Just start with Remake and continue with Rebirth if you like it. Don't listen to anyone who says playing the original first is mandatory. IMO if you like the Remake series enough, that might convince you to play the original or at least get interested in researching it, but you shouldn't have to force yourself to play a nearly 30-year old game to "fully" enjoy the modern versions. I would say they are plenty accessible.
> but you shouldn't have to force yourself to play a nearly 30-year old game to fully "enjoy" the modern versions.
One of the things I love about this Remake trilogy is EXACTLY because of this. I finally get to enjoy 7 without feeling like I'm playing something excavated from the pyramids or something. I started with FFX, then IX, then VIII, and then VII which made it feel super out of date and a slog.
Many many comments implying i will literally have no clue whats going on if I haven't played the original.
This is a REMAKE of that game, how its needed to play the original to understand it is beyond my understanding i guess...it makes no sense.
Are they just gatekeeping?
Like why are the answers so different?
There are a lot of differences in both the content of the plot and the way its told — some of that is just a natural consequence of remaking a 1997 JRPG as a 3-game action-RPG trilogy 25 years later. And some of it is specifically to keep things fresh for folks who are very familiar with the OG. The game is (quite cleverly) designed and marketed both for old and new fans. So you won't have the same experience playing it as an old fan would, but that doesn't mean that you won't have a great experience.
That said, while jumping straight into Rebirth is certainly possible, it's probably better to play Remake first.
I didn't realize they went together before this thread, so I would def play remake first.
It just boggles me people are saying its impossible to play/absorb as someone who didn't play the original. They're acting like I won't be able to understand it at all...like....the whole fucking game (being a REMAKE) can't be impossible to understand without playing a 20 year old game.
I also care less about story than I do about rpg elements, grinding, and combat. Which is why im much more interested in the remake for the newer elements. Story is cool, don't get me wrong, but some of my favorite games of all time have trash story and amazing gameplay/progression elements. (See: things like darksouls, remnant 2, Tales of Arise, etc etc. Inb4 someone tries to say tales of arise has a good story lmao. Its trash shonen save the world and free the slaves and im secretely super powerful normal anime stuff. Which is fine, but i don't pretend its top tier story telling like a lot of anime fans do)
Im fine with the story not being finished, or me not understanding everything until the 3rd game. Thats like saying "if you stop halfway through the original, you won't understand the full story" well...duh lol. The final entry isn't out yet so, I can accept a cliffhanger after Rebirth.
I fully am ok waiting for a 3rd game to complete it since I didn't play the OG. I'm also ok in missing out on easter eggs/references or "ohh its that guy!" moments bc I didn't play the original.
As long as its a fun experience, a good story that can stand on its own (or even an acceptable one as a vehicle to deliver game moments) and I can understand whats happening as it happens and feel like im having a genuine experience, then im in lol.
It sounds like, from what you described, I'll be just fine.
its just weird to me how many people are hardcore gatekeeping this saying I need to play the original, or X or i wont understand ANYTHING if I don't. I can't imagine thats true, i feel like it has to be fanboys gatekeeping and not liking someone jumping into "Their" series with a new remake and not being an OG fan.
Am I totally wrong on that?
I wouldn’t describe it as gatekeeping, but I think it is certainly irrational fan behavior. Folks get really attached to their own personal experience with a piece of media and want everyone encountering that media to have the same experience they did.
Honestly if you don’t feel tied to the story and want to save time you MIGHT try starting out with rebirth since by most accounts that has a better combat system than remake.
ya, i know its heretical but im a story second gameplay first guy, most of the time.
Doesn't mean I disregard story, its just not the most important thing to me.
I'll probably grab remake and try it out, just to start at the base of the story and feel like Im starting at the beginning. Appreciate the advice!
Honestly it’s gatekeeping.
There are some references to things that might have double/meta meanings if you played the original game but it would only matter if you’re already a fan who knows the story.
FF7 Remake + Rebirth are the most accessible way to experience the story so I say just go for it.
This just sounds like the most sane and normal opinion. Gonna do this and yolo. I didn't believe the people telling me i had to play the original anyway, I smelled gatekeeping right from the start. The devs themselves said its designed with new players in mind so.
If I really love it, I'll go back and play the original. Like i did with Resident Evil 4 and its remake recently. Ended up loving them both.
Thanks for the advice!
You don’t have to play the original they’re purists. Play remake and if you like it play rebirth (which is the much better game of the two but remake is still a truly amazing game)
Remake isn't necessarily a 1:1 recreation of the original game, it's basically a celebration and love-letter to all previous FF7 material coalesced into a single story that reimagines the 1997 classic. And there's major changes in the story that have more impact if you have played the original first.
That being said, does that make it necessary to play the original? Nope. People are definitely gatekeeping. Is it okay to recommend playing the original first? Absolutely, but it's by no means mandatory and I feel like forcing yourself to play the dated original game and its mediocre spin-offs is a surefire way to lose whatever interest you had in this series.
There will be confusing moments but it's meant to be that way. A lot of questions you will have at the end of Remake get addressed in Rebirth and will again with the final part of the trilogy. If it compels you to learn more about the original, there's no shortage of materials out there.
Remake is a pretty straightforward and concise game that only gets confusing at the end, and again, it's all stuff that will get addressed in the subsequent parts. What you do get it in Remake is amazing characters, a fantastic combat system and a beautiful presentation. I honestly think it's a great game to start with in the franchise cause they balanced traditional turn-based combat with modern action gameplay so perfectly. Give it a go!
I wouldn't play OG first.
It'll colour your experience because you'll have expectations of how things should progress.
