Final Fantasy VII Remake co-director Naoki Hamaguchi says the trilogy’s final entry will be “a bit more concise” than Rebirth, as Square Enix focuses on tighter pacing and a balanced narrative to conclude the saga.
Final Fantasy VII Remake co-director Naoki Hamaguchi has said the upcoming third and final entry in Square Enix’s acclaimed trilogy will be “a bit more concise” than Rebirth.
Speaking to ScreenRant, Hamaguchi addressed fan feedback that certain sections of Rebirth felt overly long, but he disagreed with that criticism.
He said: “Regarding time management in certain sections, especially in FF7 Rebirth, I honestly don’t believe that they were longer than necessary.
“I feel like nowadays, players just have too much to do and too much to play; so they often feel the urge that something has to be concluded quickly.”
Even so, Hamaguchi acknowledged that pacing is a key focus for the final instalment, noting that the team is carefully structuring how the story unfolds.
He added: “As we work on the conclusion to the trilogy, we are striking a balance on how story arcs are told and spread out so as to ensure that the game feels a bit more concise.”
Elsewhere, Hamaguchi said decisions about Part 3’s gameplay systems have yet to be finalised and will depend on what “game experience fans will enjoy most”.
He told TheGamer: “Essentially for the Final Fantasy numbered series, the game design is based on the director’s decision himself.
For the new title, whether it’s action or turn-based, that’s not pre-determined yet.”
“If you would ask me, ‘Is [my next game] going to be an RPG?’, yes, there is definitely a possibility.
“But is it going to be a turn-based RPG? We’re taking this aside from the fact that [Clair Obscur] Expedition 33 was received well, we received a lot of ‘JRPGs are back’ comments.
“For me, I’m thinking about what game experience fans will enjoy. That’s the most important point.”
Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 co-director says game will be ‘a bit more concise’ than Rebirth
