Hot off the heels of Sony’s State of Play trailer, Square Enix has shown off even more footage and details surrounding Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. At the Tokyo Game Show this past week, players got a greater look at the world of the remade game. While Final Fantasy VII Remake, the first part of the trilogy, had players confined to Midgar, the second installment will have them go out into the lands beyond.
Check out the recording of the TGS broadcast below. The new exploration of the grasslands starts about 29 minutes in:
Locations, Locations, Locations
But that’s not all. In a blog post, Square Enix talked about the large-scale regions that players will explore. The grasslands, shown in the gameplay above, feature wide open plains rich with Mako. At the edge of the grasslands players will find the swamplands. And to cross the swamplands? Well, players will have to rent a Chocobo. Potentially for a slithering reason.
Though it’s not confirmed how this mechanic will work, this alludes to an (in)famous section in the original Final Fantasy VII. If players didn’t find a Chocobo they’d be at the mercy of the Midgar Zolom, a large serpent seen ominously circling the depths of the swamps, like a long version of the shark from Jaws.
Next up, we have Junon, a coastal city that consists of two areas. Much like Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake, Junon has an upper level for the wealthy and Shinra elite and a lower level for displaced citizens. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has already confirmed the returning Bottomswell boss battle, this time tying into a new introduction for Yuffie.
Last but certainly not least we have the Gold Saucer, a “gilded paradise” above the Corel desert. In the original game, the Gold Saucer was run by Dio as an entertainment resort. The Square Enix blog specifies that in Rebirth, Shinra itself owns the complex, powering its attractions with Mako.
Minigames Galore
The area of the game that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth covers features a few minigames in the original. Most of these come courtesy of the Gold Saucer section, but it looks like Rebirth will add a few new ones too.
Queen’s Blood is a brand new minigame for Rebirth in the form of a strategic card game. In a 5 x 3 paneled board, players take turns placing cards down with the goal of overpowering their opponent. Each card can help players accumulate power, needed to win. Players can collect cards through their travels.
In Moogle Mischief, another new minigame for Rebirth, players have to bring Moogle kids back to their mogstools. Presumably, mogstools serve as homes for Moogles. Yet it seems the kids don’t like them that much, since they’ll resist your efforts.
The final minigame announced is Piano Performance. Through collecting sheet music, players can play Final Fantasy songs at pianos. They can even play whatever they like, free play style. No word yet on if Cloud can play Take On Me, though if you can, perhaps he can too. While the piano minigame has new features, it likely draws from a mechanic in the original game where players would play Tifa’s theme on her piano.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Key Art
As one more bonus, Square Enix revealed a new piece of key art. Designed by creative director Tetsuya Nomura, the vibrant poster features three iconic characters. According to a press release, Aerith and Tifa “inspire Cloud and the party to be courageous” while Sephiroth lurks behind them, “poised to tear their destinies apart.”
That doesn’t seem to bode well for them. What could this mean for the story of the game, which will feature some changes? Find out on February 29th, 2024, when Final Fantasy VII Rebirth releases for PS5. Players can purchase the standard game, a deluxe edition, or even a collector’s edition complete with Sephiroth statue.