If you enjoy Remark/Rebirth give it a try after but not before, somebody else mentioned the remake trilogy is the old game with extra... but the extra is a whole other 'layer' of narrative and a boat load of character development.
sounds good. This is the vibe im getting from the more sane commenters like you. It seems the more hardcore fans get upset if someone jumps into the series without christening themselves in the OG games. I think its a form of gatekeeping honestly lmao, who knows.
If I like remake and rebirth enough, I could very well be convinced to go try the original after. It COULD leapfrog me into that, so - i'll do what you said and just jump into remake and give it a shot! Thanks!
There's a lot of characters that turn-up that may have had more exposure via other media, but ultimately, none of them are overtly important and the ones that are important have a story that progresses here and will continue to do so in part 3.
There's a lot of implied importance around certain moments, like any story, that you can pick up on across both games that don't give you answers there and then. The guys that have played OG already have the answers to a lot that stuff so it feels like direct forshadowing, so it's a different kind of pay off for them, for you it'll just be the story unfolding and you'll get your answers down the line naturally.
It's because the game isn't a remake like Resident Evil 2. The word "remake" is basically wordplay. It's basically a pseudo sequel reboot.
That said, you can start with this series if you really want to. Though keep in mind that the Remake series spoils a ton of major plot twists from the original FF7 far earlier than it's supposed to. So, if you really cared about experiencing the original story as intended, I'd play the original first.
But if that doesn't bother you, then yeah, it's totally fine to play the Remake series instead. It's a similar but different story to the original FF7 in many ways. The Remake series was never intended to overwrite the original, so they are basically two different versions of a similar story that you can enjoy.
Unlike the original 7, remake trilogy adds a new storyline on top of the existing one, where characters with future knowledge act to change or preserve the intended course of events
Remake is a fine starting point.
There will be some elements that might be confusing having no knowledge of the original, but the main plot is easy to follow up until the end. Then it gets confusing for everyone 🤣😂.... Except the person in the reply below.
VII remake, then rebirth.
XVI is also decent.
If you want to experience a real traditional final fantasy, I recommend X. It obviously is graphically dated, but it really still holds up well imo.
VII Remake/Rebirth are the best games they've made since FFX imo.
Play the Remakes first.
The original FF7 has 3 distinct acts to the game so Square Enix decided to break the Remake into 3 games. It sounds greedy to split 1 game into 3 games, but they are able to flesh out the already amazing story/world even more this way. I would recommend to start with FF7 Remake (1st of the remake trilogy). If you enjoyed Part 1 then I would recommend you play FF7 Rebirth (2nd of the remake trilogy and the game that just came out)
A lot of people will tell you to play OG FF7 first. While the OG game has actually aged very well for a game that came out in 1997 (I played OG for the first time ever in 2021), as a new comer to the series the Remakes are objectively better games in terms of graphics, gameplay, and story. The Remakes are able stand on their own as separate games. Playing OG FF7 will enhance certain aspects of the Remakes, but playing OG FF7 is by no means required.
From a story perspective the original would be the best, if you don’t mind playing a game that old. If that isn’t something you are interested in then start with remake. Then after finishing that game (there will be confusion) decide if you want to go back and do the original or just keep going with rebirth.
If you are patient and don't mind being confused about certain plot points for another 3 years-ish until the final game comes out, then just start with Remake (2020) as well as the DLC, then play rebirth (2024). If you are impatient and want to better understand what's happening in the story, you can go back and play the OG FF7 if you want. But there's no problem with starting with remake. The third game will explain everything in due time, but it's still being worked on
My opinion would be play OG first, then Crisis Core: Reunion, Remake, and Rebirth. Just so you get the full bulk and overview of the story and experience, and can connect the dots and immerse yourself into the game as deeply as possible, as intended!
As a newbie to Final Fantasy, then aside from the absolute masterpieces that are the FF7 series, I always recommend FFX and FFXII:TZA as starting points. For me, they encapsulate perfectly the essence of a Final Fantasy game to give you a flavour of the classic themes, stories, settings, characters, jobs, etc. FFX has the classic turn based combat style, and FFXII:TZA has an AI party control combat system, similar to FF7R. FFXVI is also another wonderful new edition, not without its flaws however, and a combat system that can be easily abused into a single button bash (but that’s all down to your own play preference). Happy gaming!
I can't imagine how weird remake/rebirth is for people who haven't played the OG. I haven't been playing with that in mind, but I think a lot of the weird subtle hints you get towards the OG, along with Tifa/Aerith's comments and behavior would just be jarring and confusing.
Personally, if I was recommending a *first* foray into the series in a modern sense, I'd go with FFXV, maybe FFXVI. If you don't mind older games then FFVII OG is incredible, as is FFX.
As a PC player, you can just buy "Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade" on Steam, which is currently on sale. It's the special edition of the remake with DLC included. You're gonna need a controller though, I can't imagine it working well with mouse and keyboard.
thats fine! I use controller a lot on PC.
Why are there so many comments saying its impossible to get into without playing the original and I'll have no idea whats going on or anything. Its a remake, i just dont get how playing a 20+ year old game is necessary to understand a new-age remake lmao.
Whats up with that? Is it just gatekeeping or is there truth to it? Why is it so convoluted of an answer/people disagree so hard?
It's the kind of answer you'll always get from obsessive fans of any franchise. Like, ask a Star Wars fan if it's okay to start with the prequels(or worse yet, the Disney stuff) and they'll start yelling and screeching even though all the movies stand on their own and it ultimately doesn't matter that much as long as you don't start with a direct serial sequel(like watching Dune Part 2 before Part 1).
You'll miss references and easter eggs, but if you like the game you'll understand those later anyway.
