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[Qjij_jijQ]

Indeed... Square Enix has announced a DVD titled:
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Go here for more info!

[kupoartist]

Interesting... but I'm a little disappointed at the decision for a number of reasons:

1. I'd far rather have a playable FF7 sequel. A movie seems pretty lazy.
2. Straight to Video Movies generally suck.
3. Sephiroth is allegedly back. Whilst this figures in one sense, it seems crap in another.
4. Not only is The Spirits Within a basic indicator of what an FF Movie is going to be like, it already has many similarities to the FF7 storyline.
5. It reeks of good old Square "cashin fever".

Perhaps I'll consider getting it... damned FF Completism.

[Infernal Mass]

i agree with the_artist on this one. Seems like just another way to pull in cash for Square..it makes no sense to put out a movie instead of a game. Everyone would have loved a game and square knows it..but i suppose it's better than nothing.

hopefully square has something planned, perhaps this is an intorduction type film to a whole new game.

[ssjtrunks13]

I don't really care it's a movie, something is probably better than nothing. Is it just me or does Cloud's face in the close-up of it have some similarities to Tidus?

[Preventer Wind]

Originally posted by BeetleJuice
hopefully square has something planned, perhaps this is an intorduction type film to a whole new game.

I hope so. But it wouldn't kill me if they came out with a decent movie. I thought Final Fantasy the Spirits Within wasn't too bad. So all they have to do is make it a little better then that

Some of those pictures look like they are from FF7. The third picture looks like Sephiroth when he first finds Jenova. The fourth and fifth pictures look familiar as well. The bottom of the sisth picture looks like Nibelheim burning.

Of course it could just be disbelief of a movie... But I guess if Square-Enix announced it themselves it can't be wrong... Still I will buy the movie no matter how bad it is. It's something FF7 and I just couldn't pass it up. I guess it's people like me that help them release movies

[BlackThornn]

Originally posted by ssjtrunks13

I don't really care it's a movie, something is probably better than nothing. Is it just me or does Cloud's face in the close-up of it have some similarities to Tidus?

Some similarities, yeah, but Tidus had more almond-shaped eyes and kind of a more angular face.. also he had the tan thing and his hair looked like some kind of bad mariah carey dye job.

I was kind of hoping the "It's a movie" bit was wrong.. I'd love a second GAME, I'm a little iffy on just the movie. I'll probably end up getting the thing anyway, but let's hope that they change their mind a put a game behind it, using some of the "movie" bits as CG sequences.

What are you looking at me like that for? Hey, it could happen.

[kupoartist]

Originally posted by BlackThornn
but let's hope that they change their mind a put a game behind it, using some of the "movie" bits as CG sequences.

If I wanted to be cynical, I could point out that FFX was pratically a CG movie with a fair bit of game wedged in between. This is just the next evolution of that design policy.

oh wait... I did just point that out...

[ssjtrunks13]

Originally posted by BlackThornn

What are you looking at me like that for? Hey, it could happen.

I don't know, man, there's already information that it'll be released in Japan in 2004.

I know 4 people, at least, who's already planning to get it wherever it's released first.

[BlackThornn]

Originally posted by the_artist

If I wanted to be cynical, I could point out that FFX was pratically a CG movie with a fair bit of game wedged in between. This is just the next evolution of that design policy.

oh wait... I did just point that out...

O_o You're confusing a cutscene heavy game with a CG movie. And being more antagonizing than just cynical, hon.

FFX (not my favorite of the series, mind you) crammed quite a bit of gameplay between Yuna's snifflefits and Tidus' voice-breaking. The everpresent FF style "screen freezes then dissolves in some way to reveal battle" was there, as was a good deal of exploration, mini games, side quests, yadayadayada. A far cry from another The Spirits Within type experience (...though both have kinda crap endings that leave too many questions and an unsatisfied feeling in your gut, especially in FFX's case).

Just because a game has voice acting and a lot of storytelling doesn't mean it's a CG movie in and of itself. Until we get to the point in which all movies are interactive (and ergo will suck, taking into account hollywood's already present trend of dumbing everything down to suit the teenyboppers) then that distinction is easily made. Not even Sons of Liberty could qualify for "CG Movie" and that had more cutscenes than gameplay for feck's sake.

And if you were inferring that the trend of games is to become so CG heavy that they go right back around to completely non-interactive.. well that's just silly, you.

