Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Trailer Features Reworked Weapons

Square Enix unveiled new gameplay footage for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth during gamescom Opening Night Live, highlighting the return of the colossal Weapons as formidable endgame encounters. These towering guardians, originally introduced in the 1997 Final Fantasy VII, are reimagined as set-piece battles within the final installment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. The trailer demonstrated the Weapons engaging in combat across diverse environments, including open deserts, aerial dogfights, and the ocean floor, emphasizing their destructive power and role as planet protectors that pose a threat to both enemies and allies. A portion of these encounters are specifically designed as ultra-challenging postgame battles, paying homage to their original function in the 1997 game.

The new footage also introduced several new gameplay systems. The FITS outfit mechanic allows characters to equip specialized attire that enhances their abilities and performance, with each set mapping to distinct roles reminiscent of the classic Final Fantasy job system. The trailer showcased Cloud and Tifa in their Warrior and Black Mage FITS to illustrate this new system. Additionally, the Typhon summon was revealed as a new addition to the party's offensive capabilities, offering players another powerful tool in combat. Traversal and exploration have also been expanded, with the entire planet becoming explorable via the Highwind airship. Players can deploy to almost any location using a parachute, facilitating a more open-ended approach to navigating the game world.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, developed by Square Enix. The project aims to retell the story of the original 1997 PlayStation role-playing game with modern graphics and gameplay mechanics. The first installment, Final Fantasy VII Remake, was released in April 2020, receiving critical acclaim for its narrative, visuals, and combat system. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is set to continue the story following the escape from Midgar, with players exploring a wider world and encountering a host of new and familiar characters. The game is scheduled for release on February 29, 2024, exclusively for the PlayStation 5. The inclusion of the Weapons as challenging endgame content suggests a focus on providing deep and rewarding combat experiences for players who master the game's mechanics. The FITS system further adds a layer of strategic depth, allowing for character customization and adaptation to different combat scenarios. The expanded exploration via the Highwind airship promises a vast and engaging world for players to discover, building upon the foundations laid in the previous title.