does the original hve to be playedd

[Winwins]

does the original hve to be playedd
to play this

[Weltall8000]

No.

It can help inform the player of somethings and recontexualize some events, however.

This game was designed to be playable without having played Final Fantasy VII (1997).

[Zap]

NO because this game's plot by the end has very little to do with FF7 in terms of its themes, meaning, or core gameplay experience. This game is actually pretending to be a retelling but then turns into a reboot with major retcons.

I absolutely recommend playing FF7 (the original) if you want to experience why FF7 from 1997 is Squaresoft's highest selling game of all time and why its iconic story is so celebrated and beloved.

But if you just want to play this game, you do not need to play the original first. This game has almost nothing to do with the original in terms of its ethos, central themes, or storytelling. This game is much more like Kingdom Hearts or the "Advent Children" movie. It intentionally retcons, rewrites, and remixes the original story in such a confused and nonsensical manner that you do not even have to play the original to experience what this game offers. What this game offers is entirely different from what FF7 offers, and that was the point of it. It's actually a drastic departure "reboot" that was falsely marketed as a "remake." It is banking on the popularity of the characters and the hype/reputation of the original game in order to sell itself as a loosely related product, 20+ years later.

NOTE: This is not truly a sequel, though that's how many fans want to characterize it. A sequel would pick up after the events of the first game but, this game DOES NOT do that. It is a reboot and it retcons the original world, e.g. most notably with Wutai and its nature in the game, but with countless other examples, like how Avalanche in this game is hilariously suddenly a MASSIVE organization with helicopters but in the original it was a tiny organization...Watch folks on here try to explain how the new retconned Avalanche is somehow congruent or makes sense. LOL. Get ready for some gobledegook nonsense, which is banking on them realizing you haven't played the original. The creators are ostensibly assuming people do not pay much attention and just accept these nonsensical changes. But ultimately you are on your own. Buyer beware. Caveat Emptor. Make your own choice.

Nojima wrote this script, and Nomura and Kitase co-directed. Together the three of them decided to retcon this original story to oblivion in order to create a spin-off machine and to support the mobile gacha game with gambling called "Ever Crisis." Many people will end up liking the gacha and the spin-offs. You may be one of them. Who knows. Only you can figure that out.

[Xengre]

No, contrary to what Barfolo claimed the story has a lot to do with the original game. It is a direct sequel, however, you don't need to play it to understand this one. The game introduces most of the relevant information as you progress.

You will realize early on (so it isn't really much of a spoiler) this is a time travel plot where the events of the original game are being challenged to defy its fateful outcome and this is initiated by the main villain who lost, Sephiroth.

The events of the first one are quite relevant to understanding some of the underlying elements/background but the core story does not require you knowing that info ahead of time and will reveal info as necessary. You can, however, play this game > then the original > then this game on NG+ hard mode (to finish the extra hard mode content) as one option if you end up liking it enough to try the original game, but again not actually required. If you do this will reveal some additional details and understanding on your subsequent playthrough which you may appreciate.

This game also does not retcon, contrary to Barolo incorrectly using that term. As for the rest of their rant in the final paragraph... well they thought Nomura was the writer and the game was based on Kingdom Hearts (neither were actually true, its based on FF13 and Nomura is a director here), plus they didn't even know the game was about time travel despite it being explicitly repeated at the end of the game due to their own skipping cutscenes or idk what but they had an entire thread showing they very poorly understood the ethos, themes, and story. Essentially, they admitted they liked the game a lot in one thread until around the last 1-2 hours where they suddenly hated it with every fiber of their being... Yup, they're quite known around here for their raging against the game.

[Yílõng Má]

Originally posted by Barfolomew's Galactic Rescue:

NO because this game's plot by the end has very little to do with FF7 in terms of its themes, meaning, or core gameplay experience. This game is actually pretending to be a retelling but then turns into a reboot with major retcons.

I absolutely recommend playing FF7 (the original) if you want to experience why FF7 from 1997 is Squaresoft's highest selling game of all time and why its iconic story is so celebrated and beloved.

But if you just want to play this game, you do not need to play the original first. This game has almost nothing to do with the original in terms of its ethos, central themes, or storytelling. This game is much more like Kingdom Hearts or the "Advent Children" movie. It intentionally retcons, rewrites, and remixes the original story in such a confused and nonsensical manner that you do not even have to play the original to experience what this game offers. What this game offers is entirely different from what FF7 offers, and that was the point of it. It's actually a drastic departure "reboot" that was falsely marketed as a "remake." It is banking on the popularity of the characters and the hype/reputation of the original game in order to sell itself as a loosely related product, 20+ years later.

NOTE: This is not truly a sequel, though that's how many fans want to characterize it. A sequel would pick up after the events of the first game but, this game DOES NOT do that. It is a reboot and it retcons the original world, e.g. most notably with Wutai and its nature in the game, but with countless other examples, like how Avalanche in this game is hilariously suddenly a MASSIVE organization with helicopters but in the original it was a tiny organization...Watch folks on here try to explain how the new retconned Avalanche is somehow congruent or makes sense. LOL. Get ready for some gobledegook nonsense, which is banking on them realizing you haven't played the original. The creators are ostensibly assuming people do not pay much attention and just accept these nonsensical changes. But ultimately you are on your own. Buyer beware. Caveat Emptor. Make your own choice.

