(Image credit: Square Enix)
Teruki Endo, a legendary figure from Capcom, began his illustrious career with Monster Hunter Tri and significantly contributed to the series during its classic era, notably with Monster Hunter 4. He then transitioned the franchise into a new epoch with Monster Hunter World. However, shifting from monster hunting, he embraced a fresh challenge at Square Enix, taking on the role of battle director for Final Fantasy 7: Remake and its sequel, Rebirth. Notably, Final Fantasy 16‘s combat system was developed by another ex-Capcom stalwart, Ryota Suzuki.
Many fans and critics initially drew parallels between the combat system of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 13. Nonetheless, speaking with Inverse, Endo clarified, “I didn’t really look at different Final Fantasy titles, as I felt like if I leaned too much on them, it would prevent me from pushing the envelope.” He added, “I wanted to take the feeling of fun of a command-based battle, that feeling you get, not necessarily the system itself. So I built the system from scratch, and it might have been a coincidence that parts of it felt similar to other games.”
When joining the development of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, it was pre-decided that the game wouldn’t follow a turn-based format. As reported by Inverse, Endo leveraged his extensive experience as the lead game designer on Monster Hunter World, which gave him an edge. The fusion of his expertise with Square Enix’s cutting-edge technology and distinct talents resulted in a remarkable synergy, or as Endo expressed, a “chemical reaction”.
When questioned about his strategy for the game’s combat, given that Final Fantasy 7 Remake was to be spread over several installments, Endo explained, “I don’t really give too much thought in terms of long-term planning, but put my all into whatever I’m working on. If I think too much about what’s supposed to come ahead, I get too tied up in that thinking, feeling like whatever I put in the moment will be incomplete.” He emphasized, “I want to put my full focus into whatever project I’m on, then add to it and build from there. I think that will eventually lead to a better conclusion.” This meticulous approach evidently paid off, as the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is hailed as one of the series’ best.
In other Final Fantasy news, while Final Fantasy 14’s producer Yoshi-P acknowledged the brilliance of Final Fantasy 9, he hesitated to draw direct inspiration from it due to its ‘masterpiece’ status and the profound emotional connection players have with it.Weekly digests and tales from your favorite communities offer even more insight into these captivating worlds.