Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players are divided over changes to one character in the game that some have described as “jarring.” The new PS5 exclusive has been out for a few weeks, and according to Metacritic, it is not only the best PS5 game so far this year, but the best game across any and all platforms. The vast majority of what FF7 Rebirth offers, it excels at, but this doesn’t mean Final Fantasy fans are in love with every aspect of the PS5 game. [Spoilers Ahead]ย
One of the biggest talking points on the Final Fantasy 7 Reddit page this week has been the changes to Red XIII. As you may know, Red is 48 years old, but for his species, this means he is developmentally equivalent to a human teenager. And in the remake this far more evident than it used to be.ย
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“I seen a lot of people complaining about Red,” reads a popular post on the Final Fantasy 7 Reddit page. “They say he went from being such am insightful person to a teenager and it’s jarring. Did you guys not pick up on how he was describing things before that reveal? Let’s take him describing Tifa and Aerith in their beach gear. ‘Tifa, you look…as sleek as a dolphin. And Aerith as…diaphanous as a jellyfish.’ Y’all. Really? Who talks like that? A teenager trying to sound more insightful than what he really is.”
As the post kind of alludes to, this is a bit of a contentious topic within the community of the game. And this is evident by the comments, some of which have called the change “jarring” while others are less bothered by it.ย
“Honestly. It was quite jarring, which I suppose was the point. I only played the North American version, so maybe the voice thing fell flat on me,” reads the top comment on the post. “I just want a menu option to choose between Nanaki and Red XIII for the voices, even if its just in combat and/or New Game-Plus. I don’t think that is unreasonable. Still. Game is 9.5/10 for me.”
The second most popular comment is literally the opposite take: “Red’s whole character was being a teenage trying to act the part of an old man. And that is what makes him so damn funny. That was just lost in the original localization. My only problem with the reveal is that he’s no longer hiding, and that is less hilarious. But I’m still loving his character and portrayal so far. Easily my favorite member of the cast.”
As always, feel free to leave a comment or two letting us know what you think. What camp do you fall in on this divisive topic? Meanwhile, for more coverage on the popular new PS5 RPG — including everything between the latest official Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth news and the latest unofficial Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth rumors and leaks — click here.
