FF7 Remake Co-Director ‘Hugely’ Influenced By Horizon Zero Dawn

The co-director of FF7 Remake has said he’s been “hugely” influenced by Horizon Zero Dawn during a conversation published to the PlayStation Blog [via VGC].

ff7 remake
Credit: Square Enix

As part of a collection of developer’s most anticipated games of 2021, Naoki Hamaguchi explained the creative impact Horizon has had on him.

Horizon Zero Dawn, the first game of the franchise, left a huge impression on me as a game creator. I was taken by the deep immersive experience provided by the unbelievable graphics as well as the unique world I found myself in, a future where civilization has collapsed,” he said.

Image from Horizon Zero Dawn
Credit: Guerrilla Games

In the sense that the next title is expected to evolve even further, Final Fantasy VII Remake, which I’m in charge of is expected to do so the same way. For that I have a personal affinity for Horizon (laughs). As a fan, I’m very much looking forward to Horizon: Forbidden West.

In a way, the legendary developer’s affinity for Horizon makes complete sense. Both Final Fantasy and Horizon are RPGs set in a rich, detailed world. While the original Final Fantasy 7 was more linear, Horizon uses its expansive landscape as a core gameplay element. This is something the Final Fantasy series has dabbled in but has never been fully implemented in the same way as modern RPGs.

Image from Forbidden West game
Credit: Guerrilla Games

Earlier this month, Hamaguchi and Yoshinori Kitase suggested that the next FF7 instalment will “go beyond expectations.” Hamaguchi heavily implied that there would be evolutionary changes to the series, much like the jump from the original to its remake.

Perhaps the Final Fantasy series is about to start changing in a big way.

Reveals And Release Dates E3 2019
Credit: Square Enix

Linearity is anything but a bad thing, and it seems like the Final Fantasy series is about to get bigger and more immersive. Let’s just hope that this new iteration of Gaia is filled with everything we love about the world of Final Fantasy.

Are you hoping to see influences from Horizon Zero Dawn in FF7 Remake part 2?

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Featured Image Credit: Guerrilla Games/Square Enix