It's not hard to play the first six Final Fantasy games if you have a smartphone. Despite being expensive, they've been available for years on Android and iPhone. But until now, the classic of classics, Final Fantasy VII, had never made it to mobile.
That changed yesterday, after an exclusive PlayStation broadcast featuring announcements about the games the brand embraces. Although the broadcast was considered disappointing by a considerable portion of fans, those who accessed Square-Enix's YouTube channel were able to notice another remake. Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, mobile game which will bring the classic story that captivated thousands in 1997 to Android and iOS.
Remake without changes
It's common to confuse ports, remakes and remasters, but there is a fundamental difference between them. A port is when a game is simply adapted to work on a different platform than the original, without any changes or evolution. Remastering involves polishing and updating the graphics and sounds, but also without changing the structure or gameplay of the game.
A remake is when a studio remakes a game, including its mechanics or gameplay structure. In the case of Final Fantasy VII Remake, released on PlayStation 4 and considered one of the best games of 2020, even the way the story is told changes.
On the other hand, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is also a remake, but done differently. Adapted to mobile phones and tablets, it brings important changes to the graphics and even the game's art style. In addition, its mechanics are different from both the original and the console remake, adapting to the touch screens of mobile phones.
What are the changes?
Unlike the award-winning remake released last year, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis will feature the entire story of the original, released in 1997. In addition, the game will also feature stories related to the Final Fantasy VII universe, but which were part of other games. In total, the remake will encompass the original game and the titles Advent Children, Before Crisis, Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core.
The Final Fantasy VII mobile remake will be free to download with in-app purchases and will launch for Android and iPhone in 2022.
But this wasn't the only Final Fantasy VII game announced for mobile. Interestingly enough, the developer innovated by bringing the battle royale concept to RPGs in the form of Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier.
The game is set 30 years before the original story, when Shinra was forming its first squad of SOLDIERs, soldiers who were infused with the planet's life energy, making them stronger than conventional soldiers. As one of these soldiers, you will compete against other players to be the only survivor.
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier arrives before Ever Crisis and is still scheduled for 2021.
Image: Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) / Disclosure