Also..

Quote source

September 25, 2003 - In an odd twist, all those rumors of a Final Fantasy VII sequel from Square Enix have proven true. Is it for the PS2? Is it for the PSP? Is it for the Atari 2600?

No, no and (thinking...) definitely no.

The upcoming issue of Japan's Jump Magazine, a popular comic magazine that every now and then contains exclusive world-reaching videogame announcements, contains first information and pictures from Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. This new product isn't a game -- it's a direct-to-DVD computer graphics movie.

As the name may imply, FFVII: Advent Children is a successor to the FFVII storyline. While few solid details have been revealed, it's known that the story takes place two years after the events of FFVII (note: we're not sure which "end" is being referred to -- the end of the events involving Cloud and his silent commrades, or the end involving the Red XIII dude). Something happens to disturb the peace that was returned at the end of FFVII. Images revealed from the DVD seem to show Cloud and Sephiroth, but that's about it.

A Japanese release is scheduled for 2004. No word yet from Square Enix regarding a possible stateside release of the product. The images included in this article's media page were scanned by some folks in Japan who have access to the issue of Jump ahead of time.

Square Enix will be unveiling more information on their upcoming products tomorrow. Stay tuned for what could be more details on this DVD

Looks like this will be a straight up CG movie and not the sequel fans have been clamouring for.

Makes me want to fly to Japan and tour SquareEnix, just to slap the fool that made this decision. Damn marketing smacktards.

[kupoartist]

Originally posted by BlackThornn
Just because a game has voice acting and a lot of storytelling doesn't mean it's a CG movie in and of itself. Until we get to the point in which all movies are interactive (and ergo will suck, taking into account hollywood's already present trend of dumbing everything down to suit the teenyboppers) then that distinction is easily made. Not even Sons of Liberty could qualify for "CG Movie" and that had more cutscenes than gameplay for feck's sake.

I did say that it was "the next evolution of that design policy". not that "FFX is a cg movie" though. And by that, I didn't actually imply that I meant what I said.

actually, the whole thing reeks of my overwhelming desire to view every single element of FFX as bad anyway... no less the fault of gamespy leaving it off their "25 most overated" games of all time (and putting FFVII on there!). The CGs were everywhere, and for a person who detested 90% of the characters, all the locales, the tiresome gameplay, slow plodding storyline, the "if we act we'll be shot or somthing" voice actors and the pitiful yet plentiful and irritating sidequests (phew), they constituted most of the game, for the simple reason that they were the only bit where I actually had the illusion of being somewhat entertained.

so yeah you're right. I was wrong . Especially as there are games that are worse off.... but anyway. they should cut down on the things - the forthcoming movie is effectively saying "we should do what we're best at. and thats not games anymore."

and anyway... doesn't "advent children" sound like the weirdest, most abstract and stupidest title ever? I seriously thought it was going to be a Christmas installment where Santa Sephiroth steals the Big Black Present from the elves, makes Rudolph go insane and sets fire to the tree, so only the true meaning of christmas can save the world!

... Or not as the case may be.

[BlackThornn]

I know! *laughs* I thought that too.

"Advent... children..?? Are they gonna have the little thing with the doors for each day 'till christmas..? O_o"

I also agree that FFX shoulda been on the overrated games list instead of VII. VII was a great game, FFX was just... bloody annoying, yet had everybody squeeing over it insanely. Argh.


*spams SquareEnix with emails to go back to games, specifically a graphical update of VIII*

[ssjtrunks13]

It kinda sounds weird at first, but I'm sure it's got some meaning.

[kupoartist]

lots of little infos coming through at the moment.
Gameforms have the following to say:

If you were afraid that the DVD movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children would only be a ten minute short, you're in luck. Square Enix has announced that the Advent Children will have a running time of about one hour, putting it in the same ballpark as many feature films.

not Spirits within length, but certainly of a reasonable length.

At a Tokyo Game Show press conference, Square Enix has officially stated that there will not be a video game remake of Final Fantasy VII. The possibility of such a remake has been a popular rumor for some time, but it looks like the only new FF7 content gamers can enjoy in the near future is the 2004 movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

and that puts to death all these FF7 remake rumours.

Also, here's a poster for the "Movie":

https://www.gameforms.com/news/ff7ac/media2/poster.jpg

[ssjtrunks13]

Cool, I didn't think they'd make a movie and a game anyway. Whatever happens, if it's not released here in North America I doubt I'll ever see it.

