Final Fantasy VII is arguably the most iconic and beloved entry in the Final Fantasy franchise, as evidenced by how it grew into its own sub-series of games and other media. Other Final Fantasy titles have also seen immediate follow-ups (such as Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XIII), but Final Fantasy VII’s legacy and popularity has led Square Enix to remake/remaster/retell the entire chronology for a modern audience.
For new players, getting into the series and trying to grasp all of its knowledge can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together a largely spoiler-free rundown of every major piece of the Final Fantasy VII timeline in chronological order, along with some basic summaries and how best to experience them.
Related: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion Preorder Guide – Editions, Bonuses & More
Final Fantasy VII – The First Soldier
Funnily enough, the first piece of the timeline is one of the more recent Final Fantasy VII games released. Released in 2021, The First Soldier is a free-to-play battle royale for mobile devices set 30 years before the events of the original Final Fantasy VII.
It mainly focuses on the Shinra Electric Power Company (a major enemy force throughout the series) and its efforts to bolster its private army by establishing SOLDIER, an elite fighting force made up of upgraded super-soldiers. Despite being a prequel, it admittedly doesn’t have a lot of story content, so while it’s available for free, it can be skipped if battle royales isn’t your thing.
Final Fantasy VII – Before the Crisis
Another mobile prequel released in 2008, Before Crisis takes place six years before the original game and also focuses on Shinra. More specifically, it centers on the Turks, a secret group that works under Shinra and served as recurring antagonists in Final Fantasy VII. Although the majority of Turks appearing in Before Crisis are completely original and did not appear in Final Fantasy VII.
This is a more traditional action RPG, but unfortunately was never released outside of Japan and is considered a lost piece of media. The good news is that Square Enix plans to retell Before Crisis in the mobile game Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis. Ever Crisis is slated for a 2022 release, but there’s no word on when it will cover the events of Before Crisis.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
The third and final prequel in this timeline, Crisis Core, released for PlayStation Portable in 2007 (2008 in the West), tells the story of Zack Fair, a member of SOLDIER and a key figure in the backstories of Cloud and Aerith, two of The protagonists of Final Fantasy VII.
This action RPG covers some key events that preceded the original game, so it’s probably best experienced if you’ve already played Final Fantasy VII. Like Before Crisis, this is being retold as part of Ever Crisis, but an HD remaster, titled Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, will be released on every major platform in December.
Final Fantasy VII
We’re finally at the original game itself. If you’re somehow unfamiliar with Final Fantasy VII, this PlayStation RPG follows mercenary Cloud Strife as he sets out on a mission to save the planet from both Shinra, who likes the Mako (the very source of life) of the planet is drying up, and Sephiroth, a former SOLDIER who has gone mad and wants to wipe out humanity.
There’s no real excuse not to play this one as it’s been re-released on PC, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. It will also see a retelling as part of Ever Crisis.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Perhaps the closest thing to Final Fantasy VII 2, this 2005 3D animated film, set two years after the events of the game, sees a mysterious trio kidnap children infected with a strange disease. Isolated from his friends and suffering from the same illness, Cloud wants to rescue the kidnapped children and thwart any plan of these new villains.
The film is available digitally for purchase/rental on multiple platforms such as YouTube and Amazon, and was only re-released on Blu-Ray last year. Just make sure what you’re watching is the Advent Children Complete director’s cut, as that adds extra scenes and beautifies the visuals. Like almost everything else on this list, it will also be retold in Ever Crisis.
Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII
Chronologically the last entry in the timeline, Dirge of Cerberus is a third-person shooter spin-off for the PlayStation 2 from 2006. Three years after Final Fantasy VII (i.e. one year after Advent Children), Vincent Valentine, one of the optional party members from the original game, fighting an organization called Deepground that wants to destroy the planet.
There are currently no plans to re-release, remake, or remaster it, but, unsurprisingly, it will be tweaked in Ever Crisis at some point.
Final Fantasy VII Remake
The first installment in Square Enix’s three-part project, Final Fantasy VII Remake, released in 2020 for the PlayStation 4 and is pretty much what it says on the tin. More specifically, it remakes and expands on the story, world, and characters of the original game, though it only covers the events that take place in the town of Midgar (essentially the equivalent of Final Fantasy VII’s first disc).
Since this is a remake, you might be wondering why we put it after all the other games. Well, without giving too much away, this isn’t a remake in the traditional sense. There’s clearly more to it than fans initially thought, as the events from the original game play out a little differently.
The game is also available on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, but make sure to get Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade as it comes with an additional DLC episode focused on ninja girl Yuffie (another optional party member from the original game), explaining what she was doing during the events of the main game.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
The second entry in the remake project, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, continues the plot of Final Fantasy VII Remake as Cloud and his party leave Midgar and enter the outside world. At the time of writing, we only have a teaser trailer and next winter’s release window, meaning Rebirth could be out in late 2023 or early 2024. It is also slated to be a PS5 exclusive and will be followed by another game to remake the project.
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