Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the thrilling conclusion of the FFVII Remake Series, launches simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, Epic Games Store and Steam in Spring 2027. pic.twitter.com/OCElZ7qVpF
— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) June 5, 2026
Talk to me, Sephiroths Stimme im neuen Reveal Trailer klang anders? Oder könnte jemand anders gesprochen haben? Ob sie wohl einen anderen Sprecher verpflichtet haben?
Edit: Hamaguchi bestätigt, dass es sich bei Sephiroth um eine neue Stimme handelt! Ich hab allerdings nicht 100% sicher verstanden, ob sie nur den Trailer meinen oder das gesamte Spiel.
Es ist Travis Willingham: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Willingham
Edit II, weil ich gesagt hab, dass das der letzte Post ist. Maximilian_DOOD ist smarter als ich und hat zusammengesetzt, dass, Spoiler, die Weapons in Revelation höchstwahrscheinlich von Sephiroth kontrolliert werden. Sapphire Weapon wird im OG relativ schnell von der Sister Ray besiegt. Hier im Trailer WEICHT SAPPHIRE WEAPON AUS, zerstört Junon und was spielt im Hintergrund? Sephiroth-Musik. Jupp. Sephiroth kontrolliert die Weapons. Und so begründen sie die für Umweltterroristen sehr kontraproduktive Handlung, die Beschützerinnen des Planeten zu bekämpfen. Wow. Their minds.
Celebrating today's Final Fantasy VII Revelation announcement with messages from Producer Yoshinori Kitase, Director Naoki Hamaguchi and Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8YYMmnHqPq
— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) June 6, 2026
Im Trailer sagen sie, mit Revelation käme die "Final Fantasy VII Saga" zu einem Ende ... ÄHM? Advent Children? Dirge of Cerberus? Der Cliffhanger in der Höhle? I might be the crowd chanting, "more!", but ... MORE!
https://www.twitch.tv/maximilian_dood
So ungefähr ab 3:00:00 Game Summer
Ab ca. 6:25:00 INTERVIEW MIT HAMAGUCHI
Es wird die Chocobo Farm geben!
Am Ende sagen sie "It might not be too long before you can play!"
40 Jahre nach dem ersten Final Fantasy, 30 Jahre nach Final Fantasy VII OG, 20 Jahre nach Crisis Core und ZWÖLF Jahre nach der ersten Ankündigung des Remake-Projekts steht das Ende nun bevor. Epischer denn jemals zuvor.
Ich möchte auch darauf hinweisen, dass er sein Logo (?) als Kette trägt. Schluck.
ntower: At what point during development was the decision actually made that the story would be told as a trilogy? Final Fantasy VII Remake ultimately ended with the dramatic escape from Midgar, which made up just a fraction of the overall story of the original game and only took a few hours to complete. How much of the new story expansions actually stem from old ideas from the past, and what did the general thought process for expanding the story look like?
Naoki Hamaguchi: By the time I was entrusted with overall leadership of this project, the broad concept of a trilogy had already been firmly established. It wasn't so much about “wanting” to make it a trilogy—the accurate assessment is that, upon objectively evaluating the sheer volume of the story and the content that needed to be depicted, no option other than a trilogy was realistic. The Midgar segment of FINAL FANTASY VII is a relatively short part of the original game, but it is incredibly dense with information regarding the game’s world, characters, and story. It became clear early on that if we were to faithfully recreate this using modern techniques, we would need a substantial amount of content just to make it work as a standalone title. Regarding the expansion of the story, while we used the plot Nojima-san had initially outlined as a basis, we had many discussions about “how much to depict” and “where to place the narrative breaks.” One moment that particularly stands out to me is when we were discussing the structure of the second installment. In the original plan, the story didn’t clearly break at the forgotten capital and Aerith’s fate. At that time, I suggested to producer Kitase-san, “Considering the narrative focus, wouldn’t it be better to treat Aerith’s fate as a natural break to this section?” I recall that, at almost the exact same timing, I heard Nomura-san express a nearly identical idea, and from there, the overall framework for the entire trilogy came together very smoothly.
ntower: The game on the Nintendo Switch 2 also includes the Episode INTERmission and shows through Yuffie Kisaragi that the Shinra Corporation is facing massive resistance. In the original, Yuffie is rather optional in nature. How are such decisions made to dedicate separate extra content to a character like Yuffie and to fundamentally change her first encounter with the party compared to the original?
