Final Fantasy 7is one of the most popular JRPGs in video game history. The initial 1997 release of the title developed by Square Enix, then Squaresoft, has evolved into an expansive franchise in itself, with new games and expanded media that deepens the mythology of the world and its characters, including a heavily desired remake that released its first installment in April 2020to great critical success.
The story ofFinal Fantasy 7follows the adventures of Cloud Strife, an ex-soldier turned mercenary who assists team Avalanche in overthrowing the Shinra Corporation, while trying to uncover elements of his past and how it relates to his former comrade turned enemy Sephiroth. The story features a sprawling cast of fan-favorite characters including Barrett Wallace, Vincent Valentine, and Tifa Lockhart, who herself has gone on to become one ofFinal Fantasy’s best and most popular characters.
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One of the most famous locations inFinal Fantasy 7is the city of Midgar, a sprawling cyberpunk metropolis overseen by the Shinra Corporation. Midgar is not only on of Final Fantasy’s most popular locations, but it has also become synonymous with the game’s image and iconography. While initially the futuristic city was based in part on elements of New York City, a new post on Reddit’s r/FinalFantasy shows another American city that reflects aspects of the city.
In a post on Reddit, user ullrson12 shows a birds-eye-view image of Minneapolis that shows many of the same attributes of Midgar as seen inFinal Fantasy 7, namely the largely green hue and the overabundance of industrial fog. It resembles the design Midgar had inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, which aimed to modernize Midgar’s infrastructure, evokingsimilarities toCyberpunk 2077’s Night City.
This is a very charming tribute to one of the most famous cities in video games, and truly exemplifies the sense thatMidgar is alive and could exist in the real world, minus the obvious fantasy aspects. WithFinal Fantasyembracing aspects of reality in a fantasy setting, as seen in titles likeFinal Fantasy 15, it’s no surprise that at some point reality would reflect that same fantasy setting.
While players can explore Midgar for themselves in virtual reality, it’s neat to see aspects of the game reflected in the real world. Perhaps we’ll see more tributes this year to commemorateFinal Fantasy 7’s 25th anniversary.
Final Fantasy 7 Remakeis now available on PC, PS4, and PS5
