Final Fantasy 7 Remake co-director compares part two’s evolution to Horizon Forbidden West

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Naoki Hamaguchi talks about the pressure facing developers with Final Fantasy 7 Remake part two

Cloud Final Fantasy 7 Remake
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Final Fantasy 7 Remake's co-director has spoken about how Horizon Zero Dawn and the upcoming sequel Forbidden West have impacted him.

"Horizon Zero Dawn, the first game of the franchise, left a huge impression on me as a game creator," Naoki Hamaguchi writes on the PlayStation Blog, in a feature where game developers were asked about their most anticipated games of 2021. "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."

"In the sense that the next title is expected to evolve even further, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which I’m in charge of is expected to do so the same way," the co-director continues. "For that I have a personal affinity for Horizon (laughs). As a fan, I’m very much looking forward to Horizon Forbidden West."

It would certainly seem like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to expand in a big way, as those who are familiar with the original game will no doubt know. Final Fantasy 7 Remake ends with Cloud and company departing Midgar for the wider world, and it's this wider world that we'll be venturing into in part two, just as we did back in 1997.

In that sense, it's easy to see how Hamaguchi's feeling the pressure for his next game to "evolve even further," bringing in open world elements that were almost entirely absent from the first part of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. 

If you're still confused as to what actually went down at the conclusion of part one of Square Enix's epic remake, head over to our Final Fantasy 7 Remake ending guide for more.

Hirun Cryer
Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.