State of Play Recap: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo out today, 11 minutes of new gameplay revealed

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the newest installment in the Final Fantasy VII remake project and one of 2024’s most-anticipated games, tells the tale of main protagonist Cloud Strife and his loyal companions who explore a massive world outside Midgar, the city of Mako, as they pursue Sephiroth, one of the most iconic antagonists in video game history. 

Ahead of the full game’s release on February 29, the demo releasing today allows you to not only take control of the protagonist, Cloud, but take full control of the legendary swordsman Sephiroth in battle. You will be able to play as Sephiroth as part of the extended flashback section, as Cloud recalls an earlier mission in his career as a Soldier – the Nibelheim incident. Taking place several years before the events of the game, this will set the stage for several important moments within Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. What’s more, we’re planning to release an update later this month that will allow you to explore part of the Junon region before the release of the full game on February 29. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to venture into the world of Final Fantasy VII!

Today’s State of Play includes a new trailer focusing on the story of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth alongside around 11 minutes of never-before seen gameplay. This footage includes the world premiere of many unseen elements of the game: an overview of the world map, ways to get around the expansive world including a wide range of vehicles and mounts, varied exploration, minigames, and much more.

It’s a must-see, both for those excitedly awaiting Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and those who have yet to dive into the world of Final Fantasy VII.

Highlights from the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth gameplay 

The around 11 minutes of gameplay footage showcases the following elements of the game:

The stage for your new adventure: a gigantic world map, connected seamlessly

The stage for the adventure of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a gigantic world map, constructed of several areas seamlessly joined together.

The footage showcases a wide range of ways to get around the expansive map, from Chocobos – that Final Fantasy series mainstay – to buggies and wheelies. Chocobos will be of particular help to Cloud and his companions, since they have different abilities in each area. Some can swim through raging currents, jump over mushroom footholds, or even scale sheer cliffs.

Many points of interests to explore on the world map

In the vast field areas, there are all kinds of points of interest to explore that will call to your sense of adventure. Broadly speaking, the first category is World Intel – where you survey the world, fighting fearsome foes and seeking out various resources or hidden treasures as you go. The second type is odd jobs, which delve deeper into the world and characters. Today, we’ve introduced sanctuaries, which reveal knowledge on this game’s summons, helping Cloud and his companions conquer them to subsequently call on their power in battle.

Unique and colorful minigames scattered throughout different regions of the world

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has a diverse range of minigames all throughout its world. And they’re of an even greater scale than the many minigames in the original Final Fantasy VII! The development team’s recommendation is the card game Queen’s Blood, and you can collect cards from the early part of the game, so you can enjoy thinking up and building a powerful deck that’s unique to you. Some of the minigames are just as fun to watch as they are to play, so they’re perfect to play when you feel like taking a breather from the main story.

Epic cinematic storytelling with stunning graphics

The emotional storytelling experience has been refined even further in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The high-quality, rich graphics that use the PlayStation 5 console’s ultra-fast SSD to its fullest can show the subtle nuances of the emotional state of the characters, further elevating the narrative experience its depiction of Cloud and his companions forging ever-stronger bonds. 

More detailed and nuanced facial animations will lend additional depth to the characters’ journeys, especially as Cloud and his friends face down the destiny that awaits them at their story’s end.

New and improved ways to deepen your relationships with your companions through gameplay

The bonds between the characters established over the course of the story are now important to all aspects of gameplay. Cloud’s relationship with his companions will change according to his actions and dialogue choices, impacting most notably the well-loved date event scene from the original game. In addition to date partners players of the original Final Fantasy VII can expect, the team has prepared some new partners plus an expanded date sequence within the Gold Saucer, so there’s plenty to look forward to. And if you increase your party level, which shows the bond between the entire team, characters will be able to achieve their true potential in combat. There are lots of synergy skills that characters with a close relationship can perform, so you can overwhelm foes with your favorite characters and special moves.

The footage from State of Play also reveals plenty of other content that we didn’t cover in this blog, so it’s definitely worth a watch. And if this piqued your interest, we hope you’ll experience the new and expanded world of Final Fantasy VII in the demo, released today.

It’s not long now until the release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on Thursday February 29. We’re so excited to be able to get this game into your hands and for you to play the game for yourselves!