In a recent interview with Official PlayStation Magazine UK, Tetsuya Nomura revealed some new tidbits of information about the battle system of the Final Fantasy VII remake. The original game utilized the Active Time Battle system that the series had used since Final Fantasy IV, but the new system is promised to be very different. Most of the specifics on the remake are still fairly sparse due to the game still being early in development, but Nomura did reveal this in a section of the interview about changes to the combat:
“We are bringing dramatic changes to the Final Fantasy VII Remake so we’re hoping that you’ll look forward to additional information that we’ll be able to release when the time comes. And of course, that being said we want to clarify: we’re not going to be changing it into a shooter or something like that. We are going to be bringing dramatic changes, but we want to make sure it’s still recognisable [sic].”
This is not too much to go on, but it is possible to hazard guesses about the system based on what Nomura has said before about wanting to not retread the exact same path that was made with the original game, just with prettier graphics. It is entirely possible that the development team is pursuing an Action RPG approach to the battle system, more in tune with how Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts work, especially if they are taking a cue from the action sequences of Advent Children. Action RPGs do have the potential for more cinematic battles, which is something Square Enix has been pursuing time and time again. While retooling the battle system to make it simply an Action RPG would certainly fit the bill of being a “dramatic change,” the Materia system would also likely have to be completely changed around. Another significant difference presented with an Action RPG setup would be micromanaging the AI of the party, since with the old system, players could control what the entire party did at all times. A lot of this is certainly dramatic, but it is up to interpretation as to what is meant by “recognizable.” Still, it does mean that the team does want the game to still feel like Final Fantasy VII, even if it plays differently.
Of course, this is all still speculation. We still do not have very much information, but these bite-sized, tantalizing bits of information are enough to get the imagination going. What do you think? Do you want Final Fantasy VII Remake to use an Action RPG basis for the battle system? Or would you like the development team to come up with something entirely new, perhaps a hybrid of old and new? Sound off in the comments below. Final Fantasy VII Remake will release sometime in the future for PS4.
