Final Fantasy VII is coming to the PlayStation 4 in Spring 2015, as revealed in the recent PlayStation Experience event. Unfortunately, you may find this news disappointing.
This is because Square Enix is merely porting the PC version Steam received last July 4, 2013. This port is a simple remaster of the original, lacking the reworking usually expected of rereleases like these. To understand how it turned out this way, however, we need to look at the history of the game’s PC ports.
The game received its first PC port only a year after its original release in 1997. This version of the game smoothed out the graphics, and fixed some localization issues. Some fans fondly remember this version for its moddability.
In 2012, that version of the game received a remastered rerelease on 2012. The port was developed by DotEmu, and was planned for Windows 7/Vista/XP, using DirectX 9. This version also came with cloud save and can be played in 1920 x 1080 HD resolution.
In contrast, the 2009 PSN rerelease of the game is based on the PlayStation original. Bugs and slower performance aside, it comes in a form old fans are familiar with.
So, the trailer also shows the PC version receives small conspicuous improvements in performance, but it sits too much in the middle between an accurate recreation of the original and a truly impressive remastered rerelease. Newer fans more familiar with newer representations of Cloud Strife may also be baffled by Square Enix’s choice.
Whatever the state of the port, however, this is still the same Final Fantasy VII renowned for expanding the popularity of JRPGs in the West. For the right price, Square Enix may make it worthwhile for PS4 owners to rediscover Midgar.
