The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII is a group of related games, movies, and stories created by Square Enix. It is part of the larger Final Fantasy series and includes video games, animated films, and short stories set in the world of Final Fantasy VII, which was first released in 1997. The Compilation was officially announced in 2003 with the release of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. The main parts of the Compilation include three video games and one movie. Additional materials include books, mobile games, and animated videos. Advent Children is a sequel to the original game, while Before Crisis is a prequel that follows Cloud Strife, the main character of the original game, and the Turks, a group of secret agents. Crisis Core follows Zack Fair, a character from the original game, and Dirge of Cerberus is a sequel to Advent Children that follows Vincent Valentine, a character who was optional in the original game. The Compilation has grown to include more projects, such as a planned trilogy of games remaking the original Final Fantasy VII. The first game in this trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Remake, was released in 2020, and the second, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released in 2024.
The Compilation was created by Yoshinori Kitase, the director of the original game, and Tetsuya Nomura, the main character designer. Nomura designed the characters for each part of the Compilation. Other team members who returned include writer Kazushige Nojima, art director Yusuke Naora, and composer Nobuo Uematsu. The video games in the Compilation are not all traditional role-playing games because of challenges during production. The first project announced was Advent Children, but it faced delays, so the first game released was Before Crisis, a mobile game.
Of the main projects, Before Crisis is the only one not yet released in Western countries due to problems with game platforms and changes in the team. Reactions to the Compilation's projects have varied. Advent Children was praised for its visuals but criticized for being confusing. Before Crisis, Crisis Core, Remake, and Rebirth were all praised by critics. Dirge of Cerberus received mixed reviews. Overall, the Compilation has received mixed feedback, and some later team members linked it to a decline in the popularity of the Final Fantasy series in Western countries. The Compilation also inspired the creation of Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy, another group of linked video games.
Titles
Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII is an action role-playing video game divided into 24 episodes. Players received episodes through a monthly subscription system. The game went through testing in 2004 and was released on September 24, 2004, for NTT DoCoMo's FOMA iMode service. It was later released on January 30, 2007, for SoftBank Mobile and on April 5, 2007, for EZweb. The game was never released in Western countries, even though plans to do so existed.
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is an action game that includes both first-person and third-person shooting. A multiplayer mode was originally included but was removed in the Western version. The game was released on January 26, 2006, in Japan; August 15, 2006, in North America; and November 17, 2006, in Europe. The Western version was improved before release because the developers were not satisfied with the Japanese version. An International version with these improvements was released in Japan on September 11, 2008, as part of Square Enix's Ultimate Hits collection. A mobile version, Dirge of Cerberus Lost Episode: Final Fantasy VII, was released on August 22, 2006, in North America and July 26, 2007, in Japan.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is an action role-playing game where players control Zack Fair. The game uses a real-time combat system that allows players to move Zack, use abilities, and attack or block enemies. It was released on September 13, 2007, in Japan; March 24, 2008, in North America; and June 20, 2008, in Europe. A remastered version, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, was released in late 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. It was released for PlayStation 4 on April 10, 2020. This game is the first in a planned trilogy that reimagines the original 1997 game. An expanded version, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, was released for PlayStation 5.
Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier is a free-to-play battle royale multiplayer game for mobile phones. It was released on November 17, 2021, and developed by Ateam Inc. with Square Enix as the publisher. The game is set 18 years before the events of Final Fantasy VII and follows SOLDIER candidates and the creation of the SOLDIER program by the Shinra Electric Power Company. Battles take place in a virtual reality version of Midgar, similar to the Virtual Reality System and Shinra Combat Simulator. The game features 3 versus 3 multiplayer matches that mix action and RPG elements. However, the game has limited storytelling and was shut down on January 11, 2023.
Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis is a role-playing video game that retells the events of the Compilation titles while adding new story content. It was released for iOS and Android in September 2023 and for Windows in December 2023. The game is episodic and designed for single-player use.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. It was released for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024. This game is the second installment in the Remake trilogy and can be played independently.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children is the first title in the Compilation and a direct-to-DVD sequel to the original game. It was released in Japan on September 14, 2005, and in Europe and North America on April 24 and 25, 2006, respectively. A single screening in a Western cinema took place in Los Angeles on April 3, 2006. A director's cut, Advent Children Complete, was released as a Blu-ray exclusive in 2009 in North America, Europe, and Australia. A demo for Final Fantasy XIII was included in the Japanese limited edition set.
Last Order: Final Fantasy VII is an original video animation that details the destruction of Nibelheim, a key event in the original game. It was included in a limited edition set called Advent Pieces, released in Japan on September 14, 2005, and in North America on February 6, 2007. The set was limited to 77,777 copies. The OVA is no longer available for purchase and was removed from the official Compilation listing after the release of Remake.
On the Way to a Smile – Episode: Denzel is an original video animation adaptation of a story by Kazushige Nojima. It was released with the Advent Children Complete version.
Final Fantasy VII: On the Way to a Smile is a collection of seven short stories written by Kazushige Nojima to promote Advent Children and Advent Children Complete. The stories were published in a paperback volume on April 16, 2009. The English version was released by Yen Press in 2018.
