In a recently published interview by Square Enix, lead developers of FF7 Rebirth talked about the challenges in bringing FF7 Rebirth to life, sharing their moments of doubt and triumph along the way.
FF7 Rebirth Developers Reveal Development Challenges
Game Director Says FF7 Rebirth "Has Come Together As The Best One Yet"
FF7 Battle Director Teruki Endo expressed initial skepticism regarding the monumental task of creating the game's extensive content, from character abilities to enemy variety, and boss battles. However, just how'd the hero, Cloud, come out on top in the series, the dedication and passion of the development team ultimately prevailed.
"When I first saw how much content would need to be created for this game, even just for the combat, I honestly wasn’t sure that we could put it all together in time - from the huge amount of character abilities to the summons and the systems that allow you to fight alongside them." Endo shared. "But the development team put their all into making something great, and as a result of this, we were able to put everything together in a way that showed great attention to detail in every aspect."
Lead UI Artist Hsueh Huei Liao acknowledged the demanding workload but praised the team's commitment to delivering excellence in every aspect of the game's design. "As a creator, it was very fun to work on, but the workload was also pretty tough," Liao said. "Even so, the UI team worked hard and without compromise on each and every one of them, to such a high standard that each one is almost like its own standalone game."
Environment Director Takako Miyake echoed the sentiment, proudly professing the team's unwavering belief in completing the game despite the challenges encountered during development. Miyake revealed that the staff were "unanimous that the experience is worth the effort."
Miyake added, "So much so that during development, whenever we were wandering around inside the game environment in order to check that everything was working properly, we would sometimes forget that we were supposed to be performing checks, and just get lost in enjoying the game."
Released exclusively on PS5 in late February, FF7 Rebirth has received critical acclaim along with the first title of the FF7 Remake trilogy, FF7 Remake. The game injects more life and cutting-edge into the expansive world and player-driven narrative of the classic FF7. Director Naoki Hamaguchi invited longtime fans and new players alike to embark on this journey of adventure borne out of the team's tremendous creative undertaking.
"Across the course of this new adventure, we have explored the theme of bonds between friends. I have been involved in game development for many years," Hamaguchi said, "but REBIRTH has come together as the best one yet. I can’t wait for everybody to experience it for themselves."
Source:
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH developer messages
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth dev team admits it wasn't sure it could “put it all together in time”
