Final Fantasy VII Rebirth creators love that you’re debating its ending

digitaltrends.com:

It’s been a big year for Final Fantasy. That’s true most years, as the long-running RPG series always has something new going on whether it’s new installments or updates to the mega-popular Final Fantasy XIV. This year was a bit different, though, and it was all thanks toFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Released back in February, the second installment of Square Enix’s ambitious remake trilogy adapted some of the most eclectic moments of 1997’s Final Fantasy VII with panache. It’s both unabashedly silly and a profound story about loss. It resonated enough with players to land a Game of the Year nomination at this year’s Game Awards. While it didn’t win the big one (Astro Bot got this year’s top honor), Rebirth was recognized for its standout soundtrack, and Square Enix announced a PC port during the show. It was one needed celebration for a series that’s had its ups and downs over the last decade. Now, it’s time for its creator to look back on that success and learn from it.

With a whirlwind year almost in the rearview mirror, Digital Trends spoke to Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase about the project. It was a quiet moment after a busy year to finally reflect on Rebirth and how well the team was able to execute a vision it dreamed up back before it even was done making 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake. Fans seemed to love it, but did it live up to its creators’ dreams? That answer is yes — and they’re even happy with debates over its polarizing ending.

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Looking back

When I played Final Fantasy VII Rebirth earlier this year, I found myself wondering how much of it was dreamed up