Only a few video games elicit an emotional response from me like something associated to Ultimate Fantasy VII does. The unique sport is undoubtedly one of the vital iconic video games of all time; I believe most individuals can agree with that at the least in some capability. When the primary a part of the multi-part Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake mission was introduced, I used to be elated – past excited that the sport that I like can be up to date with modern design extra according to the opposite video games in its subseries.
All of these issues had been on full show when Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake lastly got here out for PlayStation 4 in 2020, and it proved that Sq. Enix was in actual fact in a position to pull off such an formidable launch. It’s an excellent factor too as a result of they’re in it for the lengthy haul. With the announcement of two extra entries on the best way, followers had been left to buckle down and await the next sequels to see the place Cloud and pals would find yourself subsequent.
As a result of the Remake mission isn’t only a straight-up retelling. There’s loads acquainted, positive, however the core of the story is that there’s going to be some issues followers could not anticipate, and I’m right here for all of that and extra. Extra is coming quickly within the type of Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth – the second full standalone launch that appears to proceed FFVII’s narrative post-Midgar. With a launch now penned in for February 29, it’s coming in sizzling, and meaning it’s able to be sampled by the lots.
So, pattern I did, courtesy of a press occasion placed on by Sq. Enix final week. It was thrilling to suppose that I’d be one of many first on the planet to get my arms on the sport that, till now, had solely been proven off in a few temporary trailers and a few varied screenshots.
Moving into you can most likely say they had been preaching to the choir when it comes to “Methods to Cater to a Ultimate Fantasy VII Fan” (that will be me), however it works as a result of there’s that stage of familiarity. I am not moving into and not using a clue on what is going on to be there. After I noticed the 2 demos, I instantly related the areas and half within the narrative that we’d be exploring.
The primary demo takes place 5 years prior to now away from the primary story – enter Cloud and Sephiroth as they’re tasked with touring to the city of Nibelheim to research the Nibel Mako Reactor and uncover why it malfunctioned. Getting there isn’t only a straight shot, nonetheless, they’ll should climb the mountain and battle by way of any undesirables on the best way.
Upon booting the demo and a fast cutscene, the sport doesn’t waste any time attending to playable Cloud and Sephiroth. As a result of this time you’ll be taking part in each characters collectively as allies and to facilitate that, the event crew has expanded among the characteristic units.
You’ve acquired your primary assaults, magic, and talents like earlier than melded into an action-based ATB battle system. Materia continues to be vital, after all, and the demo had an honest quantity to select from already. Sephiroth is such a pleasure to play as properly – he is tremendous highly effective as one would possibly anticipate, and it felt so good placing his expertise to the check.
The brand new draw, nonetheless, comes from a brand new system often called Synergy Skills, and it comes into play between Cloud and Sephiroth as one thing they will do collectively in battle. What this implies is that by filling a particular gauge by utilizing distinctive skills, they will set off highly effective team-up assaults. These skills will be executed by a number of characters and extra of them will be unlocked by rising the social gathering’s affinity stage between them.
For instance, within the demo Cloud and Sephiroth have a transfer referred to as Double Helix, which has each characters dealing out a number of strikes with flashy finesse and poses.
All of these items spherical out the opposite mechanics similar to traversal and exploration, which Cloud and his group shall be doing quite a lot of in Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth. Other than that fight showcase, the demo allowed me to check out these temporary story beats, all culminating in the direction of the top with a boss encounter with a really acquainted Materia-based foe.
While the Mt. Nibel demo was certainly extra of a liner expertise, I acquired to expertise a wider breadth of what Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth has to supply in its extra open map areas as properly. The second bit took me to the acquainted fields outdoors the coastal Shinra base of Junon.
The story right here entails the mysterious cloaked figures that Cloud and firm have adopted by way of the Mythril Mine. From right here, Junon is seen within the distance, and it’s time to saddle up on a bunch of chocobos to soak up the sights and look into the sightings of hostile creatures within the quick space.
After a fast scene, I used to be in a position to get on stated chocobo instantly (as did the remainder of the social gathering together with Pink XIII), and the immediacy wherein the large map is out there is staggering. Junon is big in a manner that Midgar couldn’t actually replicate with its slender streets and structured buildings. It’s not an open world by any means, however the zone itself is kind of massive and I discovered myself simply casually pacing about taking all of it in.
The chocobos are pretty versatile – they will go just about wherever on the panorama and assist make journey somewhat faster. They exist past being simply mounts too – they are often personalized with varied gear on the chocobo ranch and assist seek for hidden treasures. They’re definitely useful to have round, particularly when Cloud can merely name one at will.
Different little issues within the Junon space are simply neat little issues you are able to do like restore downed chocobo cease posts, which then assist you to pet a child chocobo, after which there are the aforementioned beasts that scatter the map each in-game and by a particular goal on the map menu.
Preventing these creatures is pretty simple – simply method them and a stream of targets will seem. Do you have to miss some, you’ll be able to at all times repeat the problem akin to among the hunt methods present in different Ultimate Fantasy video games. Like the primary demo, fight is right here in full pressure, with the flexibility to swap between characters in actual time and get these Synerry Skills rolling between characters like Cloud, Aerith, Pink XIII, Tifa, and Barret.
This emphasis on exploration appears to be the dividing issue between Remake and Rebirth. If much more of the sport is like Junon, I can completely see why they’re already saying it’s going to take 100 hours to do every thing. Simply the 70 or so minutes I did play felt prefer it was solely scratching the floor of what was attainable.
On the presentation facet of issues, Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth is according to what we noticed in Remake, however there’s much more happening. The larger areas are actually pushing the size, they usually look loads lovely with hanging lighting and the high-quality character and atmosphere fashions that associate with every thing else.
There have been some acquainted tunes as properly, and once more the story content material had some cheeky nods to the unique FFVII. This demo too ends with a boss encounter, and together with among the extra wacky components from that sport is so cheeky, however you understand in the event that they didn’t have them then it simply wouldn’t be the identical.
These sorts of issues nonetheless work with the real looking visuals, and it’s actually thrilling to see what they do with different characters and areas such because the not too long ago revealed Cait Sith and Gold Saucer within the full sport.
With a lot teased, I’m already offered (not that I wasn’t moving into) – I’m trembling simply chomping on the bit enthusiastic about how far more there shall be once we all lastly get our arms on Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth early subsequent 12 months. It’s protected to say that it’s already shaping as much as be one thing really particular, and a more-than-worthy follow-up to the already stellar Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake.
TechRaptor performed Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth at an occasion they had been invited to by Sq. Enix.
