You’ll Want to Read this Final Fantasy 7 Remake Prequel Before Rebirth’s Switch 2 Release This Summer

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After being exclusive to PlayStation and PC for a while, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is now available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. The sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, will be released on June 3rd. Fans on Nintendo and Xbox are new to Cloud Strife’s journey, but there’s a lot of content – over five years’ worth of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth – for them to experience.

Among the available materials, Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Traces of Two Pasts stands out, largely because it’s one of the few officially translated into English. Written by Kazushige Nojima, the novel explores the backstories of two key characters: Tifa Lockhart and Aerith Gainsborough, with each character getting roughly half the book dedicated to their story.

Originally published in Japan in July 2021, Traces became available in English in March 2023, almost two years later. Though it contains background details that appear in Rebirth, it’s not essential to the story. It’s a great read for fans of Tifa and Aerith, offering more insight into their characters beyond their connection to Cloud, and for anyone eager for more content in the series.

Traces of Tifa

Tifa’s story explores how society expects women to behave, looking at this through several lenses. The book begins with Tifa’s upbringing in Nibelheim, where she’s the only girl her age. Without any female friends or a mother figure, she has to figure out how to deal with the boys’ growing attention on her own, especially as they leave town to pursue careers as SOLDIERs, which causes her to lose touch with them.

Traces of Aerith

The second half of the book focuses on Aerith’s story, detailing her childhood escape from Shinra and her upbringing with Elmyra Gainsborough. Notably, these events are presented as memories unfolding during the events of the game Rebirth, even though the book came out over two years earlier. This section explores Aerith’s arrival at the Sector 5 Undercity Station, her bond with Elmyra, themes of motherhood, and provides a deeper understanding of her life.

Patching Up Plot Holes

Aside from the emotional story between Aerith and her mother, this chapter also neatly explains some long-standing mysteries from the original Final Fantasy VII games. Players have always wondered about things like Aerith’s childhood home, why her name was so well-known in the slums, and her connection to the Shinra Corporation. “Traces of Aerith” provides satisfying answers to all of these questions.

The game Rebirth includes more details and references to Aerith’s backstory compared to Tifa’s, which is a welcome addition for fans. While the book isn’t essential to understanding the main story – players can skip it without missing key plot points – reading it will definitely enrich their experience.

Why Traces of Two Pasts is Worth a Read

Since this is extra content, it’s understandable if people would rather check a quick summary online than read the entire 300+ page novel just to understand references to Rebirth. The book isn’t difficult to read, but it is lengthy, and the characters deal with challenging experiences throughout most of it.

Reading the complete story offers a deeper understanding than just background for Rebirth. Traces shifts the perspective away from Cloud and lets players experience the story through Tifa and Aerith. While both the original game and Remake explored these characters, it was often through Cloud’s eyes or in relation to his potential relationships with them.

The novel Traces offers a unique look into the perspectives of Tifa and Aerith. It’s a great read for fans of either Tifa Lockhart or Aerith Gainsborough, giving them the focus they deserve. Even if you don’t particularly like those characters, the book is well-written and might just change your opinion.

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2026-04-04 11:04