Let's just face it: A HD 3D remake of Final Fantasy VII isn't going to happen.
But Final Fantasy XIII producer Yoshinori Kitase's finally given the candid answer we sort of knew anyway - it'd take too long and cost too much.
Here's his full response, spoken during an interview with our friends at OXM:
"In the transition between XIII to XIII-2, it was quite easy because obviously we kept all the data and the engine - we had just finished using them so it was almost like they hadn't gone cold. The technology was already warm and ready to use, so it was quite good. Also within the team, we still had a feel for the game, it was still new to us, still lingering with us, so we were ready to move on to the sequel.
"But if we were to take one of the past Final Fantasy titles and make a sequel to it, I think that would be a lot more challenging because when they were on PlayStation and PlayStation 2 their actual game volume was a lot bigger, kind of.
"Graphically they weren't as advanced as they are now, but there were lots of towns and worlds and cities and whatever. So if we were to recreate the same kind of game - sequel or not - with the same volume, but give it a much higher level of graphical quality, it would us take three times, four times, even ten times longer to make such a game. So making a sequel for an old game would be a lot more challenging."
Will we stop dreaming now?
Comments
42 comments so far...
mogel94 on 28 Nov '11 said:
WELL YOU BETTER GET STARTED NOW THEN!!!!!!
solamon77 on 28 Nov '11 said:
I have an idea. If it would take 3 or 4 times as long, why not just make it in 3 or 4 parts!
I WILL NEVER GIVE UP THE DREAM!
Drusus on 28 Nov '11 said:
So gaming has moved on so much it now cannot do things as epic as it did two generations ago, lol, Square is just awful.
SuperCinos on 28 Nov '11 said:
I played the original to death and I would still buy the remake in a heart beat.
Just saying.
monty_79 on 28 Nov '11 said:
To be honest, I am quite glad they are not remaking it. Square seem incapable of making a game fun to play these days. FF7.1 would be bland, soulless and generally crap. I have no faith in them to remake a decent job of a remake, anyway.
Mmmmgrolsch on 28 Nov '11 said:
So we can never expect a proper RPG game from you guys again then? So hardware has advanced but your games have taken a huge step back from the PS1 era
Gameplay >>>>>>> Graphics.
FF13 is the worst FF game ever made, it doesn't even come close to any of the RPG games I played on the PS1 10-15years ago! Why? Because you choose to concentrate on making sure hair blows in the wind or pixel count. People want FF games from the PS1 and PS2 era not dumb down linear pretty girls games.
Anyway as I said in the last Square Enix stupidity topic RIP.
Lsnake on 28 Nov '11 said:
...and yet they make Final Fantasy XIV, it bombs, they go back to redesign it and release it AGAIN. "Take too long" my shiny metal ass..
Oh well, guess it's time to give up hope. Doesn't matter, SE has been nothing but a major disappointment this generation.
Charlie Bell on 28 Nov '11 said:
Is this an admission that they have sacrificed substance for style??
flash501 on 28 Nov '11 said:
"It would take too long".
That right there is exactly what's wrong with Square today. They're too busy putting 300 bazillion pixels in each individual blade of grass to concentrate on what really matters.
ChrisIW on 28 Nov '11 said:
It seems that as technology / hardware has moved on Square's capabilities haven't evolved with it.
Take Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii - I haven't had much time to play it but from what I've seen the makers clearly haven't struggled to make large 3D towns and landscapes. So why can't Square do it??? They're no longer the kings of the RPG and they're being beaten at their own game by relatively unknown publishers!
jays club on 28 Nov '11 said:
couldn't they remake it with ps2 graphics as that wouldn't take as long as a full hd remake would it.
BruceFace on 28 Nov '11 said:
Longer than Versus?
Fr33Kye on 28 Nov '11 said:
Must take a while if square says it's too long. I think that must mean a decade at least. Maybe if they make a brand new engine and remade it for psn and the vita with only slightly above ps2 graphics? Maybe they should hire more programmers to match the billions of artist sure to be in their employment? No? Idk...they know better than i do. You just cant let the concept artist run the industry because those particles in the hair and number of pixels on this guys zipper become a huge deal lol. I kid of course.
