Platform:
PlayStation 5
Publisher:
Square Enix
Developer:
Square Enix
Release:
Rating:
Teen
It's no secret that I've spent a lot of time playing, seeing, talking about, and writing about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Having traveled to Japan to spend two days in Square Enix's Tokyo headquarters with demos and interviews, then reporting on it through our previous issue's cover story and subsequent exclusive coverage hub, I already had an idea that I would be a fan of what Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, brings to the table. However, after coming out of the hours-long gameplay session and another conversation with director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase, I'm somehow even more excited for the game I picked as my most anticipated release of 2024.
Entering Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
My hands-on demo kicks off from the first chapter, which briefly recaps the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake before transporting us to a flashback sequence with Cloud serving as the narrator. The sequence is the famous Nibelheim flashback featuring Cloud and Sephiroth. This portion of the demo is much longer than the portion I previously played and much more cinematic. During this sequence, I refamiliarized myself with the controls and even had the chance to finally get my hands on the piano minigame, which definitely feels extremely flexible in allowing people to create their own music once they get the hang of hitting different notes with the controller.
During the Mt. Nibel expedition, I loved watching younger versions of Cloud, Sephiroth, and Tifa interact as they make their way through this section of the game. And, of course, if you played the original, you know what happens next, which hits with extra weight thanks to the modernizations made by the team at Square Enix. "I am particularly really excited about the Chapter 1 Nibelheim area in which we're now able to depict Sephiroth more in-depth and really dive into his character in ways which were not done in the original that we can now do," Hamaguchi says. "I believe that this area is almost like the origin of the entire storyline of Final Fantasy VII. So, I believe that by experiencing the scene and playing this part, players will be able to have a much deeper understanding of the game and of the Final Fantasy VII story."
Stepping on Stage
While Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's director Naoki Hamaguchi is looking forward to players' reactions to scenes like the Gold Saucer date, the scene featuring Dyne in Corel Prison, the Nibelheim sequence, and, of course, the events at the Forgotten City, producer Yoshinori Kitase is excited for players to experience the in-game performance of the game's theme song.
"There are a ton of parts, especially in the latter half of Rebirth, that are really impressionable," Kitase says. "One for me is the Loveless musical production, which plays out on stage. There, the theme song for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which was presented at The Game Awards, will be performed beautifully by Aerith. It's this extremely cinematic, dramatic scene that is really wonderful."
Standing in contrast to "Hollow," the vocal theme song from Final Fantasy VII Remake, "No Promises to Keep" puts players in a different perspective. "With the lyrics in 'Hollow,' it's actually meant to depict Cloud's feelings and emotions," Kitase says. "Conversely, with 'No Promises to Keep,' it's more about Aerith's feelings within the lyrics; it's written that way. That's something I'd like for players to notice as well."
Opening Up
After a surprisingly long Nibelheim introductory section, I'm transported back to the present day. One of the first things I did was learn how to play Queen's Blood, probably the most prominent minigame in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. "For Chapter 2, we immediately start it off with a tutorial for Queen's Blood, in which the player will jump into playing this game," Hamaguchi says. "In that way, we wanted to express that you are now entering this part of the game with a ton of side content. It's sort of this message to say there's going to be a variety of content available now and in this world to explore."
This lane-based competitive card game sees you competing against NPCs within the world. I don't get the best feel for the game in this demo since I want to check out how the rest of the game is shaping up, but I definitely feel like it's going to be a minigame I can sink my teeth into. But beyond the gameplay mechanics, you'll unravel a story surrounding the lore of Queen's Blood. "As Cloud keeps playing the card game, there's this past tragedy surrounding Queen's Blood that starts unfolding," Hamaguchi says. "There's this storyline that's particular to Queen's Blood that we'll be able to see taking place, and in there, we'll see not only characters from the main storyline but also very popular characters that we all love that are also engaged in the story."
I won't spoil the beat-by-beat story moments, but suffice it to say that Cloud and his team's safe harbor in Kalm is disrupted, and they must flee the haven they once had. From there, the world opens up dramatically as I enter the vast grasslands. I'm told to run away from the area I'm in, so I do just that. From there, I learn of a marsh that I need to cross, but when I get there, warning signs tell the team that they'll be taken by the Midgardsormr, so I head to a chocobo ranch to rent a bird.
As I bounce between points of interest, I get another chance to enjoy Rebirth's excellent combat system. Taking out smaller grassland creatures, I build up my ATB gauge to unleash special abilities and spells, eventually unleashing Limit attacks and Synergy Abilities. Everything just flows so nicely from one action to the next, and it never feels jarring when going between the real-time action and turn-based-inspired menu combat. After a few of these fights, I find my way to the chocobo ranch.