First of all, we advise you to leave this page as soon as possible if you want to avoid spoilers until the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, still set for April 10, 2020 on PS4. We will indeed discuss here what will be one of the plots added to the new storyline integrated into Remake, but which will also echo Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core, the prequel to the 97 title. In this article, it will thus be question of the Wutai, their presence in the world of FF7 and their connections with the Shinra. We will also take advantage of it to come back on some generalities of the "extended universe" with the Final Fantasy 7 Compilation.
What is Wutai ?
In short, Wutai is an eastern nation that has tried to resist the actions of the Shinra. A war between the two bodies even broke out 7 years before the events of Final Fantasy 7: the Shinra wanted to place a Mako reactor in Wutai in order to extend its hold on the world.
However, this nation wished to remain independent, causing a hopeless conflict for the eastern nation. The western multinational, much more advanced in all respects, launched the elite unit SOLDAT to attack the resistance. From this bloodbath emerged the figure of Sephiroth, a war hero of the Shinra, who inspired many young people to join their army. Among them, Zack Fair, a name that probably tells you something, but no more spoilers, the sequel can be found in Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 (a PSP exclusive).
Wutai, Utai: its place in FF7 (1997)
In the events of the 1997 game, Wutai, or Utai became an additional tourist trap for the Shinra. As a gesture of surrender, the inhabitants banned any use of the power of the materias. It was while observing her people almost reduced to slavery that the young Yuffy Kisaragi decided to travel the world in search of materias that could help her people.
Its place in FF7 Remake
By his reference in the TGS2019 trailer of the remake, President Shinra confirms that Wutai and the conflicts that took place in FF7:CC were going to have repercussions on the events of the Remake. Moreover, Yoshinori Kitase recently confirmed that the lore around the Wutai had been linked to the Avalanche group, Barret Wallace's band. As this episode does not cross the borders of Midgar, this integration of Wutai could give a pretext for a meeting with Yuffy, but this is pure speculation.
Timeline: Compiled Final Fantasy 7
Announced in 2003, the Final Fantasy 7 Compilation includes a whole series of softs and a movie enriching the game's universe. This transmedia operation is therefore a good source of inspiration from which Square Enix teams can tap into in order to enrich the content of their remake, even if it's very difficult to enjoy today what the compilation has to offer.
- Crisis Core, 7 years before the events of FF7: The game depicts the conflict between the Shinra and the Wutai, while deepening the characters of FF7 and especially Zack, the one Aeris portrayed as her boyfriend in the 97 game. FF7:CC is a PSP exclusive released in 2007.
- Before Crisis, 6 years before the events of FF7: Online mobile game reserved for Japan, Before Crisis offers to deepen the background of the Turks, the secret services of the Shinra. To play it nowadays, at least in English, a team managed to build a remake of the game under RPG Maker: Download Before Crisis Remake.
- Advent Children, 2 years after the events of FF7: A film in computer graphics absolutely sublime for its time, but which is especially worthy by the quantity and quality of its fan service, with rather crazy action scenes. The story of the film deals with the repercussions of the battle between Avalanche and Sephiroth on the planet
- Dirge of Cerberus, 3 years after the events of FF7: A rather lukewarm TPS exclusive to PS2 and digging into the story of Vincent Valentine. His past with Lucrecia is discussed, providing some answers to questions asked in FF7.
Hot on the heels of rumours that a demo for the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake is on its way, the reimagining of the iconic intro has apparently leaked online.
