Although the games are similar, there are also several differences in how Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Guardians of the Galaxy approach storytelling and their large casts of characters. Final Fantasy 7 did a better job with combat, but Guardians of the Galaxy was more creative in its narrative. If and when the games get sequels (Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 could be announced at any time), there are a lot of things they could learn from one another.
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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Should Have Meaningful Choices
Both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Guardians of the Galaxy have linear stories with similar level design, but Guardians made the story more interactive by giving players meaningful choices. It’s not a game like Detroit: Become Human or Life is Strange where the story is dramatically altered, but choices go a long way toward making each player’s experience unique.
Players get to make dialogue choices as Star-Lord throughout the game, but there are also some instances where the stakes are higher. For example, when Cosmo gives into the Matriarch’s Promise, the team has a chance to change his mind. Success or failure doesn’t change the outcome of the story, but it results in a different experience down the road.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 will probably have a linear story without any major branching paths if the first game is any indication, but it would be nice to see some different choices that impact players and improve replay value. People love to customize their experiences, and having some small story branches would be great to see in a game like Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Needs More Playable Characters
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is very similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake where combat is concerned. Although they both only have one main character with a relatively small selection of attacks, they both rely heavily on party commands. However, Final Fantasy 7 has one big advantage.
In Final Fantasy 7, Cloud is the default character who players can control for the entire game if they want. However, during combat, it’s possible to switch from Cloud to another party member instead of just giving commands. Each character has different strengths and attacks: Aerith has magic attacks, Tifa is great in a fistfight, and Barret is perfect for ranged combat. Allowing players to switch characters and command party members makes for combat that is fast-paced, strategic, and exciting.
Guardians of the Galaxy has party members with different skill sets, and it allows Star-Lord to request certain actions in combat, but it doesn’t allow players to actually control the other Guardians. Combat in Guardians of the Galaxy gets pretty tedious and repetitive, but allowing players to switch up how they play and approach each situation would make it a lot more interesting.
The game emphasizes how the Guardians have unique skills, so adding more control would be a seamless way to let players experiment with other styles. If Guardians of the Galaxy gets a sequel, it should consider giving players more control over how they approach encounters and by letting them control the other Guardians.
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Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Could Use Story-Based Abilities
One of Guardians of the Galaxy’s biggest strengths is how it gives each character their own individual arc. While it’s true that Drax and Rocket steal the show in this category, and Gamora’s arc left something to be desired, each character does have a turning point. The Guardians learn in their own time that they need to let go of the things they’ve lost and realize that the team is a real family where everyone is valued.
With that turning point comes a special skill. For example, when Rocket realizes how much he loves the other Guardians, he decides it’s worth it to combine all of his explosive devices into one huge apparatus, causing huge amounts of damage. The Five Barrel Barrage ability represents the fact that he feels comfortable with the team and is willing to pull out all the stops for them.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake had some great character moments with Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Barret, but it would kick everything up a notch if their turning points were reflected in gameplay. Adding a new power or mechanic that reflects the character’s change is a creative and immersive storytelling device that adds some extra flavor to the combat and makes character development feel more meaningful.
Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Needs More Exploration and Quests
Both Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Guardians of the Galaxy have beautiful worlds and linear level design, but whenever Cloud enters a new area like Sector 5 or Wall Market, he gets a chance to explore and make some money by completing small missions for civilians. Not having something like this in Guardians of the Galaxy is a big missed opportunity.
To be fair, this part of Final Fantasy 7 isn’t perfect. A lot of the quests are uninspired, but they still gave Cloud a chance to explore the world and interact with it. Guardians of the Galaxy almost had a section like this when the team first visits Knowhere, but it falls short in a lot of ways. There are opportunities to spend money, but doing so results in the Guardians not being able to pay their Nova Corps fine later, as there are very few chances to make that money back. There are also no quests or missions of any kind; the most exciting thing is exploring Tivan’s collection.
In Guardians of the Galaxy 2, there should be a lot more opportunities for side-quests and exploration. The Guardians are exactly the type of group to take odd jobs and side-gigs. The Guardians of the Galaxy narrative does have a sense of urgency, and having side-quests could have hindered that, but Guardians 2 should implement more exploration and quests to let players experience a real day in the life of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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