Since its inception, the Final Fantasy franchise has thrived on robust characters and world-building, giving fans an equally exciting story to build around. Final Fantasy 7 was treated with a remake in 2020, and ever since, the game has grown and built a large fanbase around its many characters.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will see older characters returning to the game, with new additions from different walks of life. Between the golden-hearted fighters and terrifying villains, there’s one character in particular that might be a surprise entry for many players.
Final Fantasy’s iconic villain makes an entry as a playable character
Note: Minor spoilers for Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will introduce a lot of old and new playable characters to the roster, including Cloud, Yuffie, Cait Sith, Zack, and more. However, there’s one personality in particular who managed to charm audiences despite having a villainous role in the last game. That’s right, get ready to step into the shoes and sword of Sephiroth.
Fans often consider him a reflection of Cloud’s troubled past, and it’s interesting to see how developers make Sephiroth a playable character in the extended universe. Throughout the previous game, he marks his territory as a strong villain making use of his professional background to take advantage of his enemies. However, Sephiroth’s skillset and backstory might just give his playable mechanics the spark it deserve.
Originally, Sephiroth was part of the SOLDIER program as authorized by Shinra Electric Power Company. His excellent combat tactics put him in the status of being the ultimate war hero, gaining global recognition.
Unfortunately, twisted consequences led to an untimely shift in his perspective, making for one of the most terrifying villains in the history of video games. It’s exciting to see how a character with planet-destroying capabilities can become a playable hero (or, anti-hero).
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth continues the saga in a spiritual way
Despite being exclusive, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has already garnered the attention of millions, making room for a lot of new content, gameplay, and characters that continue the story from where things were left off.
In fact, Rebirth is just the second game in the trilogy, and a third one’s in the works. This time around, instead of exploring alleyways and smaller map locations, an open-world approach to different character playstyles is going to be the highlight of the game.
In an interview with one of the devs, it seems clear that the world has a lot of content for new and returning characters to explore in its full capacity:
Once the team leaves Midgar, Cloud and the team’s major objective Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is to follow and track down Sephiroth across the expansive world they find themselves in. We’ve put a lot of emphasis on exploration-focused game design with this title as we wanted to create that feeling of going on a journey while traveling around the world in pursuit of evidence of Sephiroth’s movements.
Furthermore, the inclusion of crafting and mini-games in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth might just give us a better look at the different shades of these characters. What makes the gameplay feel like an upgrade from the past is the blend of open-world dynamics with unique character abilities.
While little is known about how exactly Sephiroth plays into the story, it will be fascinating to witness gameplay oriented towards a character with many layers. What are your thoughts on the characters in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? Let us know in the comments below.
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