The essence of Final Fantasy, complete with airships, chocobos, and moogles, remains intact in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, as indicated by the recent ESRB rating. Interestingly, the rating sheds light on Square Enix's inclusion of cigars, cleavage, and impalement in their vision.
ESRB ratings typically serve as warnings for potentially explicit content, and the listing for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth prominently features its more provocative aspects. Among these, "revealing outfits on some female characters" and the line "Just admit it. You're obviously captivated by my bodacious beach bod" stand out. Given the franchise's history, the continuation of bold character designs is expected.
The speculation surrounding the "bodacious beach bod" line has captivated fans, with Aerith initially leading in a Gamer.Expres poll. However, some argue it could tie into an encounter with Hojo on the beach, especially since the game will visit Costa del Sol. The anticipation centers on which character will playfully deliver this line, potentially teasing the ever-serious Cloud.
Speaking of Cloud, the rating notes reveal that "as Cloud, players can drink a version of moonshine while at a bar; cutscenes sometimes feature characters slurring their speech." This detail adds a humorous touch, envisioning Cloud taking a break from pursuing Sephiroth to indulge in some questionable bathtub hooch.
The ESRB rating for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth leaves little to the imagination, explicitly mentioning "characters smoking cigars" and the use of profanities like 'sht,' 'ashole,' and 'pr*ck.' While Barret is a potential source for these elements, the spotlight shifts to the return of the beloved, foul-mouthed engineer Cid. Although not a playable character, Cid's unmistakable charm and his penchant for smoking seem well-preserved.
While the prospect of Barret in swim trunks has stirred interest, another less provocative detail gaining traction is the depiction of brutality in cutscenes. The rating notes instances of characters being impaled or slashed by swords, sometimes with slow-motion effects, adding a darker and more intense dimension to the game.
The mention of swordplay and pools of blood in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's ESRB rating leaves room for interpretation, given the game's history of such elements. However, the specific reference to a character being impaled naturally invokes thoughts of a particular iconic scene from the original game.
Final Fantasy VII Remake ventures into rewriting the narrative of Final Fantasy VII, making it challenging to predict how closely Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will adhere to the original plot, especially in its latter part. Assuming some alignment with the script, speculation arises about the pivotal moment at the end of a particular chapter. This scene holds significant importance in the original story, and Square Enix's handling of it is a crucial decision for the remake trilogy.
While the ESRB rating suggests the scene might be present in Rebirth, it remains uncertain whether it will unfold as anticipated or be subverted in unexpected ways. What is clear, however, is that Square Enix is maintaining the game's provocative elements, much to the satisfaction of enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the remake trilogy.
