| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gameplay & Story | Release Date | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Gameplay
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth builds on the real-time, action-based combat introduced in Final Fantasy VII Remake. Now, players enjoy even greater freedom in exploration and combat, with larger, more open environments and a multitude of customization options that allow for tailored playstyles.
Combat
Revamped Active Time Battle System
At its core, Rebirth’s combat utilizes an action battle system but retains certain elements of the series-staple Active Time Battle (ATB) system, where players can unleash a variety of commands after filling up the ATB bar. Combat itself involves direct control over one character at a time. Players will have to use a mix of basic attacks, dodges, and blocks to maintain offensive pressure while managing defense. Landing a well-timed block results in a "perfect guard," where incoming damage is entirely nullified.
As in Remake, switching between party members to exploit each character’s abilities while quickly building up their ATB gauges is encouraged to gain an upper hand in battles, especially since the ATB gauge fuels a wide range of actions beyond normal attacks. This includes everything from abilities and magic to items and summons, and each character has two ATB bars to fill through actions like attacking and guarding. It is important to know when to expend these charges and when to save them up, as some abilities require a full bar or even both to execute.
Synergy Abilities
New to Rebirth are Synergy moves, cooperative attacks between two characters that deal high amounts of damage without consuming ATB charges. By consuming multiple ATB charges from different party members in a single battle, players can execute synergy abilities together, which provide temporary bonuses to both participants.
Pressure and Stagger
Enemies in Rebirth have a stagger gauge that fills when they take damage. Using specific abilities like Tifa's Unfettered Fury or exploiting elemental weaknesses can accelerate this process. Once staggered, enemies become vulnerable to increased damage and are temporarily unable to act.
Tactical Mode
If things get too hectic, however, Tactical Mode lets players slow time to a crawl and allow them to plan and execute strategies without the relentless pace of real-time combat. This opens up a command menu where you can unleash abilities, spells, synergy moves, and limit breaks, provided players have enough ATB stocked.
Materia System
Materia remains a focal point for customizing each character’s abilities and magical prowess. Beyond simple elemental spells like Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Wind, special Materias enhance ATB charging rates, add elemental damage, or provide stat boosts. In addition to elemental affinities, characters and enemies alike can be affected by a wide range of status effects. Positive effects, like Haste, boost ATB regeneration, while detrimental effects like Poison and Silence can disrupt spells or drain HP over time.
Exploration
Fast Travel and New Traversal Mechanics
While Remake was a more linear experience, Rebirth embraces a more open-world approach that invites players to explore seven expansive regions based on the original PS1 game. Each region provides opportunities to discover resources, mini-bosses, and hidden locations. Key points of interest include Remnawave Towers, where players can activate numerous towers in each region to unlock sections of the map and reveal quests and vistas of the surroundings.
To streamline exploration, Rebirth introduces fast travel to previously visited locations and a network of Chocobo Stops. Region-specific Chocobos also give way to different traversal abilities such as climbing, gliding, and swimming.
World Intel
World Intel tasks in Rebirth also encourages players to interact with various facets of the region they are exploring. These involve investigating rare monsters, scanning crystals, and gathering Chocobo-themed rewards. Some intel objectives involve combat challenges, while others, like Moogle Intel, unlock items and upgrades via Moogle Medals, which players can obtain by playing the Moogle Mischief minigame.
Mini-Games Galore
Like the previous game, Rebirth is littered with minigames, both in story progression and through the famed Golden Saucer. New games include Queen’s Blood—a tactical card game—and the revamped Fort Condor minigame, where players deploy units to destroy the enemy base while defending their own.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Story
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up with Cloud Strife and his friends as they escape Shinra’s grip in Midgar, marked as "terrorists" by the Shinra News Network for the destruction they supposedly caused. Chased out of the city, they embark on a journey that reveals deeper and darker secrets about the megacorporation Shinra and the world beyond.
In Kalm, Cloud recounts a personal tale of awe and betrayal involving Sephiroth, his former comrade and now nemesis. He shares his memories of their mission to the Nibelheim Reactor near his and Tifa’s hometown, where Sephiroth stumbled upon the truth about his origins as a Shinra experiment linked to the ancient being Jenova. Fueled by rage, Sephiroth torched the town, changing Cloud’s life forever. However, as Cloud’s friends listen, inconsistencies arise, particularly for Tifa, who harbors doubts about Cloud’s version of events, especially as Tifa recalls things differently than Cloud.
The party now pursues a group of hooded men who Cloud believes are following Sephiroth. He's convinced that by tracking these men, they'll eventually lead them to the villain himself. In their journey, however, Sephiroth continues to appear to Cloud, tormenting and taunting him at every turn.
Meanwhile, in a parallel timeline, Zack Fair, a former SOLDIER, is alive. In the original timeline, he sacrificed his life to save Cloud from Shinra SOLDIERS. Now, he's tasked with curing a comatose Cloud and Aerith, aided by Biggs, a member of Barret's Avalanche cell who seems to have originated from the original timeline.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Characters
Cloud Strife
Cloud Strife is a pivotal character in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Despite his stoic exterior, Cloud is driven by complex motivations and tormented by his past encounters with Sephiroth. As he ventures beyond Midgar, Cloud seeks to stop Sephiroth’s cataclysmic plans while unraveling the truth about his own identity and its link to the villain.
In combat, Cloud is a versatile powerhouse wielding a broadsword. His playstyle revolves around two modes: Operator Mode for faster, more mobile attacks, and Punisher Mode, which trades agility for a counter-focused gameplay.
