Final Fantasy VII Rebirth established one of the most expansive mainline entries in the series, excluding the massively multiplayer games. Its open world offered a huge collection of quests, minigames, photo opportunities, collectibles and other diversions alongside Cloud’s mission to save the planet.
That abundance divided players. Some welcomed the chance to spend dozens of hours exploring optional activities, while others felt the extra content sometimes distracted from the main story. However, an early hands-on look at Final Fantasy VII Revelation suggests the concluding chapter will expand rather than reduce that approach.
A bigger world, with more player choice
Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the development team understands the mixed response to Rebirth’s volume of content. In his view, the question is not simply whether more or less is better. The important issues are player preference and how effectively the game communicates its optional activities.
Revelation adds new regions including Mideel and Wutai, while allowing players to revisit every location from Rebirth. The hands-on demo began as the party gained access to the Highwind, opening roughly half a dozen regions filled with quests, photography opportunities, collectibles and indications of the powerful Weapon encounters to come.
Hamaguchi says the original Final Fantasy VII was appealing not only because of its central story, but also because of its broad mix of side quests and minigames. That variety remained a core design goal for both Rebirth and Revelation. Reducing the amount of content for the finale was never part of the team’s discussion, although the developers did identify ways to make the experience more intuitive.
For readers who follow the wider arcade and gaming news, the design challenge will be familiar: a feature-rich experience needs clear signposting so players can decide what deserves their time.
Optional content with clearer rewards
Freedom is a major theme in Revelation. Players can skip story cutscenes and minigames if they choose, while minigames now include difficulty options. Optional activities are also intended to offer more varied rewards.
Hamaguchi identifies a specific criticism of Rebirth: too many rewards were connected to combat, including equipment, weapons and skills. The sequel therefore broadens the reward structure with benefits that affect areas beyond battle, including alternate costumes for every character.
The team has also worked to make rewards clearer before players commit to a minigame or side activity. That information should make it easier to decide whether an activity is worthwhile or better left untouched.
Optional content will also contribute to the finale’s character work. The party’s efforts to stop the meteor and save the planet will sit alongside more personal moments of doubt and self-reflection. Since players may choose different activities, their impressions of the characters and story can differ as well.
The Highwind becomes a home
The Highwind changes how the world is explored. It can cross the map freely, let the party skydive and land wherever the player wants. It is not merely a faster method of travel, however; the ship is designed as a developing home for Cloud and his companions.
As the main story and exploration progress, conversations aboard the Highwind will change. Players can discover new interactions and collect memorabilia to display inside the ship, creating a space that reflects their journey.
The enhanced camera system supports that personal touch. Players can take selfies, photograph party members and capture images of cats and other subjects while exploring. Photos from Rebirth, including Cloud and Aerith’s selfie and an image of the condor, are already shown on a noticeboard in one crew room. Hamaguchi also confirmed that photographs and other collected items can appear throughout the Highwind.
The Highwind’s customisation and exploration features may appeal to anyone who enjoys building a personalised gaming space. RETROCADE’s arcade machine buying guide covers similar practical questions about choosing hardware for a home games room.
New combat options: FITS, Cid and Vincent
The push for player freedom also reaches combat. The major additions include the FITS system and the arrival of Cid and Vincent as the final playable party members.
FITS resembles a traditional Final Fantasy job system, but battle director Teruki Endo says that was not its original purpose. The team wanted to expand the magic-based side of combat beyond Materia while introducing an original idea rather than simply repeating an established series feature.
Because the combat system already combines ATB, Materia and the trilogy’s Synergy mechanics, the developers decided that a job-like structure would be easier for both experienced players and newcomers to understand. FITS ultimately focuses on four options: Warrior, Knight, Black Mage and Summoner. Other jobs from the series were not considered during development.
Cid takes to the air
Cid effectively adds a fifth combat style through his Dragoon identity. Apart from Final Fantasy Origin: Stranger of Paradise, this is described as the first time a Dragoon has been used in an action-RPG combat system.
His design reflects the character’s connection with flight. Cid can launch himself high into the air, move through aerial combat and attack from above. That makes him more action-focused than the jump Materia seen in earlier versions of the story.
Vincent gets a larger role
Vincent is being designed as a flashy, aggressive ranged fighter who differs from Barret. Endo says the team began with a new combat foundation before considering the elements fans would expect from Vincent.
The demo has shown Vincent’s Galian Beast limit break, while the possible inclusion of transformations such as Death Gigas and Hellmasker remains unconfirmed. The development team has discussed ways to bring those monstrous forms into the game, but no final details were provided.
Vincent’s importance extends beyond combat. In the original FF7, he was an optional character who could be missed easily, despite his connections to Shinra, the former Turks and Sephiroth. Revelation will expand those relationships, with Vincent and Sephiroth each receiving post-launch downloadable story content.
Four DLC concepts were considered before the final selection. Hamaguchi says he became particularly attached to Vincent and wanted the character included. These stories will not change the ending of Revelation, which he says will give the remake trilogy a clear conclusion.
The additional material can instead explore Vincent’s history and his links to other characters, including Sephiroth. Hamaguchi says that working on the finale gave him a deeper appreciation for Vincent, and that fans of the character may share that experience.
For players considering a dedicated setup for large role-playing adventures, RETROCADE’s range of arcade machines and compact bartop arcades offers options for different Australian gaming rooms.
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