Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Developers Call Zack's Role "Immensely Important"

There are a lot of mysteries surrounding Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and one of the biggest is Zack Fair. Over the last two decades, the character has become an important figure in the franchise, despite having a very small role in the original Final Fantasy VII. Crisis Core and Advent Children made Zack into a tragic figure, and a fan favorite. The ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake surprised fans with the revelation that Zack is somehow alive. Speaking to Game Informer, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi discussed Zack's new role, and what it will mean for the game's narrative. 

"Through him, players will be able to experience and understand more of the Final Fantasy VII worldview and it will deepen their understanding of the Final Fantasy VII world," Hamaguchi told Game Informer. "We have used the character Zack to depict the combined view of [story and scenario writer Kazushige Nojima, creative director Tetsuya Nomura, and producer Yoshinori Kitase] – the original creators – intents of how this world of Final Fantasy VII came to be and its policies and rules governing this world. This is going to be depicted through the character of Zack. As much as the Whispers within the story, Zack is an equally, immensely important, crucial, key character to this story that I believe fans will enjoy within Rebirth."

Building a Mystery in a Remake

Hamaguchi also noted to Game Informer that having elements like the Whispers and Zack in Rebirth adds to the game's mystery. For players that are already deeply familiar with Final Fantasy VII and its world, there can still be a sense that "the ending is going to be different from what we know from the original and have that sort of wonder and anticipation building."

From the game's trailers, it appears that Zack will be informed about the death of Aerith, and make some kind of attempt to save her from her fate, just as he managed to escape his. Destiny is going to be a key theme in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and even the game's box art will reflect that, with Zack appearing prominently alongside Cloud and Sephiroth. 

Will Zack's Role Make a Difference?

While the developers are hinting that the key events in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth might drastically change as a result of Zack and the Whispers, it remains to be seen what impact these elements will actually have on the narrative. It's possible that all of the key events will still happen the way they did in the original game, and Aerith will still die at Sephiroth's hands. However, Hamaguchi and Square Enix have managed to keep fans guessing. That's impressive considering the fact that Rebirth is based on a game that came out in 1997. Clearly, they've accomplished their goal, regardless of what happens. 

Are you planning to check out Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? Have you enjoyed the mystery surrounding the game? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!