Square Enix has finally lifted the lid on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in a dedicated PlayStation State of Play showcase designed to illuminate new gameplay and story details for the upcoming adventure – as well as reveal the arrival of a new playable demo.
For those looking forward to the game, the showcase was a smorgasbord celebration, with plenty of new tidbits to pour over, and teases to analyse.
Here’s everything revealed during the Final Fantasy 7 State of Play showcase.
New trailer revealed for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Yoshinori Kitase, producer on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth kicked off the dedicated PlayStation State of Play with an introduction to the action of FF7 Rebirth, and a new trailer revealing more about the battle against Sephiroth.
This trailer featured a fresh fight with antagonist Reno, and additional battles against other enemies in the wild. It also teased new motorbike battles, and the arrival of Zack Fair – who plays a key part in Crisis Core. “I’m back, Aerith,” Fair said in the trailer. “I’m back.”
Later in the trailer, Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa appear in holiday clothes, in a resort destination.
Vincent Valentine also turned up in the new trailer, teasing a long history with Sephiroth that will likely be explored in greater depth than in the original game. While Valentine was previously an optional companion, it appears he’ll have an expanded role in Rebirth.
Zack Fair is also seen interacting with Sephiroth in this trailer, in what promises to be a very intriguing confrontation.
New Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gameplay and mini-games revealed
Game Director Naoki Hamaguchi turned up next, to reveal more about gameplay in Rebirth. As detailed, the game will follow the events of Remake directly as Cloud and his friends enter a new wilderness, and continue their quest to save the world.
The world map is made up of multiple regions, all “seamlessly interconnected,” and it appears Cloud and pals will be able to explore this map freely. In the Junon Region, they’ll encounter a town ruled by Shinra. In the Corel Region, they’ll find a sweeping resort. In Gongaga, they’ll explore Zack Fair’s hometown. In the Cosmo Canyon region and the Nibel Region, they’ll explore a range of idyllic sites. The Meridian Ocean is also traversable in this game.
As revealed, there will be a number of unique “investigations” in the game, and as you explore these mysteries, Cloud and the gang will take on the form of their PSOne low-poly 3D models – which look absolutely gorgeous. There’s also a mini-game where the gang will turn into frogs to discover new secrets, and another one where players will learn to play musical instruments (including piano and cello).
There’s also brawler mini-games, soccer mini-games, carnival shooting mini-games, dolphin-riding mini-games, dance-style mini-games, and a new card game known as Queen’s Blood.
Cinematic storytelling highlighted
Beyond these neat mini-games, the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth State of Play also spotlighted the “cinematic” storytelling of the adventure, showing off scenes of Aerith performing in an arena, and quieter moments between Cloud and his friends.
This was followed by a breakdown of Performance Mode and Graphics Mode. One of them prioritises smooth gameplay, while the other allows for crisper, more beautiful graphics.
Music was also highlighted in the showcase. As detailed, the game will feature original tracks from Final Fantasy 7, as well as over 400 new tracks.
Friendship was also a core focus of this segment, with the bonds between Cloud and his closest companions playing a key part in the adventure. It appears you’ll be able to take your friends on platonic dates to The Golden Saucer in this game, strengthening your bonds and your combat synergy. You’ll be able to switch up your team for combat scenarios, experimenting with combat synergies and joint attacks – so it’s a good idea to spend time with everyone, and learn their moves.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo launches today
Tetsuya Nomura, Creative Director of Rebirth popped up towards the end of the showcase to confirm the rumoured demo of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will launch on PS5 today. As detailed, it will allow players to jump into the game as either Cloud or Sephiroth, as they journey together through Nibelheim.
You can catch up with the entire Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PlayStation State of Play showcase on YouTube.
This article has been updated since its original publication.