Naoki Hamaguchi: With recent AAA titles, it’s not uncommon for development to take four years or more to complete a single game. Given that development timeline, we felt it was appropriate to design the DLC for INTERGRADE not merely as additional content, but as an experience that bridges the gap between REMAKE and REBIRTH. In Episode INTERmission, while using the same setting of Midgar, we depict a different form of resistance against Shinra from Yuffie’s perspective. Our aim was to show what was happening behind the scenes while allowing players to experience firsthand how the scale of the story is expanding. In REBIRTH, characters like Yuffie and Vincent, who were optional in the original game, will be firmly integrated into the main story. As a prelude to that, we wanted to create an experience that portrays Yuffie not merely as a side character, but as a protagonist in her own right. We chose the DLC format so that players could accept these changes naturally and come to expect that “in the next title, the dynamics between the characters will shift to a whole new level.”
ntower: What internal decision actually contributed to completely forgoing a story DLC for this second part? Can we hope for new DLCs, perhaps even waiting until the trilogy's concluding title?
Naoki Hamaguchi: When it came to FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, we seriously considered the possibility of developing a story DLC right up until immediately before the project officially moved into the planning phase. However, within the context of a long-term trilogy, we concluded that running development of the second installment’s DLC in parallel with the third installment would inevitably affect the third game’s schedule and overall quality. At that point, I believed my primary role was not to add DLC, but to deliver the third entry to fans as quickly as possible at a level of polish they would find satisfying. For that reason, we decided to forgo story DLC for REBIRTH. As for DLC beyond the third installment, I believe that will ultimately depend on how strongly fans continue to support FINAL FANTASY VII as both a title and a franchise. If there is significant demand, we’d certainly be open to exploring those possibilities proactively.
ntower: We also have a few questions in store regarding the future of Final Fantasy VII. Can we look forward to the absolute favorite summon of many fans in the grand finale: Knights of the Round? In the original, the animation took so long that you could almost breed your own Gold Chocobo in the meantime. Will the team keep this epic length as a small homage to the PlayStation 1 era, or do such gigantic attacks, as well as Sephiroth's Supernova, have to be completely rethought for modern pacing?
Naoki Hamaguchi: That’s a pretty hardcore question (laughs). There are many elements that symbolize FINAL FANTASY VII, and I definitely think the Knights of the Round and the visual effects for Sephiroth’s Supernova are among the most iconic. However, I can’t go into specifics at this point regarding how these elements will be handled in the trilogy or what decisions have been made. I believe these are all themes that require very careful consideration, especially when balancing them with the modern gaming experience. That said, speaking not only as a developer but also as a fan who played the original, I’m personally very curious about how best to recreate those iconic moments for today’s audience. I’d be thrilled if you could play the game yourselves and see for your own eyes what conclusions we’ve reached.
ntower: To properly celebrate the conclusion of the trilogy, it would naturally make sense to release the final part right on time for the original game's 30th anniversary in 2027. How far along is the planning for the third part currently, and when can fans hope for the first news? Might you be able to reveal a few small details about the grand finale to us today?
Naoki Hamaguchi: We are not yet at the stage where we can share detailed information or a specific release date for the third title. However, as previously mentioned, development is progressing on schedule. We are carefully fine-tuning the game right up to the very end to ensure it is delivered in a form befitting the conclusion of the trilogy, so we hope you can look forward to it.
"Rebirth is significantly different"
by Ollie ReynoldsHow do you find the balance between extending the story of FFVII into three games whilst staying faithful to the original vision?
The greatest challenge was thoughtfully evaluating, title by title, how far to push “nostalgia” and “innovation” respectively, so they could work in balance.
For players familiar with the original game, I think what matters goes beyond the story arc itself—it’s the relationships between the characters, and the emotions they felt upon discovering this world. Those are elements we can’t afford to treat lightly. At the same time, for players discovering FFVII today, we needed to update the presentation and design to align with modern sensibilities; otherwise, the experience itself simply wouldn’t resonate. For this reason, we adopted modern approaches to visual expression while preserving the emotional core and character relationships that were beloved by many in the original game. Rather than framing this as a simple binary of whether to “preserve or change” something, we’ve continuously reevaluated how to interpret these notions of “nostalgia” and “innovation,” and how to express them. As we’ve expanded the story as a trilogy, that thinking has remained consistent. That’s our approach to making the Final Fantasy VII Remake series as a whole.