[kupoartist]

more nice pictureness: https://www.the-magicbox.com/game092903b.htm

[Frozen]

It will be much better than Spirits Within, for sure, since it's going to be "Real Final Fantasy" rather than "Sci-Fi BullShit named Final Fantasy"

But yeah, lame as hell, I'd rather have a sequel gmae than a movie. But then again, the fact that they release a movie does not mean they are not going to release a game out of the movie. If their game is to make more cash, then a newgame would certainly bring even more cash, would it not?

[Hero]

I'm probably a more diehard final fantasy fan than any of you and I can safely say I'm 100% happy they decided a movie than a game.

Let me explain to you why... You people seem to only care about gameplay, solving riddles, and finding secrets and making Cloud some bad*** with ultra mega super powers so he can slaughter any Weapon he comes across.

Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 8 were the only games in the series, of which it wasn't easily possible for you to become a super god and just destroy everything in your past. I remember first playing Final Fantasy, enjoying the fact that there was desperation and struggle. "Oh crap two of my guys are dead, I only have one Phoenix Down, and I only have 1850 hit points, what do I do?"

A movie will truly demonstrate an epic battle, struggle and character development. Plus, we'll get a lot of answers about Cloud's past and we won't have to deal with some cheesy bullshit like Final Fantasy X2, which is just as much a disgrace to the series as X was. Just because 7 was a better game than X, doesn't mean a 7.2 will be better than X2.

Food for thought : The female looking gent that Cloud is battling in the photos and video (i have a clip on my harddrive from a convention in Japan, it's basically a trailer to the movie and I'm amazed even with the bad quality of the clip), is NOT Sephiroth. Judging from what we've seen, none of the characters from the past game make a return except for Cloud. Apparantly, Sephiroth was not destroyed during the Meteor failure.

More interesting to note... Did Cloud really fight Sephiroth one on one before Meteor? If he did, did he really kill him? From what we saw, Cloud was fighting the Sephiroth in his mind, not in physical form...

Other things to consider... Why did Cloud's robe change into something that would obviously hint...? Cloud's left arm is covered by a shroud sleeve that we can all safely recognize as part of Sephiroth's attire.
Interesting part of the video to note... The apparant villain of the movie walks up to a throne, were sits a figure in a white robe, not moving and it appears to be Sephiroth? Cloud over looks the fallen Midgar after he stabs his sword in the floor. His sword has rust and battle cuts. In no part of the video does it show any other characters than Cloud or his opponent, and a flash back of Sephiroth walking into the fire.

My theory: Just like in Final Fantasy 7, the popular belief is that Sephiroth is dead, but he probably isn't. The gentlemen that fights Cloud wields a sword exactly like Sephiroth's, but he isn't Sephiroth because the character in the flashback and him have different faces. I believe he is another genome soldier, like Sephiroth, apparantly perfect in battle and he believes Sephiroth is like his father, which would explain him kneeling to the figure on the throne that appears to be Sephiroth. I think everyone in the party separated after the incident - Yuffie returned to her island, Barret takes care of his daughter, Tifa resides somewhere close to Barret, Cid went back to his wife, Red is taking care of his new born children, Vincent returned to his sleep, Cait Sith returned to Golden Saucer, and Cloud lingers on, crushed by the memory of Aeris. (Another clip in the movie shows Cloud walking through the church that Aeris resided in)

I can only say one thing... The memory of Sephiroth killing Aeris still hurts, and given that it's only been 2 years since the incident, in Final Fantasy 7's world, I think Cloud is even more bothered by it than we are.

I anticipate this movie.

***EDIT**** Additional info
I think Cloud's appearance in Kingdom Hearts is also a hint of future events in the Final Fantasy 7 world. Cloud has one wing exactly like Sephiroth. Sephiroth was known as the One Winged Angel, and Cloud has half a robe like Sephiroth's in the movie clips.

HMMM...

Oh and what else do we see? Cloud is fragmented on half, and Sephiroth is fragmented on the other half...
https://mb.game-server.cc/Sep03/ff72big.jpg

Some kind of hint to an unseen tie between these two? Could a link between Cloud and Sephiroth explain why Cloud no longer associates with his best friends?

