his idea of ​​the life cycle resumes 27 years later

Final Fantasy VII begins the same way it ends, with Aerith’s face. While the simple (and emotional) notes of the song sound The course of life, the game features a flower girl surrounded by particles that seem to be a manifestation of the life flow, the energy of the planet. What beginning and ending are parallel This makes a lot of sense in what the piece wants to convey: the idea of ​​the life cycle.

“The idea of ​​a lifestream came from Hironobu Sakaguchi’s personal experience of losing a close family member. This made him think about the fate of life energy after death and the great existential questions“This is what Yoshinori Kitase, the director of this game, said in an exclusive interview with EL ESPAÑOL and Vandal, talking about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second part of the trilogy of “remakes” of this legendary work.

Due to the section of the story that this sequel focuses on, these vital elements will be a fundamental part of the plot. 27 years after the original game was published, this installment will release on PlayStation 5 on February 29th, bringing a game ahead of its time into the present.

Gameplay of FINAL FANTASY VII: REBIRTH: the first steps of CLOUDS and SEPHIRH promise a GREAT GAME

From what the game tells us about the flow of life, everything has a beginning and an end. After death, a union comes to the planet, returning energy to where it originated. And after this comes the turn of reincarnation into another form of life.

The work of Squaresoft (now Square Enix) is an example of how video games can tackle deep and complex themes. Because as a work of art, it arose from the intention of its creator to express what he felt. In this case, Sakaguchi, the creator of the saga, wanted to reflect his emotions during a period of mourning..

Renewing Vital Beliefs

This newspaper was already able to play for several hours and talk to the people in charge, who explained what it meant at that time to create a philosophy (even a religion for some) that would explore concepts such as the concept of life and death, and thus connect with the players. . This fictional dogma has been revised to adapt to modern video games.

How detailed In the future, this series of “remakes” will expand on these differences, which are already shown in “Rebirth”.: “Some strongly believe in the life cycle, while others have differing opinions. This diversity of opinion adds interest to the story, showing that not everyone in the world of Final Fantasy VII agrees with this idea.”

Kitase explains in detail how the lifestream came to be and how they implemented it in the game. Sakaguchi began to wonder “where people’s life energy goes when they die.”

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And he began to think differently about the big questions in life. After that, they wanted in their next game to “show” “this idea of ​​the circle of life” and that the “spirit” moves on. They created the phenomenon that “created Final Fantasy VII.”

The remakes’ producer recalls that his job was to “bring it into the world” of the game. Moreover, it began to play an important role in the entire saga and even in the film they released, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. “This film had a very similar concept,” he says. For their part, in the current parts they explain the “same thing” in more detail, since we are talking about an “eternal” problem.

From Buddhism to Christianity

The cycle of life flow is influenced by different philosophies and beliefs of different cultures and religious traditions. As an example, Buddhism with a revival known as “samsara”.which also appears in Hinduism.

Modern philosophy is also reflected in the way the game addresses eco-spiritual thought. These doctrines emphasize the interconnectedness of all life forms and the need to respect and preserve the natural balance of the world. This easily ties into the fight against climate change.

In Final Fantasy VII in particular, the lifestream also symbolizes the importance of protecting and preserving the environment. Shinra, an electric company, is absorbing the planet’s energy to make life easier for people. The reality is that with this company that controls governments, the game paints a portrait of capitalism. Shinra actually has a manager named Heidegger, who remembers the German philosopher who studied topics such as technology and resources.

During the hours when EL ESPAÑOL could play, he attracted a lot of attention. how alive everything seemed. From cities where their inhabitants dance, play, talk or trade, to an open world full of plants and geographical points that show a beautiful planet despite the difficulties it faces. It is something transcendental that accompanies the overall message of the story.

The title chosen for the second part is striking: “Renaissance,” which translates as rebirth. This is especially striking considering that in the original game a key character dies. sacrificing himself for humanity, praying for the protection of the planet.

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There has been a lot of talk over the years about the possibility of resurrecting this character, but this was not possible as the game wanted death to be felt. However, their generosity creates a connection with another religion: Christianity.

Now that the story is open after the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake, things may change. The question is: Will rebirth also be a resurrection? Or perhaps, as with these remakes and sequels, it’s time for the Second Coming.