When we spoke in 2025, you mentioned that development on the third game was progressing well – you had finalised the story and begun working on the core gameplay. Without going into too much detail, can you provide an update on the game’s progress?
We’re very excited about how the game is currently progressing. I have already completed over 40 full playthroughs! I can’t wait for as many people as possible to experience the game for themselves, and myself and the team are working hard to ensure we can create an unforgettable gameplay experience.
As you look ahead to the conclusion of the Remake Trilogy, how does it feel to bring such a significant chapter of your life to a close?
When I look back, the finish line of this project felt unimaginably far away when it first began. But now it feels like time has flown by surprisingly quickly, partly because our days in development were so packed and eventful.
For me, Final Fantasy VII is a truly special title that I’ve deeply admired, even as a creator. Because of that, I’ve always carried the belief that this remake series must live up to the expectations of fans who have continued to show their love for FFVII, and honour the efforts of my fellow creators who have run alongside me up until this point.
I, myself, have been involved with this project for over ten years, but with this final instalment, I feel a deep certainty that we’ll be able to deliver an experience that’ll make people think, “I’m glad I stayed with the series until the end.” That’s something I feel in my heart. For the many fans who have supported us over this long journey, I sincerely hope that the time you’ve spent following this story to its conclusion will stay with you, as something to cherish. My wish, from the bottom of my heart, is that we deliver a finale that’s worthy of that.
The third and final entry in the ‘Final Fantasy VII’ remake trilogy is expected to be revealed soonScreenshot: Square Enix
(...)
The day after the Nintendo event, I met with Hamaguchi for a lengthy interview about his career (more on that much later) and some teases for what’s coming next. Square Enix has not yet given Part 3 a title or said when it will be out — “I’m hoping it’s not going to be too far in the future,” Hamaguchi told me — but it is expected to be revealed this year.
Hamaguchi hinted that the third game will bring in new gameplay elements that weren’t in the first two. “We didn’t want the three installments to be a reskinning of the same game over and over again,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “We want to make sure we’re expanding with every installment in terms of scale, as well as retaining that freshness as you go into each installment.”
He added that his team “already has the foundation of the gameplay in place” and is fine-tuning and polishing the game in preparation for release.
Back in 2023, Hamaguchi told me that one of the secrets to Rebirth’s success was staff retention, which was also the case for this third entry. “I think the number is closer to 95% of the Rebirth staff that stayed on for the third project,” he said.
So what about specifics? They’re saving some details for the proper reveal, but I did convince Hamaguchi to let me ask some rapid-fire questions about what will or won’t make it from the original Final Fantasy VII into the third part of the remake, given how much they changed for the last one.
Jason Schreier: Will Rocket Town be in the game?
Naoki Hamaguchi: Yeah, this is one of the elements we had to switch around with Rebirth. Yes.
Wutai?
It’s one of the main locations. Yuffie’s made a very prominent appearance, stating her case about her homeland. So if Wutai’s not featured, I think the fans are going to yell at me
Will the Highwind let you fly anywhere?
We want to expand on the gameplay experience. Flying the Highwind is a very large part of the third installment. Let me leave it at that.
Chocobo breeding?
I can’t say yay or nay on the actual breeding. But there is an element in the third installment involving Chocobos that is a little different than Rebirth.
Will we go to space?
I’ll keep that a secret but considering Rocket Town is a yes…
Will we go underwater?
It’s an interesting question because [Motomu] Toriyama handled the submarine portion of the game. So perhaps he has injected himself into there. And I will leave it at that.
Will the Great Glacier area be as big as it is in the original game?
Because it is a major element in the game, I won’t go deep into details. But considering that toward the end of Rebirth, we’re in the Forgotten City — and in the original you would go into Icicle Inn from there — I guess that hints at how the third installment will begin. I hope the players will look forward to it.
Keine News, ich fand das Zitat nur zum Schießen
FFVII Rebirth cutscene director Hidekazu Miyake says the team put an unexpected amount of work into making Sephiroth feel human in Nibelheim. The team debated how to do so, and decided to have him do things like cross his arms and pat Cloud on the back encouragingly (RbU, 2024) #FF7R #FF7 #Sephiroth
— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 21. Februar 2026 um 04:05
Ich empfand das Verhalten tatsächlich als total untypisch. Wir kennen doch einen menschlichen Seph aus Crisis Core, und da ist er ja nicht so. Aber ich schätze, wenn man nur ein Kapitel Zeit hat, kein ganzes Spiel, in dem sich eine Figur entwickeln kann, dann muss man vielleicht etwas deutlicher werden.
