Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is taking a bold approach by presenting a timeline that diverges significantly from the original game. In the past, the game threw narrative curveballs, blurring the lines between memories and actual events. While there is limited information available about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the trailers have hinted at substantial differences. Audiences should brace themselves for a departure from the familiar, as almost everything is expected to have some level of alteration. Unlike other remakes that faithfully retell their stories, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth seems to be embarking on a completely new narrative journey, as evidenced by hints in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This leaves many aspects uncertain, including the sequence of events and how they will unfold due to the changes implemented.
What Multiple Timelines Can Mean For Final Fantasy 7
In Final Fantasy 7, protagonist Cloud Strife's memories have been manipulated by Sephiroth, making the game confusing to follow at times. He recalls events he never actually experienced, such as the tragedy in Nibelheim where Sephiroth went on a rampage and killed numerous civilians.
The trailer for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth capitalizes on this aspect of Cloud's character. There is a scene in the trailer where Sephiroth tries to convince Cloud that Tifa, who is in his party, is not his childhood friend. This is shown by a clip of Tifa being attacked in the Nibelheim reactor. Tifa herself also states in the trailer that Cloud was not present in Nibelheim five years prior to the events of the game, contradicting his memories. In the original game, this is indeed true, as it was actually Zack Fair who saved Tifa, and Cloud's involvement in the events was a fabricated memory.
With Zack's apparent survival in the new timeline, the events have become so distorted that characters who were previously deceased are now mysteriously alive. This opens up the possibility for the opposite to also be true. While the Tifa in the party remains true to her original self, the inclusion of multiple timelines in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy introduces a potential uncertainty about her identity in the minds of the players. This strategic approach to marketing effectively puts players in Cloud's shoes, where their memories of the past may not align with the truth within this new timeline. As a result, it becomes unclear whether the events that fans have already witnessed will remain unchanged from the original.
Now that the whispers from Final Fantasy 7 Remake have vanished, the path for Rebirth and the final installment of the trilogy is wide open, allowing for numerous possibilities. Since the whispers' purpose was to uphold the predetermined events, it would be a missed opportunity not to deviate significantly from the source material and forge a new destiny for the game's characters. Whether this new fate will lean towards a more optimistic or grim outcome is yet to be revealed.
Players do not necessarily have to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake in order to fully appreciate Rebirth. This suggests that Rebirth will provide a comprehensive understanding of the storyline thus far. However, it is possible that certain events in Rebirth may intentionally contradict the previous game, showcasing the repercussions of the party's decisions. Given that the events in the past have already been altered, it would be intriguing to delve deeper into this aspect and explore just how distinct this timeline can be compared to its intended course. The highly anticipated release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled for early 2024 exclusively on the PS5 platform.