One major aspect of Final Fantasy 7 Remake that originally struck a negative cord with players is the way the game will be doled out in multiple parts over several years. The major issue primarily comes down to players having to wait and buy another game in order to finish up the story of Final Fantasy 7, on top of associated DLC like Intermission.
So far, the new narrative being told throughout Final Fantasy 7 Remake has done a lot with the expanded timeline this new series has given to the old story, with fleshed out characters and new twists. However, the next installment is going to run into a literal Chekhov's Gun that originally took several hours to fire, but in this case will take several years before the trigger is pulled.
Storytelling in Final Fantasy 7 Remake
For the uninitiated, Chekhov's Gun is a principle of writing and foreshadowing that says if something is focused on early on, it needs to have a payoff by the end. For example, if a gun is hung on the wall in the first act, it must be fired by the third act. In the case of the narrative threads of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, there are several setups that have yet to be fully acted on, which is to be expected this early into the story.
There are a few points of interest that were prepared within the first game and DLC that might continue to have an impact, but their payoff has already taken place. Many of these have to do with side characters like Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade's Sonon and Melphie, whose storylines are essentially completed even if their effect on other characters might not be totally finished. However, the next installment in the series is going to have the unfortunate task of continuing to pile on more setups without really being able to pay any off without diverging from the original story.
Final Fantasy 7's Biggest Gun
Early on in the original Final Fantasy 7, and likely late in the next installment of the remake, players visit a place called Junon, which is a highly militarized city owned and run by Shinra. Within Junon is one of the most iconic images of Final Fantasy 7 outside of Midgar: the Sister Ray, which acts as a single, giant gun that points in one direction. When players finally reach this city, the giant gun doesn't actually fire until much later in the story, making it a set piece with no payoff coming soon in the remake.
If Final Fantasy 7 Remake's pacing so far is anything to go by, the next installment likely won't make it past the first disc, if it even makes it to the end of the game's first half. This means it's likely players aren't going to be seeing the Sister Ray be fired, as this happens during the second half of the original Final Fantasy 7. So, not only will nostalgia for huge moments in the original story start building up for something that isn't coming for a long time, but the remake itself is going to also start preparing for the massive spectacle that is the Mako Cannon.
The Weapons' Role in Final Fantasy 7
The major use of the Mako Cannon involves the super-powered monsters known as the Weapons, ancient creatures created by the planet to protect it from disaster. These Weapons are initially activated by Final Fantasy 7 antagonist Sephiroth, but they spend much of their time either seeking out and destroying Shinra cities, or wading around underwater and in the desert. Seeing these monsters come to life will eventually be an amazing spectacle in a later game, especially considering how their size and indestructibility will eventually go to show the strength of the Sister Ray.
Out of the five weapons seen in the original game (omitting Omega Weapon, who only appears in Dirge of Cerberus), two of these monsters are killed by Junon's Sister Ray. These would be the Sapphire Weapon, who players never actually fight, and Diamond Weapon, who players do wind up fighting but don't get to deliver the final blow. The first of these monster deaths is an epic moment as the giant gun players saw hours earlier finally fires for the first time, and the second time sets up for the final act of the game.
Hojo Taking the Mako Cannon to Midgar
As far as paying off an earlier setup goes, transferring the Sister Ray from Junon to Midgar and firing the weapon using the Mako reactors around the city in place of giant materia is one of the best moments of the game. It perfectly combines several different elements that had already seen their Chekhov's Gun moment, and delivers a new twist on firing the weapon by the third act. Considering this event eventually builds up to the player being given complete freedom to fly around the world and enter the final area, it is one of the last big twists Final Fantasy 7 doles out.
In the original title, this is the culmination of tens of hours of gameplay, and likely the last thing most players remember before jumping into the endless hunt for Final Fantasy 7's mini-games. However, in the case of the remake's ongoing releases, players likely won't see this until at least the fourth or even the fifth installment, depending on how much Square Enix decides to extend the game. This means to get the same level of payoff for Hojo's final stand on the Mako Cannon in Midgar, the series is going to have to either move quickly or keep raising the stakes all the way to the end.
Dolling Out a Single Game's Plot Points Across a Series
Junon's Sister Ray, the eventual move to Midgar, and the destruction of several Weapons is only a single example of the issues that arise with trying to spread the plot of a single game across several installments. It's something that long-running series often have to deal with, keeping the stakes escalating over the course of several years. The only difference with the ongoing remake's rollout of twists and turns is that most of the story has already been seen through the original Final Fantasy 7.
Once the whole series is finished, however long that takes, it won't be much of a problem for the final product. In the meantime, the additions that Square Enix has introduced into what is now an extended series have already proven to create a new experience in the familiar setting. As long as more Final Fantasy 7 Remake installments and extra content keep coming, it'll be a fun ride for players, but it can be frustrating to have to wait so long for story beats that have already been written.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available now for PS4 and PS5.
