Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3could potentially reference two other past Square Enix games, and it wouldn’t be the first time that the crossover occurred. After the release of the originalFF7, Cloud quickly became one of the company’s biggest stars and helped promote two other PlayStation titles,Final Fantasy TacticsandXenogears. By passing into the lifestream, Cloud was transported into theTactics' world of Ivalice, where he was an optional party member. Later, once he is found and recused by Tifa in the originalFF7, Cloud also seemingly rants about random subjects, including events onXenogears’ earth.
This inclusion could go either way in the third part ofFF7R. With major changes to the story throughout the remake games, they’re stealth sequels rather than simple retellings. Still, the party venturing to theNorthern Crater is an iconicFF7locationthat will presumably return. While the party will likely head there, it is unclear if Cloud will still disappear into the lifestream after giving the Black Materia to Sephiroth. It might be pushed back to later in the story, or it’s possible that another character could be the lost party member.
After Northern Crater Cloud Is Transported To Ivalice Within Final Fantasy Tactics
During the development ofFinal Fantasy Tactics, SquareSoft (which later merged with Enix to become Square Enix) already knew that Cloud Strife was gaining popularity in Japan.The developers decided to include Cloud as a recruitable character, albeit a very secret and easy-to-miss one. In Chapter 4, machinist Besrudio Bunansa can restore a dimensional portal. The main protagonist, Ramza, holds the Cancer Zodiac Stone to the device, ultimately summoning Cloud into Ivalice. This land hasits own timeline that expands beyondFFT.
Cloud doesn’t remember much, only that he was “caught up in the current” of the lifestream. He still suffers from the same headaches present inFF7Rand runs off in a frenzy.
Ramza eventually tracks down Cloud to Sal Ghidos Trade City inFFT. Wandering the streets,Cloud ends up saving a flower girl, who looks suspiciously like Aerith, from a gang of thugs. The ruffians focus their attention on Cloud, but Ramza and his team are able to dispatch them.
Stop Making Final Fantasy Tactics Clones & Just Make FF Tactics Again
Although many of Square Enix’s new games look exciting, they’re too similar to Final Fantasy Tactics, so it might as well just make a new FF Tactics.
Personally,I found the whole ordeal of recruiting Cloud to be more trouble than it’s worth. He joins at level 1 despite the rest of my team being over 60+. While his Limit Break attacks are reasonably strong, they are just too slow to fit in well strategically. He also needs to wield a specific sword — the Materia Blade — which results in weak normal attacks. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting crossover between two major SquareSoft classics.
Cloud Has Knowledge Of Xenogears While Recovering in Mideel
The Lifestream Gave Cloud Knowledge Of Gears
Since Cloud was an optional character inFinal Fantasy Tactics, he is given no special mention in the story or ending.How he made it back to the lifestream inFinal Fantasy TacticsandFF7is not hinted atin either game. Still, he eventually resurfaces in the town of Mideel where the party finds him in a catatonic state.
When FF7 Remake Part 3 Could Release, Based On How Much Time Was Between FF7R & Rebirth
A release date prediction for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 means analyzing past development timelines and key factors influencing the game’s launch.
Cloud suffers from heavy mako poisoningafter being directly exposed to the lifestream. This was enough for Tifa tostay by Cloud’s side in the originalFF7. While Tifa or Cid can speak to him, most of his speech is meaningless jargon. However, a set of lines stick out in the English release:
“A billion mirror fragments…Small…Light. Taken…Angel’s…Singing…Voices…Zeno…Gias…”
These lines would later appear in a future Squaresoft game,Xenogears, mostly in its ending theme song“Small Two Pieces”. In fact, “Zenogias” is simply a mistranslation of the ultimate mech, Xenogears.It isn’t clear if Cloud somehow ended up in that world or if the lifestream simply showed him the adventures of the main character, Fei Fong Wong.
Cloud himself makes no guest appearance inXenogears, but another Squaresoft icon does: Lucca fromChrono Trigger. She briefly assists with the in-game tutorial but has no story impact.
Both the cameo inFinal Fantasy Tacticsand the mention ofXenogearsare fun Easter Eggs for die-hard fans. Still, it would be amazing ifFinal Fantasy 7 Remakefully incorporates them into the new universe canon. After all, the remakes have fully embraced plenty of expanded media like books and mobile games, and this one wouldn’t need a full set of specific assets or any major overhaul. I would be fine ifFinal Fantasy Remake Part 3simply added a few lines of Cloud speaking about the war in Ivalice or seeing Gears flying around.
