Summary

• Barret Wallace's character in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lacks multiple costume options, unlike other human characters.
• Square Enix's decision to limit Barret's wardrobe in Rebirth raises concerns about inclusivity and character importance.
• More attention should be given to Barret in future installments of the Final Fantasy 7 series, including expanded costume selections.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Barret Wallace has been a beloved and controversial character for the past three decades. Despite the overwhelmingly positive response he’s received since Rebirth’s release in February 2024, a specific aspect of the game still does a disservice to the character. However, this has nothing to do with the worries surrounding his reveal in Final Fantasy 7 Remake.

Prior to Remake’s release, fans and critics of Final Fantasy 7 were concerned about the potential for Barret’s character to be a stereotyped version of black masculinity, a justified worry given the character’s dialogue and design in the original FF7. However, both Remake and Rebirth have put forward a complex, profoundly satisfying character in Barret Wallace, and there are few errors to be found throughout the game. That is, however, until Chapter 6, "Fool’s Paradise.”

The Alternate Costumes in FF7 Rebirth Don’t Add Up

Barret Is the Only Human Character With Limited Skins

Rebirth’s Chapter 6 introduces players to the game’s costume-changing mechanic – a simple, cosmetic change for all playable characters to swap out their typical wardrobe for something more fun and fitting to the beach. While the majority of the human cast is given multiple costume changes for various rewards, Barret is stuck with only one: his sailor suit. While this is a fan favorite, the lack of variety in Barret’s wardrobe suggests a lack of attention and emphasis by Square Enix.

Although there are available costume changes for the entire cast of Rebirth, the discrepancy between characters is easily seen when visiting a changing booth in Costa Del Sol. Characters like Cloud, Aerith, Yuffie, and Tifa all have several swimsuit options to choose from, while Barret, Red XIII, and Cait Sith are all tied with only one each. From only a numbers perspective, it’s clear Square Enix put more effort into the character models that mirror conventional body proportions.

There’s No Reason For Barret’s Limited Costumes In FF7 Rebirth

Square Enix Certainly Had The Ability To Include More

There are possible arguments as to why this is the case. Some, for example, may cite that Barret’s over-the-top physique may warrant restraint regarding similar beachwear to the other characters. However, only a short time later, in Chapter 8, “All That Glitters,” players are introduced to Dio, who has similar proportions to Barret and noticeably less clothing. Modesty, therefore, can’t be the issue.

There is some credence to Rebirth staying true to the original FF7, as Barret did keep his sailor suit on during the events in Costa Del Sol. However, neither Tifa, Aerith, Cloud, nor Yuffie wore bathing suits in these scenes. It’s hard not to see this as a case of Square Enix avoiding the inclusion of plus-size swimwear, especially considering that Barret only dons his sailor suit because it’s the only uniform that will fit him in Junon Harbor.

Beyond issues of size and swimwear, though, one could argue that Barret’s model makes other costumes unrealistic for battle mechanics. This might be a more founded concern had Square Enix not included Barret in the production of Loveless during the return to Gold Saucer in Chapter 12, “A Golden Key.” Barret’s Varvados costume is grandiose and over-the-top, with massive pauldrons and chains abounding. The animations in this scene are breathtaking, and given the complex enemy models seen throughout the game, such as Jenova’s, it is doubtful that the Varvados costume is inaccessible simply due to graphic and mechanical concerns.

Barret Deserves More From Square Enix

Final Fantasy’s First Black Character Needs Equal Footing

Regardless of Square Enix’s reasoning, its failure to include multiple costumes for Barret places him on an unequal level of importance to the other human characters in the game. This is especially problematic given Barret’s controversial history as a character and that he’s one of only a handful of plus-sized characters in the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7. Amid the conversations of inclusion and body positivity that abound in current media conversation, Square Enix would do well to consider consistency across its human characters as a minimum.

It is unclear if Remake Part 3 will include a cosmetic feature like Rebirth’s changing booths, though, as no corresponding scenes from the original FF7 would suggest that will be the case. That being said, the overwhelming success of the feature suggests that Square Enix may attempt to carry it into the trilogy’s climax, especially if Costa Del Sol and other locations return as explorable locales.

What Costumes Could Look Like In FF7 Remake Part 3

Success Of The Feature Suggests It Will Return

These cosmetic novelties and the addition of Rebirth’s Photo Mode have created vital marketing for the game via social media, such as the following from ladypipmin via X (formerly Twitter).

One must assume the developer will wish to continue this strategy. Square Enix may alter FF7's narrative further to include more alternative costumes, such as arctic gear while traversing the Northern Glacier, or maybe a hospital gown for Cloud while he recovers from Mako sickness. Whatever the final part of the trilogy brings, fans of Barret can only hope the character gets more attention than he has in the previous two games.

Unfortunately, there isn’t hope for such things for Rebirth in the near future. There are no plans for an expanded costume selection via DLC (or any DLC for that matter), as Rebirth’s creative director, Tetsuya Nomura, said as much during an interview with Spanish-language outlet Vandal in September 2023.

In light of this, players will need to make do with the single costume selection for Barret in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Despite the sailor suit’s unquestionable charm and legacy in the series, its novelty wears away before the end of a single playthrough. In contrast, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie have multiple skins to keep things interesting for hours of gameplay.

Sources: ladypipmin/X, Vandal