Despite the many diverse, critically acclaimed, and commercially successful iterations of theFinal Fantasyfranchise,Final Fantasy 7remains one of the most beloved. First released way back in 1997,Final Fantasy 7managed to transcend its original format and has inspired multiple spin-off games, animated features, and short stories. Rumors had circulated for a long time that Square Enix was intending to make a remake of the highly influential and popular game, but fans didn’t have a solid confirmation until E3 2015, eighteen years afterFinal Fantasy 7was first launched.Final Fantasy 7 Remakewas finally released in 2020 as the first part of a trilogy, with the second installment,Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, recently getting an official title and a release window.
Final Fantasy 7 Remakehas brought more than just improved graphics to the game. While core elements of the story, the setting, and the characters have remained largely the same, Square Enix has added so much more content to the original. The game still follows Cloud Strife as he teams up with the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE to take down Shinra, but it does contain some major deviations from the story, likethe survival of SOLDIER Zack Fair. Another change that players are hoping to see is a more prominent role for the fan-favorite Vincent Valentine, who definitely deserves more time in the spotlight.
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Vincent’s Role In The Original Game
Vincent was an unlockable character that players could encounter about halfway through the originalFinal Fantasy 7. At first, not much is known about this mysterious figure who Cloud and his companions find sleeping in a coffin in thebasement of Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim, but slowly throughout the game, his story starts to become a little clearer. Vincent was originally not meant to be a playable character due to the pressures onFinal Fantasy 7’s development team and the time constraints leading up to the game’s release, but luckily he was eventually included as an optional character.
Due to his popularity, subsequent materials and gamesdelved deeper into Vincent’s backgroundand his character and explored who this mysterious vampiric loner was. Originally part of an elite group of Shinra agents called Turks, Vincent was tasked with guarding Shinra scientist Lucrecia Crescent – an important figure inFinal Fantasy 7lore. Vincent’s tragic backstory of unrequited love, sacrifice, and betrayal was eventually revealed through multipleFinal Fantasy 7-adjacent materials, and the experiments that he was forced to undergo at the hands of Professor Hojo helped to explain his powers and extended life.
The Case For a More Prominent Vincent
Vincent rarely speaks throughout his appearance inFinal Fantasy 7, but his silence only made him more intriguing. His knowledge of Hojo and Lucrecia is invaluable to Cloud and his team, and his role asthe protagonist inDirge of Cerberushelped to expand his character still further and endear him to fans even more. Both his character design and his unique abilities differentiate him from all the other characters in Cloud’s cohort, and even though his personality could be seen as similar to Cloud’s own taciturn one, his sarcasm and maturity mean that players will never confuse the two.
With the recent release of theFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthtrailer, players know that Cloud will return to the small mountain village of Nibelheim which he once called home. This will undoubtedly be a traumatic and narratively significant homecoming, but it also points towards the inclusion ofVincent Valentine inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.As he was found in the Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim, it’s likely that Cloud and his crew will run into the slumbering ex-Turk here again. However, this time around, Vincent should be more than just an optional character, andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthshould use this opportunity to expand his portrayal from the original game.
His subsequent popularity after the release ofFinal Fantasy 7 –even though he almost wasn’t included in the game and his role was fairly minor–shows that he’s a great character and a vital member of Cloud’s team. The focus that Vincent received in subsequentFinal Fantasy 7spin-off material is further evidence that the first game mishandled him, and that he should have had a much bigger role to begin with. His unique abilities and powers of transformation would make a perfect addition to the party, and with the similarlypreviously sidelined Yuffiebecoming more prominent in earlyFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthmarketing material, it just makes sense for Vincent to have the same treatment.
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Everything Known About Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Details are slowly rolling out about the next installment in theFinal Fantasy 7remake trilogy, and it’s fair to say that fans are excited. Thanks to the amazing reception of the first part of the series, not to mention the prominent cultural status of the original game, players areeagerly anticipatingFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. In a recent Square Enix stream, fans were able to learn a lot more about the upcoming RPG, including a confirmed release window in 2023. The teaser trailer also hinted at a lot more changes that Square Enix may make to the familiarFinal Fantasy 7storyline, which has many players intrigued.
Cloud and friends look like they’ll be leaving Midgard behind and exploring the wider world, which should lead them to some other canon characters along the waylike Yuffie and perhaps Vincent. With the reveal that Zack is actually still alive at the end ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, players are holding their breath for a lot more story changes that could have profound impacts on the original canon and the next two games. Not only is this Square Enix’s chance to shake things up and play on narrative preconceptions in interesting ways, but it’s also an opportunity to delve into corners ofFinal Fantasy 7’s story that weren’t fully explored during the original game, or at least not until other spin-offs came along. Vincent’s story is definitely one of these aspects, and bringing him more to the forefront inFinal Fantasy Rebirthcould be a smart move.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis scheduled to release in Winter 2023 for PS5.