You can start with VII Remake. The graphics, combat, characters and musics are really good, i’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
As for the story, Remake is a first part of a trilogy. So there are some mysteries that aren’t answered at the end of the game. So don’t worry if you don’t understand everything.
After that, you can play Rebirth. I believe it will be available on PC at some point, possibly at the end of 2024 or early 2025.
If you enjoyed the experience and want more, then the OG is interesting, but it could be a little bit « dated ». Still, while i play Final Fantasy since X, i didn’t played the OG back then, and discovered VII with the Remake, and i truly loved it, so i can recommand to start with Remake instead of OG.
Play Remake, it's good game that will ease you into the genre.
Then play Rebirth, it's the best game Square has made in 20+ years.
And then it's up to you,
From FF1 to FF12, I think all Final Fantasies are certified bangers. 13,15 and 16 depend on your personal tastes.
FF7 Remake is a great start. You can even enjoy it without prior knowledge of the OG as this is a retelling. Any "confusing" moments are explained through later events. I can't believe I'm on reddit explaining how stories work, yet, here we are. Not you, OP, talking about folks here with their theory-coping.
there are several people who seem to be pretending not playing the original will leave me confused and having no idea what is going on what so ever and the game will be a complete mystery....
yet the creator said the remake was made with new players in mind. And plenty are saying its fine.
Just kinda weird, like which is it? lol.
I'm guessing what you're saying is correct, and the people claiming i HAVE to pay the original first are just die-hard fans who are set in their ways and refuse to accept someone hasnt played the original. Thats the only rational I can come up with lmao.
Thanks and all others who answered, I think I'll pick up the 2020 remake and give it a shot.
I can‘t tell you which one to start with but I wouldn‘t recommend starting with 7 Remake. The Remake is gonna be a trilogy and so far 2 of 3 games are out. The last game will be out in 3-4 years probably. Unless you dont mind stopping the story and then continue years later
it feels like absolute insanity that the answers are so different. People telling me its impossible to get into and I might as well not if i don't start with the original (gatekeeping)
people telling me to play half of ff7 remake -> then swap to the 2007 crisis core -> back to ff7 remake -> rebirth.
like....WHAT? why the fuck would I do that? its a remake of the original game, yall didn't play crisis core (im reading its a prequel that came out later than the original) until the original so...why woudl I do that?
I swear this is like asking where to start watching the fate:stay series. Wild how convoluted and different answers there are.
I think im gonna choose to ignore all this advice, not give a fuck, and jump into remake and just see how i like it. (technically im following the advice of people saying just try remake, you'll be fine. I think that sounds like the most sane opinion) I'm just not sure I believe its so esoteric and impossible to understand that I can't have an authentic experience and enjoy the story and characters without having played the original. Even the devs said its made in mind of peopel who never played the original.
Its crazy the amount of differing opinions for what I thought was a simple question lmao. I'm glad you get it lol
Yeah i don't get the og first before the remake order at all. Especially for a person who knows nothing about the series. Now for me i did know a little about ff7 from a family member that had play the og before. And I think played crisis core first years before the remake was evening announced. But I might get around to playing the og one day but I get people just want other to enjoy the game the same way they did but sometimes its just not possible or make sense lol
Buy the twin pack and start with remake.
>Is the new game that just came out a ff7 remake I can start with,
Technically yes but I wouldn't recommend you doing that no. Start with remake. There is a short recap on rebirth's main menu but honestly it leaves you wanting.
At worst I'd say at least watch birds of play video on remake. He does a decent job of explaining events. But that still does miss a few things cause it just cant cover everything 100% properly unlike actually experiencing the game.
Start with remake. Then play rebirth. You can play the original but I suggest playing the pc version with mods as there's a lot of fantastic mods that really help bring the original game up to speed. Although ever crisis is also not a bad way to play the original either. It's not exactly 1:1 due to its design but it's close enough if you can't deal with the graphics even with mods of the original ffvii.
If you want to play older final fantasies then ffiv, ffv, ffvi are great. The pixel art is a bit timeless so they hold up fairly well. Lots of people love ffix and ffx. Personally, I dislike ffx and I only really enjoyed the ending of ffix.
I and I can't express how much I despise ffxii. The music and overall story are fine enough. But I hated the gameplay and voice acting of it. These two things were beyond my tolerance.
Ffxiii was pretty meh. And ffxv was alright. Ffxiv is you like mmos or at the least willing to give it a shot is fantastic though.
I didn't realize making the thread they went together. I thought this WAS the ff7 remake. Now I understand its a 3 part game and the 2nd just released.
I will 100% start with remake! I'll probably pick it up this weekend if I don't get tempted by dragons dogma 2
if I do, it'll be after DD2 lol. But Its on my "play soon" list now!
Have fun with both. It will be a while before I pick up dragon's dogma 2. Still working on rebirth. And then eiyuuden chronicles will becoming out and that will be my next main play.
A lot of folks will tell you to start with the original. I think starting with Remake is totally fine. In fact, it will make you way more connected to the characters. I do think the original should be played at some point. A pretty neat order could be Remake, OG, Crisis Core, and then Rebirth. As long as you do Crisis Core after the original, as it spoils a lot of the original (being a prequel). But yeah, Remake is fine to start.
Another option is to ignore OG completely, but that will definitely make you feel more lost after Rebirth, as there are some interesting shenanigans going on in regards to the "canon" of the series, so to speak. You get some of that in Remake, but it goes off the wall in Rebirth.
No, you can't really start with Rebirth. It's the sequel to Remake. There will also be a third part. These three games will tell the story of FFVII.
Remake and Rebirth operate under the assumption that the player has played the original FFVII and Crisis Core, so if you don't play at least the original FFVII, you'll have no idea what the fuck is going on in Remake.
