The weirdest Final Fantasy 7 game is still one of Square Enix’s boldest experiments
In the mid-2000s, Square Enix undertook an ambitious experiment to expand the Final Fantasy 7 universe across multiple media formats years before interconnected storytelling universes became mainstream. This collection of projects, known as the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7, saw the iconic world adapted into varied forms with wildly different levels of success.
The expansion began with 2005’s Advent Children, a feature-length CGI film that continued Cloud’s story post-game. Simultaneously, the studio developed Before Crisis, a Japan-exclusive mobile game that reimagined the Turks as playable protagonists—notably arriving when smartphones were still in their infancy. Last Order took a different approach, retelling the pivotal Nibelheim Incident as an anime series. Perhaps the most substantial entry, Crisis Core, transformed the franchise’s action-heavy gameplay into a dedicated action RPG centered on fan-favorite character Zack Fair.
While bold in scope, the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7 was decidedly mixed in execution. Not every experimental idea proved successful, and some failed to connect with audiences as the studio had hoped. Nevertheless, these projects represented Square Enix’s willingness to take creative risks with one of gaming’s most beloved franchises during an era before such multimedia universes became industry standard practice.