It’s been a while, but theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7is relevant once again.Final Fantasy 7 Remakeis progressing smoothly, and it seems like moreCompilationelements are being brought in. The main game contains some subtle references to the various entries in theFF7 Compilation, andIntergrade’s DLC campaign brings in explicit elements fromDirge of Cerberus. Adding on to that, the entireCompilationis being remade in a format similar to the originalFinal Fantasy 7, withEver Crisisrolling out next year. It’s an exciting time to be aFinal Fantasy 7fan, and the hardcore loremasters of the past decades are finally having their efforts rewarded.
With that being said, theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7is a large and complex multimedia project that lasted for quite a long time. It spans films, console games, and mobile games, as well as a book or two. The expandedFinal Fantasy 7universe has proven very difficult to keep track of, and because its various works have been of varying quality, not many fans put in the time to stay current on the whole thing. WithEver Crisispromising to make everything relevant againand expanded even further with new side stories, now is the perfect time to catch up on what, exactly, fans will see once theCompilationcomes back in full force.
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Before Crisis: Final Fantasy 7
The mobile game prequel toFinal Fantasy 7,Before Crisiswas released in 2004 and takes place during the six years leading up to the original game. IttellsFF7’s story from the Turks' side, as they fight against the anti-Shinra insurgency group AVALANCHE. This version of AVALANCHE is far more sinister than the one fans know and love, and the game contains many characters and plot points that have not been revisited. The game was never released outside of Japan and is now defunct.
Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
Final Fantasy 7: Advent Childrenis the CGI-animated movie sequel toFF7, taking place two years afterward. It follows Cloud Strife in his search for forgiveness for his past failures, and his battles against both three mysterious young men somehow connected to Sephiroth, and a strange disease called Geostigma. This was meant to be the first entry in theCompilationbut was delayed until 2005.Advent Childrenhas achieved both fame and infamy, known for being an extremely cool action movie with plenty of slow scenes. It received a re-release in 2009 calledAdvent Children Completethat added a couple of extra scenes and added some visual polish.
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Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7
Dirge of Cerberusis a PS2 third-person shooter released in 2006. It stars optional party member Vincent Valentine, and chronicles his adventures three years afterFinal Fantasy 7to fight Shinra’s last dark secret, the Deepground organization. This game was deeply disappointing for many, and there are hopes that modernFF7 Compilationgames willdo characters and concepts made forDirgejustice.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
The next entry in the compilation wasCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, which has gained a more positive, if still somewhat middling reputation than many of its olderCompilationbrethren. This 2007 PSP game shows the story of Zack Fair seven years beforeFinal Fantasy 7, and runs until that story has caught up with the main game. It is remembered both for its own versions of the Nibelheim flashback and its ending, and for being tied to the Japanese idol GACKT.
GACKT plays the new main villain Genesis in Japanese and provided his likeness for Genesis' design. This is assumed to be the reason whyCrisis Corehas never been re-released, and fans are fascinated with how Square Enix will resolve this situation now that games areaddressingCrisis Coreconcepts again.
Final Fantasy 7: On the Way to a Smile
At this point in the timeline is when individual stories were released as part of theCompilation.On the Way to a Smileis a collection of novellasthat tell the tales of variousFinal Fantasy VIIcharacters during the time between that game andAdvent Children. The first story was published on theAdvent Childrenwebsite ahead of the film in 2005, while the whole set was published shortly after the release ofAdvent Children Completein 2009. It’s seemingly unnecessary material for understanding the newer parts of theCompilation, but it is a part of the project nonetheless.
Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography: Turks ~The Kids Are Alright~
The next entry in the compilation is more recent, andFinal Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Storyalso factors into theFinal Fantasy 7 Remakedirectly. It is a novel taking place shortly before the events ofFinal Fantasy VII: Advent Children, written by Kazushige Nojima and illustrated by Sho-u Tajima. It was released in Japan in 2011 and received an English release in 2019. The novel primarily follows Evan Townshend, a private detective living in Edge, as well asKyrie and Leslie, a couple of ex-criminalswho actually show up in theRemake.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Speaking of which,Final Fantasy 7 Remakereleased in 2020, and re-released asFF7R Intergradein 2021 for next-gen consoles as the latest release in theCompilation. This title is a reimagining of the Midgar section of the originalFinal Fantasy 7, expanding most aspects while adding a few entirely new things. It will receive further installments in the future as additional chapters release.
Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier
And theCompilationis far from over. Not only isFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2in production, but a couple of major mobile titles are as well. Due out later in 2021, the first of these isThe First Soldier, a gameshowing the creation of the SOLDIER programby way of having its recruits fight in a battle royale set in Midgar. Further story details are unknown, but hardcore fans will probably want to keep tabs on this game.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis
Finally, there isFinal Fantasy 7:Ever Crisis. This anthology game will be a mobile remake of, supposedly, the entireCompilationand then some, including the original game. Fans of the oldFF7will be able to enjoy both a visually upgraded version ofFF7itself alongside similar-looking remakes ofCrisis Core,Advent Children, and other titles, all withRemake-grade visuals present during battles.Ever Crisiswill even have new tales, such as one delving into Sephiroth’s backstory. This title sounds incredibly promising, and hopefully, it will be everything fans want when its' pieces start to release in 2022.
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