Final Fantasy 7 Remake director shares how Barret’s character evolved for the trilogy, citing limitations of the original JRPG.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake series director Naoki Hamaguchi has shared that Barret Wallace emerged as his favorite character during the development of the remake series.

In a recent conversation, when asked if any character from Final Fantasy 7 resonated with him more during the remake process, Hamaguchi initially played it safe, stating that he loves all his characters equally. However, he quickly highlighted Barret as the standout, particularly in how the remake introduced new dimensions to his character.

Hamaguchi noted that in the original Final Fantasy 7, Barret was a reflection of the era, describing him as “very contemporary” and somewhat “cookie-cutter.” He pointed out that the limitations of the PS1 hardware restricted the depth of character development. In contrast, the remake allowed for a richer portrayal of Barret’s quest for justice and the values he strives to protect, effectively weaving these elements into the narrative.

He mentioned that even after the release of Rebirth, he received a wave of positive feedback regarding Barret’s character development in the Remake series, expressing his appreciation for the supportive comments.

While I haven’t experienced Rebirth yet, I can definitely recall my excitement for Barret during my playthrough of Final Fantasy 7 Remake at launch. Although Cloud and Aerith are often seen as the main faces of the game, Barret, Tifa, and the Avalanche crew truly stole the show for me, so it’s great to see that others feel the same way.