Final Fantasy 7 Remake
- Thread starter cm2
- Start date
eh, might be?
dang it Nomura needs to spill the PLOT beans! lol
I'm sorry what?
In the original game they originally wanted to put a scene showing cloud after he had "homerun-ed" Tifa at the chocobo stable onboard the highwind but decided not to lol
Regarding the Highwind scene between Cloud and Tifa:
- Katou allegedly came up with the "Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel" line
- Kitase says "I remember we had to tone down a version that was too strong"
- Nojima says "The original idea was more extreme. The plan was for Cloud to walk out of the chocobo stable in the airship, followed by Tifa leaving while she kept looking around, but Kitase rejected it."
Last edited:
Nice Barret's English VA Interview:
ComicBook.com: Congratulations on the success of the game! How have you felt about the reception thus far, and especially for your role in the game?
John Eric Bentley: The reception has been overwhelming and very humbling. I’m aware that most people are happy with my character for various reasons, while others have mixed views. Hopefully all who play the FF7 Remake get to see the character’s arcs and enjoy and appreciate the game and all of our hard work.
How familiar are you with the source material? Did you go back and play the original game or watch the anime film or anything?
I’m pretty familiar with the history, game play, and storyline of FF7 the original, as well as that of the Remake. I played the original back in 1997 and that’s when I started enjoying RPG’s. I mean c’mon, a Black character in an RPG video game that’s a leader and doesn’t die!!! Yay to Square back then and hooray to Square Enix now!!
How did you learn you got the part, and what was your reaction?
I found out through the Skylark casting director, who playfully broke the news to me by saying... “are you sitting down?” She knew I was nervous and thought I didn’t get it when I anxiously called to find out if casting decisions had been made. I so desperately wanted the role and know how blessed I was to get it!
There have historically been concerns about Barret’s portrayal in the various iterations of the franchise and whether he represents a stereotype of sorts. Were you aware of this criticism, and, if so, did it change how you approached the character?
I was very much aware of the concerns many had about the character. As a Black man living in America I wanted to represent my people, race, culture, family and self with all the dignity, strength, compassion, leadership and pride that I could. I wanted to make sure that Barret wasn’t portrayed as a caricature or a stereotype. All of this is what I went for, while attempting to take the gamer along with the beginning, middle, and end of Barret’s journey, as well as the story’s arc.
It feels particularly poignant right now that Barret leads a group of eco-terrorists against an evil corporation. But he’s also a father. And a friend. How did you go about meshing all of these different aspects of the character together as a voice actor?
That’s just it, Barret is multi-faceted. He has so much more going on, with so many hats that he has to wear as a Black lead in an incredible game with an awesome story! I had to make sure to draw from my own experiences in life, study, research, and DO THE WORK AS AN ACTOR, to avoid having him be portrayed as an angry Black man with a gun for an arm. He’s truly more than what he appears to be.
Have you given Final Fantasy 7 Remake a go yet?
Yes, although between, work and being a husband and father (and my sons taking my PS4 to play) I haven’t gotten as far as I’d like to.
How did it feel to hear yourself in this iconic role for the first time?
Humbling and emotional! When I played the 1st demo it was such a weird thing to hear my work constantly doing the first mission. I was at E3 and I gave the controller to my son, and just walked around and SERIOUSLY enjoyed watching other people play and have a good time! I love seeing people happy, and got such a thrill to know that I was a part of their joy!
Have to ask: how many times did you have to sing the little victory theme?
Oh... I can’t remember, but because I was familiar with Final Fantasy & a lot of its music, I got it down pretty well.
What were some of the more difficult scenes for you to record in the game?
There weren’t many that I would say were difficult, I tried to make sure I was ready for each session. The emotional scenes I had to prep for because I wanted to get them right. The compassion and empathy that Barret needed on top of being a strong and boisterous leader was important. I’d say the toughest thing was coming in and being that energetic, that loud, that gruff, with that voice for 4-hour sessions was the challenge!
What were some of your favorite scenes to record in the game?
Hmmm, Favorites... The fanfare, the stairs, All the scenes with or about Marlene, the improved songs and the bickering with Cloud.
Obviously, with the pandemic on and all, folks are spending a lot of time inside. Are you playing any games right now? Anything you’re looking forward to?
During this time, I’m playing FF7 the Remake, Yakuza, and the last Tomb Raider that I never got to finish. I’m playing a few others as well. I’ve actually been trying to find ways to stay active though. My creativity is one that is stimulated when I hike, kayak, bike, play hoops etc. I like being outdoors!
ComicBook.com: Congratulations on the success of the game! How have you felt about the reception thus far, and especially for your role in the game?
John Eric Bentley: The reception has been overwhelming and very humbling. I’m aware that most people are happy with my character for various reasons, while others have mixed views. Hopefully all who play the FF7 Remake get to see the character’s arcs and enjoy and appreciate the game and all of our hard work.
How familiar are you with the source material? Did you go back and play the original game or watch the anime film or anything?
I’m pretty familiar with the history, game play, and storyline of FF7 the original, as well as that of the Remake. I played the original back in 1997 and that’s when I started enjoying RPG’s. I mean c’mon, a Black character in an RPG video game that’s a leader and doesn’t die!!! Yay to Square back then and hooray to Square Enix now!!
How did you learn you got the part, and what was your reaction?
I found out through the Skylark casting director, who playfully broke the news to me by saying... “are you sitting down?” She knew I was nervous and thought I didn’t get it when I anxiously called to find out if casting decisions had been made. I so desperately wanted the role and know how blessed I was to get it!
There have historically been concerns about Barret’s portrayal in the various iterations of the franchise and whether he represents a stereotype of sorts. Were you aware of this criticism, and, if so, did it change how you approached the character?
I was very much aware of the concerns many had about the character. As a Black man living in America I wanted to represent my people, race, culture, family and self with all the dignity, strength, compassion, leadership and pride that I could. I wanted to make sure that Barret wasn’t portrayed as a caricature or a stereotype. All of this is what I went for, while attempting to take the gamer along with the beginning, middle, and end of Barret’s journey, as well as the story’s arc.
It feels particularly poignant right now that Barret leads a group of eco-terrorists against an evil corporation. But he’s also a father. And a friend. How did you go about meshing all of these different aspects of the character together as a voice actor?
That’s just it, Barret is multi-faceted. He has so much more going on, with so many hats that he has to wear as a Black lead in an incredible game with an awesome story! I had to make sure to draw from my own experiences in life, study, research, and DO THE WORK AS AN ACTOR, to avoid having him be portrayed as an angry Black man with a gun for an arm. He’s truly more than what he appears to be.
Have you given Final Fantasy 7 Remake a go yet?
Yes, although between, work and being a husband and father (and my sons taking my PS4 to play) I haven’t gotten as far as I’d like to.
How did it feel to hear yourself in this iconic role for the first time?
Humbling and emotional! When I played the 1st demo it was such a weird thing to hear my work constantly doing the first mission. I was at E3 and I gave the controller to my son, and just walked around and SERIOUSLY enjoyed watching other people play and have a good time! I love seeing people happy, and got such a thrill to know that I was a part of their joy!
Have to ask: how many times did you have to sing the little victory theme?
Oh... I can’t remember, but because I was familiar with Final Fantasy & a lot of its music, I got it down pretty well.
What were some of the more difficult scenes for you to record in the game?
There weren’t many that I would say were difficult, I tried to make sure I was ready for each session. The emotional scenes I had to prep for because I wanted to get them right. The compassion and empathy that Barret needed on top of being a strong and boisterous leader was important. I’d say the toughest thing was coming in and being that energetic, that loud, that gruff, with that voice for 4-hour sessions was the challenge!
What were some of your favorite scenes to record in the game?
Hmmm, Favorites... The fanfare, the stairs, All the scenes with or about Marlene, the improved songs and the bickering with Cloud.
Obviously, with the pandemic on and all, folks are spending a lot of time inside. Are you playing any games right now? Anything you’re looking forward to?
During this time, I’m playing FF7 the Remake, Yakuza, and the last Tomb Raider that I never got to finish. I’m playing a few others as well. I’ve actually been trying to find ways to stay active though. My creativity is one that is stimulated when I hike, kayak, bike, play hoops etc. I like being outdoors!
There should be more news on that sometime next year when the exclusivity deal with Sony ends for the first game of the saga.
Square Enix's Dragon Quest 11 and the S version made with the same unreal engine 4 run well/good on PC. I tried the demo myself, so there's a good chance of FF7 Remake will be getting a good PC port too I think.
The game just won Sony's Grand Award 2020, nice:
Grand Award
Awarded to the top three titles developed in the Japan / Asian regions with highest worldwide sales between October 2019 and September 2020*.
“Thank you for honoring us with this tremendous award. Final Fantasy VII Remake is based on the original Final Fantasy VII which was released on the PlayStation 23 years ago. The original also won this PlayStation Award. And now the remake has once again won a PlayStation Award. This Award has been renewed and given a new start. Facing its own restart, Final Fantasy VII Remake has been honored with this award. It feels like destiny in some ways. The world of Final Fantasy VII Remake is just starting with this remake. This world of this game will continue to expand. Motivated by this award, our development team will work hard to further expand the world of Final Fantasy VII. Please look forward to seeing new releases. Thank you.”
Grand Award
Awarded to the top three titles developed in the Japan / Asian regions with highest worldwide sales between October 2019 and September 2020*.
- Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot (Bandai Namco / CyberConnect2)
- eFootball PES 2020 (Konami)
- Final Fantasy VII Remake (Square Enix)
“Thank you for honoring us with this tremendous award. Final Fantasy VII Remake is based on the original Final Fantasy VII which was released on the PlayStation 23 years ago. The original also won this PlayStation Award. And now the remake has once again won a PlayStation Award. This Award has been renewed and given a new start. Facing its own restart, Final Fantasy VII Remake has been honored with this award. It feels like destiny in some ways. The world of Final Fantasy VII Remake is just starting with this remake. This world of this game will continue to expand. Motivated by this award, our development team will work hard to further expand the world of Final Fantasy VII. Please look forward to seeing new releases. Thank you.”
Last edited: