Final Fantasy VII Revelation will let players select Hard Mode from the beginning, changing the approach used by the first two games in the remake trilogy. In Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the toughest difficulty became available only after completing the game.
Director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed the change in an interview with Hardcore Gamer at TGS 2026. He explained that Revelation still includes Hard Mode, but its design has been adapted to suit the final game’s broader structure.
Hard Mode is available from the first playthrough
Players seeking a demanding opening run will not need to finish the main story first. Hamaguchi said the mode can be selected immediately, allowing challenging battles and high-difficulty gameplay from the start.
Hard Mode is selectable from the very start of this game. Therefore, players who want to tackle challenging battles and high-difficulty gameplay right from the beginning can enjoy that experience from their very first playthrough.
The reason for the change is Revelation’s planned end-game structure. Rather than making post-game Hard Mode the primary source of additional challenges, the development team says the game will include a wide variety of content to explore after the main story is complete.
That approach could make completion more flexible for players who prefer to tackle the campaign at its highest setting, while still leaving substantial challenges for the end game. It also avoids making a second full story run the only route to the toughest content.
Items and the FITS job system will change the challenge
Hard Mode in Remake and Rebirth disabled item usage, creating a major restriction alongside stronger combat demands. Revelation will not use that exact rule.
Hamaguchi attributed the difference to more complex strategic interactions between combat and the FITS job system. The details of those interactions have not been fully explained, but the team appears to be designing difficulty around tactical choices rather than simply removing access to items.
Dynamic Mode returns
Revelation will also retain Dynamic Mode from Rebirth. This option continually adjusts enemy difficulty as players progress through the story, helping battles remain challenging even as the party becomes more powerful.
The combination of selectable Hard Mode and Dynamic Mode gives players two different ways to seek a tougher campaign: a high-difficulty setting chosen at the outset, or an adaptive experience that continues to respond to character progression.
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A shorter path to completion?
The development team has previously said that earning the final game’s Platinum Trophy on PlayStation 5 will be considerably easier than in the earlier remake entries. Making Hard Mode available immediately addresses one frustration associated with completing Final Fantasy VII Remake: reaching 100 per cent required players to complete the game twice.
It remains to be seen how much new content will fill Revelation’s end game without requiring another complete playthrough. Square Enix has also promised story DLC during the year after launch, potentially giving players another reason to return after finishing the main campaign.
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