Jamie Colliver Spent 3.5 Years Bringing ‘Final Fantasy 7’ Into ‘LittleBigPlanet 2’, and the Result Is Mindblowing (Interview)

Passion projects are some of my favorite things to ever exist. It doesn’t matter if it’s creating a game like RoboDunk that appeals to a specific niche. Or taking one of your favorite games of all time and remaking it in a way others may have never thought of. That’s exactly what Jamie Colliver decided to do. Armed with a copy of LittleBigPlanet 2 and an adoration of Final Fantasy 7, he set off on a journey to recreate a beloved JRPG in the most adorable way possible.

Spread throughout 141 videos, Jamie has meticulously recreated every aspect of Final Fantasy 7 in painstaking detail. And I had the privilege to chat with him about what went into this absolutely massive undertaking.

Jamie Colliver Takes On A Not-So-LittleBig Project — Bringing ‘Final Fantasy 7’ To A New Genre

So, I would assume it’s safe to say that ‘Final Fantasy 7’ is your favorite game of all time. What about this particular entry in the ‘Final Fantasy’ franchise stood out to you the most?

Final Fantasy 7 has been my all-time favorite game since I first played it back in 1997 at the age of five. From that moment, I dreamed of seeing it remade how I imagined it from the character artwork in the guidebooks. It all started with experimenting with the creation tools in LittleBigPlanet 2. To me, FF7 isn’t just a video game, it’s the peak of storytelling in any form of media. The game’s nine main characters, like Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith, are some of the strongest I’ve ever encountered. Each of them goes through significant growth, and they all have such rich, complex personalities, which is rare in most games. Cloud’s journey, in particular, resonates deeply with me because of how it tackles tough themes like mental health, trauma, and resilience, which was quite rare for the ’90s.

Even now, just hearing the battle theme takes me back to those tense moments of trying to keep my party alive. Often with two members already down and me on my 40th time trying to beat Demon’s Gate in the Temple of the Ancients. I could talk for weeks about why I love it. The perfect blend of strategy and action gameplay, the gripping twists in the story, and the incredible character arcs that stick with you long after the credits roll. For me, Final Fantasy 7 isn’t just a great game. It’s a timeless masterpiece that continues to resonate as I grow older — as the real world mirrors the game’s story. For me, it will live forever as a classic story akin to Lord of the Rings or It’s a Wonderful Life.

Seeing one of your favorite games get remastered or remade is an amazing feeling. How did you feel when you saw the first trailer for the alleged ‘Final Fantasy 7’ remake on PS3 back in the day compared to what we got when ‘Remake’ finally came out?

I still remember the jaw-dropping moment I saw the Final Fantasy 7 PS3 Tech Demo in 2005. I was blown away and held onto hope for years that a remake would be announced. But as time passed, it started to feel like it might never happen. That anticipation of what FF7 could look like on modern consoles is what inspired me to recreate it as a platformer. Then in 2015, when the remake was finally revealed at Sony’s E3 press conference, I was absolutely stunned.

After years of hoping, I’d almost given up, but the wait was so worth it. Both Remake and Rebirth have exceeded anything I could’ve imagined. The new and re-orchestrated soundtrack, the synergy attacks, seeing the world come to life in 4K visuals vs. PS1 polygons, and the brilliant voice acting of the cast. Some of my favorite moments from the Remake Trilogy include the boss fight against Reno and Rude at the Sector 7 Pillar, the wide array of fun mini-games, the reimagining of Gongaga, and the boss fight against Vincent.

What inspired you to jump into ‘LittleBigPlanet’ and recreate not only specific scenes from ‘Final Fantasy 7,’ but the entirety of the experience? Could you detail some of the most painstaking parts of the process?

I don’t have a background in game design — though I considered studying it at university — but I ended up studying computer science instead. I’ve always wanted to create a video game as a bucket list goal. Once I started getting a good grip on the tools in LBP2, I felt this goal was achievable. Before that, I was always put off by the steep learning curve of modern game development tools and the time it would take. As I got better, I tried recreating some of FF7’s iconic opening levels.

What started as a hobby quickly turned into a passion project. I wanted to bring my own spin to the game while staying true to FF7‘s spirit. For instance, LittleBigPlanet’s platforming mechanics allowed me to introduce gameplay elements that weren’t in the original, like grappling hooks to reach certain areas or scuba gear for underwater sections. The three-layer system of LBP2 gave my version of FF7 a unique, almost theatrical Tim Burton charm, which worked surprisingly well for FF7’s oppressive world.

I am especially proud of the Sector 7 Pillar section. It was one of my favorite parts of the original game. I wanted to capture the brutality, struggle, and despair in my version by showing the collapse of the pillar onto the citizens of Sector 7. Another highlight is the burning of Nibelheim, where I aimed to convey the intensity of Sephiroth’s breakdown. I spent hours perfecting the infamous scene in the flames.

Trials and Tribulations Make A Great Project Even Better

One of the toughest areas to recreate was Wutai, Yuffie’s hometown. Thanks to its sprawling size, hidden paths, and numerous cutscenes, it was a nightmare to plan out. Larger areas like the Great Glacier and Northern Crater were equally challenging, with their branching paths and massive layouts requiring significant adaptation to fit into three layers. By contrast, smaller areas like Kalm or Under Junon were easier to handle.