Desert Fox on 28 Nov '11 said:
So because games are prettier now they can't be as long as they used to be? That's an answer that saddens and p**ses me off in equal measures...
lordirongut on 28 Nov '11 said:
Yawn at another generic Hate on Square Enix Thread. Square Enix put a lot of effort into their games and whatever your opinion on Final Fantasy XIII's direction (no, it wasn't the strongest in the series in your opinion, get over it), only an imbecile would deny that it was a quality production. Final Fantasy to me is all about the changes they make with each new entry. We could have ended up with fourteen games about the Warrior of Light - but Square wanted to make something new. That is what Final Fantasy is - something new with each game. If you don't like one entry you can be sure as hell that the next will be nothing like it at all.
What's more, Square have made a genuine effort to improve XIII-2 based on what the players wanted. They can only be applauded for that. The same can be said for XIV - yes, they made a tremendous mistake with that, but that they kept it running at all, let alone decided to basically remake the game for the fans is commendable.
VII is fine as it is anyway. There would be no possible way they could win by remaking it - they could do it the way that I would want them to - update only the graphics, add no voice acting, change nothing about the gameplay &c, or they could go for a full-blown remake with a new battle system and full voice acting. The first would lose them millions and the second would be loathed by the fans. If you really love Final Fantasy VII, and I do really love Final Fantasy VII, you'll appreciate it for what it is and not what it could be. Final Fantasy VII is a masterpiece regardless of its level of graphical prowess.
Complaining about Square Enix because they won't do what you want is inane and ridiculous. Kitase evidently doesn't want to remake Final Fantasy VII. Let's let Square Enix move on to new projects and new experiences and leave Final Fantasy VII on the PS1. If you still want to play Final Fantasy VII - and god knows I do - then there are the PSN and original PS1 versions easily available to you.
Dimpee on 29 Nov '11 said:
Don't you get it Square, we don't give a **** about XIII...
squatch on 29 Nov '11 said:
Skyrim and Oblivion with their huge, detailed packed worlds say ''Hi''
Imaduck on 29 Nov '11 said:
Frankly I wish they'd just release it so people would stop going on and on and on and on and on and on and on about FF7. It's such an essential part of any part of the internet now
I pretty much know the whole story and I've never played it. I'm sick of it, but I've never got to play it, which is annoying and unusual.
Any online game there's like 1 XxXSephir0th111XxX and ClowdSt1f3ff7xxxxxxx per match
But then maybe releasing an update would just make it worse?
WEL on 29 Nov '11 said:
When I read that part it made me quite sad too and I've been discussing this with some of my friends (the downfall of Jrpgs) and we all came to the same conclusion; japanese devs are lazy as hell and not even in their wildest dreams they would be able to make a game like Skyrim or RDR let alone recreated something as crazy big as those oldchool Jrpg with current gen graphics. I mean, MGS4, GT5, FFXIII, etc. all those games took like 5 years to make while we were already playing stuff like Mass Effect, Oblivion and Forza and FFvsXIII is nowhere to be seen, and I don't even think we'll get to play that game by early 2013 either. And what about The Last Guardian? It's like they have no idea what the fuk do with that game or something...
Now if only Square stopped their obsession for graphics and started thinking about a new art-style or game design approach that would let them recreate those big games again but in HD. Because what made those oldchool Jrpgs so great (beside the charm) was that you got to see the world and explore it while in FFXIII you're just going forward, watching cut-scenes and reading datalogs to really understand what the fuk is going on. And that new FFXIII-2 looks like a bunch of scenarios taped together with that time-travel gimmick because they lack the creativity to make something better. I don't think the game will provide the freedom of FFXII nor the smart-charming presentation of those oldchool world maps.
Right now I'm playing FFIX and I really can't believe that it was Square who made that amazing game. Like, seriously, it blows my mind and it makes me really sad that we'll not get the chance play something like that again on consoles.
MrPirtniw on 29 Nov '11 said:
GOOD! Leave it the hell alone! A remake would frankly be terrible- I'd hate to see cloud in his Advent Children stylings as he looks like some sort of transexual douche bag- frankly I prefer the charm of his Lego man like appearance. They'd completely b0llocks it up- I have no doubt in my mind about that and I'd imagine they'd add awful voice acting too. Case in point-it doesn't need remaking. And if it really has to be get someone other than Square Enix to do it.
Ahh... That's better.
theatticusera on 29 Nov '11 said:
Well if they'd started it when they'd made that damn trailer when the ps3 launched they might have been somewhere now! YES SQUARE WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE AN ANSWER FOR YOUR NAYSAYING!
mattdark on 29 Nov '11 said:
So basically, its too much effort to make a game that isnt a case of running from A to B, with the rare case of exploring C...
Perhaps if they looked more at what fans want, rather than tying them down to a specific route to tell a story as quickly as possible, XIII wouldnt have been the mixed bag it was...
