13 Going on 30
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Eiyuden Chronicle are games from 2024 that remind me of the 90s - and turned out to be exactly what I needed this year
Half-way through 2024, there are two games in particular that stand out to me. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second installment of an ambitious project remaking one of the greatest JRPGs of the 1990s. Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes is a spiritual successor to a long dormant but adored, if somewhat niche, series. Both games came from the golden era of JRPGs and debuted on the PlayStation, and their modern counterparts feature significant involvement and/or direction from the original creative teams. The games themselves could not be more different, yet they are two sides of the same coin - one that’s been sitting in my pocket since I was a teen.
Eiyuden Chronicle was a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign1 when launched in 2020. Led by Yoshitaka Murayama, creator of the Suikoden series, the production features contributions from Michiko Naruke (Wild ARMs) and Junko Kawano, who also worked on the former series. The game’s vintage - or dare I say, retro - stylings have the alluring aesthetic of the Suikoden games (especially the first two). Featuring crisp, pixel-style character designs, 3D enemy models and backgrounds as well as a throwback score that includes Motoi Sakuraba, the game looks and feels familiar to anyone who played these games when Dawson’s Creek still aired. With DLC coming and a sequel all but confirmed, Eiyuden is a worthwhile journey for a 90s JRPG throwback that doesn’t directly mention being inspired by Chrono Trigger in a press release.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up moments after the conclusion of 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake. The game was critically acclaimed (including yours truly), a terrific AAA experience that so lovingly leans into what made the original so great. It’s not perfect - no game or minigame is, for that matter - but it is a joyous if not exactly joy-filled romp through the greater world of Final Fantasy VII.
While I found Remake to be a great expansion of the original game’s opening hours, I was skeptical of what to expect from Rebirth. I found Remake's tight metal corridors stifling, and while the combat was great fun, actual progression felt a bit too on the rails in terms of story and gameplay alike. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth understands and embodies what made the original game great. The attention to detail and sense of exploration reveals itself early in the game, especially during a breathtaking moment when the Grasslands are first revealed. Moments from the original game are gorgeously recreated here, grabbing at your attention and heartstrings. Where Remake looked like a glow up, Rebirth certainly feels and plays like it.
I’ve been a gamer most of my life, getting a Nintendo in elementary school and never looking back. As I draw closer to my 40th birthday, I’m increasingly surrounded by nostalgia. It sells tickets to reunion tours and Hulu subscriptions. Too often, reboots or belated sequels trade in on good will, even if they end up being little more than a cash grab or retread of the original.
Eiyuden Chronicle highlights its heritage as it attempts to recreate the magic of a ‘90s PSX classic. Sure, it’s upscaled - at least a little bit - but the DNA is apparent. The game embraces this, even as a marketing tactic, with the back cover of the game loudly proclaiming the “return” of the JRPG. While it has the trappings - chasing after 100+ cast members is great fun, even if the last few are mired in more tedium than arguably worth - the game can’t escape the feeling that it is coloring inside the lines. The original story is also a bit underwhelming, trying to hit too many particular and familiar beats. It leans into the Suikoden formula so much, it falls over. The weakest part is easily the voice acting, which fails to elevate the often-charming localization.
Rebirth is able to withstand, or at least skate by, its issues by virtue of how fresh the character interactions feel. I’ve known these characters for almost thirty years, but it’s only now I feel that I’m really getting to know them. So many classic moments from the original, such as Barrett’s conflict with Dyne and Tifa’s reluctance to fully trust Cloud, feel earned and authentic. The gorgeous character models, cinematic direction, and nuanced performance gel together and make the world and its inhabitants feel genuine. A throwaway discussion between Cloud and Barrett2 about Marlene growing up, taking place while traveling through the Corel region, suffused so much humanity in these two characters that I am still thinking about it months later. There really is some incredible character and world building in Rebirth, even if the fragmented nature of its storytelling can be off putting. It certainly makes it worth suffering through your least favorite minigame. Mine isn’t even the Cait Sith box-breaking one.
Both games are beautiful to look at, stuffed to the brim, and messy as hell - just like their ‘90s counterparts. That’s why they are so fun to play.
Gaming is a big business, and it’s one that continues to grow despite the always looming threat of layoffs in game development, journalism, and nearly every other facet the industry touches. Despite record breaking sales and profits, the industry all too often feels like a dumpster fire. But doesn’t the whole world feel that way? Things feel unstable - politically, economically, emotionally (just me?). These times can feel tough, and for plenty, they are.
I’m not going to be able to solve the world’s problems. Hell, I’m not even able to solve my own. But, for just an hour or two at a time, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Eiyuden Chronicle Hundred Heroes resurface memories of sitting too close to the TV a little too long after bedtime, trying to gain another level or reach a save point before succumbing to my heavy eyelids. These games remind me of how those years felt: living, breathing, feeling, and growing in these bones during a particular time and (head)space in my life. The reboot of Fraser could never.
These games are new, but they feel so familiar, almost like they’ve been with me the whole time. In a sense, they have been - I’ve kept the same copy of Final Fantasy VII and Suikoden for nearly thirty years. Perhaps they feel similar because they make me feel like I did all those years ago, before cell phones, student loans, and wondering if I left the oven on. In this topsy-turvy time, that sort of experience - and feeling - is worth all the money in the world.
Disclosure: I was a backer on Kickstarter.
YouTube, credit: User Manugames92