With the recent success ofFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeandRebirth, otherFinal Fantasygames could be contenders for the next potential remake by Square Enix.Final Fantasy 7made perfect sense as the first choice for a remake; after all, it was one of Square Enix andFinal Fantasy’s bestselling titles. As a landmark game upon its release that’s continued to resonate in the decades sense,FF7serves as the perfect calling card for the series today.
The final game in theFF7remake project is set to be the last, however, opening up the option for Square Enix to pursue a similar route with other games.Fan favorites likeFF6, FF9,and the strategy-orientedFinal Fantasytactics are all major contenders, and revisiting some of the most acclaimed games in the series would make a lot of sense. While these might be the most popular picks, there are other things to consider when making a potentially great remake, andthe game that might benefit the most isFinal Fantasy 8.
Why FF8 Should Be The Next Final Fantasy Remake
A Flawed Game Brimming With Potential
Final Fantasy8has a lot going for it, but it also has some notable problems in terms of gameplay and storytelling. Some decisions simply frustrate those who prefer a more standard approach, like the turn-based combat system that doesn’t provide the traditional rewards for grinding. InFF8, as the player levels up, the enemies get stronger as well. It’s an approach that can be more fun for some, buthaving the option to make grinding matter could make the game rewardingfor others who prefer to triumph over high-level enemies with ease.
FF7 Rebirthincluded a Dynamic Difficultyoption that roughly mimicsFF8’s approach, setting a model that would be perfect for anFF8remake.
The design of the battle system has also been contentious over the years. The new Junction system was meant to give the player a chance to switch up the game plan if things went wrong in a battle, butit proves more janky in practice than the standard Active Time Battle systemofFinal Fantasygames at the time. Essentially, it is a confusing equipping system that no other Final Fantasy installment uses. Likewise,FF8features new actions like “Draw” for drawing magic and “GFs” for summoning “Guardians Forces,” or espers, in this case.
Losing One Of FF7 Rebirth’s Best Combat Features Might Make FF7 Remake Part 3 Better
FF7 Remake Part 3 has to contend with the loss of some combat features from Rebirth, but there’s a surprising upside to this fundamental challenge.
No otherFinal Fantasyhas had this complex of a battle system, andit resulted in many not using this essential system to its full potential. Taking full advantage of it isn’t necessarily better, as it’s surprisingly easy to break to the party’s advantage, negating challenges in a way that’s not particularly inspiring.
FF8’s Storytelling & Combat Issues Could Be Fixed
DespiteFF8having plenty of issues regarding the gameplay, these are easy enough to be fixed in a remake. Similar to the FF7 remake,Square Enix could easily redo the battle system and UI design. Instead of using the Junction system and using “draw” and “GFs,“FF8could mimic earlier or new installments and push characters into particular classes. This is the case forFF7, with the characters having abilities associated with their character’s class. This doesn’t mean that characters are locked outside of melee or magic classes; rather, likeFF7, every character could use any magical ability equipped.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth May Have Exceeded Your Expectations, But It Didn’t Exceed Square Enix’s
Despite being one of 2024’s most hyped releases, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has reportedly failed to meet the expectations of developer Square Enix.
FF8is also known for having a confusing plot that doesn’t really mesh well, but it’s partly the result of being too complex for its own restraints. Similar toFinal Fantasy 7’s approach,FF8could expand over several installments to allow the story to be edited into something more cohesive. The game’s dream sequences are also some of its most interesting elements, and a remake could expand on those in interesting ways to highlightFF8’s strengths.
FF8Still Has The Most To Benefit From A Remake
While every game deserves to be unique and different in some way, completely changing the battle system does not work out in the long run, especially when the presentation is confusing. Changes to the battle system definitely madeFF8stand out, but they mostly did so in the wrong ways. Likewise, its story is unique and far more interesting than some of the franchise’s earlier installments, butit lacks cohesive storytelling, resulting in something that’s more confusing than anything else.
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So whileFF6andFF9would make for beautiful and fun remakes, the one game that benefits the most from a remake isFF8.Completely abandoning its identity would be to its detriment, but taking the unique ideas and marrying them to the strengths exhibited elsewhere in the series opens up wider opportunities.FF8’scombat system and storytelling could be improved significantly, and in turn, this could help establish the game as one of the greatest in theFinal Fantasyfranchise.