[Spank-A-Thon]

Originally posted by Hero

I'm probably a more diehard final fantasy fan than any of you and I can safely say I'm 100% happy they decided a movie than a game.

Oooh, I think there's one or two around here who may debate that point! Heh heh!

Final Fantasy 6 and Final Fantasy 8 were the only games in the series, of which it wasn't easily possible for you to become a super god and just destroy everything in your past. I remember first playing Final Fantasy, enjoying the fact that there was desperation and struggle. "Oh crap two of my guys are dead, I only have one Phoenix Down, and I only have 1850 hit points, what do I do?"

Uhhh, through some serious mis-use of the Junction system it was possible to make Squall very God-like. I agree about 6, that seemed very balanced. But also I'd would say the same about 4 & 5 too. To be honest, I get the feeling that making characters super-powerful is a trait of the PSX and later FF's.

A movie will truly demonstrate an epic battle, struggle and character development. Plus, we'll get a lot of answers about Cloud's past and we won't have to deal with some cheesy bullshit like Final Fantasy X2, which is just as much a disgrace to the series as X was. Just because 7 was a better game than X, doesn't mean a 7.2 will be better than X2.

I hope the movie does give some epic battles and whatnot - the thought of that certainly whets my appetite for the movie. Haven't played X-2 cos it ain't out in the UK yet so I'm keeping my mind open about it - but personally I loved FFX, but that's a discussion for another thread.

More interesting to note... Did Cloud really fight Sephiroth one on one before Meteor? If he did, did he really kill him? From what we saw, Cloud was fighting the Sephiroth in his mind, not in physical form...

Yup, that seems to be it exactly - the final battle with Sephiroth took place in his mind. It was Cloud's way of cleansing his soul and ridding himself of his Demons so to speak. It certainly suggests there is the possibility that Sephiroth was never killed.

My theory: Just like in Final Fantasy 7, the popular belief is that Sephiroth is dead, but he probably isn't. The gentlemen that fights Cloud wields a sword exactly like Sephiroth's, but he isn't Sephiroth because the character in the flashback and him have different faces. I believe he is another genome soldier, like Sephiroth, apparantly perfect in battle and he believes Sephiroth is like his father, which would explain him kneeling to the figure on the throne that appears to be Sephiroth.

That's an interesting premise which could prove to be an echo of Cloud's relationship with Sephy... very intruiging.

I think everyone in the party separated after the incident - Yuffie returned to her island, Barret takes care of his daughter. Tifa resides somewhere close to Barret, Cid went back to his wife, Red is taking care of his new born children, Vincent returned to his sleep, Cait Sith returned to Golden Saucer, and Cloud lingers on, crushed by the memory of Aeris. (Another clip in the movie shows Cloud walking through the church that Aeris resided in)

Just a couple of things, Marlene is Dyne's daughter not Barrets. Shera was not Cid's wife and it's doubtful that 2 years after the final battle Red would have kids, cos when we see them in the ending - it's 500 years later.

However, I take it you think that Cloud and Tifa didn't get it together then? Certainly the end suggested that (Cloud saying he could "meet her there"), but I'm always open to new suggestions.

I anticipate this movie.

***EDIT**** Additional info
I think Cloud's appearance in Kingdom Hearts is also a hint of future events in the Final Fantasy 7 world. Cloud has one wing exactly like Sephiroth. Sephiroth was known as the One Winged Angel, and Cloud has half a robe like Sephiroth's in the movie clips.

HMMM...

Oh and what else do we see? Cloud is fragmented on half, and Sephiroth is fragmented on the other half...

Some kind of hint to an unseen tie between these two? Could a link between Cloud and Sephiroth explain why Cloud no longer associates with his best friends?

You certainly do raise some interesting questions! I think it would be amazing for them to explore more of the relationship between Cloud and Sephiroth - your post has most definitely raised my interest on this project. Keep your posts coming man!

- S

[ssjtrunks13]

Very interesting stuff, now I'm very interested in finding out about his possible link with Sephiroth. Too bad like always I'd have to wait for it's release here, I know 3 people who have already said they're gonna get it as soon as they find it on ebay when it's released over in japan though.

[Hero]

Originally posted by Spank-A-Thon
Uhhh, through some serious mis-use of the Junction system it was possible to make Squall very God-like. I agree about 6, that seemed very balanced. But also I'd would say the same about 4 & 5 too. To be honest, I get the feeling that making characters super-powerful is a trait of the PSX and later FF's.

