Final Fantasy VII Remake: What I Want To See/What I Want Them To Keep

When I first heard of the FFVII remake I was so surprised because it has been teased for years and years but now they are finally serious. At first I was unsure if this could work because FFVII is my favourite game of all time and it is absolute perfection. I still play it a lot now though not as much as I used to when I was younger because there is a lot of new games I got to play. So I thought I'd give my thoughts on what changes I want to see but what I also want kept.

To Stay

The Materia system: One of the best ways to customize your characters in all of the FF games and maybe they might make even more materia even though there are lots already.

The light - hearted humour: Though the overall story is serious there are a lot of fun times with the group like the (obvious one) Cloud's crossdressing, the time in Costa Del Sol, the Chocobo Race, hunting Yuffie in Wutai and many more.

Vehicles/airship: Bring back the airship in these modern FF games! I want to fly the Highwind again!

World Map: Stepping out of Midgar for the first time is one of the best moments in gaming so I just hope they keep the massive, open - world map but of course improve it for the more modern era.

The Golden Saucer: Who doesn't like blowing off some steam in the various mini games at the Golden Saucer or fighting in the battle arena? They have got to keep this theme park but of course like the world map they have got to make it even bigger. 

All it's mini - games: Besides the Golden Saucer I want all of the other mini games to stay as well.

Side Quests: FFVII had tons of extra side quests to complete either for more powerful gear or just for the fun of it.

WEAPONS: Some of the best bosses in the FF games and I want to fight them all again!

Aeries's death: Though it is sad to see her go it is also one of the most pivotal and important moments in gaming and we can't just throw it away in the remake.

Infiltrating the Shinra building: Maybe my favourite part of the whole game! Loved the music, the atmosphere, the different floors, the enemies, the sneaking, the part when you are captured and the whole look of the building itself. While of course I want them hopefully to add even more to this part I really want the while rescuing Aeries subplot to still stay.  

Chocobo breeding: A side quest that you have to invest a great amount of time in (which I don't mind because I like quests that take ages) and should still be included. I mean who doesn't want to raise their own champion racers again? to race them in the Golden Saucer and breed all of the different colours that have different abilities.


Changes/Add - on

Yuffie and Vincent are permanent characters: I want to see these two in the CGI cutscenes so I want the side missions to get them to be mandatory. Vincent of course will stay the same and I think a good time for Yuffie to join would be on the way to Junon (I always get her at that earliest point).

More WEAPONS: These have got to be some of the best bosses in Final Fantasy and if possible I just want even more of them to fight.

Monster Arena: The monster arena in FFX was one of the best side quests in all of the FF games because it took ages to do, you unlock powerful enemies to fight and you get great rewards. Always wished future FF games would include this and I hope VII remake does.

Ride a bike like in Advent Children: Now this would be cool for a new vehicle.

Real Time Combat instead of Turn Based: While I still really enjoy the turned based combat with it's strategy I admit the combat has to change with the times and be like FFXV And Kingdom Hearts. I mean wouldn't it be really cool to slash away with Cloud's sword then perform one of his Limit Breaks?

Control the summons: I liked it in XIII but it would be cool to control one in a non turned based battle.

Better Chocobo Races: They where great in the game but they have to improve the controls and include way more race tracks,

More expansive equipment menu: What I mean by this is that instead of just equipping a Weapon, Armour and Accessory let there be more stuff to equip them with. Like in FFIX and FFXII they had Chest, Arms and Legs as well.

Costume changes: While they can only be deco rational and have no impact on stats I would really like to be able to change the team's costume for combat and cutscenes.

More expansive Midgar: I absolutely loved Midgar but I would like to visit more of it in the remake like all of the different Sectors; the slums and the upper plates.

Card game: This just needs to make a comeback!

Improved underwater missions: The parts in the submarine where really great in FFVII but there was barely anything to do and you where really limited in where to go. So if they bring this back it should be way more expansive.

There you a quick list of what I want though there are probably more. I really can't wait for this remake and I hope for some gameplay videos soon!

Arrow Season Two: Keep Your Enemies Closer

You should call this episode Diggle, not Arrow

The episode begins with Felicity interrupting a meeting Oliver is having with Isabel because Roy has contacted them with information on counterfeit plates. Oliver gets there as Arrow however Roy is unable to stop himself from helping and is arrested and Diggle is abducted by an unknown group. Turns out Diggle was kidnapped by A.R.G.U.S and Amanda Waller (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) wants him to rescue Lyla who is being held in a Russian cell while tracking Deadshot meanwhile Quentin lets Roy go because of his involvement with Arrow. When Diggle announces his plan to go to Russia Oliver and Felicity decide to help as well and at the airport Isabel invites herself. In a Flashback Sara advises Oliver to give a fake name and when Ivo arrives he says he is at the island to retrieve a super - solider serum the Japanese where working on called Mirakuru and wants Oliver to help find it. In Russia Isabel is angry believing Oliver is using a company jet to be with Felicity later Oliver and Diggle meet with Oliver's old friend Knyazev for help in getting into the Gulag Lyla is in, Diggle then reveals Lyla is his ex - wife.

"Now what shall we talk about Mr Queen?"

Diggle gets himself arrested so he can be sent to the Gulag and in a Flashback it is revealed Slade and Shado are alive but Slade his badly burned. In the Gulag Diggle gets into a fight with one of the prisoners and is sent to the freezer and chained up along with Deadshot meanwhile Isabel and Oliver bond more. One of the guards releases Diggle so he can rescue Lyla however Deadshot kills him so he can be involved in the escape plan, outside Oliver, Felicity and Knyazev stand by to help out. In a Flashback Sara leads Oliver to the radio room who confirms Slade and Shado are alive however she is forced to sever the connection when Ivo arrives. Deadshot leads Diggle to Lyla and they escape when Oliver sets off explosives, Diggle reluctantly lets Deadshot go but Deadshot then says it was an organization called H.I.V.E that wanted his brother dead. Back home Diggle thanks Oliver and Felicity then starts to research H.I.V.E and in prison Moira urges Thea to get together with Roy; Thea having broken up with him earlier because the lawyer said he would hurt her mother's image. The episode ends in a Flashback and Sara has convinced Ivo to spare Oliver life as long as he leads them to the skeletons he found earlier.

Wonder if he would have done it if Deadshot didn't help him?

Finally this season we got a Diggle centred episode that we needed and it was a great and something different from what we have had so far. What I mean is that we actually got to get out of Starling City and Diggle had to go undercover himself to rescue Lyla. We also got the reunion between Diggle and Deadshot and it was great seeing those two characters confront each other again and Diggle proved more honourable than I thought in letting Deadshot go. However it seems Diggle may soon get even more of a story to work with as Deadshot mentioned the H.I.V.E organization which also exists in the comics, hopefully they will play a major role soon. I did like everything else in Russian such as a change to a snowy setting and that Knyazev from the Flashbacks is there, I'm really interested in seeing how he got off the Amazo now. However what I didn't like in the Russia moments was the forced love triangle between Isabel, Felicity and Oliver because it was kind of silly and even though I'm sure Isabel has a larger role to play she felt kind of pointless here.

Pick a fight Diggle, you need to build some cred

As for everything else I was also disappointed in Waller in this, her character and her casting. She doesn't come across as the intimidating and commanding individual she is in the comics and in fact she looks more like a secretary than anything else; I'm just not feeling that Robinson was the right choice at all with the stuff I just mentioned. I also didn't care that much for the Roy and Thea moments because it was just them basically breaking up and getting back together and they did that last season. However the Flashbacks where really great and I feel like we are making some progress finally and that is when Ivo talked about the super - solider serum. I was really glad when he said that because this is the kind of thing I wanted to in season one, if they do feature super - soldiers it will make this seem more like the comics. Plus since Slade an Shado are revealed to still be alive maybe we will get some cool rescue operation for Oliver.

"You trying to cosplay as me kid? Cause you haven't even got the colour right"

Overall I enjoyed that Diggle got the spotlight and we got some great action with him and scenes with Deadshot, however it should have focused more on them because I feel that it was a slight let down after how awesome the last episode was and now that Sara has left.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: Diggle and Deadshot
                   Having it set in Russia
                   Flashbacks

Let - Downs: Hated Waller
                      Isabel could have had a better role/purpose in this episode
                      Roy and Thea subplot

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;

 

 





http://screencapped.net