VII Things We Love About the Final Fantasy® VII: Remake Demo

The Final Fantasy® VII: Remake demo went live for PlayStation users March 2, and fans have poured onto PlayStation’s servers to preview one of the most anticipated game releases of the year. Here are seven things we saw in the Final Fantasy® VII: Remake demo that we loved.

I. Stunning Graphics

The original Final Fantasy® VII made waves when it first released thanks to its groundbreaking use of CGI cutscenes. These cinematics upped the ante in terms of visual fidelity for the era, even if the game itself showed nowhere near that level of detail. The Final Fantasy® VII: Remake demo reveals an ever-shrinking gap between gameplay visuals and cinematics, as the game looks better than it ever has and moves seamlessly from cinematics to gameplay. Sparkling particle effects, HD textures, and stellar art direction make sure the game remains a stunner 20 years after it earned that title.

II. Sense of Scale

Hand in hand with the impressive graphical quality comes Final Fantasy® VII: Remake's sense of scale. From its opening cutscene the demo impresses on players the enormity of its stakes. Sweeping camera movement takes us from the ground level, where Aerith's flowers are being trampled by jaded passersby, to high above Midgar, revealing the scope of the game's ambitions.

III. Original Score

Nobuo Uematsu's original score for Final Fantasy® VII helped turn the Japanese composer into an industry legend. Masashi Hamauzu, who also worked on the original score, was given the gargantuan task of updating that iconic music for the modern era. The good news? He's succeeded. The new score feels lush, vibrant and grand, suitably underlining the urgency of Final Fantasy® VII Remake's narrative.

IV. Vivid Animations

As a turn-based RPG, Final Fantasy® VII may have lacked some level of drama in its moment-to-moment combat. The game worked hard to sell the strength of its spells and attacks, but was limited by the technology at hand. The new Remake makes every dodge real and visceral, every attack weighty and meaningful.

V. New, Real-Time (Sort of) Combat

Where Final Fantasy® VII offered only classic JRPG turn-based action, the Final Fantasy® VII: Remake demo shows off the mixture of real-time and tactical command-based combat. The player can swap between any of the characters in their party, using basic attacks to charge up their ATB gauge and then using Tactical Mode to use abilities, spells, and commanding other characters on how to use theirs. This allows for plenty of combat depth as players learn to juggle the abilities of party members on the fly.

VI. Optional Classic Mode

In Classic Mode, characters move and attack automatically, letting players focus solely on issuing commands via the Tactical Mode menu. It’s all about choice - giving a way to play for less action-oriented gamers or fans of the original Final Fantasy® VII who prefer turn-based combat.

VII. Sephiroth appearing in a secret ending

The Final Fantasy® VII: Remake demo offers players only one choice over the course of its run: whether to set the bomb for 20 minutes or 30. Choosing 20 minutes unlocks a special, secret cutscene that doesn't play for those who choose 30 minutes. After completing the demo, a teaser for the full game will play, ending with a logo splash screen. If the player chose the option for 20 minutes, the cutscenes will resume to show Sephiroth surrounded by flames, giving players a glimpse of the classic antagonist.

This article is brought to you by Final Fantasy® VII: Remake. Check out the trailer below: