It has been noted by numerous sources that the Whispers in the original PlayStation Final Fantasy 7. In the game’s narrative, this is wrapped in a context of both the antagonist Sephiroth and the heroes defying fate to set a new course for their destiny. As metacommentary on the game itself, it cannot be denied that the Whispers do seem analogous to the fans who would prefer to see the original FF7 remain unaltered, but there are more layers to unpack than a simple reading of the FF7 Remake as a metaphor.
Game director Tetsuya Nomura has made it clear that the FF7 Remake is not a replacement for the original, nor does it invalidate or overwrite the 1997 game. Square Enix has gone to great lengths to preserve the original title and keep it relevant, as FF7 has been ported to numerous formats, and is still playable on modern PCs, mobile devices, and current-gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 thanks to backwards compatibility. In that respect, the Whispers won: the original Final Fantasy 7 is available in its initial form, with its story content and gameplay presented just as they were on the first PlayStation, albeit with some graphical improvements and quality of life features added.
The meta nature of FF7R's Whispers carries more complexity than simple antagonism against fans who are adverse to change, for Square Enix. More optimistically, and likely accurately, it reflects an awareness that, as the company pushes some of their beloved IPs in new directions with sequels, spinoffs, and cross-media adaptations, those who enjoy the original product are still welcome to their slice of gaming history, whether or not they are interested in going along for the ride of whatever direction the franchise might go.
FF7 Remake's Whispers Show The Original Is Respected
Final Fantasy fans have become accustomed to the ambitious multi-part projects Square Enix has launched in the past, such as the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 metaseries that began in 2004, which included the video games Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core and the movie Advent Children. This project inspired another similar effort by the company, the Fabula Nova Crystallis series, with titles such as Final Fantasy 13 and its two direct sequels, Final Fantasy Type-O, and Final Fantasy 15, which began its development as Final Fantasy Versus 13.
A more nuanced interpretation of the meaning behind the Whispers, when taking Nomura’s comments into consideration, is that fans are free to enjoy the original mainline entry in a particular franchise in a vacuum, if they prefer, as these stand alone as enjoyable RPG game experiences. For those interested in more, they can also dive into the related media and spinoff games. Sprawling projects like Compilation of FF7 and Fabula Nova Crystallis offer hardcore fans the option to explore more of a particular world, or a thematically linked series of games, but it is not required to appreciate the original.
Final Fantasy Fans Can Follow Spinoffs, But Don't Need To
A Final Fantasy 15 player does not have to watch the FF15 prequel movie Kingsglaive to understand the game, but they might have a richer experience if they choose to. Gamers can play Final Fantasy 13 without going on to play its sequels, or other Crystallis-project games, and they will still experience a complete narrative. With Final Fantasy 7, one of the most recognizable entries in the storied franchise, gamers will always have the original, preserved just as the Whispers tried to within the fiction of FF7 Remake, and as many fans of the original prefer it. For those who want to see more of the world of Gaia, and the iconic characters that inhabit it, they are welcome to experience as much of the Remake series and its associated spinoff titles and media as they wish, but none of these new additions replace or invalidate the original Final Fantasy 7.
