Final Fantasy is having a bit of resurgence after the success of Final Fantasy XV. The franchise was, for a time, regarded as one of the greatest in gaming culture -- and for good reason. Each cinematic game brought players to new worlds beyond their imagination. Of all the games, fans adored Final Fantasy VI the most, but Final Fantasy VII was a solid second place.

Fans of the franchise have been promised a remake of Final Fantasy VII for well over 20 years now, and promised every successive year that it was coming. But now the game's release is near. Cloud Strife and his companions return in 2020, but they return to a world that arguably needs them now more than ever. In 2020, the world is closer than ever to becoming like Final Fantasy VII's Midgar.

The World of Midgar

Midgar is the capital city of Final Fantasy VII's world -- Gaia. The city is the central headquarters of Shinra Electric Power Company, a corrupt organization that simultaneously rules the world and runs a successful business pumping Mako out of the Earth, which it uses as an energy source.

Shinra's influence on the world economy and government has resulted in a great class divide, manifested physically by Midgar's two levels. The privileged reside on the second level of the city, living in skyscrapers. The poor struggle below in the slums beneath the "metal pizza."

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While Mako supplies energy, it comes at a terrible cost. Mako comes from the planet's very soul -- the Lifestream. By draining the Earth of Mako, Shinra is killing the Earth.

Shinra's environmental impact spurs the creation of the eco-terrorist organization Avalanche, which hopes to stop Shinra from killing the planet. The group is led by playable characters Barrett and a bartender named Tifa. Tifa decides to recruit her one friend who supposedly was a member of the elite Shinra military group SOLDIER. A little someone named Cloud Strife.

Today's Class Divide

Cloud Strife reaching up to grab his sword on his back in Final Fantasy 7

Throughout the world of Final Fantasy VII, Shinra holds sway over everything, subjecting cities vast distances away to its authority. It functions as the ultimate extreme of capitalism, where businesses rule society. As such, players often witness how those exploited by Shinra are left hopeless and alone. Even those who worked with Shinra, like Cid and Vincent, are left broken after Shinra no longer has a use for them.

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It is impossible to read all of that and not think of the world of today. U.S. President Donald Trump, is better known for his business dealings than his political career. Trump is so ubiquitous with the corrupt, hedonistic businessman that both Back to the Future and Batman Returns (both films made during Trump's business career high point) use Trump as inspiration for their corrupt businessmen -- Biff and Max Schrek, respectfully. Even President Shinra himself bares some physical resemblance to Trump.

The poor in Midgar itself are, in a very telling moment, representative of minority groups often oppressed by massive governmental and business forces. It is telling that Avalanche is led by Barret, a black man, and Tifa, a woman. The members of the group consist of a fairly diverse group of characters. It is hard not to draw comparisons to real-life social groups, where minorities' basic rights are kept from them thanks to a corrupt, uncaring system. They only notice said minority groups when it affects their cash flow, as is the case in Final Fantasy VII.

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The story surrounding Avalanche is twisted by the media, which Shinra controls. False news is used to hide Shinra's various crimes and push blame onto others. Most notably, when Shinra drops an entire plate of Midgar on Avalanche, the casual murder of thousands of poor people is pinned on Avalanche.

The idea of fake news spreading dangerous misinformation hits too close to home in an era where Facebook and Twitter allowed the proliferation of fallacies designed to influence international decisions.

Climate Change

Sephiroth Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete

But arguably the biggest comparison between the world today and the world of Final Fantasy VII's Midgar is that of climate change. The game draws from the real-life system of drawing oil from the planet to fuel machines. This much was obvious in 1997 as it is now.

While Sephiroth dropping a meteor on the planet to assimilate with the Lifestream, thus becoming a god, may have no real-world parallel, the idea of a planet visibly dying because of human interference does. The area around Mako reactors is barren, dry.

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The most visible manifestation of climate change, however, comes in the form of Final Fantasy VII's Weapons. The Weapons are giant monsters summoned to defend the planet. They end up bringing ruination to Shinra in a rather karmic sense of the word. They are ancient beings, empowered by the planet, that spread destructive force throughout the world. And they're only awakened thanks to mankind's interference.

The final shot of Final Fantasy VII, after the credits, is one where Red XIII overlooks the ruins of Midgar, now overgrown with vegetation. Mankind has brought about its own end and the planet has overtaken the remains. It is a sobering visual, reminding viewers that, should mankind push the world around, eventually the world will fight back. And it will win.

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That message hits far harder in 2020, where climate change has increased the quantity of erratic storms, the ice caps rapidly melt and businesses, rather than adapt and help save the planet, only push the limits of nature ever further.