Cloud Faces a Harsh Reality in New Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Hands-On Preview

Dividing the legendary narrative of Final Fantasy 7 into an expansive trilogy presented Square Enix with a formidable hurdle. While Remake capitalized on the sheer nostalgia of the Mako reactor bombing to captivate players, sustaining that level of excitement across multiple installments demands creativity. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth met this challenge head-on by initiating its journey with the deeply unsettling Nibelheim flashback. Now, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation adopts a similarly intense, fast-paced rhythm, plunging directly into the turbulent depths of Cloud’s unraveling psyche right where Rebirth left off.

During an immersive 40-minute hands-on preview of the opening chapter on a PlayStation 5 Pro, I explored the treacherous Northern Crater, tested out newly playable party members Cid and Vincent, and watched Cloud teeter dangerously on the edge of a psychological breakdown. The time evaporated instantly, leaving me hungry for the full experience—even if I remain somewhat skeptical about whether Revelation‘s latest mechanical adjustments to the beloved combat engine are entirely essential.

From what I observed, Revelation commences almost immediately following the bittersweet conclusion of Rebirth. Cloud and his allies depart the haunting City of the Ancients to track Sephiroth to the Northern Crater. As the group ventures further into the abyss, they begin feeling the intoxicating, almost narcotic effects of the densely concentrated Mako energy—essentially magic liquid petroleum. Barret and Cid mention feeling delightfully dizzy, while Yuffie voices anxieties about returning home to Wutai amid fears of an impending Shinra assault. Meanwhile, Tifa tries desperately, and transparently, to ignore Cloud’s alarming physical deterioration, struggling just as much for her own peace of mind as for his.

The majority of the preview unfolded within the Northern Crater, which has received a breathtaking visual overhaul true to the aesthetic standards of the modern trilogy. Whereas the original PlayStation release rendered this area as a rather monotonous, dark-green chasm, the remake treats players to a surreal, cosmic landscape defined by towering crystal spires and glowing auroras dancing across the firmament. Given that the original locale felt like a drab pit where you spent an inordinate amount of time, this vibrant redesign is a thoroughly appreciated upgrade.

As the party presses forward toward the planet’s core, minor skirmishes provide a great opportunity to get acquainted with Revelation’s two fresh additions to the roster: Vincent Valentine and Cid Highwind. Vincent operates much like a hybrid of Barret and Red XIII, utilizing long-range standard strikes that prove invaluable when encounters grow chaotic or Cloud is temporarily out of commission. Holding down R1 for a couple of seconds allows Vincent to transform into the ferocious Galian Beast, a sturdy and brutal powerhouse, albeit slightly slower than Red’s agile sidewinder maneuvers. Cid took a bit more warming up to, until I discovered that simply holding down the primary attack button triggers a relentless flurry of swift polearm thrusts. His arsenal also features classic dragoon capabilities, sending him soaring skyward before delivering a devastating plunge. Both newcomers feel comparable in raw power to Cloud, making me eager to see how their progression balances against veterans like Yuffie and Cait Sith once the full title launches. They feel remarkably strong—perhaps almost too strong!

While this particular system won’t be accessible right at the onset of the final release, my demo let me experiment with the brand-new FITS (Function-Integrated Tactical Suitwear) system, an interchangeable job mechanic enabling deep customization of character loadouts. Cloud was outfitted with the Summoner FIT, channeling entities like Ifrit, Shiva, and Titan to infuse his strikes with elemental flair. Filling your ATB gauge in time even allows for coordinated elemental tag-team synergy strikes with your chosen summon. It is undeniably fun and will likely prove indispensable during grueling optional boss fights. Even so, much like the synergy mechanics introduced in Rebirth, I found it slightly superfluous. While I am curious to see how other FITS configurations play out, at first glance, it feels like yet another extra submenu bogging down an otherwise fast-paced action combat system.

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From a storytelling standpoint, this early segment of Revelation achieves a remarkable amount in a relatively brief timeframe. Amid complaints about ambient Mako, we are quickly reminded of everyone’s distinct quirks, running jokes, and interpersonal tensions. The cast largely mirrors where we left them, with one major exception: Red XIII is now referred to as Nanaki across all interface menus and speaks with his enthusiastic youth voice rather than the gravelly elderly timbre he adopted following the events in Cosmo Canyon. This deviation from the original game is a fantastic inclusion that feels entirely earned.

The pacing accelerates dramatically once the group dispatches another iteration of Jenova, prompting Sephiroth to manifest—though exclusively to Cloud. Sephiroth features a fresh voice talent for this installment, with Critical Role star Travis Willingham stepping in to replace Tyler Hoechlin, who was unavailable to reprise his role for the third game. Admittedly, the transition is a bit jarring initially, though I remain hopeful the performance will win me over as the narrative unfolds.

After taunting Cloud and noting his lack of a numbered tattoo compared to other Shinra guinea pigs, Sephiroth subjects Cloud, Tifa, and Barret to a surreal, monochromatic rendition of the Nibelheim tragedy. This haunting exposure finally unlocks suppressed memories of Zack Fair within Cloud’s mind, though the full picture remains fragmented. Undeterred—and entirely unequipped for the emotional fallout awaiting him—Cloud presses deeper into this phantasmagoric reconstruction of his hometown, daring the villain to reveal more. Square Enix has once again crafted an exceptional hook to kick off a chapter. Naturally, much to my frustration, that is precisely where the preview concluded.

There remains an enormous amount of narrative ground to cover, but one thing is abundantly clear: the climax is approaching. Everything about Final Fantasy 7 Revelation carries an undeniable aura of grandeur and finality, ranging from the snazzy new tactical gear to the vibrant color accents brightening the menus. The fate of the world hangs by a thread, and the Planet may be slowly perishing, but even the notoriously gloomy Northern Crater has never appeared more vivid and breathtaking. Spring truly cannot arrive soon enough.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will be released for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on April 8, 2027.

45 impressive minutes with Square Enix’s trilogy capstone

Source: Polygon