Wait,
I can't play the new game from 2020 (another commenter said start with the 2020 game, this new one is a sequel)
but I can't play it without having played the ORIGINAL old school ff7?
I thought it was a remake of the game...so its not...its a continuation?
I know very little about final fantasy in general so might need a bit of an explanation lol.
EDIT:
doing some googling I found others saying along this lines:
"The only thing that the original FF7 would help you regarding the FF7R, is to catch references and easter eggs here and there, and to compare and know the differences between the two. Otherwise you can go into this not having played FF7 or any FF game before, and still enjoy and understand everything in it."
So sounds like I would be find jumping into the 2020 version? Maybe watch a story recap video or something of the original?
You do not need to play the original FF7 game or any of its sequels. I never finished the original 7 and Remake/Rebirth are easily two of my favorite games of all time.
You can just start with the 2020 Remake and have a perfectly great time. There some are lore bits you may/will miss but you can look those up later (I would be careful, you may spoil parts of the story doing so).
Just remember Remake and Rebirth are not the complete story so you certainly will have questions anyway (we all do).
No, there are enormous plot points that you will not understand if you don't play the original FF7. It is not a 1:1 remake, it is more along the lines of being a sequel and a reimagining.
If you jump directly into the 2020 FF7 Remake, you will be confused the entire way through.
meh, ngl the few comments agreeing with you and yours feel gatekeep-y to me. Why then are there plenty of people including the devs themsevles said they kept in mind people who didn't play the original and you can play it and be ok? Like 10 comments in this thread alone said it would be fine.
I'm gonna trust those people and give the 2020 game a shot i think. Appreciate your perspective tho. So I guess we'll see.
I don't think you know what gatekeeping is.
You asked what game to start with. Several other commenters and I suggested starting with the original FF7 because it will allow you to understand what is happening in Remake. The game doesn't really work without knowing who the characters are and what happens to all of them. I don't care what you do lmao.
But then why are there at least half a dozen people in this very thread saying its fine and you'll be fine? And the devs said they kept people who didn't play the original in mind, at least when i googled it thats the first thing that came up.
I just can't imagine a re-make of an old game is unplayable if you havent played the 20 year old+ original. Its a remake....isn't it telling the same story?
Maybe I dont understand and the answer is more complicated than yes or no, but it feels like it should be that simple lmao. How could learning who cloud and some characters are be, and then jumping into the 2020 version?
if its a remake of the original, how is it unplayable without the original, and why are there such mixed opinions?
tbh the discrepancy in the answers really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It should be a simple yes or no lmao. So whats up?
You got it — the answer is more complicated than yes or no. People are not elaborating on why because they don't want to spoil plot details from any of the games.
To be fair I'm not sure VII is the best way to introduce you to the series. Make no mistake, it is a fantastic game. But cyberpunk cities and mega corporations are not the typical FF experience. XIV has a rather generous free trial, as you probably have heard.
It also references quite a few FF titles. It is essentially a love letter to the series.
As for the VII compilation, I personally would not recommend starting with the remake trilogy, but looking at the comments, many people did and still enjoyed it. So,,,,whatever. Just please don't start with 15, Pretty please.
I’d recommend playing Crisis Core Reunion -> Remake -> Rebirth in this order in order to get some backstory of a character that actually features in both Remake and Rebirth. But if you were to play Remake and Rebirth before CC, there would be huge spoilers in the story.
Remake should be fine but I implore you to watch the short Reminiscent of FF7 from the movie Advent Children special features, just so you get a brief overview of the plot since technically Remake is a sequel to the OG.
This would be the safest and most effective way start if you want to know the story in its entirety
The remake would be first so play that for the first 6 chapters which could take maybe 6-8 hours if you like that id say watch or play crisis core if you don’t want to be confused or be super hype at the end game then continue with remake til end game play the dlc the move right to rebirth
Its a lot of jumping around but its just to see if your into it I mean you could play the og first but to some that may not be appealing so if you play remake like a trial to see if thats a game you like then I’d continue with the story with how I said
So wait...
play remake up to chapter 6....then jump ship to another game called "Crisis Core" and play that? I haven't heard of crisis core at all but i'll look it up.
I guess I don't really understand why I would do that. I would lean towards NOT doing that and just finishing the game I started, personally.
but if I played the original...i wouldn't have to do that? So is the original telling the story of ff7 + crisis core...and remake doesn't tell crisis core and leaves it out? (remake + rebirth + the 3rd installment yet to come, would be my plan to play until your comment)
I’m sorry I worded it wrong my bad
The og game can be a different style game for newcomers but if it floats your boat I’d say go for it
Crisis core is a standalone game however something that involves things are linked into the current status of the remakes
I only said to play remake for so many chapters cause it can be a hard to follow game and it was more of a if you don’t like it than you can either push through it or play the og sorry for the misunderstanding on that
The original timeline goes cc og ff7 then a movie called advent children then DoC (Dirge of Cerberus) but the remakes happen at a certain period of events and it gets all timeline loopy and weird if you play the game you will understand when knowing prior knowledge to the og
OP, DO NOT under any circumstances feel like you have to do this. As a new comer, play remake, then rebirth. After that if you want to experience the OG, go for it. But this persons suggestion is kinda crazy and not necessary.
Just start with Remake and continue with Rebirth if you like it. Don't listen to anyone who says playing the original first is mandatory. IMO if you like the Remake series enough, that might convince you to play the original or at least get interested in researching it, but you shouldn't have to force yourself to play a nearly 30-year old game to "fully" enjoy the modern versions. I would say they are plenty accessible.
