Final Fantasy VII Rebirth recently launched its final demo ahead of the global launch this month and while it’s short – it already revealed content censored from the original game.
Enthusiasts of female undergarments will be disappointed that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has removed Tifa’s infamous “orthopedic underwear”, hinting there is more censorship in the game.
The original scene in question is a flashback to when protagonist Cloud returned to Nibelheim as a member of SOLDIER, letting the player explore his and Tifa’s hometown. When browsing Tifa’s house, there are numerous things to see – including her bedroom.
When checking Tifa’s drawers, Cloud receives “orthopedic underwear,” though it’s not an actual equippable item. Tifa promptly scolds him, and the player can check other things like the piano or a letter to Tifa.
Our final preview of the game has confirmed Cloud no longer pockets Tifa’s panties in the remake, though she still gets mad that he even looked in her clothing drawers.
The removal of Tifa’s panties from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is likely a change stemming from original director/remake producer Yoshinori Kitase being “embarassed” by the original game.
Some will likely argue the removal of Tifa’s panties from the game doesn’t actually affect anything but many longtime fans want the remake to retain all the original content and themes.
Another known change includes Cid no longer smoking cigarettes, which legitimately changes the authenticity and image of his character as he was typically shown smoking cigarettes to match his attitude.
It remains to be seen who is actually directing these changes or censorship in remakes, remasters, and even brand new games. Square Enix’s infamous “ethics department” led to the Final Fantasy VII Remake changing numerous things.
For years changes in Japanese media were usually attributed to western localizers that push a certain agenda, however, western influence has grown enough to where even the original Japanese games are being changed and/or censored.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to launch on February 29th for PS5.
Editor’s Note: Featured thumbnail is from Puuguy (warning: NSFW)