The original Final Fantasy 7 is filled with memorable locations. Landmarks like Red XIII's hometown of Cosmo Canyon and the mysterious Temple of the Ancients each offer players different things to do and see. The pick of the bunch, though, is arguably the Gold Saucer. A towering amusement park built over the desert, Gold Saucer is a tourist attraction packed full of mini-games for players to enjoy. Games range from a battle arena to chocobo racing, and each offers something unique. The upcoming sequel Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth may well feature the Gold Saucer, and it will be interesting to see what Square Enix decides to do with it.
In the context of Final Fantasy 7's narrative, Gold Saucer is introduced in the first half of the game. Considering part one of the remake only covers events in the city of Midgar, that leaves Rebirth with a lot of ground to cover, and it isn't yet known how far into the story the second chapter of the trilogy will go. If the game does feature Gold Saucer though, which on the basis of probability it likely will, fans will be expecting a huge area to explore and have fun in. With the meticulous attention to detail that Final Fantasy 7 Remake received, it is highly likely their expectations will be met.
Final Fantasy Rebirth May Approach Gold Saucer Differently
During the events of the original game, Gold Saucer served as an important location for Cloud and his friends, standing high above the desert, within sight of the imposing and entirely optional boss Ruby Weapon. Not only are most of the mini-games replicated here to be replayed at will, but the location also holds significance for several story elements too, including some of Barret's backstory and the introduction of party member Cait Sith.
After some initial story elements, the player is free to explore Gold Saucer at will. The amusement park has its own currency for players to spend within its grounds, with some big prizes to be won by accumulating this currency while winning mini-games around the park. Countless hours can be spent here, and it provides the player with a welcome respite from the game's emotionally impactful story. The location should serve a very similar purpose in Rebirth, and arguably, Final Fantasy 7 Remake lacked a similar place to take a breather, apart from the bustling Wall Market.
With the incredible technology available to the developer now compared to 25 years ago, Gold Saucer should feasibly be brought to life in incredible detail, and each of the original's mini-games could be fully fleshed out. The motorbike sequence from Remake will surely be revisited and could come with multiple levels featuring increased difficulty. The tower defense game Fort Condor, a big part of the Yuffie-centric DLC INTERmission, could be brought back to life here, again with various levels and difficulties. The possibilities are plentiful, and Gold Saucer could even serve as the game's social hub should the developer decide to include some kind of online interaction with things like high scores, which would be an unexpected but welcome addition.
Square Enix has confirmed that the order of locations visited within Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth may change when compared to the original, and this could well have implications on the narrative. Whether this affects how the player's time is spent while visiting the Gold Saucer remains to be seen, but whatever the outcome, the towering amusement park will still surely serve as an important location in the upcoming sequel, and the developer will be keen to ensure it does the original location justice.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled to release in winter 2023 on PS5.
