Highlights

  • FF7 Rebirth is a hit with critics and fans for its combat, story, and content variety.
  • Lack of cross-progression from FF7 Remake disappoints players looking for continuity.
  • Future sequels should consider some form of progression import to enhance player experience.

By almost all accounts, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a triumph. It has been widely praised by both critics and audiences for its breadth and variety of content, satisfying combat sandbox, and narrative, which expands on the foundation laid by the original Final Fantasy 7. Having said that, it's not above criticism, and its sequel should take steps to polish some of its rougher edges, and seize some of the opportunities it missed.

One such missed opportunity is the matter of cross-progression from 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake. During the leadup to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's release, many fans hoped or assumed that their progress from Remake would be carried over, as the 2020 RPG can be quite grind-heavy for those looking to max out stats and fully upgrade every piece of gear. Since Rebirth picks up right where Remake left off, and nothing in the Final Fantasy 7 narrative justifies a downgrading or de-gearing of the game's principal characters, this sort of cross-progression system only made sense. But sadly, this was not the case in the final product, evoking frustration for many players.

It's important to note that Square Enix never explicitly stated that cross-progression would be a feature of Rebirth . Cross-progression was merely viewed as a reasonable assumption.

Final Fantasy 7 Fort Condor Mini Game
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Given one of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's biggest design choices, it's safe to say that one mini-game will be back with a vengeance in part 3.

The Next Final Fantasy 7 Remake Needs Cross-Progression

Why a Lack of Cross-Progression in FF7 Rebirth Is Disappointing

Players with FF7 Remake save data can redeem a bonus summon in Rebirth, but that's about the only leg-up this data affords them. All gear, XP, and abilities gained in Remake are relegated to that game, and that game alone, forcing players to start from scratch in Rebirth. Of course, a direct progress transfer from Remake to Rebirth would likely impede the latter's new gameplay and progression systems, as they are quite different from those of its predecessor.

But still, some sort of XP bonus or other head-start, similar to what Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 offer to returning players, would have been a worthwhile reward for those who beat Remake going into Rebirth. More importantly, it would have mediated possible feelings of tedium or familiarity for these returning players, as they wouldn't have to grind for hours just to get the same skills and gear that they had access to in the previous game. Such a system could have also lent Rebirth a strong sense of continuity, elevating the feeling that it is a natural extension of the story that came before it.

Cross-Progression Would Be Even More Important for FF7 Rebirth's Sequel

While no cross-progression between Remake and Rebirth is disappointing, it's not a huge deal: Rebirth is different enough from Remake, mainly as it pertains to its open-world, that its RPG progression never feels like retreading old ground, even when it technically is. However, it's unlikely that this will apply to Rebirth's sequel, which will almost certainly retain Rebirth's open-world design, albeit with some expected improvements. In this case, the game runs the risk of feeling tedious for returning players, as it would essentially be stripping them of the progress they made over dozens of hours of Rebirth gameplay.

Again, the third chapter of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy will probably be different from both games that game before it in a number of ways, so an analog port of progression from Rebirth may not be viable. But the next game could at least allow players to import the weapons and gear they collected in Rebirth, especially if these items are going to reappear anyway. Some sort of XP or level boost for those with Rebirth save data would be nice too. Considerations like these would lead to a more cohesive overall experience, while reducing feelings of fatigue or tedium that may accompany grinding in a direct sequel to an open-world RPG as massive as FF7 Rebirth.