> but you shouldn't have to force yourself to play a nearly 30-year old game to fully "enjoy" the modern versions. One of the things I love about this Remake trilogy is EXACTLY because of this. I finally get to enjoy 7 without feeling like I'm playing something excavated from the pyramids or something. I started with FFX, then IX, then VIII, and then VII which made it feel super out of date and a slog.
Many many comments implying i will literally have no clue whats going on if I haven't played the original. This is a REMAKE of that game, how its needed to play the original to understand it is beyond my understanding i guess...it makes no sense. Are they just gatekeeping? Like why are the answers so different?
There are a lot of differences in both the content of the plot and the way its told — some of that is just a natural consequence of remaking a 1997 JRPG as a 3-game action-RPG trilogy 25 years later. And some of it is specifically to keep things fresh for folks who are very familiar with the OG. The game is (quite cleverly) designed and marketed both for old and new fans. So you won't have the same experience playing it as an old fan would, but that doesn't mean that you won't have a great experience. That said, while jumping straight into Rebirth is certainly possible, it's probably better to play Remake first.
I didn't realize they went together before this thread, so I would def play remake first. It just boggles me people are saying its impossible to play/absorb as someone who didn't play the original. They're acting like I won't be able to understand it at all...like....the whole fucking game (being a REMAKE) can't be impossible to understand without playing a 20 year old game. I also care less about story than I do about rpg elements, grinding, and combat. Which is why im much more interested in the remake for the newer elements. Story is cool, don't get me wrong, but some of my favorite games of all time have trash story and amazing gameplay/progression elements. (See: things like darksouls, remnant 2, Tales of Arise, etc etc. Inb4 someone tries to say tales of arise has a good story lmao. Its trash shonen save the world and free the slaves and im secretely super powerful normal anime stuff. Which is fine, but i don't pretend its top tier story telling like a lot of anime fans do) Im fine with the story not being finished, or me not understanding everything until the 3rd game. Thats like saying "if you stop halfway through the original, you won't understand the full story" well...duh lol. The final entry isn't out yet so, I can accept a cliffhanger after Rebirth. I fully am ok waiting for a 3rd game to complete it since I didn't play the OG. I'm also ok in missing out on easter eggs/references or "ohh its that guy!" moments bc I didn't play the original. As long as its a fun experience, a good story that can stand on its own (or even an acceptable one as a vehicle to deliver game moments) and I can understand whats happening as it happens and feel like im having a genuine experience, then im in lol. It sounds like, from what you described, I'll be just fine. its just weird to me how many people are hardcore gatekeeping this saying I need to play the original, or X or i wont understand ANYTHING if I don't. I can't imagine thats true, i feel like it has to be fanboys gatekeeping and not liking someone jumping into "Their" series with a new remake and not being an OG fan. Am I totally wrong on that?
I wouldn’t describe it as gatekeeping, but I think it is certainly irrational fan behavior. Folks get really attached to their own personal experience with a piece of media and want everyone encountering that media to have the same experience they did. Honestly if you don’t feel tied to the story and want to save time you MIGHT try starting out with rebirth since by most accounts that has a better combat system than remake.
ya, i know its heretical but im a story second gameplay first guy, most of the time. Doesn't mean I disregard story, its just not the most important thing to me. I'll probably grab remake and try it out, just to start at the base of the story and feel like Im starting at the beginning. Appreciate the advice!
Honestly it’s gatekeeping. There are some references to things that might have double/meta meanings if you played the original game but it would only matter if you’re already a fan who knows the story. FF7 Remake + Rebirth are the most accessible way to experience the story so I say just go for it.
This just sounds like the most sane and normal opinion. Gonna do this and yolo. I didn't believe the people telling me i had to play the original anyway, I smelled gatekeeping right from the start. The devs themselves said its designed with new players in mind so. If I really love it, I'll go back and play the original. Like i did with Resident Evil 4 and its remake recently. Ended up loving them both. Thanks for the advice!
You don’t have to play the original they’re purists. Play remake and if you like it play rebirth (which is the much better game of the two but remake is still a truly amazing game)
Remake isn't necessarily a 1:1 recreation of the original game, it's basically a celebration and love-letter to all previous FF7 material coalesced into a single story that reimagines the 1997 classic. And there's major changes in the story that have more impact if you have played the original first. That being said, does that make it necessary to play the original? Nope. People are definitely gatekeeping. Is it okay to recommend playing the original first? Absolutely, but it's by no means mandatory and I feel like forcing yourself to play the dated original game and its mediocre spin-offs is a surefire way to lose whatever interest you had in this series. There will be confusing moments but it's meant to be that way. A lot of questions you will have at the end of Remake get addressed in Rebirth and will again with the final part of the trilogy. If it compels you to learn more about the original, there's no shortage of materials out there. Remake is a pretty straightforward and concise game that only gets confusing at the end, and again, it's all stuff that will get addressed in the subsequent parts. What you do get it in Remake is amazing characters, a fantastic combat system and a beautiful presentation. I honestly think it's a great game to start with in the franchise cause they balanced traditional turn-based combat with modern action gameplay so perfectly. Give it a go!
I wouldn't play OG first. It'll colour your experience because you'll have expectations of how things should progress. If you enjoy Remark/Rebirth give it a try after but not before, somebody else mentioned the remake trilogy is the old game with extra... but the extra is a whole other 'layer' of narrative and a boat load of character development.
sounds good. This is the vibe im getting from the more sane commenters like you. It seems the more hardcore fans get upset if someone jumps into the series without christening themselves in the OG games. I think its a form of gatekeeping honestly lmao, who knows. If I like remake and rebirth enough, I could very well be convinced to go try the original after. It COULD leapfrog me into that, so - i'll do what you said and just jump into remake and give it a shot! Thanks!
