In 1997, Square Enix released one of the most critically-acclaimed JRPGs ever made,Final Fantasy 7.Final Fantasy 7was a massive success for the company, with its popularity spawning numerous spin-offs, movies, and other media revolving around the game, its lore, and characters.
Square Enix has released a number ofFinal Fantasyspin-offs over the years, ranging from mobile games to PSP prequels. These spin-offs often provide more context for some of the characters and events in the originalFinal Fantasy 7, and so some are definitely worth seeking out for diehardFF7fans.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 7 Remake Reveals Yuffie Episode Length and More Details
For those wondering what they can play and what they can’t, here are all theFinal Fantasy 7spin-offs explained.
Before Crisis (2004)
Only ever released in Japan,Final Fantasy 7: Before Crisisis a mobile game and prequel to the mainFinal Fantasy 7storyline. Its main purpose is to provide more content about the Turks, the villainous group that works for Shinra in the mainFinal Fantasy 7game and serve as some of the main boss fights in the early parts of bothFF7and 2020’sFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. While the Turks are some of the antagonists inFinal Fantasy 7, they are actually presented as the protagonists of this game, with players taking on the role of the Turks as they work for Shinra and fight against theAVALANCHE eco-terrorist group.
Even thoughFinal Fantasy 7: Before Crisiswas never released outside of Japan, it has gotten attention in western markets, and has earned quite a bit of praise for its story and gameplay. Quality mobile games were hard to come by in 2004, butFinal Fantasy 7: Before Crisiscan be considered one of the better mobile games of the era. It featured action-RPG gameplay instead of the traditional turn-based gameplay from the baseFinal Fantasy 7game and also featured multiplayer, so its willingness to take risks with the established formula was also commendable.
Unfortunately,Final Fantasy 7: Before Crisiswas shut down in 2018, so it’s not even accessible in Japan anymore. However, it seems as though Square Enix will be repurposing its story content for theFinal Fantasy 7: Ever Crisisgamethat is aiming to release on mobile devices in 2022.
Dirge of Cerberus (2006)
Square Enix continued to experiment with what aFinal Fantasy 7game could be with 2006’sDirge of Cerberus. However,Dirge of Cerberuswent in a completely different direction, mixing RPG elements with third-person shooter gameplay. The latest game in theFinal Fantasy 7timeline,Dirge of Cerberusis set three years after the events of the main game, and it mainly focuses onoptional party member Vincent Valentinewho has to stop a group called Deepground from summoning a monster that could wipe out all life on the planet.
WhereasFinal Fantasy 7: Before Crisiswas relatively well-received byFinal Fantasyfans,Dirge of Cerberuswas not quite as popular. Many critics took issue with the way it tried to appeal to both shooter fans and RPG fans, as it failed to satisfy either group. Even so,Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7did earn some praise for its storyline and its status as being the last game in theFF7series chronologically makes it of particular interest.
Crisis Core (2007)
One of the most notable games that’s exclusive to Sony’s PlayStation Portable handheld,Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7is arguably the most importantFinal Fantasy 7spin-off game to date. It features the story ofZack Fair, a hugely important character in theFinal Fantasy 7timeline, and serves as yet another prequel to the main game. It’s set roughly during the same time asBefore Crisis, featuring some of the Turks from that game, but mainly focuses on the SOLDIER organization.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7is yet anotherFinal Fantasy 7spin-off game that focuses on action-RPG gameplay instead of turn-based combat. It also earned quite a bit of critical acclaim at the time of its release and is generally considered one of the better games that released for the PSP. It provides a lot more context to some of the events inFinal Fantasy 7, and helps to further flesh out fan favorite characters like Aerith, Cloud, and thevillainous Sephiroth.
Considering the popularity ofCrisis Coreand its story, it’s a bit surprising that Square Enix has kept it as an exclusive for the PlayStation Portable. However, the game’s story will be revisited in theEver Crisismobile game, though the action-RPG gameplay will be replaced with a more traditional turn-based system.
G-Bike (2014)
InFinal Fantasy 7, there is a segment where players use a G-Bike to fight enemies and speed down a highway. The scene is one of the most memorable from the early parts of the originalFinal Fantasy 7game, and it was impressively recreated inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Square Enix evidently thought that the G-Bike mini-game deserved a game of its own, and so it releasedFinal Fantasy 7: G-Bikefor mobile devices in 2014.
Fan reaction toFinal Fantasy 7: G-Bikewas largely negative, and unsurprisingly so. After all, it had been seven years since the last time aFinal Fantasy 7series game had been released, and so many were hoping for something more substantial. The lack of interest from series fans sawFinal Fantasy 7: G-Bikeshut down in 2015, making it yet anotherFinal Fantasy 7spin-off game that’s completely inaccessible. However, there were no important story beats inG-Biketo worry about, so at least fans aren’t missing out on anything like that.
First Soldier (2021)
There are moreFinal Fantasy 7spin-off games in active development, likely brought on by the success ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. The first will release later this year for mobile devices in the form ofFinal Fantasy 7: First Soldier. AFinal Fantasy 7battle royale game,Final Fantasy 7: First Soldieris set about 30 years prior to the events of the mainFinal Fantasy 7game. And as its name implies, it’s about the SOLDIER program.
Ever Crisis (2022)
TheFinal Fantasy 7timeline is a long and winding one, with some parts of the story stuck in games that are no longer accessible by fans. For this reason, Square Enix is recreating theFinal Fantasy 7story in bite-sized form, allowing players to get the full gist of the plot without getting a time machine to play games likeBefore Crisis.Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisisis a mobile project that will released chunks of theFinal Fantasy 7story in episodic installments, retelling the stories with a turn-based combat system reminiscent of the originalFinal Fantasy 7. It remains to be seen how fans will react to yet anotherFinal Fantasy 7mobile offering, but we’ll find out next year.