Final Fantasy VII: The Kids Are Alright: A Turks Side Story is a novel by Kazushige Nojima, illustrated by Shou Tajima, and released on December 15, 2011. The English version was published by Yen Press in 2019.
Final Fantasy VII Remake: Traces of Two Pasts is a novel written by Kazushige Nojima. It was released in Japanese on July 15, 2021, and in English on March 20, 2023. The story takes place during the early events of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and focuses on Aerith and Tifa sharing stories from their pasts.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Dear Destiny is a third novel by Kazushige Nojima, a sequel to Traces of Two Pasts. It continues the stories of Tifa and Aerith before the events of the main Remake story. It was released in Japanese on January 30, 2026.
A novella titled Hoshi o Meguru Otome (The Maiden Who Travels the Planet) was written by Benny Matsuyama and published in the Final Fantasy VII Ultimania Guide in 2005. The story describes Aerith's journey through the Lifestream during the second half of the original game. Although Square Enix authorized the novella, some fans debate whether it is part of the Compilation. A Square Enix Customer Support email stated it was official, but others argue it contradicts events in the later novel On the Way to a Smile. The novella was never officially translated into English, though fan translations exist.
A mobile racing game called Final Fantasy VII G-Bike
Setting
The world of Final Fantasy VII is set in a science fiction environment that looks like an industrial or post-industrial society. The characters in the story refer to this world as "the Planet." Later, it was given the name "Gaia" in some promotional materials and by game developers. The life force of the Planet is called the Lifestream, a spiritual energy that supports all life on the Planet. When processed, the Lifestream becomes "Mako." In Final Fantasy VII and its earlier stories, the powerful company Shinra uses Mako as an energy source. This causes the Planet to weaken, putting all life at risk. The main story follows AVALANCHE, a group that fights to protect the Planet. Their conflict involves Shinra's leader, Rufus Shinra, and his teams, including the secret Turks and SOLDIER, a group of elite fighters given raw Mako. The story also introduces Sephiroth, a SOLDIER member who becomes a villain after discovering the truth about his origins, and Jenova, an alien creature that wants to destroy life on the Planet. Important characters include Cloud Strife, a mercenary who claims to have been a SOLDIER; Aerith Gainsborough, a flower seller and the last member of an ancient tribe called the Cetra; Tifa Lockhart, Cloud's childhood friend; and Vincent Valentine, a former Turk who became immortal through Shinra's experiments. During the story, Sephiroth uses a powerful spell called Meteor to harm the Planet. Aerith tries to stop Meteor by summoning Holy, but Sephiroth kills her. Eventually, the group defeats Sephiroth, and the Lifestream helps Holy stop Meteor.
The Compilation titles expand on the main story, focusing on different characters. Advent Children begins two years after the original game, when people are suffering from a disease called Geostigma. Cloud, struggling with guilt, must face Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo, who represent Sephiroth's will. Before Crisis takes place six years before the original game and shows the conflict between the Turks and the first version of AVALANCHE. Crisis Core follows events from the perspective of Zack Fair, a SOLDIER who became friends with Cloud and was killed by Shinra after opposing the company. A character named Genesis Rhapsodos, a SOLDIER who rebels and later protects the Planet, interacts with Zack. Dirge of Cerberus happens a year after Advent Children and focuses on Vincent's battle against Deepground, a group of SOLDIER members trapped underground during Meteor's fall. Last Order takes place during the events at Nibelheim, where Jenova was first discovered and Sephiroth learned about his origins.
Production
The Compilation of Final Fantasy VII was created by Yoshinori Kitase, the director, and Tetsuya Nomura, the character designer for Final Fantasy VII. Square Enix described the Compilation as their first step toward "polymorphic content," a strategy to share well-known stories across different platforms to reach more people. Kitase explained that Final Fantasy VII was chosen because its ending left many opportunities for developing characters and settings. Financial reasons also played a role, as the success of Final Fantasy X-2 before the 2003 merger of Square and Enix led the company to explore fan interest in continuing the story of Final Fantasy VII.
The first project in the Compilation was Advent Children, originally planned as a short film by Visual Works, the studio that created CGI scenes for Square Enix games. At first, making Advent Children into a video game was considered, but the team decided to keep it as a film due to Visual Works' lack of experience with game development. A key condition for the project was to reunite original staff members from Final Fantasy VII, including Nojima, art director Yusuke Naora, and composer Nobuo Uematsu. After Advent Children began development, the team realized one title was not enough to explore the world of Final Fantasy VII fully. This led to the creation of Before Crisis, Dirge of Cerberus, and Crisis Core. Tetsuya Nomura was surprised by the decision to create multiple titles, as he had initially thought the film would be the only product.
Each title in the Compilation had different reasons for its creation. Before Crisis was developed by Hajime Tabata, a new employee at Square Enix's mobile division, after Tetsuya Nomura asked him to make a game featuring the Turks. Dirge of Cerberus was inspired by Vincent's weapon, Kitase's interest in first-person shooters, and the challenge it would present to developers. Crisis Core was first considered as a spin-off or a port of Before Crisis, but after discussions with Kitase and Nomura, it became another title in the Compilation. The team used abbreviations for the titles: "AC" for Advent Children, "BC" for Before Crisis, "CC" for Crisis Core, and "DC" for Dirge of Cerberus. The order was almost changed when Crisis Core was briefly named "Before Crisis Core," but the "Before" part was later removed.
