What if FFVII was a "remaster" rather than a "remake"

First, I like Final Fantasy VII Remake, it is an excellent game that attracted both newcomers and old gamers (like me). Actually it was one of the most nostalgic thing happen to the gaming industry in the last recent years. It also has one of the most beautiful graphics when compared to other top AAA games. It might have some issues, in the other hand, it solved some of the problems that can be found in the current JRPG games, specially the ones that have real-time battle system such as Final Fantasy XV. One of those is battle. It introduced a new battle system that merge between turn-based and real-time combat, which was really welcomed by most of the fans (although some still wished turn-based system to come back, again like me). It also introduced side quest system (though, they are lengthy, I will talk about that later), but it "somehow" an extra part of the game which was "in most of its parts" enjoyable. It also introduced a new materia and weapon upgrade system, which added a way for the player to build different strategies for battles. But that are just few aspects, major ones actually, the rest are .. well.. felt normal, and sometimes weird.

For example, the lengthy NPCs side quests that doesn't add any value to the story, at least most of them. Yes they are fun to do somehow, and that's because you know by skipping them, you will finish the game quickly, specially if you already know that the game is just Part / Episode 1. Talking about FFVII being episodic, is another issue, and most of the players (specially the ones who don't read video game news, but they know it will release) they were basically shocked about that. Most of them though it was a full game, specially the title doesn't indicate it was just part 1 (that was really weird for a lot of people, thankfully not me this time as I knew about it before). In addition to the lengthy quests, lengthy cut scenes and conversations are another way to make this game stretcher than its counter classic version in order to make it justifiable to pay a full game price for it.

All of this makes us think, if it was just a remaster, would it makes it better. By a "Remaster" here, I mean a true remaster (not like Final Fantasy VIII Remaster), a one that have an updated and enhanced graphics, updated music and sounds, tweaked and enhanced overall gameplay and system, maybe some added content, and all of that release as a ONE game. Actually there were some attempts by fans to redevelop it OR release MODs that will do some enhancements. Some of those attempts were shut down by SquareEnix, unfortunately (like FFVII : Time Guardian). Some of them didn't see the light and just failed. Just a few of them got released but most of them didn't add or changed much (just replacing gameplay character models with the battle models, increasing resolution of the game but not the texture, etc). In fact, some of them diverted a bit and created some sort of spin-offs (like FFVII : Re-imagined). But again, if you think about it, wouldn't make sense to make it this way rather than a Remake. For sure it wont take 5 years to develop, actually to develop "Part 1". It will at least (or probably) wont priced as a full AAA game price, just assumption. If it was a remaster, it will keep the old classic gameplay which includes the turn-based battle system, the old style world map, the short-to-the-point-and-silent conversations (with the classic talking bubble), engaging and short cinematic cut scenes. At least it will satisfy millions of FFVII original fans and it might be welcomed by some extra ones from the current generation of gamers as well.

At the end, and as I said at the beginning, I really enjoyed the Remake, I also remember that I enjoyed the classic so much that I repeated it at least two times (if not third time was there but I forgot about) and every time I repeat playing the classic OR just watching videos of it, I wished a Remaster / Enhanced version of it that hold on the classic way not to divert and change it. the reality here, I wont play the Remake again and I hope it doesn't take another 5 years for "Part 2" otherwise I might lose interest.