FF7 Part Three: Is Square Enix Brewing Up a Magical New Gameplay Stew, or Just Stirring the Pot?
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Director Naoki Hamaguchi hints at a 'fresh gameplay experience' for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, leading me to speculate that Square Enix might be ditching traditional structures for something truly wild, perhaps leveraging the series' burgeoning multiverse narrative for a fittingly chaotic finale.
Right, so Naoki Hamaguchi, the bloke steering the Titanic (or rather, the Highwind) that is the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, has dropped a bit of a tantalising breadcrumb for Part Three. Apparently, it's going to have some sort of 'fresh gameplay experience'. Now, you know me, when a dev says 'fresh experience' without a single crumb of detail, my digital wizard ears immediately perk up, along with a healthy dose of gentle skepticism. Is it *actually* fresh, or just a new coat of paint on an old chocobo? My scrying orb's a bit foggy on the details, but let's dig into what this could possibly mean for Cloud and the gang, shall we? Hamaguchi told German outlet NTower that development is 'going very well,' which is always nice to hear, isn't it? Like finding an extra Phoenix Down just when you needed it.
He went on to compare this next evolution to the journey from *Remake* to *Rebirth*. Think about it: *Final Fantasy 7 Remake* was a wonderfully linear, story-driven affair, keeping us tightly cooped up in the neon-drenched corridors of Midgar. It was a rollercoaster, thrilling and intense, but you knew exactly where you were headed. Then, *Rebirth* blew the doors wide open, tossing us into a sprawling, open-world adventure. Suddenly, we were out there, chasing Sephiroth across vast landscapes, hopping on Chocobos, and generally getting lost in a way that felt both familiar to the original PS1 game's world map and utterly new. Hamaguchi reckons (and I'd agree, mate) that this change was 'very well regarded' and that people liked the 'new gameplay direction.' Happy days, then.
But here’s the kicker for the third game: Hamaguchi is adamant they're *not* just going to serve up *Rebirth*'s style of open-world play again. 'I don't want to deliver just exactly the same style of gameplay experience as we had with Rebirth again,' he stated, adding they're 'going to evolve it and change it again to give another different and fresh take on the Final Fantasy 7 gameplay.' And get this – he claims they've actually got a 'build up and running in the development team right now where you can experience that new style of gameplay.' Bloody hell, that's exciting! A real working build with something genuinely new? That's not just PR fluff; that's concrete enough to make my wizard hat tingle.
So, what's a 'gameplay experience' when it's at home? My first thought is usually, 'Oh, new combat mechanics!' But if we're being honest, the core battle system across *Remake* and *Rebirth* has been a polished, evolving beast. It's safe to bet that foundational system – ATB, tactical menu, real-time action – isn't going anywhere. We'll likely see some tweaks, of course, especially with new party members like Cid and Vincent eventually joining the fray. Imagine Cid's spear thrusts or Vincent's transformations blending into that system; it practically writes itself. No, I reckon Hamaguchi is talking about the *structure* of the game, the very fabric of how we move through its world and narrative. It's like switching from a dungeon crawl to a grand quest – same spells, different parchment.
And when you really think about it, a structural shake-up makes perfect sense. *Remake* was a tight, focused narrative in Midgar. *Rebirth* stretched its legs with the world map. What's left for the finale? If they just re-used *Rebirth*'s expansive world, but this time with Cid's Tiny Bronco letting us fly over it all, a lot of that sense of discovery would just… vanish. Imagine spending hours on a Chocobo, only to fly over it all in five minutes next game. It'd be like accidentally teleporting past all the good loot. Plus, recycling vast chunks of *Rebirth*'s environments would inevitably feel a bit repetitive, even with new quest markers. Square Enix knows better than to bore us, hopefully.
This is where my brain starts doing backflips. The *Remake* trilogy has already veered into some pretty wild narrative territory, hasn't it? All those whispers of alternate timelines, the Whispers themselves, Zack Fair doing… whatever he's doing in his own little reality. The multiverse concept they’ve woven in (sometimes confusingly, I'll admit) could be the perfect excuse to completely smash the traditional game structure. Instead of a linear path or a single open world, could we be looking at something more fractured? Perhaps a series of distinct, smaller 'worlds' or realities we have to jump between? Maybe a hub world that changes dramatically based on narrative choices? Or even a game that actively plays with perspective, letting us experience events from different characters' viewpoints in a non-linear fashion? My inner chaos wizard is practically vibrating with possibilities. I'd much rather see Square Enix go all-in on a genuinely experimental approach than try to split the difference and end up with a game that feels neither here nor there.
Hamaguchi promises that more will be announced 'in the near future' and that the game 'really will be a fitting climax to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series.' Which, of course, it *must* be. This isn't just any trilogy finale; it's *the* Final Fantasy 7 finale, a game with expectations higher than Shinra Tower. And speaking of fitting climaxes, what about the name? *Remake*, *Rebirth*... the pattern for those subtitles was apparently driven by a 'key word.' 'Reunion' for *Remake*, reflecting the party coming together; 'bonds' for *Rebirth*, focusing on character relationships. Hamaguchi confirms there's a new, secret key word for Part Three, influencing its entire design. My money's on 'Redemption,' 'Resolution,' or 'Ragnarok' – though given the multiverse shenanigans, maybe 'Rift' or 'Reality-Bend' isn't too far-fetched. The idea that a single word can shape an entire gameplay experience is fascinating, like a single incantation setting off a chain reaction.
It’s a bold promise, this 'fresh gameplay experience,' especially for a series with such a legacy. But if anyone can pull off a narrative and structural coup while still delivering that classic FF7 magic, it's Square Enix. They've already proven with *Rebirth*'s open world that they're not afraid to shake things up. Until then, keep an eye out for *Final Fantasy 7 Remake INTERGRADE* landing on Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S next year – presumably with those delightful progression boosts retroactively added to PS5 and PC. Because who doesn't love a bit of extra oomph, eh? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to polish my crystal ball and try to divine that secret keyword. Wish me luck!
Tags: Final Fantasy 7, Gaming News, RPG, Square Enix, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer