Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Failed Barret, But Most likely Not In The Way Anyone Thought
For the past thirty years, Barret Wallace from Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been a cherished and divisive figure. Though the general reception he has gotten since Rebirth's February 2024 release is extremely positive, one particular feature of the game still fails the character. This has nothing to do, though, with the concerns around his reveal in Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Given Barret's language and design in the original Final Fantasy 7, fans and critics of the game worried about the possibility for Barret's character to be a stereotypical depiction of black masculinity prior to Remake's release. Still, Remake and Rebirth have presented a sophisticated, very fulfilling character in Barret Wallace, and the game has few flaws overall. That is until Chapter 6, "Fool's Paradise."
The alternate costumes for FF7 Rebirth do not add up.
Chapter 6 of Rebirth introduces players to the easy, cosmetic alteration for all playable characters to replace their usual outfit for something more entertaining and appropriate for the beach. Barret is confined to one outfit change—his sailor suit—while most of the human actors receives several for different incentives. Although this is a fan favorite, Barret's wardrobe deficit points to Square Enix's lack of care and focus.
Though there are wardrobe changes for the whole Rebirth group, visiting a changing booth in Costa Del Sol clearly shows the differences between characters. While Barret, Red XIII, and Cait Sith are tied with just one apiece, characters like Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, and Tifa all have multiple swimwear variations to pick from. From simply a numerical standpoint, Square Enix clearly gave more attention to the Character Models with traditional body proportions.
Barret's meager costumes in FF7 Rebirth have no justification.
One might argue several ways why this is the case. Some, for instance, could say that Barret's extreme body type calls for moderation on comparable beachwear for the other characters. But just a short time later, in Chapter 8, "All That Glitters," players are first met Dio, who has comparable dimensions to Barret and most obviously less clothes. Modesty then cannot be the problem.
Rebirth being true to the original FF7 has some validity since Barret had his sailor costume on during the events in Costa Del Sol. In these sequences, though, none Tifa, Aerith, Cloud, nor Yuffie wore bathing Costumes. Given Barret only wears his sailor suit since it's the only uniform that will fit him at Junon Harbor, it's difficult not to interpret this as an instance of Square Enix avoiding the inclusion of Plus-size swimwear.
Barret Is Due More From Square Enix
Square Enix's reasons notwithstanding, its omission of several Costumes for Barret sets him on an unfair scale of significance among the other human characters in the game. Given Barret's contentious character history and that he is among just a few Plus-sized characters in the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7, this is particularly problematic. Given the abundance of inclusive and body positive ideas in modern media, Square Enix should at least take consistency across its human characters top priority.
Though no matching scene from the original FF7 would indicate, it is unknown if Remake Part 3 would have a cosmetic element like rebirth's changing booths. Having said that, the great popularity of the feature points to Square Enix perhaps trying to bring it into the conclusion of the trilogy, particularly if Costa Del Sol and other sites reappear as explorable settings.
What Costumes Might Look Like for FF7 Remake Part 3?
These cosmetic innovations and the inclusion of Rebirth's Photo Mode have generated essential marketing for the game on social media, as shown by ladypipmin's X (previously Twitter). One has to guess the developer will want to keep using this approach. Square Enix might change FF7's story to incorporate additional different clothing, such frigid gear while climbing the Northern Glacier or maybe a hospital gown for Cloud while he recovers from Mako sickness.
Fans of Barret can only hope the character receives more attention than he has in the last two films, whatever the last component of the trilogy offers. Sadly, for Rebirth there is not hope for such things in not too distant future. As Rebirth's creative director, Tetsuya Nomura, mentioned in an interview with Spanish-language outlet Vandal in September 2023, there are no intentions for an increased outfit variety via DLC (or any DLC for that matter). Given this, players in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will have to make due with the one costume choice for Barret. Though the sailor costume has indisputable appeal and history in the series, its novelty fades before the end of one run. By comparison, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie have several skins to keep things interesting for hours of gameplay.
Reimagining a Classic: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
The sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will see Cloud and his pals set off outside the boundaries of Midgar to explore the planet, stop Sephiroth's activities, and discover the world outside their slum prison. The heroes (and villains) will mold the future now that the whispers of fate no longer direct the protagonists along the pre-destined road set in the original PlayStation classic Final Fantasy 7. Though it will be a more notable deviation from the original game from the source material, the game will nonetheless explore notable sites and review important narrative moments.
One most awaited addition to the venerable Final Fantasy series is Final Fantasy 7 rebirth. Offering breathtaking images, a larger universe, and a closer exploration of the intricate characters and lore, the game is a remake of the venerable PlayStation game. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth promises an exciting experience for lovers of the series and for those who are new to the world of Final Fantasy with its gripping plot, interesting gameplay, and amazing graphics.
