In a series of recent interviews, Shoichi Ichikawa, producer of Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis, shared insights into the game's development and his vision for the future. While the game allows fans to relive key moments from Final Fantasy VII, Ichikawa confirmed that it also introduces new storylines focusing on characters like Cloud and Aerith. When asked about adding more stories, Ichikawa expressed his hesitance, saying:
"I am so torn on which ones to pick as there are so many stories to choose from. That said, if I say something specific, people might wonder, “Is that what’s happening next?!” and I might get people’s hopes up, so I’ll refrain from going into any details for now. I work closely with Director Motomu Toriyama to discuss Story Quests, and that’s a fun process."
Ichikawa also mentioned not only his favorite character, Glenn, an original creation for Ever Crisis, highlighting Glenn’s complex relationship with Sephiroth, but also his favorite antagonist:
"My personal favorite is Glenn. The fact he’s an EVER CRISIS original character is one reason, but I also love the emotional interactions with Sephiroth as a sort of father or brother figure. My favorite antagonist would probably be Dyne. I am a father myself, so the emotional conflict between Barret and Dyne hits me hard."
When discussing summons, Ichikawa noted that Bahamut holds special significance in the Final Fantasy VII series, explaining:
"There are many famous FINAL FANTASY summons, like Odin and Phoenix, that have yet to make an appearance, but in FINAL FANTASY VII, I feel that Bahamut was in a different tier than the rest. It made frequent appearances throughout the Compilation of FINAL FANTASY VII series, albeit in different forms – sometimes as a fearsome foe that stood before Cloud and company, and sometimes as a powerful partner in battle – and it has a special place in my heart."
Looking ahead, Ichikawa confirmed that Ever Crisis will have long-term support, with plans for regular updates, including new content, events, and system improvements.
“I am constantly and seriously thinking about not only event and collaboration ideas, but also about adding more content and system updates, etc., and how I can make as many people as possible happy with all the options presented. Our main pillar, the Final Fantasy VII remake project, has yet to conclude, so while we have just celebrated our one-year anniversary, I am already in the process of coming up with mid- and long-term milestone plans in hopes that Ever Crisis can continue into its second year, third year, and so on.”
The game’s unique outfits are also an interesting topic. Ichikawa explained that while some costumes are inspired by Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, Ever Crisis features original designs to keep things fresh. Tetsuya Nomura has the final say on character outfits to ensure consistency across projects, though the design team has creative freedom, especially for non-human characters like Red XIII and Cait Sith.
"The gear designs in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis are not handled by a single artist, but a team of multiple artists, and we take those various rough drafts to Tetsuya Nomura to review and select. So, rather than the outfits being inspired by one particular aspect, you are seeing the influence each of the artists have, which I think is what makes it so good."
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