occurs there causing many players to rush through Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth just to see how it all pans out. Considering that there's still 2 discs worth of material from the original Final Fantasy 7 for the upcoming third entry to deal with, the final chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy should be absolutely massive in comparison to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Locations from Final Fantasy 7's Map Left to Cover in the Threequel
Although Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gives players their first chance to experience the world of Final Fantasy 7 outside the walls of Midgar, it still only sees Cloud and the rest of the party visiting 7 distinct regions that are part of the larger world of Gaia. So far in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, players have gotten to explore the following areas of the world map:
- Midgar
- Kalm and the Grasslands
- Junon
- Corel
- Gongaga
- Cosmo Canyon
- Nibelheim
- Ancient City and the Meridian Ocean
- Forgotten Capital
Using the world map from the original Final Fantasy 7 as a guide, there's still plenty of ground to cover in the third and final act of the remake trilogy. Even with the clever twists and surprises that Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth introduce to the continuity, players can expect to visit the following areas in the eventual threequel:
- Icicle Village
- Great Glacier
- Northern Crater
- Wutai
- Return to Junon
- Mideel
- Return to Midgar
- Northern Cave
Interestingly, the structure of the original Final Fantasy 7 would dictate that players will do a significant amount of backtracking to areas introduced in both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Although what that might mean in terms of the game's open-world structure and the amount of content in returning areas remains to be seen.
The Third Chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy Is Pivotal for Cloud and Tifa
In addition to still having a significant portion of geographical territory to cover, the final chapter in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy stands to touch on some of the most important plot points from the original. Aerith's fate at the end of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth cements what many have known for a long time, which is that Tifa is Cloud's canon romance option. Further, she's also Cloud's anchor to sanity following the shocking events that unfold within the Northern Crater. Even with the potential for the third chapter to veer off from established story beats, Final Fantasy 7's final act hinges on Tifa's being by Cloud's side as he discovers his true self and comes to grips with his false memories.
It's only after Cloud embraces his true identity and his relationship with Tifa that he has the resolve to face Sephiroth and attempt to stop Meteor. And, aside from this hugely important character arc for Cloud, players still have to witness the awakening of the ancient Weapons and the near-destruction of Midgar. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth may equate to an all-important middle chunk of the Final Fantasy 7 narrative akin to The Empire Strikes Back, but there's still plenty of important ground to cover in the final part of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
- Released
- February 29, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- Metascore
- 93
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
