TheFinal Fantasy 7 Remakehas more than lived up to very high expectations of the fans of one of the greatest JRPGs of all time. The game is reestablishing Square-Enix’s most popular story arch and taking the series in a new direction to keep fans interested.
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However, there is likely to be quite a wait beforeFinal Fantasy 7fans will be able to continue the battle against the Shinra Corporation and one of gaming’s most enigmatic antagonists Sephiroth. Thankfully, there are epic franchises and games for players to immerse themselves in while they are waiting. Let’s take a look at ten games fans of theFinal Fantasy 7remake should invest their time into.
Updated April 24th, 2022 by Michael Llewellyn:The Final Fantasy 7 Remake was a huge hit with fans and critics alike. It more than lived up to expectations and provided more depth for some of the supporting cast. Even the DLC content featuring Yuffie added more scope to what was already an excellent title with great lore. There’s still no word on when the inevitable sequel to the remake will arrive but with expectations so high it’s likely the studio will take their time to make sure it’s perfect. Until then fans still have lots of other great JRPGs to dive into.
18The Last Remnant
Originally released in 2008,The Last Remnantlargely went under the radar because it was a game that was too ambitious for the PS3 and Xbox 360. It was remastered using the Unreal Engine 4 for the Android, PC, PS4, and the Switch, and the performance boost allows for a much smoother experience.
Visually, the game has a lot in common withFinal Fantasy 12,and the large-scale battles echo theRomancing Sagagames. So fans of the big-budget fantasy experience will find a lot to enjoy withThe Last Remnant. One of the biggest reasonsFinal Fantasy 7is so popular is because it has a great antagonist in Sephiroth.The Last Remnantalso has an incredible main villain in The Conqueror a man who more than lives up to the presence of Sephiroth.
17Scarlet Nexus
Released in 2021,Scarlet Nexusis an action RPG set in an alternate universe. Just like theFinal Fantasy 7remake, it blends science fiction and fantasy elements to create a believable and compelling universe.
The combat is fast-paced and even more dynamic than theFF7remake and has many features in common with theDevil May Cry series as more skills unlock throughout the game. Fans of great anime-like stories full of twists and turns will loveScarlet Nexusit has two great leads and a memorable main antagonist that gets revealed as the story progresses.
16Tales of Arise
Another 2021 hit from Namco,Tales of Arisewas also the recipient of the Game Awards Best RPG of 2021. It’s an award that was well deserved becauseTales of Ariseis not only one o of the best games in the long-running series, but one of the best available today.
Its flashy action-based combat will be an easy adjustment for fans of theFF7remake. Furthermore, it has a great cast of characters from its lead to the main villains. It also features a very Sephiroth-like villain that proves to be the perfect rival forToA’s protagonist Alphen.
15The Mass Effect Trilogy
Originally released on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360,theMass Effect Trilogyis one of the best science fiction sagas in gaming. Even with the somewhat controversial ending, it’s an epic space opera that easily compares with TV shows likeBattlestar GalacticaandThe Expanse.
The series features great dialogue options and an enthrallingly immersive narrative from start to finish. The game still holds up on a visual level thanks to its fantastic production values and sound design.
14Ys 8: Lacrimosa Of Dana
Released in 2016,Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Danais an action RPG that was released on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and the PC. The production values don’t come close to the AAA powerhouse that theFinal Fantasy 7Remake is, but the combat system, excellent world-building, and endearing characters will appeal to fans of the remake.
It’s the most accessible title in the series. There are allusions to its predecessors, but one can still comfortably jump into every entry without prior knowledge of Adol’s other adventures. However, it’s a series that oozes quality, and fans of JPRGs, in general, should invest some time into theYsfranchise.
13Cyberpunk 2077
Released in December 2020 and developed by CD Projekt Red,Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world science fiction RPG that has been therecipient of quite a bit of criticismat launch for being almost unplayable on base consoles. However, for those lucky enough to play it on a good PC (or to a lesser extent the PS5 and Xbox Series X) it’s a much better experience.
Furthermore, fans ofFinal Fantasy 7’s setting will find a lot to love in the remarkable cyberpunk setting in CD Projekt Red’s RPG. It may be worth waiting until the game has received a few more major patches or the inevitable next-gen upgrade that will get released later in the year.
12Grandia HD Remastered Collection
Grandia HD Remastered Collectionis a compilation of the first two games in the series that were released on the PS1 and the Sega Dreamcast in 1997 and 2000 respectively. Both games offer players two incredible adventures but it’s Grandia 2 that will appeal more to fans ofFinal Fantasy 7.
The combat system is more refined than in its predecessor, and the story and characters take a more serious tone in the sequel than in the first. The lead character Ryudo is a mercenary working as a bodyguard that suddenly finds himself reluctantly falling into a “save the world” plot. In addition, it has a good cast of characters with great villains and a gripping plot.
11The Legend Of Heroes – Trails Series
Since its release in 1997, the monumental success ofFinal Fantasy 7led to it becoming a saga that featured spin-offs, prequels, books, and even films. Even the remake expands on the original storyline with new characters and is planned to be a series.
It may be a long wait as fans anticipate the second entry in theFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, but until then,The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Skytrilogy andtheTrails in ColdSteel sagaare the perfect games to dive into. No other JRPG has come close to this series in terms of depth and longevity, and it’s the perfect series to play while waiting for the next episode in theFinal Fantasy 7Remake.
10Final Fantasy 15
If gamers are looking for a modernFinal Fantasygame with a fast-paced combat system with some turn-based elements then look no further than 2016’sFinal Fantasy. Available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the PC with a wealth of additional content added post-launch and character-based DLC,FFXVis a much better game in its current form than it was at launch.
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While it may not quite matchFinal Fantasy 7’sdepth, interactivity, and characterization,Final Fantasy 15is still a huge game to get to grips with and a decent way to fill the gap until the second part of the remake gets released.
9Lost Odyssey
Released exclusively on the Xbox 360 in 2008Lost Odysseyis a JRPG developed by Mistwalker Studios and was designed byFinal Fantasycreator Hironobu Sakaguchi. In addition, the game’s score was composed by famedFinal Fantasycomposer Nobuo Uematsu.
Lost Odyssey feels like aFinal Fantasygame with a darker setting and mature storyline. Furthermore, it has an excellent story with great characters and a powerful brooding but likable lead in the immortal warrior Kaim that shares more than a few similarities to Cloud.
