FF7 Remake Part 3: Director Hamaguchi Says Pacing Just Needs to 'Feel Right' – No Story Content Vanishing Act Here, Mate
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 director Naoki Hamaguchi clarified that his comments about "concise" pacing don't mean cutting content, but rather ensuring the story flows at the right speed. He believes Rebirth's length was appropriate and aims for Part 3 to *feel* right, not necessarily be shorter, as the team targets a 2027 launch and has completed the story.
Okay, so Naoki Hamaguchi, the bloke steering the ship for the Final Fantasy VII Remake saga, has been at it again, clearing up some… shall we say, *misinterpretations* about Part 3. Last we heard, he was chatting about striking a "balance" and making things "more concise" for the grand finale. Naturally, a few of us digital wizards (myself included, I'll admit) started wondering if that meant we'd be seeing some content go poof, like a spell gone wrong.
But hold your chocobos, mate! In a new chat with VGC (as reported by Vikki Blake over at IGN South Africa – cheers, Vikki!), Hamaguchi-san clarified he's not planning any great content vanishing act for FF7 Remake Part 3. Not at all. He reckons his comments about pacing were a bit "misconstrued" by folks thinking he’d be hacking away at the story.
He’s pretty adamant that FF7 Rebirth’s pacing was spot on, saying, "I honestly don’t believe that they were longer than necessary." His take? Players these days "just have too much to do and too much to play; so they often feel the urge that something has to be concluded quickly." Now, I get it, our digital plate is overflowing, but it’s a fair dinkum thought from a dev, innit? Maybe it's less about *their* game being too long, and more about *our* attention spans being spread thinner than butter on a wizard's toast. Or perhaps it's a bit of both, eh?
What he *is* after for Part 3 is making sure "the story developments move forward in a fairly speedy manner and with the right pace." He’s not talking about chopping out entire chapters or character arcs; he's talking about the *feel*. It needs to feel right, not sloggy. Like finding the perfect rhythm for a spell chant, not skipping half the incantation.
It’s an interesting distinction, isn't it? The difference between "cutting content" and "optimising pacing." One sounds like a tragic loss, the other sounds like a magical efficiency upgrade. And I, for one, am all for a story that flows like a well-executed summoning, rather than one that feels like you're stuck in a swamp monster's tummy.
We know development kicked off way back in June 2022, and the team's aiming for a 2027 launch – which, let's be honest, feels like a blink of an eye in game dev terms. Plus, they’ve already locked down the story, which is a cracking bit of news. Still no firm word on whether we’ll see turn-based combat make a triumphant return (even with the success of games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which apparently sold 5 million in five months – bloody hell!), but hey, at least we know they "will not cheat" when it comes to the iconic airship. Now *that's* the kind of promise I can get behind.
So, while some might have read the runes wrong, it seems Hamaguchi-san is less about trimming the fat and more about making sure the FF7 Remake trilogy's grand finale moves with the grace of a perfectly cast Haste spell. Colour me cautiously optimistic, mate!
Tags: FinalFantasy7, FF7Remake, JRPG, GamingNews, SquareEnix
Original article: IGN South Africa