Das war's schon.
FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the part of the OG he's most looking forward to in Part 3 is Cloud finding himself with the help of Tifa. He said that was the part he was looking forward to and that they nailed it. (Vinesauce, 1/27) #FF7 #FF7R
— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 28. Januar 2026 um 16:56
[image or embed]
Ich bin noch nicht ganz wach, also kann ich nur hoffen, dass ich das hier halbwegs kohärent zusammenkriege, aber erst mal so weit: Es scheint, dass dieser Streamer (?) Vinesauce irgendwann vor Kurzem bei einem Geschäftsessen (?) mit Remake-Director Hamaguchi ein bisschen über dessen Projekt geplaudert und dabei erfahren hat, dass Hamaguchis Lieblingsszene aus dem OG die Lebensstrom-Szene ist, in der (Spoiler) Cloud und Tifa seine Erinnerungen wieder zusammensetzen. Außerdem soll Hamaguchi wohl gesagt haben, dass diese Szene für das Remake schon erledigt ist und sehr gut geworden sei. Streamer Vinesauce hat um Erlaubnis gebeten, diese Info mit seinen Followern zu teilen, und offenbar wurde daraus ein komplettes Drama.
Ich hatte die News über die Szene aus obigem Post mitbekommen, nicht aber das Fan-Drama, auf das der Streamer hier eingeht:
Jedenfalls. Falls irgendjemand irgendwelche Spekulation mitbekommen haben sollte in Bezug auf diese Szene, dass vielleicht Aerith statt Tifa im Remake vorkommen könnte o. ä., dann ist das nicht die eigentliche Info, die Vinesauce von Hamaguchi erhalten hat. Alles andere ist genau das, was ich gesagt habe: Spekulation. Oder Spekulatius, falls jemand noch welchen übrig hat.
JEDENFALLS. Für diejenigen unter uns, die mit Japanischlernen weiter vorangeschritten sind als ich, Teil 2:
Dear Destiny
╋━━━
— スクエニ公式ゲームガイド (@SQEX_GAMEGUIDE) January 30, 2026
教会の守護天使<エンジェル>が飛び去りし後、
七番街スラムの再会が運命の歯車を回し始める。
━━━╋
小説 FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Dear Destiny
著者：野島一成
✨本日発売✨
目次と、本文を一部チラ見せ👀… pic.twitter.com/dXIy8DlSjD
(Übersetzung:
╋━━━
Nachdem der Schutzengel der Kirche davongeflogen war,
Das Wiedersehen in den Slums der Seventh Avenue setzt die Räder des Schicksals in Bewegung.
━━━╋
Roman FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Dear Destiny
Autor: Kazushige Nojima
✨ Heute im Handel ✨
Inhaltsverzeichnis und ein kurzer Einblick in den Text 👀
Die Veröffentlichung der japanischen Digitalausgabe wurde beschlossen. Eine englischsprachige Veröffentlichung ist geplant ( @SquareEnixBooks ) 📕 Bitte warten Sie auf weitere Aktualisierungen 🎵 Hier kaufen →https://sqex.to/UQy5K #FF7R #FF7リバース
Übrigens ist laut Hamaguchi der Titel für den dritten Teil ausgewählt und festgelegt.
Naoki Hamaguchi remembers an interview he did about how they’d narrowed the title for part 3 down to two names. He says it was up to Mr. Nomura to decide which it is. And yes, after returning from Paris Games Week, he did choose one, so he can say the title has been locked. (Gamespot, 1/23) #FF7R
— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 23. Januar 2026 um 22:07
Aus GameWalker 25 (1996) via Shinra Archaeology auf Bluesky
Update zum französischen Interview von vor ein paar Tagen: Es hat mittlerweile englische Untertitel, aber bisher fand ich die Infos jetzt nicht so wichtig. Ungefähr nach einer Stunde jedoch fragt der Interviewer, ob nicht durch den E3-Wegfall die Game Awards eine ideale Möglichkeit für Ankündigungen seien:
Nun haben die Game Awards 2025 schon ohne Ankündigung von FFVII Remake Teil 3 stattgefunden, aber wer weiß für die Zukunft ...
Der zweite wichtige Teil kommt ungefähr ab 1:15:00, wo es um die Zukunft des dritten Teils geht, aber das hatte ich schon behandelt: http://www.animexx.de/weblog/534019/843708/
Ansonsten ist das Interview interessant für Leute, die sich für Game Development interessieren und eines Tages vielleicht selbst einsteigen wollen.
Shinra Archaeology auf Bluesky haben ein paar wichtige Infos aus obigem Interview rausgesucht und gepostet, u. a. dass Hamaguchi und Nomura sich auf die zwei letzten Optionen für den Untertitel des 3. Teils geeinigt haben und sich bis Jahresende für eine davon entscheiden wollen. https://bsky.app/profile/shinraarchaeology.bsky.social/post/3m7gi5yh6wk26
Darüber hinaus ist das Gameplay fertig und soll ab jetzt ausgebaut werden https://bsky.app/profile/shinraarchaeology.bsky.social/post/3m7gim62dck26
Allerdings ist das Interview 1 Stunde 20 und auf Französisch, aktuell gibt es noch keine englischen Untertitel. Falls keine englischen Untertitel hinzugefügt werden sollten, werd ich mich bei Gelegenheit mal hinsetzen und mir anhören, ob da noch wichtige Infos drin sind, denn Frau Tobie ist des Französischen glücklicherweise mächtig. Bis demnächst also!
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the game is selling well and there is no need to worry about the final game.
— Stealth (@Stealth40k) September 25, 2025
“The second entry, FFVII Rebirth, has been doing very well on both PS5 and PC. I know some fans have expressed concerns, but please rest assured,we’ll be able to deliver a proper, high-quality third installment. Development is going extremely well, and the game is shaping up nicely. A lot of the content is already playable, and the game’s direction and form are firmly set in place. Right now, the team is united around refining everything.”
signed, your everything ~
https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-mayors
Who’s the FINAL FANTASY VII remake trilogy’s finest mayor? We hand out our own gubernatorial seal of approval.
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is a wonderfully generous game. It’s overflowing with surprising scenarios, satisfying side quests, resplendent regions, pulse-pounding combat… and also a whole lotta mayors.
Indeed, fans have certainly noticed the abundance of city officials in the game, so we thought why not celebrate these sensational civil servants by pointlessly ranking them according to completely arbitrary and meaningless set of criteria?
So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. A few notes first though:
For the sake of the list, we’re counting any town or village figurehead, even if they don’t have the title of ‘mayor’. So don’t get pedantic with us when you see that Dio’s on the list. Remember: for every comment that starts: “Actually, I think you’ll find…”, a fictional mayor sheds a tear.
If you already played FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, you’ll know that Midgar’s Mayor Domino is the self-declared ‘Best’. He’s not in REBIRTH though, so he’s not on the list.
This list is the opinion of the author alone. The FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH team would like to make it clear that they have had no input or visibility into this ranking, and that the whole thing is a clear waste of everybody’s valuable time.
And now with my rear sufficiently covered, on with the list!
The golden beaches of Costa del Sol beckon travellers from all over FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s world. Blue skies, crystal waters - it’s a sun-baked paradise. Shame about the mayor then.
Public Service - 1/5: Mayor Kapono is more about self-service than public service. He’s willing to con and cheat his way to success, be it ripping off hapless saps like Johnny or hoarding vast personal wealth for his own ends. What a jerk.
Incorruptibility - 0/5: Make no mistake - Kapono is just as corrupt as one of Shinra’s mako-infused abominations. Lying, cheating, swindling, threats of violence - it’s all fair game to him.
Resistance to Shinra - 0/5: Kapono’s relationship with Shinra is just as grovelling and desperate as you’d expect from such a craven man. Conning Johnny we can forgive, but making him run after a monster like Hojo? Unforgivable.
Style - 1/5: He reflects sunny vibes, but the combo of low-cut shirt, gold chain and flamboyant mustache just screams ‘trying too hard’.
Overall rating - 1/20: Just the absolute worst.
[Bonus: Sephs Schulter <3]
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH starts with a flashback to the tragic Nibelheim incident. Set five years before the main story of the game, it sees Cloud and the legendary war hero Sephiroth visit the small town of Nibelheim to investigate a malfunctioning reactor.
More importantly, they meet Zander - the mayor of this charmingly rustic settlement. The cheerful chap couldn’t be more excited to meet a celebrity like Sephiroth. We’re sure that won’t come back to bite him.