Another major challenge was dealing with the file sizes and storage limitations of LBP. I had to split levels into smaller chunks to fit everything. Which meant carefully planning out the architecture before adding in details. Adapting the original game’s environments to LittleBigPlanet’s three-layer system also required a lot of creativity. I had to decide what should go in the foreground, middle ground, and background to maintain the depth and feel of each location. Another challenge was recreating the text conversations and NPCs. Adding those took forever due to the sheer number of conversations and NPCs that exist in the game. Coffee and listening to “Those Who Fight Further” definitely helped me get through it all!

You mentioned you were hoping you could get the ‘LittleBigPlanet Final Fantasy 7’ experience into the final game in the trilogy. How would you like to see that implemented if it were to happen?

It’s been a dream of mine to be a part of the FF7 compilation in some way, big or small. Since the LBP servers are down permanently, the only way to view my project is on my YouTube channel. In order to make it playable to the public, this led me to the idea of creating my petition to ask Square Enix to include my creation as a playable mini-game in Part 3 of the FF7 Remake Trilogy.

Rebirth had 28 Minigames — with Part 3’s world map likely to be double the size. I strongly feel Part 3 will need several new ones. I believe this project would be a fun, unique addition to that line-up, as none included in Rebirth were platformers.

There are multiple ways this could be implemented, according to Jamie

I’ve had several ideas for ways it could be featured:

• As a Mini-game at the Gold Saucer’s Wonderment Square. Accessed by an Arcade Machine.
• As a Mini-game at Johnny’s Inn in Costa Del Sol. Accessed by an Arcade Machine.
• As a Mini-game within the Shinra Combat VR Simulator.
• As a Mini-game within the Lifestream, where Cloud and the party relive memories, flashbacks, or visions. The Mini Cloud would act as a Reflection of Cloud’s mental state.
• As a Mini-game within Wall Market or the Sector 5 Slums. Accessed by an Arcade Machine.
• As a Mini-game for one Region’s Protorelic Quest.
• As a new Side Quest Series. For example, a new NPC who loves video games similar to Regina Konigin’s love of Queen’s Blood.
• As an End Game Unlockable, retelling the events of the original from Aerith’s memories.
• As a Mini-game that is activated from Hallucinations by Jenova.
• A series of Ancient Trials within a revisited Temple of the Ancients.
• As a Mini-game where Moogles transport the party to my project’s world.
• Simulations within Bugenhagen’s Observatory.
• As a Mini-game inside a Midgar museum, each level could be featured as a historical “reimagining” of FF7 events.
• As a Mini-game inside a log book kept by Cid on the Highwind. Similar to how “100 Acre Wood” is accessed in the Kingdom Hearts series.
• A series of Ancient Cetra Trials at The Forgotten City.
• As an unlockable film that players can watch.

And how could players access these parts?

To unlock each level, I’ve had several ideas of how this can be implemented:

• Players could collect miniatures of my characters as they journey throughout the world as collectible key items, with each one unlocking a new level within the mini-game.
• Using a Memory Card as a key item. When entered into a Chadley-inspired device players receive to access the levels.
• A new Reimagining Materia that, when equipped, allows access to the mini-game.
• Memory Spheres or Crystals scattered around the world — each unlocking a new level within the mini-game.

Have you had the chance to showcase this project to anyone involved with the ‘Final Fantasy 7 Remake’/’Rebirth’ project?

I was honored to meet the director of FF7 Rebirth, Naoki Hamaguchi, for Afternoon Tea in London recently. I asked a few questions about Rebirth and showed him a short trailer of my project.

I’ve also been lucky to receive brilliant praise and show my project to the voice actors of Barret, Aerith, Cait Sith, Tseng, Elena and Rude of the Turks, Palmer, Professor Hojo, Elmyra, Roche, and Kotch from the Remake Trilogy so far, which has been really special. Having my project featured in the game alongside its talented voice cast and the other characters would be the cherry on the cake.

Beyond ‘Final Fantasy 7,’ what are some of your other favorite games that you’ve played through? Are there any plans for an expanded ‘LittleBigPlanet’ “Cinematic Universe,” or more passion projects you want to talk about?

Sure, I started gaming with a PS1 back in the mid-’90s and have been a PlayStation gamer ever since. Aside from FF7, I was really into several platforming series such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, Croc, Klonoa, and Gex. As I grew older and moved through each console generation, other highlights for me included Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, the Uncharted series, the Elder Scrolls series, Red Dead Redemption 2, Dead Space, Unreal Tournament, the Deus Ex series, the Ghost Recon series, Metal Gear Solid 2, the Tekken series, Mortal Kombat series, FF16, and, of course, Remake and Rebirth.

I think I might expand my project further in the next few years. I’d love to add original content that enriches the canon of FF7. It excites me to imagine what those fights or areas could look like. Some ideas I’ve had include new boss fights against the Sapphire Weapon, a fight with all four of the Turks, and a Mutated Professor Gast. Additionally, I’d like to incorporate unseen locations or those only featured in the compilation, like Fort Tamblin, Modenheim, Banora, and Midgar’s Unseen Sectors 2 and 3.

I’d also like to include a new original volcanic area, a geographical region not seen in the world of Gaia thus far. I’d love to revive some cut content from the original PS1 game. Such as encounters with Cobalt XIV and Indigo XV (clones of Red XIII), the Ho-Chu boss fight in the Ancient Forest, and The Travelling Peddler side quest. There’s so much potential to keep the story alive while honoring its legacy!