Zack Fair
Players familiar with the original Final Fantasy VII will recognize Zack Fair, a character whose appearance in Rebirth raises more questions than it answers. Armed with a Buster Blade strikingly similar to Cloud’s, Zack seems to possess knowledge of Cloud that the latter lacks. Like Cloud, he was a former member of SOLDIER, an elite military unit. However, the circumstances surrounding Zack's departure from SOLDIER remain unclear.
Sephiroth
While initially appearing as a playable character, Sephiroth's intentions are quickly revealed after learning more about his origins. In Rebirth, his influence grows, manipulating events and characters to serve his purpose. His ultimate goal and why he wishes for the destruction of the world remains unclear, but this version of Sephiroth seems to be several steps ahead, knowing more about the narrative’s unfolding than he reveals.
Barret Wallace
Barret Wallace brings his indomitable spirit to the forefront in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. As the steadfast leader of an independent Avalanche faction, Barret is fueled by a deep hatred of Shinra, whom he holds responsible for the devastation of his hometown in Corel. This drive compels him to take the fight against Shinra’s exploitation head-on, motivated not only by personal vengeance but also by a desire to protect his daughter, Marlene, and the planet’s future.
On the battlefield, Barret is a powerful tank and long-range specialist, wielding his gun-arm to provide consistent fire from afar. His abilities focus on both offense and defense, allowing him to absorb enemy attention and protect his allies. Barret’s Overcharge ability also lets him unleash high amounts of damage while charging up his ATB gauge faster.
Tifa Lockhart
As Cloud’s childhood best friend in Nibelheim and a key member of Avalanche, Tifa’s character often shines during moments of emotional depth, acting often as a motherly figure towards her allies. Rebirth delves deeper into her past, exploring her motivations and the impact of traumatic events on her life.
Tifa’s playstyle contrasts her timid personality. She is fast, fluid, and combo-heavy, drawing on her skill as a martial artist. In combat, she is a powerhouse at close range, utilizing rapid strikes and building momentum with her "Unbridled Strenght" ability, which powers up her moves for more advanced techniques like Omnistrike and Rise and Fall. Tifa’s swift combos and quick ATB gauge fill also make her ideal for targeting staggered enemies, where her strength can have the greatest impact.
Aerith Gainsborough
In Remake, she demonstrated a surprising level of knowledge about the narrative’s unfolding, though this insight seems to have diminished after their final bout with Sephiroth. Nevertheless, Aerith remains a central figure in Rebirth as the last surviving Cetra—one of the planet’s ancient races. As a result, Aerith has been relentlessly pursued by the Shinra Electric Power Company, which seeks to exploit her connection to the planet.
In combat, Aerith thrives from afar with her powerful magic attacks. Aerith skills revolve around positioning and spell management—using abilities like Tempest to charge up potent attacks and Ward Shift to reposition herself to a deployed Ward—special abilities that provide a buff to party members standing inside it. She can also summon barriers and familiars to support her, given her relatively low defense.
Red XIII
Red XIII is a name given to Nanaki by Professor Hojo during his captivity and experimentation. Raised in Cosmo Canyon, Nanaki possesses a deep understanding of the Planet and can sense the Lifestream—its lifeforce. Despite being 48 years old, his developmental stage is equivalent to that of a teenager due to his species’ long lifespan.
In battle, Red XIII is an aggressive yet defensive fighter. He wields high-speed claw attacks and possesses a Vengeance Mode that boosts his power after blocking enemy strikes. This mode enables him to unleash powerful counterattacks and increases his agility, allowing him to dodge and retaliate swiftly. His abilities combine direct offensive skills with self-support techniques like Siphon Fang, which heals him when Vengeance Mode is activated.
Yuffie Kisaragi
Yuffie is a ninja from Wutai, driven by a thirst for adventure and an obsession for Materia. Seeking to reclaim these potent orbs from Shinra, she hopes to restore her homeland to its former glory after its conquest by the said corporation that monopolizes many of the world’s resources. Though initially motivated by personal interest, Yuffie gradually forms bonds with Cloud and his allies in their journey.
In battle, Yuffie brings her versatility to the fray, leveraging her agility and skill with her oversized shuriken. She can throw her weapon to deal quick damage from afar, then close the gap to unleash high-speed combos. Her Ninjutsu ability allows her to adapt to different situations by changing her elemental affinity mid-battle, making her a formidable opponent against a variety of enemies.
Cait Sith
Cait Sith is a fortune-teller who works in the Gold Saucer. Despite his seemingly frivolous nature, he has a knack for accurately predicting future events, albeit often in vague terms. He takes a keen interest in Cloud Strife and his party, and joins with an ulterior motive. Accompanying him is a giant stuffed toy Moogle that aids him tremendously in combat.
He specializes in a playful, luck-based fighting style that sets him apart from other party members. Armed with a megaphone, he unleashes magical and supportive abilities while summoning his Moogle companion to deliver powerful attacks like Moogle Knuckle and Moogle Kaboom. Key moves such as Roll o’ Dice and Lucky Slots, while unpredictable, can significantly alter the course of battle by providing buffs to allies and debilitating enemies.
Vincent Valentine
Vincent Valentine appears in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, albeit briefly. While he doesn’t share much about his past due to his cold demeanor and brooding nature, Vincent’s secrets are inextricably linked to several antagonists within the series.
Cid Highwind
Cid is a skilled and somewhat reckless pilot who operates a secret airline from old, forgotten airfields. After meeting with them multiple times, he agrees to fly Cloud and his companions around the world in his trusty Tiny Bronco. However, Cid seems to have a personal connection to Aerith’s mother and is committed to helping the group achieve their objective.
