The Highwind starts in the third part of the remake trilogy “Final Fantasy VII Revelation“Extremely early on. Director Naoki Hamaguchi based the open-world concept directly on “The Legend of Zeld: Breath of the Wild”.
Until now, the airship in Final Fantasy usually meant a late bonus just before the finale. Square Enix is now changing that. “I think everyone is really looking forward to see how the game starts”, stressed Hamaguchi in an interview with Denfaminico Gamer and promises an early start.
Once the Highwind is ready, the entire world of "Final Fantasy VII Revelation" lies at our feet. We fly without artificial barriers to remote islands, jump off, and explore the areas on our own. Absolute freedom.
This is a big step forward for the pacing. While the main story remains tied to a fixed route, exploring off the beaten path throws us right into danger. Those who venture into high-level areas too early will inevitably get a thrashing. This is intentional. The developers want us to fail and return stronger later. The optional content is intended to be of the same quality as the main storyline. The level of quality is rising.
Return to Midgar and new depths
The familiar world from "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth" also returns in its entirety, but with gameplay updates. Chocobo Piko grows as the game progresses, allowing us to traverse the grasslands entirely by flying. The real surprise, however, lies elsewhere.
The gigantic metropolis of Midgar will be accessible again. Hamaguchi promises an exploration that will live up to expectations and teases the return of familiar faces from Deepground, including Nero and Weiss. Fans of the compilation should take note. A grim outlook.
Furthermore, it's confirmed that the underwater world will play a major role. While the director is still keeping specific details under wraps, the return of the submarine sequences from the original is clearly imminent.
A JRPG thrives on its compelling narrative, and too much player freedom has often disrupted the storyline in the past. If Square Enix manages to intertwine the balancing of the powerful Weapon bosses and the return to Midgar as convincingly as promised, we can expect the most ambitious finale in the series' history. Skepticism remains, but anticipation prevails.
Does the prospect of a completely free Midgar in the first third of the game appeal to you, or are you afraid that the story will be completely fragmented by the early Highwind?
I'm just wondering what will happen to the weapons, whether they'll come back or even more will be available?
Didn't you see the trailer?