FF7 Rebirth’s Major Red XIII Change Is Really A Clever Easter Egg
Summary
- Red XIII’s voice change in FF7 Rebirth is a nod to the original game, reflecting a key moment in his personal journey.
- The voice change reflects Red XIII’s character arc, showcasing a twist on his coming-of-age story.
- The full voice acting in FF7 Rebirth enhances its storytelling, capturing emotional moments like Red XIII’s reunion with his father.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s biggest change to Red XIII might seem jarring, but there’s a perfectly good reason for it. The second chapter in the remake trilogy makes a lot of changes to the original FF7‘s story, not least of which are the changes to its characters. Although Red XIII debuted near the end of FF7 Remake, he’s playable for the first time in FF7 Rebirth. The sequel also delves more deeply into the Shinra lab rat-dog’s backstory, just as the equivalent section of the original FF7 does.
So, it’s safe to say that Red XIII is more of a star in FF7 Rebirth than he was in Remake – he’s been elevated from a guest companion to a fully controllable party member, and players even get a chance to explore his hometown of Cosmo Canyon. It’s there that Red XIII undergoes a major change in personality. It can be confusing at first, but as it turns out, the original FF7 did something similar.
FF7 Rebirth Review: “A Beautiful Showcase Of A Timeless Story”
FF7 Rebirth is an exceptional return to the world of Gaia that leans heavily into its star-studded memorable cast and a classic-but-reimagined story,
Red XIII’s Voice Change References The Original FF7
One Of FF7 Rebirth’s Many Easter Eggs
Red XIII’s sudden voice change in FF7 Rebirth is shocking, but it’s actually a reference to a similar plot concept introduced by the original FF7. Throughout FF7 Remake and the early chapters of Rebirth, Red XIII sounds like a gruff, grizzled warrior, with a deep, raspy voice and a measured, mature tone. However, as soon as he recognizes the gateway to Cosmo Canyon, he yelps with the crackling, high-pitched voice of an excited teenager. The guards seem to recognize him, although they call him Nanaki, and usher him right in.
Although the voices are markedly different, both versions of Red XIII are voiced by the same actor, Max Mittelman.
It almost seems like a voice acting mishap that someone forgot to correct, until Barret wonders, “What in the hell was that?” The rest of the party scarcely has time to acknowledge the sudden change, let alone ask Red about it – he dashes off immediately to meet with someone named Bugenhagen. This makes it clear that Red XIII’s sudden change in personality was intentional, and as it turns out, the original Japanese version of FF7 used similar dialogue changes to reflect Red XIII’s character development.
When the party arrives at Cosmo Canyon in the original game, Red XIII goes from using advanced vocabulary and complicated sentence structure to simple, short sentences with slangy syntax. Of course, the dialogue here is all written, so there’s no voice acting to color in the sudden change. Players of the original English version may not have noticed anything different, however, as these subtle changes didn’t translate well. FF7 Rebirth uses a unique strength of the remake – full voice acting – to express the same story concept by different means, and ensure nothing is lost in translation.
One Hidden FF7 Rebirth Feature Will Let You Know Which Characters Love You
FF7 Rebirth has a hidden character affinity mechanic, but it’s easy enough to check. Here’s what to know about love and loss in FF7 Rebirth.
Why Red XIII’s Voice Changes In FF7 Rebirth
Red XIII’s Story & Nanaki Explained
[Warning: The following section contains spoilers for Red XIII’s story in FF7 Rebirth.]FF7 Rebirth lets the mystery of Red XIII’s voice marinate for a bit before explaining why it changed: Red XIII is a member of an unnamed leonine species with an uncommonly long lifespan. Despite being about 40 years old, he’s about as mature as the average human teenager. When he meets Cloud, Barret, and Tifa, who find him under Professor Hojo’s study in the Shinra Building, he hides all of this. As far as they know, Red XIII was born in a Shinra lab, and that’s all he’s ever known.
Red XIII hides his true origins from the party until they stand to give him an advantage. Cosmo Canyon is an insular city: independent of Shinra, its residents are mistrustful of outsiders. However, the party needs to gain entry, and Red has an in. He uses his real, childish voice and calls himself by his birth name Nanaki, knowing the guards will better recognize him that way. However, it’s soon revealed that Red XIII also hid his true voice (and name) because he was ashamed of his past.
Red XIII bristles when Bugenhagen, the town’s elder, mentions Red’s father, Seto. He grew up believing Seto was a coward; his mother told him that Seto failed to stand against the Gi, a rival tribe who once invaded Cosmo Canyon. However, Bugenhagen decides here and now that Red XIII is mature enough to know the truth. They enter the cave the Gi used to breach Cosmo Canyon’s defenses. There lies the petrified body of Seto, still pierced by the very Gi arrows that turned him to stone.
Is FF7 Rebirth The Last Game In The FF7 Remake Trilogy?
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has finally arrived for PS5 consoles, following the releases of FF7 Remake and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion.
Bugenhagen explains that Seto didn’t run in fear – he was at the vanguard of his people’s defenses, and was among the first to fall. His statue has remained there since, symbolically watching over the people of Cosmo Canyon. Red XIII’s mother lied to him about his father’s true role because she didn’t want him to follow in his foolhardy footsteps. With renewed respect for his father, and direct instructions from Bugenhagen to save the planet, Red XIII howls triumphantly before setting out to continue his adventure.
In short, Red XIII pretended to be much older and hardier, both to hide his connection to Seto, and also to embody the kind of courage he thought his father failed to achieve. However, things change after he learns the truth: Red stops masquerading as something he’s not. He begins using his real, youthful voice more regularly and takes pride in his origins. This is the main thrust of Red XIII’s arc in FF7 Rebirth, a unique twist on the classic coming-of-age story. He goes from an immature child living a lie to a determined, proud adult.
Red’s voice change is sudden at first, but that’s kind of the point. Players are supposed to notice his shift in demeanor, and wonder about it until the game provides answers. And as strange as it seems, this change has a precedent in the original FF7, even if it’s unclear in the English translation. Red XIII’s reunion with his father is one of the more touching moments in the FF7 continuity, and it’s just as powerful in the remake as it is in the original. If anything, the addition of voice acting elevates the presentation of Red XIII’s journey in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake and will see Cloud and his friends set off beyond the walls of Midgar to explore the world, stop Sephiroth’s machinations, and see the world outside their slum prison. Now that the whispers of fate no longer guide the characters along the pre-destined path set in the original PlayStation classic Final Fantasy 7, the heroes (and villains) will shape the future. The game will still visit prominent locales and revisit crucial story points, but it will be a more significant departure from the first game from the source material.
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy 7
- Released
- February 29, 2024
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix Business Division 1
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG , Adventure
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB
- T