MPH on 29 Nov '11 said:
Bingo.
andrewmcewan1 on 29 Nov '11 said:
maybe it wouldn't take so long if they weren't messing around with awful complected unnecessary new battle systems, ridiculous time travel sequels to games no one actually enjoyed enjoyed, we'll probably get to final fantasy x111-7 before final fantasy 7, scrap xiv as no one will be playing anything other than warcraft and knight of the republic!!
stop remaking ds/psn games and get on with the only game every final fantasy fan will play!! they should have started this game 3 years ago at least... but instead they mess around with a tech demo for the ps3 that gives everyone hope for something they cannot be bothered to actually do!! deep breath... ok rant over!
ste hicky on 29 Nov '11 said:
happy days, they'd f**k it up.
the only FFVII remake i would accept is a hd re-textured version of the original game: think perfect dark xbla here.
no voice work, no realistic models, the same wide eyed/no mouthed cute characters and absolutely no changes to the gameplay whatsoever. if they could bring the visuals in line with the originals fmv i would consider that to be almost perfect.
just improve the draw distance, eliminate the pop up on the world map, fur shading for the grass on the map too, sort the lighting, leave the soundtrack alone entirely,etc...
they won't though, it'd have to look like advent bleedin gobs**tes.
don't do it square enix, you're a long way off the level of squaresoft and i'm 99% certain that you'd f**k it up completely.
look at FFIV ds. nuff said?
just get the series back on it's feet and don't you bleedin dare remake VI either. i'll accept you f**king VII up first.
now for a quick flip flop in attitude. quick thing to the guy above: you do know that XIII-2's mechanic is a direct lift from Chrono Trigger right?
if it's half as successful as that game it will be the best thing that square have released since FFIX by a mile and will easily remove the bad taste of X, X-2 and XIII.
i'm gonna go on now but how come people that love FFX hate XIII when they are a carbon copy of each other in terms of template?
same team, same design: linear as hell, then take the shackles off for a bit when you hit the field towards the end and then put them back on for the finale.
ste hicky on 29 Nov '11 said:
not exactly next gen graphics but i think the likes of yourself and grolsch wanna check xenoblade out.
monolith have eclipsed a lot of squares (and their own ps1/2) work with that gem and it's a beautiful throwback to the old days (snes through ps) that wipes the floor with FFVIII, X, XII, XIII and is the best jrpg i've played in donkeys years, i'd even put it above lo on the 360 and i love lost odyssey so that should tell you something.
i also highly recommend the last story too to see what the father of FF, sakaguchi is up to these days. it's on for a pal release early next year and is an extremely progressive title that has thrown out so many things yet still succeeds.
the quality is still there just not on the machines you want them to be i'm afraid.
Mmmmgrolsch on 29 Nov '11 said:
Ste, I'm thinking of picking up another Wii in the January sales with Xenoblades, I've spent a hour last night looking at that game and showing it to my missus as she's a huge FF fan as well. Reading your post and knowing the jrpgs that you like (all the same ones I love) then I think its more than worth buying a wii for!
Zonekill on 29 Nov '11 said:
Everything you just said there puts me to shame, advent children was f**king awesome, cloud looked f**king awesome, final fantasy 7 remake would be f**king awesome, Do you not realize that Advent Children was that leap they took will the voices and how they looked? Do you realize how amazing and successful that movie was? Even Vs would be nice, i hit my head against the wall when 13-2 was announced, because when i love something i want to see it blossom into something even more beautiful, like a simple remake with even final fantasy 10 Graphics Who is with me?
WHERESMYMONKEY on 30 Nov '11 said:
Really. well i managed to play, Skyward sword for 80 odd hours and i'm at least 40 into skyrim and feel like i'm only half way through. The First playthrough of Dark souls is about 100 hours so i'm told as well.
So no, Modern RPGs aren't shorter. You're just bloody lazy. When a company doesn't want to invest in a game that is guarenteed to sell millions on nostalgia alone you know there's something terribly wrong.
ste hicky on 30 Nov '11 said:
i think you'll enjoy yourself there. have a quick read up on it though, i've heard of a few people having crashes. i can honestly say that i had no problem but certain wii models struggle with dual layer discs and it could be a problem for certain models of the machine.
not exactly a review from cvg and the like, i'm just a fan doing his thing people, but here's my review if you're interested man: http://hicky-hsgameview.blogspot.com/20 ... s-wii.html
flash501 on 30 Nov '11 said:
That HAS to be a p**s take. Advent children, while it looked great, was absolutely abysmal. And this is coming from a huge FF VII fan!
ste hicky on 30 Nov '11 said:
the FF fan base is in tatters, honestly it makes the ocarina vs twilight princess discussions look sane (and believe me they're not, i can't get away from them
)
however, i imagine advent children is how some fans always envisioned FF.
i'm not a fan of that style myself mind but then i want everything in FF to look like the little fella just to the left of this comment.
