Warning: The following article about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth contains spoilers.
I have many sweet memories of Final Fantasy 7, from the story and the characters to everything in between. One element I didn’t realize, but I absolutely adored, was the score. Now, decades later, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has allowed me to not only enjoy the score of my young gaming life but also to become a part of it.
When players enter Nibelheim early in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, they are welcomed to a piano. Honestly, I was surprised – I remember there being the piano from Shinra Mansion, which was used to free Vincent Valentine, so I thought this was an expansion on that. However, as the game progressed, I realized, “Oh, this is a full-on sidequest.” Not only that, but this piano sidequest was incredibly detailed. It offers players the opportunity to change keys and so much more.
And it was quite daunting when I first saw it. Whenever there is such an involved sidequest, I know that I’ll never 100% complete a game. However, unlike other sidequests that I always feel hold back RPGs, this one had the backing of my childhood behind it.
Things Became Legato Very Quickly in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
I love this piano sidequest. When I reached Costa Del Sol and Tifa was pushed into an impromptu concert, I was genuinely excited – nervous but excited. Then, I was given the music sheet, and it was Tifa’s theme, and as I was playing this music, someone began chopping onions. Up until this point, I didn’t even realize that Tifa’s score is maybe my favorite piece of music within Final Fantasy 7.
Up until this point, I was enjoying what Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was offering. The new parts, such as the Chadley intel sidequests and the Queen’s Blood game, are great. What really helped Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth excel were the expansions on old story points. One particular highlight was how Red XIII donned the infamous Shinra outfit. In the original game, he disguised himself on the ship as a Shinra soldier. He would dance to try and pretend he was human. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth upped this moment by putting Red XIII into a card tournament against Cloud in a hilariously extended scene.
This is what the piano sidequest excels at, expanding on an element of the original game that we loved. By allowing me to play the score of the game, I feel further connected to this world and my childhood. I’m even trying to master it. Unfortunately, I’m no Jason Statham – I can’t take up piano at a late age, so it’s been a challenge. Honestly, though, I’ve been enjoying it so much, and with each new music sheet, it feels like I’m getting better.
Related: All Region Maps in Final Fantasy 7 (FF7) Rebirth
Heading to a Sweet Crescendo
What has also made this an emotional experience is sharing it with my fiancée. She finds the score beautiful and chuckles at what it brings out in me. We’ve even teamed up together to try and master the score. She watches one side of the screen, telling me when I need to match the two sides of the prompts. It’s become a charming and unexpected element of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that has brought us together.
It’s further proof of the power of music and how composers like Nobeu Uematsu are phenomenal artists who will be sorely missed when they retire. After reading about Nobeu Uematsu stating this may be his final rodeo as a composer, this sidequest feels like a love letter to his work, allowing players to understand on another level the beauty of his work. I’m ecstatic that I got to experience it, and hopefully, I’ll become the Maestro of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is available now on PlayStation 5.
