If you missed the news from the State of Play this past Tuesday, a demo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available for download. And another will arrive closer to the release date of the game. I know some people like to wait until a game fully arrives before playing. And I even know some people want to wait until the full Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy arrives before diving in. But if the demo is anything to go by, fans will not want to miss this.
Naturally, there are minor spoilers to follow. That said, this won’t be a guide so much as a set of impressions about gameplay, story, and how Rebirth updates an iconic section of Final Fantasy VII.
From the Prologue to the Past
Interestingly, the demo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth jumps right from a recap of the end of 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake to the iconic Nibelheim flashback, told from Kalm. It’s quite possible that the full game may have some content connecting the two sections a bit more. The PlayStation Store describes it as the “episode that forms the opening chapter of the game’s story.” So it’s hard to say.
This is not a critique, but rather a surprise that the sequel to a game that involves traversing every path and hallway would leap from one area to another. In the original, Cloud and friends traverse across the world map to get to Kalm, where the flashback gets retold. That said, we did get to see part of this journey in 2021’s Episode Intermission.
Either way, the demo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth suggests that the new title is more fast-paced than Remake. And that makes sense. Remake stretched the Midgar opening of the 1997 original to a full game, while Rebirth takes on a majority of the classic game.
A World of Possibilities
As such, it’s not long before we’re in the shoes of Cloud and Sephiroth, arriving in Nibelheim five years prior to the main events in Kalm. For fans of the original, the game coyly hints at the big twist to be revealed later, moving the camera around for the quickest glimpse that confirms it. Players new to the series likely won’t have the twist spoiled.
It’s events like these, recognizing the knowledge and love that fans have, that really make the demo special. Once Tifa, Cloud, and Sephiroth start running up Mount Nibel, the playable map opens up into a gorgeous mountainside. This is what fans of the original have hoped for with this game. It’s not just a 3D-rendered Nibelheim like in Crisis Core, but a highly detailed reimagining. As the music swelled, I’ll admit, I began to tear up.
Team Ups and Takedowns
As someone who loved the real-time combat of Remake, I wondered how much Rebirth would update it. And as the demo shows, quite a bit. Cloud has new combos and ranged attacks now. And that’s to say nothing of his team up with Sephiroth, resulting in various synergy moves becoming available.
At first, this felt to me like too much of a good thing. I found all the extra options made combat feel like ordering off an online menu. However, I gradually got the hang of it. Thanks to the return of assignable shortcuts, I could test out all the options and then make my favorites easily accessible. Ultimately, I actually enjoyed all the variety, as it lends more strategy to the proceedings.
And that’s to say nothing of Sephiroth, who becomes playable mostly towards the later half of the demo. The developers decided, balance be damned, he will play as the absolute fiend of destruction he is. Using his “Hell’s Gate” finisher move, whereon he descends from the sky with his sword facing downward, brought chills. Rebirth recognizes that fans know his move sets, and so these come into play—and then some.
The Spaces Between the Notes
While the demo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has a lot of big moments, from an epic boss battle to an infamous scene fully realized, it also has some missable moments. But these are no less enjoyable. A standout is going to Tifa’s house to play her piano. A nod to the original game, this time around the piano mechanic proves fully playable. I even picked out Ode to Joy on it. And then I gleefully tried my hand, or hands, at playing Tifa’s Theme, thanks to the sheet music minigame provided. I did alright, but I had a blast.
Still, exploring the nooks and crannies of the demo reveals attention to detail. Finding a reference to Tifa’s cat, Fluffy, or the group of elders doing aerobics outside, may seem inconsequential. But these are both direct references to Traces of Two Pasts, the Final Fantasy VII prequel novel by Kazushige Nojima.
Last but not least, the adaptation to three dimensions hits hard. Final Fantasy VII, the original, has a lot of emotion. But players have to imagine facial expressions and reactions. As such, Rebirth fully realizes the potential of these moments. Sephiroth’s pained look upon losing a comrade makes him more sympathetic. But at the same time, his turn to the dark side feels all the more sinister, with cutscenes evoking slasher films. I don’t know if I’m ready for all of the feels of Rebirth when the full game arrives. But I do know I am more than excited to dive into the expansive and well-realized world it promises.
No Time to Lose, and a Charm to Gain
For those who play the demo and then get the full game, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will offer the option of skipping the demo chapter. I’ve never seen this done before, but now, it feels like it should set the bar going forward.
Those who complete the demo will also have the ability to claim an in-game Kupo charm and survival set in the full game.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth arrives on February 29th for PlayStation 5. In the meantime, one more demo from the Junon section will become available in the near future. If this one is anything to go by, that one should prove a must-play as well.