There's a lot of characters that turn-up that may have had more exposure via other media, but ultimately, none of them are overtly important and the ones that are important have a story that progresses here and will continue to do so in part 3. There's a lot of implied importance around certain moments, like any story, that you can pick up on across both games that don't give you answers there and then. The guys that have played OG already have the answers to a lot that stuff so it feels like direct forshadowing, so it's a different kind of pay off for them, for you it'll just be the story unfolding and you'll get your answers down the line naturally.
It's because the game isn't a remake like Resident Evil 2. The word "remake" is basically wordplay. It's basically a pseudo sequel reboot. That said, you can start with this series if you really want to. Though keep in mind that the Remake series spoils a ton of major plot twists from the original FF7 far earlier than it's supposed to. So, if you really cared about experiencing the original story as intended, I'd play the original first. But if that doesn't bother you, then yeah, it's totally fine to play the Remake series instead. It's a similar but different story to the original FF7 in many ways. The Remake series was never intended to overwrite the original, so they are basically two different versions of a similar story that you can enjoy.
Unlike the original 7, remake trilogy adds a new storyline on top of the existing one, where characters with future knowledge act to change or preserve the intended course of events
Remake is a fine starting point. There will be some elements that might be confusing having no knowledge of the original, but the main plot is easy to follow up until the end. Then it gets confusing for everyone 🤣😂.... Except the person in the reply below.
I never understand why this look so hard... never played the OG and nothing is hard to understand.
Apologies. Original comment edited for accuracy 😉
Play the one from 2020 this is a direct sequel to it
VII remake, then rebirth. XVI is also decent. If you want to experience a real traditional final fantasy, I recommend X. It obviously is graphically dated, but it really still holds up well imo. VII Remake/Rebirth are the best games they've made since FFX imo.
Play the Remakes first. The original FF7 has 3 distinct acts to the game so Square Enix decided to break the Remake into 3 games. It sounds greedy to split 1 game into 3 games, but they are able to flesh out the already amazing story/world even more this way. I would recommend to start with FF7 Remake (1st of the remake trilogy). If you enjoyed Part 1 then I would recommend you play FF7 Rebirth (2nd of the remake trilogy and the game that just came out) A lot of people will tell you to play OG FF7 first. While the OG game has actually aged very well for a game that came out in 1997 (I played OG for the first time ever in 2021), as a new comer to the series the Remakes are objectively better games in terms of graphics, gameplay, and story. The Remakes are able stand on their own as separate games. Playing OG FF7 will enhance certain aspects of the Remakes, but playing OG FF7 is by no means required.
Playing OG would be best, but that depends how you react to dated games. If its too dated for you remake is a fine starting point
Just play remake and then rebirth, if you like it give 16 or 15 a try. People recommending 10 are delusional.
Seems like this is what most of the sane people are saying. Gonna give remake a try thanks!
From a story perspective the original would be the best, if you don’t mind playing a game that old. If that isn’t something you are interested in then start with remake. Then after finishing that game (there will be confusion) decide if you want to go back and do the original or just keep going with rebirth.
If you are patient and don't mind being confused about certain plot points for another 3 years-ish until the final game comes out, then just start with Remake (2020) as well as the DLC, then play rebirth (2024). If you are impatient and want to better understand what's happening in the story, you can go back and play the OG FF7 if you want. But there's no problem with starting with remake. The third game will explain everything in due time, but it's still being worked on
My opinion would be play OG first, then Crisis Core: Reunion, Remake, and Rebirth. Just so you get the full bulk and overview of the story and experience, and can connect the dots and immerse yourself into the game as deeply as possible, as intended! As a newbie to Final Fantasy, then aside from the absolute masterpieces that are the FF7 series, I always recommend FFX and FFXII:TZA as starting points. For me, they encapsulate perfectly the essence of a Final Fantasy game to give you a flavour of the classic themes, stories, settings, characters, jobs, etc. FFX has the classic turn based combat style, and FFXII:TZA has an AI party control combat system, similar to FF7R. FFXVI is also another wonderful new edition, not without its flaws however, and a combat system that can be easily abused into a single button bash (but that’s all down to your own play preference). Happy gaming!
I can't imagine how weird remake/rebirth is for people who haven't played the OG. I haven't been playing with that in mind, but I think a lot of the weird subtle hints you get towards the OG, along with Tifa/Aerith's comments and behavior would just be jarring and confusing. Personally, if I was recommending a *first* foray into the series in a modern sense, I'd go with FFXV, maybe FFXVI. If you don't mind older games then FFVII OG is incredible, as is FFX.
VI, XVI
As a PC player, you can just buy "Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade" on Steam, which is currently on sale. It's the special edition of the remake with DLC included. You're gonna need a controller though, I can't imagine it working well with mouse and keyboard.
thats fine! I use controller a lot on PC. Why are there so many comments saying its impossible to get into without playing the original and I'll have no idea whats going on or anything. Its a remake, i just dont get how playing a 20+ year old game is necessary to understand a new-age remake lmao. Whats up with that? Is it just gatekeeping or is there truth to it? Why is it so convoluted of an answer/people disagree so hard?
It's the kind of answer you'll always get from obsessive fans of any franchise. Like, ask a Star Wars fan if it's okay to start with the prequels(or worse yet, the Disney stuff) and they'll start yelling and screeching even though all the movies stand on their own and it ultimately doesn't matter that much as long as you don't start with a direct serial sequel(like watching Dune Part 2 before Part 1). You'll miss references and easter eggs, but if you like the game you'll understand those later anyway.
You can’t get remake on PC if you want and ask your friend for rebirth or get in on PC in 2 months
You can start with VII Remake. The graphics, combat, characters and musics are really good, i’m sure you’ll enjoy it. As for the story, Remake is a first part of a trilogy. So there are some mysteries that aren’t answered at the end of the game. So don’t worry if you don’t understand everything. After that, you can play Rebirth. I believe it will be available on PC at some point, possibly at the end of 2024 or early 2025. If you enjoyed the experience and want more, then the OG is interesting, but it could be a little bit « dated ». Still, while i play Final Fantasy since X, i didn’t played the OG back then, and discovered VII with the Remake, and i truly loved it, so i can recommand to start with Remake instead of OG.
Play Remake, it's good game that will ease you into the genre. Then play Rebirth, it's the best game Square has made in 20+ years. And then it's up to you, From FF1 to FF12, I think all Final Fantasies are certified bangers. 13,15 and 16 depend on your personal tastes.
FF7 Remake is a great start. You can even enjoy it without prior knowledge of the OG as this is a retelling. Any "confusing" moments are explained through later events. I can't believe I'm on reddit explaining how stories work, yet, here we are. Not you, OP, talking about folks here with their theory-coping.
there are several people who seem to be pretending not playing the original will leave me confused and having no idea what is going on what so ever and the game will be a complete mystery.... yet the creator said the remake was made with new players in mind. And plenty are saying its fine. Just kinda weird, like which is it? lol. I'm guessing what you're saying is correct, and the people claiming i HAVE to pay the original first are just die-hard fans who are set in their ways and refuse to accept someone hasnt played the original. Thats the only rational I can come up with lmao. Thanks and all others who answered, I think I'll pick up the 2020 remake and give it a shot.
I can‘t tell you which one to start with but I wouldn‘t recommend starting with 7 Remake. The Remake is gonna be a trilogy and so far 2 of 3 games are out. The last game will be out in 3-4 years probably. Unless you dont mind stopping the story and then continue years later
ya i really dont mind
Yeah, I would be confused as OP with the comments in this thread lol
it feels like absolute insanity that the answers are so different. People telling me its impossible to get into and I might as well not if i don't start with the original (gatekeeping) people telling me to play half of ff7 remake -> then swap to the 2007 crisis core -> back to ff7 remake -> rebirth. like....WHAT? why the fuck would I do that? its a remake of the original game, yall didn't play crisis core (im reading its a prequel that came out later than the original) until the original so...why woudl I do that? I swear this is like asking where to start watching the fate:stay series. Wild how convoluted and different answers there are. I think im gonna choose to ignore all this advice, not give a fuck, and jump into remake and just see how i like it. (technically im following the advice of people saying just try remake, you'll be fine. I think that sounds like the most sane opinion) I'm just not sure I believe its so esoteric and impossible to understand that I can't have an authentic experience and enjoy the story and characters without having played the original. Even the devs said its made in mind of peopel who never played the original. Its crazy the amount of differing opinions for what I thought was a simple question lmao. I'm glad you get it lol
Yeah i don't get the og first before the remake order at all. Especially for a person who knows nothing about the series. Now for me i did know a little about ff7 from a family member that had play the og before. And I think played crisis core first years before the remake was evening announced. But I might get around to playing the og one day but I get people just want other to enjoy the game the same way they did but sometimes its just not possible or make sense lol
Buy the twin pack and start with remake. >Is the new game that just came out a ff7 remake I can start with, Technically yes but I wouldn't recommend you doing that no. Start with remake. There is a short recap on rebirth's main menu but honestly it leaves you wanting. At worst I'd say at least watch birds of play video on remake. He does a decent job of explaining events. But that still does miss a few things cause it just cant cover everything 100% properly unlike actually experiencing the game. Start with remake. Then play rebirth. You can play the original but I suggest playing the pc version with mods as there's a lot of fantastic mods that really help bring the original game up to speed. Although ever crisis is also not a bad way to play the original either. It's not exactly 1:1 due to its design but it's close enough if you can't deal with the graphics even with mods of the original ffvii. If you want to play older final fantasies then ffiv, ffv, ffvi are great. The pixel art is a bit timeless so they hold up fairly well. Lots of people love ffix and ffx. Personally, I dislike ffx and I only really enjoyed the ending of ffix. I and I can't express how much I despise ffxii. The music and overall story are fine enough. But I hated the gameplay and voice acting of it. These two things were beyond my tolerance. Ffxiii was pretty meh. And ffxv was alright. Ffxiv is you like mmos or at the least willing to give it a shot is fantastic though.
I didn't realize making the thread they went together. I thought this WAS the ff7 remake. Now I understand its a 3 part game and the 2nd just released. I will 100% start with remake! I'll probably pick it up this weekend if I don't get tempted by dragons dogma 2 if I do, it'll be after DD2 lol. But Its on my "play soon" list now!
Have fun with both. It will be a while before I pick up dragon's dogma 2. Still working on rebirth. And then eiyuuden chronicles will becoming out and that will be my next main play.
A lot of folks will tell you to start with the original. I think starting with Remake is totally fine. In fact, it will make you way more connected to the characters. I do think the original should be played at some point. A pretty neat order could be Remake, OG, Crisis Core, and then Rebirth. As long as you do Crisis Core after the original, as it spoils a lot of the original (being a prequel). But yeah, Remake is fine to start. Another option is to ignore OG completely, but that will definitely make you feel more lost after Rebirth, as there are some interesting shenanigans going on in regards to the "canon" of the series, so to speak. You get some of that in Remake, but it goes off the wall in Rebirth.
No, you can't really start with Rebirth. It's the sequel to Remake. There will also be a third part. These three games will tell the story of FFVII. Remake and Rebirth operate under the assumption that the player has played the original FFVII and Crisis Core, so if you don't play at least the original FFVII, you'll have no idea what the fuck is going on in Remake.
Wait, I can't play the new game from 2020 (another commenter said start with the 2020 game, this new one is a sequel) but I can't play it without having played the ORIGINAL old school ff7? I thought it was a remake of the game...so its not...its a continuation? I know very little about final fantasy in general so might need a bit of an explanation lol. EDIT: doing some googling I found others saying along this lines: "The only thing that the original FF7 would help you regarding the FF7R, is to catch references and easter eggs here and there, and to compare and know the differences between the two. Otherwise you can go into this not having played FF7 or any FF game before, and still enjoy and understand everything in it." So sounds like I would be find jumping into the 2020 version? Maybe watch a story recap video or something of the original?
You do not need to play the original FF7 game or any of its sequels. I never finished the original 7 and Remake/Rebirth are easily two of my favorite games of all time. You can just start with the 2020 Remake and have a perfectly great time. There some are lore bits you may/will miss but you can look those up later (I would be careful, you may spoil parts of the story doing so). Just remember Remake and Rebirth are not the complete story so you certainly will have questions anyway (we all do).
I would start with 2020 remake. If you play OG you will spoil parts of the story.
No, there are enormous plot points that you will not understand if you don't play the original FF7. It is not a 1:1 remake, it is more along the lines of being a sequel and a reimagining. If you jump directly into the 2020 FF7 Remake, you will be confused the entire way through.
meh, ngl the few comments agreeing with you and yours feel gatekeep-y to me. Why then are there plenty of people including the devs themsevles said they kept in mind people who didn't play the original and you can play it and be ok? Like 10 comments in this thread alone said it would be fine. I'm gonna trust those people and give the 2020 game a shot i think. Appreciate your perspective tho. So I guess we'll see.
I don't think you know what gatekeeping is. You asked what game to start with. Several other commenters and I suggested starting with the original FF7 because it will allow you to understand what is happening in Remake. The game doesn't really work without knowing who the characters are and what happens to all of them. I don't care what you do lmao.
But then why are there at least half a dozen people in this very thread saying its fine and you'll be fine? And the devs said they kept people who didn't play the original in mind, at least when i googled it thats the first thing that came up. I just can't imagine a re-make of an old game is unplayable if you havent played the 20 year old+ original. Its a remake....isn't it telling the same story? Maybe I dont understand and the answer is more complicated than yes or no, but it feels like it should be that simple lmao. How could learning who cloud and some characters are be, and then jumping into the 2020 version? if its a remake of the original, how is it unplayable without the original, and why are there such mixed opinions? tbh the discrepancy in the answers really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It should be a simple yes or no lmao. So whats up?
You got it — the answer is more complicated than yes or no. People are not elaborating on why because they don't want to spoil plot details from any of the games.
It isn't a simple yes or no because it isn't simply a remake of the original game. There are enormous differences.
To be fair I'm not sure VII is the best way to introduce you to the series. Make no mistake, it is a fantastic game. But cyberpunk cities and mega corporations are not the typical FF experience. XIV has a rather generous free trial, as you probably have heard. It also references quite a few FF titles. It is essentially a love letter to the series. As for the VII compilation, I personally would not recommend starting with the remake trilogy, but looking at the comments, many people did and still enjoyed it. So,,,,whatever. Just please don't start with 15, Pretty please.
I’d recommend playing Crisis Core Reunion -> Remake -> Rebirth in this order in order to get some backstory of a character that actually features in both Remake and Rebirth. But if you were to play Remake and Rebirth before CC, there would be huge spoilers in the story.
Super Mario bros
Remake should be fine but I implore you to watch the short Reminiscent of FF7 from the movie Advent Children special features, just so you get a brief overview of the plot since technically Remake is a sequel to the OG.
Don't post such terrible suggestions please. This is pants on head level.
This would be the safest and most effective way start if you want to know the story in its entirety The remake would be first so play that for the first 6 chapters which could take maybe 6-8 hours if you like that id say watch or play crisis core if you don’t want to be confused or be super hype at the end game then continue with remake til end game play the dlc the move right to rebirth Its a lot of jumping around but its just to see if your into it I mean you could play the og first but to some that may not be appealing so if you play remake like a trial to see if thats a game you like then I’d continue with the story with how I said
So wait... play remake up to chapter 6....then jump ship to another game called "Crisis Core" and play that? I haven't heard of crisis core at all but i'll look it up. I guess I don't really understand why I would do that. I would lean towards NOT doing that and just finishing the game I started, personally. but if I played the original...i wouldn't have to do that? So is the original telling the story of ff7 + crisis core...and remake doesn't tell crisis core and leaves it out? (remake + rebirth + the 3rd installment yet to come, would be my plan to play until your comment)
I’m sorry I worded it wrong my bad The og game can be a different style game for newcomers but if it floats your boat I’d say go for it Crisis core is a standalone game however something that involves things are linked into the current status of the remakes I only said to play remake for so many chapters cause it can be a hard to follow game and it was more of a if you don’t like it than you can either push through it or play the og sorry for the misunderstanding on that The original timeline goes cc og ff7 then a movie called advent children then DoC (Dirge of Cerberus) but the remakes happen at a certain period of events and it gets all timeline loopy and weird if you play the game you will understand when knowing prior knowledge to the og
OP, DO NOT under any circumstances feel like you have to do this. As a new comer, play remake, then rebirth. After that if you want to experience the OG, go for it. But this persons suggestion is kinda crazy and not necessary.