Before Crisis began development in 2002. The Compilation was officially announced in 2003 with the release of Advent Children. None of the titles in the Compilation up to that point were traditional role-playing games like the original Final Fantasy VII. This was because traditional RPGs require long development times and large teams, which could make the project too noticeable. The team also avoided making the titles too simple, like Final Fantasy X-2, to prevent backlash from fans. However, X-2 showed that they did not need to stick strictly to serious RPGs, which helped shape the Compilation. Advent Children was the first title to start production, but it faced delays during post-production. Before Crisis, which began development second, was released first because of technical issues with North American mobile phones. The producer of Before Crisis left Square Enix in 2008, and Tabata moved on to other projects, making localization unlikely. Japanese animation studio Madhouse created a commercial for Before Crisis. Due to its success and concerns about disjointed scenes in Advent Children, Madhouse was chosen to make an animated film, which became Last Order. Crisis Core was originally planned as an action game but was changed to an action RPG to stay within the team's strengths while adding action elements.
In 2006, Yoichi Wada, then-CEO of Square Enix, said the Compilation could continue until 2017, the twentieth anniversary of Final Fantasy VII's release. After completing Advent Children Complete, the team took a break from the series but mentioned they still had ideas for future projects. Later interviews revealed that the Compilation was only intended to include three games and a film, ending with the release of Crisis Core. The team believed adding more titles would overwhelm the market.
Reception
Compared to the original Final Fantasy VII, which received very good reviews from critics and later became a classic game, the Compilation titles have often received mixed opinions. Some people have criticized the entire Compilation. In July 2007, Edge magazine said the games could be of high quality but also changed the original story in a way that confused some fans. RPG Site's Alex Donaldson, reviewing Crisis Core, said the Compilation was "too far removed from the story of Final Fantasy VII." He criticized Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus and noted that Before Crisis lacked characters from the original game. However, he believed Crisis Core was the first classic spin-off in the Compilation. RPGFan's Stephen Meyerink said earlier Compilation titles changed the story so much that some fans called it "an unrecognizable mess." Alexa Ray Corriea from Polygon was highly critical, saying few Compilation titles were good and that they made the 1997 original seem less valuable.
Reviews for Advent Children were mixed. Critics praised its presentation, graphics, and appeal to fans, but agreed that the story was confusing for people new to the series. Last Order, an OVA (a type of animated video), received positive reviews from Western critics but faced heavy criticism in Japan for changing key events. This led the team to ensure those events were accurately recreated in Crisis Core. Before Crisis, which remained in Japan, received limited attention in the West but had positive previews, with many praising its gameplay and graphics for a mobile game. Opinions on Dirge of Cerberus were mixed. While many praised its story and characters, especially Vincent's development, critics had differing views on its graphics and gameplay. Japanese magazine Famitsu gave the game a delayed and critical review. Crisis Core was generally praised for its character-focused story and action gameplay, though some felt it was aimed more at fans of Final Fantasy VII. Critics of the Compilation often named Crisis Core as the best title before the Remake trilogy.
As of 2024, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has the highest average Metacritic score at 92/100. Shubhankar Parijat from GamingBolt praised the combat system from its predecessor, Remake, and the new mechanics in Rebirth, calling the combat "exhilarating." Will Nelson from PCGamesN said the characters in Rebirth were "bursting with personality" and praised their dialogue, though he criticized the repetitive open-world activities. Gene Park from The Washington Post complimented the game's world design, calling it "remarkably detailed and seamless."
Many Compilation titles sold well. By 2006, Advent Children sold 1 million copies in Japan, 1.3 million in North America, and 100,000 in Europe, totaling 2.4 million worldwide. The original Final Fantasy VII sold 4 million copies globally by 2009. Advent Children Complete sold 100,000 copies on its first day in Japan and helped increase PlayStation 3 sales. Before Crisis had 200,000 users on launch day, becoming the best-selling mobile game at the time, with 1.6 million accesses by June 2006. Dirge of Cerberus sold 392,000 units in its first week, with 460,000 in North America and 270,000 in Europe. Crisis Core sold 350,000 copies in Japan on release and 301,600 in the U.S. in its first month, totaling 2.1 million worldwide.
Final Fantasy VII Remake sold over 3.5 million copies globally within three days, making it one of the largest PlayStation 4 game launches and the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive. By September 2023, it had sold over 7 million units. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth sold over 3.5 million copies on PlayStation and Steam.
The Compilation's development inspired the Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy subseries, which shares a common story and world. Before Crisis's popularity led to the creation of Final Fantasy Type-0, originally called Final Fantasy Agito XIII. Battle sequences in Advent Children influenced Motomu Toriyama's battle system for Final Fantasy XIII. Former staff members said the Compilation and other expansions, like those for Final Fantasy X, hurt the series' market presence and fan trust in the West.