Nojima wrote this script, and Nomura and Kitase co-directed. Together the three of them decided to retcon this original story to oblivion in order to create a spin-off machine and to support the mobile gacha game with gambling called "Ever Crisis." Many people will end up liking the gacha and the spin-offs. You may be one of them. Who knows. Only you can figure that out.

It's a sequel, not a reboot.

The world in FF7R is a different universe than FF7OG, it's different story, different characters, etc.

[THE IMPALER]

No. tbh i think ff7 og is a bit ♥♥♥♥♥. Play this one and see how you do but Ive had it for over a year and still havent found enough fun to binge and finish it. with both versions its like a "This is acceptable to play if theres NOTHING else going on in your life" kind of game. Its hard to justify playing. No easy re-entry points I havent a clue whats going on in the main story of the og or the remake and I forgot how to play and cant get back into either very well. Tried to play the remake last night and it was just soooo meh. Tell you what life sucks having to be busy having to be an adult is stupid. Wish I could just be a kid again and play videogames all day. Anyway enough of my spiel. NO you do not need knowledge of the og to like the remake.

[Krypto]

Most of the Midgar sections in the original are the same here, just heavily expanded. You still visit the same locations, fight the same bosses. The order of events don't really change, just what happens in those events.

The last couple of chapters are quite contentious. Some people like them, some people don't. I'm on the side of interested in seeing where the story goes in Rebirth.

[Tr0w]

You don't have to but i'd highly recommend doing so, not only will you play a phenomenal game but you'll also know what all the visions are referencing when you play Remake. Just remember to play OG 7 modded as the vanilla PC port is atrocious.

I recommend this one, as it has it's own launcher with a plethora of features that can be enabled or disabled as well as being much more stable than using 7th Heaven was for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLJAm1teXGs&t=21s&ab_channel=RetroReplay

[Xengre]

Originally posted by Tr0w:

You don't have to but i'd highly recommend doing so, not only will you play a phenomenal game but you'll also know what all the visions are referencing when you play Remake. Just remember to play OG 7 modded as the vanilla PC port is atrocious.

I recommend this one, as it has it's own launcher with a plethora of features that can be enabled or disabled as well as being much more stable than using 7th Heaven was for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLJAm1teXGs&t=21s&ab_channel=RetroReplay

Never heard of that one but that is pretty neat. Just a straight HD upgrade without any other irrelevant changes for a first time player, nice.

[Tr0w]

Originally posted by Xengre:

Originally posted by Tr0w:

You don't have to but i'd highly recommend doing so, not only will you play a phenomenal game but you'll also know what all the visions are referencing when you play Remake. Just remember to play OG 7 modded as the vanilla PC port is atrocious.

I recommend this one, as it has it's own launcher with a plethora of features that can be enabled or disabled as well as being much more stable than using 7th Heaven was for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLJAm1teXGs&t=21s&ab_channel=RetroReplay

Never heard of that one but that is pretty neat. Just a straight HD upgrade without any other irrelevant changes for a first time player, nice.

The launcher has toggles for a bunch of stuff, better character models, shadows, dynamic lighting, a speed slider for getting through battles faster, etc.

It's a lot simpler than playing 8 modded was that's for sure, 8 though with the angelwing ultima upscale mod was also brilliant. That mod could only be got via a patreon sub back when i played though, dunno if it's been fully released yet.

[I'm A Distraction!]

IMO, play the original first. The things the REMAKE does to switch things up undermines the plot beats of the original to its detriment. Considering this also makes call forwards to future events from the original game, playing this first then the original might hamper your enjoyment of the original, but playing the original first will allow you to enjoy and understand the elements they've thrown in. Assuming you can get past the early 3D graphics of the game, though.

[alumlovescake]

No and I would recommend against it.

[Miyuka]

No, but if its always at the back of your mind, your gut is prolly telling you to try it first.

[Bankai9212]

Considering the director wrote the kingdom hearts series expect alot of ex machina plot points for the rest of the games. As for knowledge you kinda do need it, as cloud gets memories from events later from the OG game. Honestly feel like the whispers are there to represent the fanbase and how the writers don't really care.

[Weltall8000]

They've explicitly said it wasn't. Though, it does seem like it would be fitting if it were allegorical for certain segments of the fanbase.

[Miyuka]

Originally posted by Bankai9212:

Considering the director wrote the kingdom hearts series expect alot of ex machina plot points for the rest of the games. As for knowledge you kinda do need it, as cloud gets memories from events later from the OG game. Honestly feel like the whispers are there to represent the fanbase and how the writers don't really care.

I never knew about the theory of whispers symbolizing old fan... until reading about it. Only ppl that played the og could come up with that. The magic of FF is that..ppls imaginations can run wild.