What twists and turns of FF7 Remake's story made it immediately memorable but, more than that, unpredictable.
While the story's direction remains murky, not everything about what FF7 Remake Part 2 will be is as difficult to predict. For instance, the battle system, lauded by critics as a refreshing update on the original's combat, will likely be preserved to maintain consistency across the game's various episodes. While creative liberties were taken with nearly every character's depiction in FF7 Remake, Square Enix remained true to their broader strokes of personality, too, so any future characters like Yuffie in FF7 Remake will almost certainly be familiar to fans of the classic Final Fantasy 7.
Another exciting change in FF7 Remake came in the form of its Materia system, which preserved a lot of the characteristics that made the customization options fun in the original Final Fantasy 7 but updated them to be more dynamic. While FF7 Remake Materia contains many of the original's - and the series at large's - greatest hits, there were some options that were conspicuous in their absence. That doesn't mean they'll be gone for good, though, and there are still some exciting options left for Square Enix to put a new spin on when the next FF7 Remake game arrives. Here's our picks for FF7 Remake Materia we'd like to see show up in Part 2.
The Best FF7 Remake Summons That Haven't Appeared Yet
A lot of the options still available for FF7 Remake Materia in Part 2 are found in the Summons from the older version of the game. First and foremost, an updated version of the iconic Knights of the Round summon - most famous for trivializing nearly every fight Final Fantasy 7 has to offer - would be a sight to behold in FF7 Remake. The game's gorgeous graphics and elaborate summon animations would be put to good use when depicting the 13 knights and their various attacks. Whether or not FF7 Remake Knights of the Round reaches the dizzying highs of the original's power level, having it present within the game would be a great callback for veterans of the franchise.
Another Summon that would make waves in FF7 Remake would be Bahamut Zero, essentially an upgraded, cooler version of Bahamut. Other staples like Hades and Odin could round out a much more powerful FF7 Remake Summon Materia roster in Part 2, though it's safe to say that many of the ones introduced in the first game will return also, and balancing everything will be a priority for Square Enix to ensure combat isn't just a string of overpowered Summons. With the right approach, however, FF7 Remake Part 2 Summon Materia could push the game's combat visuals over the top and introduce an even grander scale to its already momentous battles.
Which FF7 Materia Would Benefit Most From Updated Systems
Some Final Fantasy 7 Materia from the original game could be greatly improved by the remake's more dynamic combat. For instance, Final Attack, which originally let the pair it with a Materia that would then be used once the holder was KOed during battle, could be adapted to be more diverse in FF7 Remake. A Final Attack centered around bonuses for the character delivering a finishing blow, for instance, would require precise timing and only be useful in group fights, while a different version of the FF7 Materia that instead required a certain amount of HP lost (or a similarly desperate situation) to trigger would mix up strategy for players to build around.
The FF7 Materia that would most benefit from an overhaul in FF7 Remake, however, is almost certainly Manipulate. This could be wishful thinking, as Manipulate's nature might make it far too time-intensive and difficult to code in, but the original Manipulate in Final Fantasy 7 allowed players to take control of an enemy and plan their next attack for them. It was a pretty niche ability that only really had use when paired with a character that wanted to acquire an ability for the Enemy Skill Materia, but with the revamped combat in FF7 Remake, Manipulate's possibilities are broadened dramatically. Taking control of lower-tier enemies to fight as them would open up combat in a significant way.
Weird FF7 Remake Materia That Needs A Specific Situation To Return
Finally, there are a few extremely situational FF7 Materia options from the classic game that would be fun to see return in FF7 Remake Part 2 - provided the game works around them to make sure they're useful. The best example of this category is the Underwater Materia, which was essentially used for the Emerald Weapon fight to remove the timer that came with battling the boss beneath the waves. Underwater Materia in FF7 Remake, however, would indicate the presence of an underwater level - and it's hard not to be excited by the possibility of a side quest that sees Cloud and friends braving the depths to find treasure and fend off some truly terrifying enemies to do so.
Another FF7 Materia that's a candidate for a return in FF7 Remake Part 2 is Destruct, which helped remove physical and magical barriers that were often used by bosses (and also gave players access to the Death spell). Destruct is also the Materia that's thrown at Cloud's head by Sephiroth in a wonderful cutscene, so if it does return, hopefully the way its acquired by the party returns as well. In FF7 Remake, Destruct could be designed to interact with the game's environment more - removing obstacles in specific boss fights, for instance, and changing the way they play out as a result. It could also be used in its original form to help add layers to elite- or boss-level encounters, helping the player strip away shields faster to do damage.
