As a dedicated gaming outlet, Doug Cockle (Geralt of Rivia), Matt Mercer (Ganondorf), and Kanji Tang (Detective Pikachu), are three perfect reasons as to why we could possibly want to attend MCM London Comic Con this October. Each one is a fine actor in their own right with many memorable credits to their name, but the one thing that made this particular Comic Con one I simply had to attend, was the fact FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH was going to be playable at the event, for the first time in the UK.
Given the fact that just two weeks prior, ExCeL London was home to EGX, where SEGA and Nintendo fans were able to go hands on with Sonic Superstars and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, it was weird not to have Square Enix in attendance. It was only four years ago when Square Enix brought FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE to EGX and now with its long-awaited sequel, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, would be skipping EGX, but would be playable at MCM London Comic Con instead. Of course, Square Enix already had other things in motion. Whilst UK gamers had the opportunity to head to London for EGX, for that very same weekend, US gamers were able to head to 2023 New York Comic Con on October the 14th to attend the “Meet the voice cast of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, hosted by Matt Mercer.”
With Cody Christian (Cloud Strife), John Eric Bentley (Barret Wallace), Britt Baron (Tifa Lockhart), Max Mittelman (Red XIII) and Suzie Yeung (Yuffie Kisaragi), all in attendance, it was not a panel a devoted fan would want to miss and with FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH coming to ExCeL London via Comic Con, there was no way I could miss it.
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH was my main reason for going, which is a little funny since FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is exclusively releasing on the PlayStation 5 on February the 29th, 2024, and we’re a Nintendo site, but my love for FINAL FANTASY would not be denied. FINAL FANTASY X will always be my favourite, but back in 1997, there was no one any of us could have ever possibly imaged how memorable of a game FINAL FANTASY VII would become.
What was once a game is now a key part of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, with its initial storied fleshed across prequels, a film, mobile releases and the most incredible remakes ever known as one game is slowly being adapted into three with REBIRTH simply being the middle child.
Some events from the original game are set to be overhauled, especially since it has already been revealed that Zack Fair, who died protecting Cloud, actually survived, will have a bigger role in Rebirth and it’s because of Zack that we got the likes of last year’s Crisis Core remake. (Unlike FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE and REBIRTH, CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION is available on the Nintendo Switch.)
So, there we were. At MCM London Comic Con for the second time this year, counting every Sephiroth and Cloud Strife cosplay we saw, as we hunted down the FINAL FANTASY bus. By the time we found it in S5, we had encountered 12 Sephiroth and 8 Cloud cosplays, but there could be no denying its beauty.
For those who were fully abled and wanted to play the demo in the most memorable way possible, eager fans could line up beside the bus, waiting for their turn to step inside and play the game. For everyone else, you could round to the other side of the bus where a table was set up so people could play the demo that way.
And just in case the demo wasn’t enough to satisfy your FINAL FANTASY desires, there was even a Buster Sword fans could pick up and hold as they posed for a photo. There was also Lucy Hale on site, a video creator for Square Enix to present the game and excite us fans further.
Of course, let us be honest, the demo alone is more than enough to satisfy all who played it and encourage them to pre-order it. FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE already set the stage for what this trilogy would become but, complete with minigame galore and new ideas at play, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is shaping up into being one of, if not the biggest release for 2024 and a spectacular GOTY contender.
About FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH:
A new, standalone adventure set across a vast and vibrant planet, FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH sees Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Red XIII escape from the dystopian city of Midgar into the wide world beyond. To hunt down Sephiroth, a fallen hero and vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past, these unlikely heroes join forces with new companions like the spirited ninja operative Yuffie and the wisecracking, feline-shaped robot Cait Sith. Lead these characters into battle and use powerful synergy abilities to overcome their fates. Explore classic locales reimagined in dazzling detail. Encounter dozens of hours of rewarding side quests, fiend hunts, mini-games and rich stories of the planet’s people and cultures.