Yes, and there are also game genies on SNES that allow you to have Ultima ten minutes into the game, but what I meant was that, out of the box, the Playstation One - Up titles were relatively easy, with the exception of 8. If you didn't do anything like, checking online, or buying a guide, (even the guide didn't contain those spoilers) then you would have a tough time beating 8.

I hope the movie does give some epic battles and whatnot - the thought of that certainly whets my appetite for the movie. Haven't played X-2 cos it ain't out in the UK yet so I'm keeping my mind open about it - but personally I loved FFX, but that's a discussion for another thread.

We are all granted our own opinion. I understand that people here are giving this movie the cold shoulder because of Spirits Within. I'm a diehard FF fan, and I hated Spirits Within too, but Squaresoft wasn't stepping in the direction we thought they were with that movie, and the direction they were stepping to, they stepped successfully. Their goal was to break the barrier on computer graphics and animation. Spirits Within made every Pixar movie, Shrek included, look like Photoshop skills.

This movie on the other hand, doesn't have guns or space ships like Spirits Within did, which was why people didn't like it. This movie has repeated fights between Cloud and the un-named.
Let me describe one scene. Cloud is on his bike (yes he ends up on the motorcycle, the reminiscent thought of it, gets my spine chilled) and he's racing towards the Sephiroth like person. The white haired man, picks his arm up and fires what appears to be a magic attack at Cloud that he tries to avoid by maneuvering his bike, but eventually one of the rays hits below his bike and sends him flying in the air with the bike. Midway through the air, you see Cloud pull his Buster Sword out from behind him (while he's falling in the air, cuz he's such a badass) and while his bike is falling toward the white haired man, he strikes at him, but the white haired man quickly pulls out Masamune and repels the attack.
It shows a sword fight between Cloud and the white haired man, where they repeatedly turn blows at each other and then begin to really get it on.

Yup, that seems to be it exactly - the final battle with Sephiroth took place in his mind. It was Cloud's way of cleansing his soul and ridding himself of his Demons so to speak. It certainly suggests there is the possibility that Sephiroth was never killed.

That is precisely my opinion. Cloud was way too caught up with his quarrel with Sephiroth, and I don't think it was only because he killed his entire hometown. Cloud only cared about two people from that town, Tifa and his mother. Everyone else there was exhaust fumes. His quarrel with Sephiroth was more of a, "I wanted to be like you, but you turned out to be an *******" motif. He had to settle that with himself, and I think the old Sephiroth (before Jenova) was the one talking to Cloud in his sleep.

That's an interesting premise which could prove to be an echo of Cloud's relationship with Sephy... very intruiging.
Just a couple of things, Marlene is Dyne's daughter not Barrets. Shera was not Cid's wife and it's doubtful that 2 years after the final battle Red would have kids, cos when we see them in the ending - it's 500 years later.

I look at Marlene as Barret's daughter because he was there for her, far more than Dyne was. Dyne abandoned her and lost his mind, and I feel that Barret probably returned to the railroad town to make up for his past. I think Tifa went with him, not as a wife or anything. Shera wasn't Cid's wife, but I think they did love each other. At least, I think Cid was being a hard ass when Cloud said, "your wife". Cid cancelled the launch to save her life, and the clock wasn't up yet... For all we know, she could've checked all the tanks and returned up, but Cid stopped the ship before we got to see that, so I know how he really feels.

However, I take it you think that Cloud and Tifa didn't get it together then? Certainly the end suggested that (Cloud saying he could "meet her there"), but I'm always open to new suggestions.

I know Cloud and Tifa didn't end up together. In every Final Fantasy game involving couples, we see some sort of hint that they ended up together. (Squall and Rinoa, Tidus and Yuna) Square deliberately left that open, because we all know Cloud loved Aeris. You think it's a good story that Tifa loved Cloud and just because Aeris was killed, he gets with her? We all know Cloud's pimp, but he aint THAT type of pimp. Square portrays a very "fantasy" like world in Final... Fantasy... And in that type of world, characters mourn the deaths of their loved ones for their entire lives and either become evil, or go solo.

You certainly do raise some interesting questions! I think it would be amazing for them to explore more of the relationship between Cloud and Sephiroth - your post has most definitely raised my interest on this project. Keep your posts coming man!

- S

Oh you can count on my posts