Six Years Ago Today, Square Enix Released One of Its Best JRPGs — But Fans Are Still Divided

Square Enix, despite its shift toward more action-oriented titles in recent years, remains one of the most popular JRPG developers and publishers in the history of the video game industry. Very few gamers can bump into someone who hasn't heard of Final Fantasy. Square Enix began a multi-game project years ago, and while the first two entries have been well-received, they have divided the Final Fantasy fanbase.

Today, April 10, 2026, marks the sixth anniversary of the original release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the PlayStation 4. However, it wasn't a full remake of the original 1997 game; it was the first part in a three-part project, with each part being a full-length game in scope.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake mostly follows the same plot as the original game. Mercenary and ex-SOLDIER Cloud Strife joins up with the eco-terrorist group Avalanche and soon embarks on a mission to confront his arch nemesis Sephiroth and stop the planet from being destroyed.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake would make many expansions and story changes to the original game. Jessie, who is a minor side character in the original game, gets a full character arc in Remake and an entire chapter dedicated to her backstory. The city of Midgar is greatly expanded; the Midgar section in the original game was only a few hours, while it's nearly 40 hours in Remake.

The game ends with the party's escape from Midgar, and fans were left waiting almost four years for the game's sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, to be released. Fans are now eagerly awaiting the reveal and release date for the third and final part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy, which, as of right now, remains untitled.

According to Metacritic, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is sitting at an impressive 87 metascore. However, fans are much more divided. The game received praise for its hybrid-style combat system, visuals, and music, but the story left some fans unhappy, with some feeling the introduction of the Whispers and confusing timeline implications made the game feel less like a remake and more like a speculated sequel.

Square Enix released a Nintendo Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake earlier this year, and the title saw similar praise.

Hopefully, fans will get new information about the final part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy soon, perhaps at Summer Game Fest, Tokyo Game Show, or at The Game Awards this year.