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It does not take a lot thought to comprehend that Sq. Enix remaking Closing Fantasy VII was all the time going to be held underneath quite a lot of scrutiny. For a lot of RPG followers, the unique is the magnum opus of the style; any change, nonetheless minor, was all the time going to be met with trepidation at greatest, and derision at worst. Complicating issues was the corporate’s resolution to separate the unique recreation’s narrative right into a sequence of releases.

There was extra to 2020’s Closing Fantasy VII Remake than first met the attention by virtually each metric, together with in how daring it was going to be in making adjustments to the unique. That raises the stakes, and in some ways signifies that the largest problem for the remake sequence was all the time really going to be how Sq. Enix adopted up on it with Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth and past. Fortunately – no less than contemplating what we have performed – it appears poised to be heading in the right direction.

Unsurprisingly, a lot of Rebirth’s DNA is lifted wholesale from Remake. That is an iterative sequel, in any case. Characters assault and animate very equally; when you look intently, you’ll be able to clearly inform which belongings have been well reused to expedite growth. Those that pay attention rigorously will hear issues like reused battle barks as characters let rip with talents, and reused music cues from the primary entry within the FF7 Remake sequence. None of this actually issues, although – as a result of what’s most readily obvious when Rebirth is taken as an entire is how Sq. Enix has managed to make Rebirth really feel like much less of a sequel to Remake, and extra of a pure extension of the ideas that existed within the earlier recreation.

A part of the Closing Fantasy conundrum has all the time been that the sequence is all about reinvention – which suggests throwing out every thing each time and beginning anew. If something, Rebirth appears to be making a case for what Closing Fantasy can obtain with a sequel when it does not have to try this. The result’s a recreation that feels extra assured, and with better breadth and depth – the muse of Remake permitting Rebirth to be a extra achieved expertise all-around.

This longer, extra open demo culminates in a battle on the foot of town of Junon, taking full benefit of a few of the adjustments and additions made to the sport’s battle system. Synergy is the secret, right here. With fundamental combo assaults and lavish expertise alike, you’ll be able to pull off relying in your occasion composition. Now the events are much less set than in FF7 Remake, you have received decisions: so out of Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith, and Crimson XIII, you’ll be able to select three to be in your occasion and swap that setup round at any time whereas exploring the zone. The precise composition has a big effect on fight. 

Past that fundamental synergy, this idea bleeds into new mechanics, too. Synergy assaults are earned by spending ATB costs with particular characters, after which permits you to use particular and highly effective team-up combo expertise – an escalation of the team-up assaults launched in Episode Intermission, the PC and PS5-exclusive FF7 Remake story enlargement. 

That is to not say that the battle system is drastically modified or overhauled, in fact – however fairly that the adjustments which have been made really feel like a correct extension of Remake’s current programs, constructing on prime of what gamers are already used to. Equally, whereas gamers can solely management as much as 3 characters directly, forcing that earlier-mentioned compositional alternative, your whole occasion might be current throughout battles – participating with the enemy and all – simply as comparatively inactive contributors.

The opposite demo we had the possibility to play was a flashback sequence, from the notorious Nibelheim part of the sport. The Materia Keeper fighter boss struggle from the unique seems to have been moved into the flashback as a substitute, and in the course of the investigation of Mt. Nibel gamers will be capable of battle this monster whereas having direct management of Sephiroth. FF7’s antagonist comes full with a singular moveset full of parries, distinctive ending strikes for assault strings, and extra.

It is value noting that this part was a significantly extra streamlined expertise than that in Junon, and possibly represents the opposite facet of FF7 Rebirth. Some areas might be huge open, whereas others might be thrilling however narrowly-scoped rollercoaster rides. This matches the framework of Remake, the place issues like Mako Reactor bombing missions and assaults on Shinra had been damaged up by breezy sidequest-filled lazing across the slums – but when the Junon chapter is something to go by, the latter idea has been fully overhauled to one thing far more spectacular.

None of what we performed was notably stunning; but on the identical time, it did not must be. Remake was all the time a terrific framework to construct on prime of – it was our RPG of the 12 months for 2020, for god’s sake. Rebirth is trying prefer it builds on that framework in good and thrilling methods. The result’s a recreation that appears greater and bolder – and it could be higher, too. Whereas I lament we had been unable to take a look at any of the minigames on the Gold Saucer, or a few of the different places within the recreation, all meaning is I am unable to look ahead to the subsequent probability we’d need to get our hands-on with the sport. Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth is already shaping as much as be one among 2024’s greatest RPGs.