Final Fantasy VII Revelation – A Focused Chapter 1 Preview

I’ve had the opportunity to play Final Fantasy VII Revelation twice now, and while my first experience left me excited about what Square Enix has planned for the conclusion of its remake trilogy, my latest hands-on session reminded me of something considerably simpler. Sometimes, all I really want from Final Fantasy is a good old-fashioned dungeon, a party of characters I love, and a memorable boss waiting at the end.

I realize that probably doesn’t sound particularly groundbreaking, especially for a series that’s been doing exactly that for decades. But after spending so much time exploring the enormous environments of Final Fantasy VII Revelation in my PAX West preview, there was something incredibly satisfying about returning to a more focused, story-driven experience with this preview.

This latest demo, featuring a portion of Chapter 1 previously showcased at Tokyo Game Show, gave me the opportunity to explore a dungeon, battle enemies, and spend more time with two characters I’ve wanted to play more with since finding out they were playable and that’s Cid and Vincent.

After spending more time with Final Fantasy VII Revelation, I’m even more confident that Square Enix is building toward something special.

Sometimes, Less Really Is More

One of my favorite things about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was its willingness to let me get completely lost in its world. I spent an absurd amount of time exploring every region, pursuing side quests, and getting distracted by practically anything that caught my attention. It’s one of the reasons I loved that game as much as I did. There’s another side of Final Fantasy that I appreciate just as much, and it’s one that can occasionally get lost in the pursuit of bigger worlds and more things to do.

I’m talking about those tightly constructed story sequences where the open world, side quests, and other distractions disappear, the adventure and story takes center stage, and I’m just moving through an environment with my party toward whatever awaits us at the end. That’s what this latest demo delivered for me and that made me so happy!

Rather than dropping me into an open area to experiment with new mechanics, I was able to experience something resembling a proper story dungeon. There was a clear sense of progression as I explored, encountered enemies, and eventually reached a boss fight that brought the entire experience together. It sounds simple because, frankly, it is, but that’s also why I enjoyed it so much.

I’ve never believed that every moment of a great RPG needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes, a carefully paced dungeon and a satisfying encounter are more than enough to keep me invested, particularly when they’re supported by characters and a world I’ve already grown so attached to. I don’t know how representative this particular chapter will be of Final Fantasy VII Revelation as a whole, but I sincerely hope these more focused sequences remain an important part of the experience. As much as I’m looking forward to exploring whatever enormous environments Square Enix has prepared for us in the game, I don’t want the heart of Final Fantasy VII to get buried beneath an endless assortment of optional activities, but let the records show, I love optional side activities and will likely do every one of them!

Cid and Vincent Finally Get Their Moment

Of course, the biggest attraction of this demo was getting to play as Cid and Vincent. Both characters were introduced in Rebirth, but neither was available as a playable party member. Considering how important they are to the original Final Fantasy VII, their absence from the playable roster was always something I was eager to see addressed. Now, after all this time, the gang is finally coming together.

What makes their inclusion particularly exciting is just how well the remake trilogy has handled its combat roster. One of my favorite aspects of Remake and Rebirth is that every character feels genuinely distinct. Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Aerith all operate within the same fundamental combat system, yet controlling each of them offers a completely different experience. It’s a remarkable accomplishment, especially considering how much mechanical depth already exists beneath the surface.

Cid’s spear gives him an immediately recognizable presence in combat, and finally taking control of him was satisfying in a way that’s difficult to separate from my attachment to the original game. After spending so much time with these characters across two enormous RPGs, there’s something special about seeing another familiar face become a fully playable member of the party.

Vincent, however, is arguably the character I’m most curious about. He’s always been one of the more unusual members of Final Fantasy VII’s cast, both in terms of his personality and his connection to the story’s darker elements. His distinctive identity makes him an especially intriguing addition to a combat system built around giving every party member their own strengths and mechanics.

Getting the opportunity to control him was exciting, although I’m particularly interested in seeing how his abilities develop throughout the full game and how naturally he fits into different party compositions.

A short demo obviously isn’t enough to fully understand either character, and I’m not going to pretend I’ve mastered their mechanics after a limited hands-on session. But the prospect of experimenting with two additional party members in a combat system I already adore is more than enough to get me excited.

Building on One of My Favorite Combat Systems

I’ve made no secret of how much I love the combat in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. The combination of real-time action, ATB management, character switching, and deliberate ability selection remains one of my favorite interpretations of modern Final Fantasy combat. It’s flashy and occasionally chaotic, but there’s an impressive amount of strategy involved once you become comfortable with everything happening on screen.

As spectacular as these battles can look, the real satisfaction comes from understanding how your characters complement one another, recognizing enemy openings, and making the right decisions when things get hectic. That’s why the addition of Cid and Vincent is so appealing to me. I’m not necessarily looking for Square Enix to completely overhaul a combat system that already works exceptionally well. I’d much rather see the developers build upon that foundation by introducing meaningful new options and encouraging me to experiment with different combinations and the FITS system is aiming to do just that.

My time with the demo’s concluding boss encounter reinforced just how much I enjoy that approach. Having a substantial fight waiting at the end of the dungeon gave me an opportunity to put what I’d been learning into practice. It also reminded me why boss battles have consistently been among my favorite moments in these games.

When I’m juggling abilities, managing resources, switching between characters, and responding to an enemy’s attacks, there’s a rhythm to the combat that’s incredibly rewarding once everything starts falling into place, and with two unfamiliar characters thrown into the mix, I found myself appreciating that experience all over again.

The Final Chapter Is Starting to Feel Real

Something I’ve noticed about getting multiple opportunities to play a game before release is how different the experience can feel the second time around. During my first hands-on session with Final Fantasy VII Revelation, I was primarily focused on taking everything in. There’s always a lot to process when you’re playing something new for a limited amount of time, particularly when it’s the continuation of a series you’re deeply invested in.

As much as I enjoy discussing combat mechanics, exploration, and whatever new features Square Enix might introduce, the thing I’m ultimately looking forward to most is seeing how this story concludes. Final Fantasy VII has been an important part of my relationship with JRPGs for a long time, and watching its world and characters receive this level of attention across an entire trilogy has been an incredible experience.

After everything that happened in Remake and Rebirth, I have an enormous amount of curiosity surrounding how Square Enix intends to bring this interpretation of the story to its conclusion. There are plenty of unanswered questions, and I fully expect the final game to have more than a few surprises waiting for me.

Overall Thoughts

My second experience with Final Fantasy VII Revelation didn’t necessarily need to convince me that I wanted to play the full game. That was never really in question. What it did accomplish, however, was remind me just how much I enjoy the fundamental structure of Final Fantasy VII when everything comes together.

Exploring a dungeon, fighting alongside familiar characters, experimenting with new abilities, and finally confronting a challenging boss is exactly what I wanted to see. When those elements are executed well, they represent some of the things I love most about JRPGs.

Finally getting to control Cid and Vincent only made the experience more exciting, and I’m eager to see how both characters evolve as the adventure progresses. There’s still an enormous amount I want to learn about Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and a relatively brief demo can only reveal so much about a game of this scale. Now after two opportunities to go hands-on, I’m feeling increasingly optimistic about what Square Enix has in store.