Public service - 3/5: To Zander’s credit, it seems like the town runs well. People are friendly, and there’s a strong community spirit. That speaks to a decent job. More importantly, according to the novel FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Trace of Two Pasts, Zander gave Tifa her adorable kitty Fluffy. That gives him big points in our eyes.
Incorruptibility - 5/5: Zander does seem to want what’s best for the town and even heads up the defense when it’s threatened.
Resistance to Shinra - 0/5: With Nibelheim so reliant on Shinra, the mayor is understandably sycophantic. But cosying up to the company sometimes has tragic consequences and Zander is one such victim.
Style - 5/5: Big, bushy and majestic, Zander’s beard is befitting of a man of his status. Coupled with his stylish cowboy hat, he rocks that Nibelheim look.
Overall rating - 13/20: The definition of a big fish in a small pond.
As the mayor of Kalm, Fritz heads up one of the largest towns outside of Midgar. But is he the right man for the job?
Public Service - 5/5: From our limited interactions with Fritz, it’s clear he has Kalm’s best interests at heart. When Kalm’s essential mako pipeline springs a leak, he doesn’t hesitate to find someone who can fix it - not for his own reputation, but for the sake of the town.
Incorruptibility - 4/5: While not openly corrupt, Fritz does prove to be easily fooled. When Kyrie shows up pretending to be certain undercity merc, Fritz gives her the job of fixing the pipeline without doing his due diligence. Not his best decision.
Resistance to Shinra - 1/5: As Midgar’s closest neighbor, Kalm is under Shinra’s thumb and reliant on its energy. Even so, the fact that Fritz is willing to seek outside help to keep it running means that he retains a degree of independence - or at least realizes that Shinra’s unlikely to rush to their aid with any urgency.
Style - 5/5: A stylish green suit, that classy cravat - Fritz dresses for the role of mayor and pulls it off.
Overall rating: 15/20: We’d probably vote for him.
Okay, so he’s not a mayor, but he does run the Gold Saucer - one of the biggest locations in the game. He’s an important figurehead for the attraction too, so we think he belongs on the list - a metaphorical mayor if you will.
Public Service - 3/5: The Gold Saucer is all about having fun, and Dio does what he can to ensure that’s the case 24/7. Lavish opening ceremonies, audience participation, lavishly presented arena battles… he definitely achieves his goal. However, you could also argue that the Saucer is a decadent, mako-draining monument to excess, one that ultimately harms the planet and public.
Incorruptibility - 5/5: Dio takes a no-nonsense approach to running the Gold Saucer. If a problem arises, he deals with it - or recruits help to do so. He’s also reasonable - when Barret is suspected of violence in the Saucer, he gives Cloud and his comrades an opportunity to set the record straight. He even gives the compensation for their wrongful accusation.
Resistance to Shinra - 3/5: The Gold Saucer is a Shinra facility, and Dio is complicit with the company as manager. That said, he is not afraid to stand against them to do what’s right - it’s a brave man who’ll take on Rude of the Turks.
Style - 5/5: Bare chest, tight underpants, stylish facial hair, the flowing cape… it could be a fashion disaster. But you know what - Dio makes it work. Well, at least Yuffie seems to think so.
Overall rating: 16/20: A leader befitting this gilded paradise.
Unlike the other officials on this list, Rhonda actually has two jobs: mayor and sheriff. It’s her job to keep the town going and its people safe - not easy considering the lack of sunlight and polluted waters.
Public Service - 5/5: Rhonda is whole-heartedly dedicated to her town and will do whatever’s necessary to protect its people. When one of its current visitors - Yuffie - is threatened by a sea monster, she press-gangs Cloud and company into the rescue effort, as well as the resuscitation.
Incorruptibility - 5/5: Rhonda’s no straight arrow - she’s more than willing to bend the rules when necessary. But it’s always to help others, be it the town or her estranged family. That makes her a leader that the people can look up to.
Resistance to Shinra - 5/5: There’s no love lost between the people of Under Junon and Shinra. While Rhonda is careful to toe the line publicly to avoid Shinra’s reprisals, she subverts the company at every opportunity - for example, taking its money to fund the assassination of its new president. Sneaky!
Style - 3/5: Rhonda’s not interested in pomp - she’s more of a ‘roll your sleeves up and get to work’ kind of mayor. That utilitarian look may reflect her strong character, but we like a mayor with a little more pizazz!
Overall rating: 18/20: The gold standard by which other mayors should be judged.
So, there you have it - a completely unofficial and unnecessary ranking of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s top officials.