THAT'S FF.
(oh and sephiroth is a pussy and if ya wanna know why ask me, i'll happily bury him
)
Mmmmgrolsch on 30 Nov '11 said:
Flash, Advent Children is awesome! I've watched it over 20times now, I bought it on DVD and then bought it on Blu-Ray. Man my hair's stood on the back of my neck and got some serious Goose bumps
lordirongut on 30 Nov '11 said:
Dudes, Advent Children isn't great. It's extremely pretty in terms of its CGI quality but the story is a bit dry and dull. It was worth a watch once and it is also a good way to show off your Blu-ray set up, but overall it is severely lacking as a film.
And I hate Cloud's new design/voice/characterization/general Advent Children personage as well. And WTF is up with Barret's fishnet shirt?
Seriously there are few bigger FFVII fans than me but that movie is a bit crap.
Mmmmgrolsch on 30 Nov '11 said:
In all seriousness there is not one thing i didn't like, I love how all the characters look and think the voices are great.
flash501 on 30 Nov '11 said:
Crazy bastard!
The story is all over the shop. Cloud and Sepheroth look like bloody women too!
ste hicky on 1 Dec '11 said:
i'm sure sephiroth is voiced by someone out of a boy band in the english dub.
to be fair, ac complete is the better cut of that flick.
i won't be seen dead near any other version than the japanese version with english subs and that's pushing it tbh. it's nice to see the FFVII epilogue with nanaki (red XIII, my arse) play out, love the nods to the original story right at the beginning where marlene is narrating and the music there is truly beautiful (the promised land).
then it starts....
y'know what my biggest problem is with it though (and DOC, etc...): a sequel to FFVII is impossible.
everyone dies at the end of VII, only nanaki survives as he's not human.
humanity is smoked by holy.
KING SAWYER 82 on 3 Dec '11 said:
Square enix is finished. Games then were bigger than they are now!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!! A recent example of how much a load of crap that statement is is SKYRIM. Somehow bethesda managed to create a world filled with towns cave people to talk to. I'm not saying that final fantasy should become like skyrim but I am saying that SE comes up with these excuses when its clear they have no idea how to make a game anymore. If I were the head hancho at square nix I would be seriously thinking of firing all current developers and starting fresh to avoid going bankrupt. Where are you square enix? I used to be a die hard fan but now............that's just a distant memory.
Izo on 3 Dec '11 said:
Too long sounds about right considering that's how long XIII and Versus the latter which is still in development with no gameplay footage on how the game works has taken, SE has become a right circus this gen at least their teams on handheld platforms are still in form.
lordirongut on 3 Dec '11 said:
For those touting Skyrim, it's an entirely different type of game made with an entirely different design ethos. As impressive as Skyrim is, a large portion of it is randomly generated. This makes the world huge but it means that significant portions of it are samey or recycled. Square Enix handcrafted everything with Final Fantasy XIII - that's what they like to do and that's how they work best. Both approaches have their own merits, I'm merely stating that's how this works. With Square Enix's CURRENT APPROACH, an FFVII remake would take too long.
nick spesia on 12 Jan '12 said:
Dear Squaresoft:
There is a little company you may have heard of called Bethesda.
They just made a game called Skyrim. This humble little game boasts over 300 hours
Of gameplay is nonlinear and is one of the best rpg's of played in years.
If you cant give us....the fans what we want...then please relinquish the rights to a company
Who can clearly make a magnificent game. Your games as of late to put
It bluntly....SUCK! Your new style linear game lacking exploration is an insult to your fanbase.
And your attempts to breathe life back into FF7 with pre quels and other garbage has just made us
More p**sed off. Dirge of Cerberus? Crap. The psp prequel...boring. No body
Cares about Zach!!! WE WANT CLOUD!!!! Advent Children was a great film but....its NOT
A GAME. Stop making excusses you Japanese pussys and make what we want.
Phaedros on 30 Jan '12 said:
wtf I don't understand this. I'm pretty sure Skyrim is about the same size or bigger than the world in Final Fantasy 7.