Final Fantasy VII Remake LEAK: Everything We Learned
11. Sephiroth In Midgar
In the original, Cloud and his crew never actually encounter Sephiroth until Disc 2. Rather, the game's silver-maned antagonist is always one step ahead of the party, only referenced through legend, rumour, and a trail of blood in his wake. The first time the player even sees Sephiroth is during Cloud's flashback in Kalm - about ten minutes after escaping Midgar.
If the remake were to remain strictly faithful to the source material, Sephiroth wouldn't feature at all, given it's entirely restricted to Cloud's strife within the boundaries of Shin-Ra's rotting pizza. Since he's such a central part of Final Fantasy VII folklore, that clearly wouldn't do for a game aiming to sell nostalgia. From the leaked screenshots, it seems we're set to see big Seph in the flesh shortly after he slays Shin-Ra's President, rather than let the ominous sight of his massive sword slowly build the tension. Boo!