It's been a while, but the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 is relevant once again. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is progressing smoothly, and it seems like more Compilation elements are being brought in. The main game contains some subtle references to the various entries in the FF7 Compilation, and Intergrade's DLC campaign brings in explicit elements from Dirge of Cerberus. Adding on to that, the entire Compilation is being remade in a format similar to the original Final Fantasy 7, with Ever Crisis rolling out next year. It's an exciting time to be a Final Fantasy 7 fan, and the hardcore loremasters of the past decades are finally having their efforts rewarded.
With that being said, the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 is a large and complex multimedia project that lasted for quite a long time. It spans films, console games, and mobile games, as well as a book or two. The expanded Final Fantasy 7 universe has proven very difficult to keep track of, and because its various works have been of varying quality, not many fans put in the time to stay current on the whole thing. With Ever Crisis promising to make everything relevant again and expanded even further with new side stories, now is the perfect time to catch up on what, exactly, fans will see once the Compilation comes back in full force.
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Before Crisis: Final Fantasy 7
The mobile game prequel to Final Fantasy 7, Before Crisis was released in 2004 and takes place during the six years leading up to the original game. It tells FF7's story from the Turks' side, as they fight against the anti-Shinra insurgency group AVALANCHE. This version of AVALANCHE is far more sinister than the one fans know and love, and the game contains many characters and plot points that have not been revisited. The game was never released outside of Japan and is now defunct.
Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children
Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children is the CGI-animated movie sequel to FF7, taking place two years afterward. It follows Cloud Strife in his search for forgiveness for his past failures, and his battles against both three mysterious young men somehow connected to Sephiroth, and a strange disease called Geostigma. This was meant to be the first entry in the Compilation but was delayed until 2005. Advent Children has achieved both fame and infamy, known for being an extremely cool action movie with plenty of slow scenes. It received a re-release in 2009 called Advent Children Complete that added a couple of extra scenes and added some visual polish.
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Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7
Dirge of Cerberus is a PS2 third-person shooter released in 2006. It stars optional party member Vincent Valentine, and chronicles his adventures three years after Final Fantasy 7 to fight Shinra's last dark secret, the Deepground organization. This game was deeply disappointing for many, and there are hopes that modern FF7 Compilation games will do characters and concepts made for Dirge justice.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7
The next entry in the compilation was Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7, which has gained a more positive, if still somewhat middling reputation than many of its older Compilation brethren. This 2007 PSP game shows the story of Zack Fair seven years before Final Fantasy 7, and runs until that story has caught up with the main game. It is remembered both for its own versions of the Nibelheim flashback and its ending, and for being tied to the Japanese idol GACKT.
GACKT plays the new main villain Genesis in Japanese and provided his likeness for Genesis' design. This is assumed to be the reason why Crisis Core has never been re-released, and fans are fascinated with how Square Enix will resolve this situation now that games are addressing Crisis Core concepts again.
Final Fantasy 7: On the Way to a Smile
At this point in the timeline is when individual stories were released as part of the Compilation. On the Way to a Smile is a collection of novellas that tell the tales of various Final Fantasy VII characters during the time between that game and Advent Children. The first story was published on the Advent Children website ahead of the film in 2005, while the whole set was published shortly after the release of Advent Children Complete in 2009. It's seemingly unnecessary material for understanding the newer parts of the Compilation, but it is a part of the project nonetheless.
Final Fantasy VII Lateral Biography: Turks ~The Kids Are Alright~
The next entry in the compilation is more recent, and Final Fantasy VII The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story also factors into the Final Fantasy 7 Remake directly. It is a novel taking place shortly before the events of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, written by Kazushige Nojima and illustrated by Sho-u Tajima. It was released in Japan in 2011 and received an English release in 2019. The novel primarily follows Evan Townshend, a private detective living in Edge, as well as Kyrie and Leslie, a couple of ex-criminals who actually show up in the Remake.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake
Speaking of which, Final Fantasy 7 Remake released in 2020, and re-released as FF7R Intergrade in 2021 for next-gen consoles as the latest release in the Compilation. This title is a reimagining of the Midgar section of the original Final Fantasy 7, expanding most aspects while adding a few entirely new things. It will receive further installments in the future as additional chapters release.
Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier
And the Compilation is far from over. Not only is Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 in production, but a couple of major mobile titles are as well. Due out later in 2021, the first of these is The First Soldier, a game showing the creation of the SOLDIER program by way of having its recruits fight in a battle royale set in Midgar. Further story details are unknown, but hardcore fans will probably want to keep tabs on this game.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis
Finally, there is Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis. This anthology game will be a mobile remake of, supposedly, the entire Compilation and then some, including the original game. Fans of the old FF7 will be able to enjoy both a visually upgraded version of FF7 itself alongside similar-looking remakes of Crisis Core, Advent Children, and other titles, all with Remake-grade visuals present during battles. Ever Crisis will even have new tales, such as one delving into Sephiroth's backstory. This title sounds incredibly promising, and hopefully, it will be everything fans want when its' pieces start to release in 2022.
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