Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth cutscene directors discuss favorite moments, fan response, and more (Exclusive)

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was a truly remarkable video game, but so many people contributed to its success. After the game launched, I reached out to Square Enix to see if we could speak to some of the unsung heroes of video game development - the cutscene team. In particular, we spoke to Hidekazu Miyake (Cutscene Director) and Junichi Hayashi (Cutscene Co-Director).

FF7 Rebirth was a game that had a lot to live up to, after all. The first game was trapped in the slums of Midgar, but once Rebirth released, a vast, open world had to be created.

This team worked so hard to create the visuals we treasure in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s most important scenes. However, we avoided spoiler-related topics, specifically due to how recent the game had come out. We’ll be reaching out at a later date to discuss spoiler-themed FF7 Rebirth topics as well, fear not.

Even after two playthroughs, and over 200 hours invested, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is consistently on my mind. Looking back to where we’ve come from, and where it’s going, it’s all very exciting. There are so many interesting things in the cutscenes—hints of the future as well as teases that perhaps things aren’t always what they seem to be.

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Hidekazu Miyake and Junichi Hayashi discuss the game’s cutscene design

Q. First, thank you for taking the time to chat with us! We’re so glad to be able to talk about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth some more. What has the general reception of the visuals been in Japan?

The facial expressions in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's cutscenes told quite a few stories of their own (Image via Square Enix)

Miyake: I believe it has been well received, including the detailed performances and facial expressions of Cloud, Sephiroth and the soldiers during the Nibelheim flashback in the demo that would make fans of the original crack a smile. It seems many players were surprised to see so many features in the main story, and the details maintained throughout up to the end. This title is 1.4 times the volume of the previous title, so as it is not an easy feat to develop it while maintaining the quality, we are very happy to receive the positive response.

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Q. While both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are gorgeous games when it comes to the cutscenes, Rebirth’s stand out as more visually striking. Were there any lessons learned, or changes to the process between the two games?

Miyake: To summarize, the production policy hasn’t changed largely from that of REMAKE, and we focused on adapting to a more modern expression that does not feel out of place, while respecting the original work. This title has many highlights, and managing the large volume was a challenge, but thanks to the actors and staff who had experience creating the previous title, we were able to seamlessly align on the direction in which we should go. I felt the unique circumstance of the existence of the original title and it being a sequel worked in our favor.

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Q. Both Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth offer a mixture of in-engine and pre-rendered cutscenes. One thing we wondered about, are the pre-rendered cutscenes built in the same engine as the game, or somewhere else?

The magic of Cosmo Canyon, brought to life in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the PS5 (Image via Square Enix)

Miyake: As you may have noticed, the pre-rendered cutscenes are produced using a different method than the game engine. Although there are some drawbacks to using a completely different system from the game engine, the advantage is that it allows for the expression of a vast space on a single screen and enables us to take on more complex and difficult expressions because we are not limited by the constraints of the game engine.

This title had many locations where the beauty of pre-rendered movies could be expressed, such as the Gold Saucer, and we are delighted to hear the many positive responses.

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Q. The PlayStation 5 is a powerful console, that’s for sure. Did developing exclusively on the PS5 help in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth with the process of creating these gorgeous, vibrant effects-heavy cutscenes?

Miyake: There is little discrepancy between cutscenes and gameplay in this film, and there are very few blackout moments that halt the gameplay. The detailed cutscenes are vividly rendered and seamlessly connects from there to the game.

While exploring the vast world and viewing the various locations, I had a moment where I felt as if I was actually in the world myself. I think this moment led to the expressions that left the most lasting impressions on the player. The PS5 was perfect for this because of its ability to read a huge amount of resources at high speed.

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Q. Without spoiling much, one of my personal favorite cutscenes in the game belongs to Red XIII - his big scene later in the game. What was it like recreating that iconic, emotional scene once again, in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

The original scene - not the version in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (Image via Square Enix)

Hayashi: We took much care in reconstructing the scenes that were particularly impressionable in the original. Though various expressions are now possible in today’s gaming consoles (while it isn’t all-encompassing), attempting to recreate the feeling evoked by the original (imaginative due to the low polygons) was still a huge challenge.

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Q. Without spoiling anything major, are there any cutscenes that are particular favorites among the team, whether they were especially emotional, or incredibly comedic (most of Yuffie’s cutscenes, for example)?

Hayashi: I’m fond of the cutscene with Rude in a certain bar. Also, this is not a cutscene, but I love the part where Yuffie is singing while lying on the sofa.

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Q. One thing we noticed in the very final scenes of the ending—without spoiling anything—Cloud wore the regular Buster Sword, instead of whatever sword the player was wearing. Was there any particular reason this was different, or were there technical limitations?

"You have to promise not to look up" (Image via Square Enix)

Hayashi: The last scene is created as a pre-rendered movie, as with that of the previous title. I explained in a previous question that there are some drawbacks, and this is one of them. Since we have created this scene in a completely different system, there are technical limitations in reflecting the user's weapon of choice, and the same is true for the weapons of his comrades. I chose the Buster Sword because it is the symbolic weapon of FFVII.

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Q. Were there any cutscenes created that the team found particularly difficult to create, or stumped designers on how to properly present them?

Hayashi: While I cannot say which specific cutscene, there was one where it was very difficult to find the right balance of how much to specifically convey in the cutscene. In addition, there were areas where it was difficult to control how the cutscenes were connected because of the nature of the game and the fact that each player spends a different amount of time on the field/in battle.

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Q. On that note, Yuffie has far more personality, and has been a much better received character in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, compared to the original. One cutscene involving her was particularly interesting - when she finally joins the party. It seemed very much to be inspired by Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, or perhaps Slayer’s Next’s Martina. What ultimately inspired Yuffie’s cool, magical girl cutscene?

Yuffie, Wutai's White Rose will steal materia and triumph over evil in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (Image via Square Enix)

Hayashi: I think Yuffie is a character with somewhat of a Japanese image, and I believe the "transformation bank" (the lavish transformation sequence) is part of Japanese culture, so I have incorporated them as references. (There are some great transformation banks in Japan, including the titles you have mentioned and the Pretty Cure series!)

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Q. While the heroes of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth all have amazing cutscenes, your team got to render some of the franchise’s most memorable and sinister villains, such as Sephiroth, Scarlet, and Hojo. When creating these new scenes for familiar faces, was there any outside source material you used for inspiration, in creating these moments?

Hayashi: All of our staff members love a variety of different visual works - anime, dramas, movies, music videos...and we are inspired by many different media. (We can't narrow it down to just one!) FFVII has many derivative works, and there are of course scenes inspired by them as well.

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Q. Do you, as a team, have any final words for those who have finished Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and are anxiously awaiting the next installment?

Miyake: The FFVII remake project is a game that offers an experience unlike any other in the world. It is a game where players who are familiar with the original can play this with a new feeling while fondly reminiscing the days when they had first played the game.

You may find yourself commenting on the parts that spark memories of those days, and find areas where the changes are positive, or re-examine scenes of the original title.

It's a game that feels both nostalgic and new like that, so I'd love for those who have not yet played to give it a try. You'll be missing out to not do so. We hope to deliver an equally compelling title in the next installment, as we did with REBIRTH. We hope you will continue to support the fascinating world of FFVII. Thank you very much!

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is available exclusively on PlayStation 5 at this time. You can learn more about the game in our in-depth review.