Two main characters in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to receive massive glow-ups

30 January 2024 , 01:28

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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Square Enix discusses reimagining iconic characters Sephiroth and Aerith (Image: Square Enix)

Ahead of the release of the widely anticipated Final Fantasy VII Rebirth game, Square Enix producers described how they reimagined two of its classic characters.

Even those who aren't as familiar with the Final Fantasy series likely know its main antagonist, Sephiroth, the one-winged, silver-haired angel who wields a massive odachi blade and who comes down to Earth and promises to destroy it after learning about the nature of his unnatural origin.

First appearing in the original Final Fantasy VII in 1997, Sephiroth will be appearing only sporadically in the much-anticipated remake, and he'll be getting a makeover — a complete glow-up from his original form, according to game Producer Yoshinori Kitase and Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura, who spoke to PlayStation.Blog.

READ MORE: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth leaves Midgar behind with the hint of a wider world

Sephiroth, the one-winged angel, is one of the characters getting a glow-up (Square Enix)

In the remake, which focuses on Cloud and his friends as they attempt to stop Shinra, an evil corporation, from destroying the planet by sucking out its life essence, Sephiroth will appear sporadically and generally just as a memory, they said, but with greater prevalence in certain parts of the game over others.

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"He is depicted in even more depth than in the original game, and I think this makes him an even more charismatic and appealing antagonist than before," Kitase told the publication. He'll still be the disgraced one-winged angel who was once a war hero and soldier, but he'll appear in his full glory, the producer said.

He added that among the new features of the remake is the "new synergy system" in which characters from the originals who were sworn mortal enemies based on the storyline now work together and join forces to defeat the evil they face — at least during some parts.

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Aerith is also getting a makeover, a character glow-up, in the new game (Square Enix)

Nomura told the publication that the design element changes for Sephiroth weren't instantaneous. He said: "We've seen gradual changes over several spin-off titles and in Final Fantasy VII Remake itself, and they are evolving even further in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Of all the characters, Sephiroth in particular has appeared in multiple games, with each appearance adding more layers of detail, making him that much deeper as a character." He added that Sephiroth will be "'returning' to his roots" in the new game.

And then there's the second character getting a makeover — Aerith, the tragic elf-like woman whose fate in the original 1997 game is, according to the PlayStation.Blog, "one of the most shocking and memorable moments in video game history."

Aerith will also be getting a makeover, or rather a glow-up, in the same way as Sephiroth, and when that infamous moment in the remake comes around, Kitase said he's "confident that the audience will feel a great breadth of emotion from the extra level of detail in how the characters are portrayed."

Now, 27 years later, players will get to experience waves of nostalgia as they play the reimagined game with their favourite characters who received massive glow-ups. The game will be out on Feb. 29. Both Kitase and Nomura are excited to see what people think.

Jeremiah Hassel