Final Fantasy VII Remake arrived in 2020 and modernized the classic turn-based roleplaying game with real-time gameplay mechanics. While it expertly balanced remaining faithful to the source material with tantalizing diversions from the original’s well-known story, Remake covered only a portion of Final Fantasy VII’s plot. The upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, due out Feb. 29, picks up where Remake ended. I got a firsthand look at what’s new in Square Enix’s next blockbuster game.
Previous early looks provided a peek at the first part of the game’s prologue mission, which consists of modern-day Cloud recounting his first big mission with Sephiroth in his old hometown. But this preview — which covers the entire first chapter and, I’m told, is the last before the game launches — let me experience that backstory to completion. I played through to the next segment exploring the game’s open world and plenty of new mechanics.Â
Overall, Remake fans will be pleased with the list of tweaks and quality-of-life improvements that refine the core action-RPG gameplay. The real-time combat has been easily adapted to the open world setting, with plenty of new mechanics and collectibles to tease a long experience for completionists.Â
Those upgrades, combined with the improved graphics in a game meant to be played on PlayStation 5 and PC (Remake launched on PS4), made a great first impression. We’ll have to wait for the full game to know what lies in store for Cloud and company as the story progresses, but what I saw was promising — and picked up right where Remake left off.
Watch this: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Refines The Open World Formula
Revisiting the past before seeing the world outside Midgar
My demo started with a flashback sequence that Square Enix requested I refrain from explaining in detail to avoid spoiling, but fans of the original FFVII will remember the tragic tale. Present-day Cloud recalls when his younger self (freshly minted in Shinra’s…
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