Despite an initial jaded perspective on the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, a hands-on demo of the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has convinced one reviewer that Square Enix has saved some of its most compelling content for last. The early segments of the game, particularly those featuring Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine, have been singled out for their engaging and unique playstyles.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake series boasts a battle system that blends strategic turn-based elements with a slick action system. While the core combat is praised for its variety and demand for tactical play, the reviewer found themselves without a primary character to latch onto throughout the first two installments. This changed with the introduction of Cid Highwind. As a Dragoon, Cid's spear-wielding, high-mobility playstyle, characterized by his Jump attacks, allows him to quickly traverse the battlefield and prioritize targets with unmatched efficiency.
Vincent Valentine also presents a distinct gameplay experience. Initially appearing similar to Barret’s ranged combat, Vincent's kit is notably expanded by his ability to shapeshift into a Galian Beast, offering a far more aggressive and vicious combat approach. This duality makes him feel almost like two characters in one, quickly surpassing previous ranged characters in appeal.
This evolution in character design, where newer characters offer more complexity and creativity, is a common trait in ongoing game series. The FITS system in Rebirth further aims to keep existing characters fresh by allowing them to equip job-based abilities. For instance, the demo showcased Cloud utilizing the Summoner FITS to call upon allies like Shiva and Titan. While this adds a new layer to familiar characters, the potential to combine such abilities with Cid's spear attacks and summoning, for example, suggests a significant depth of customization.
Despite lingering reservations about the overarching narrative's pacing in the Remake trilogy, the gameplay demonstrated in the Rebirth demo has generated significant excitement. The reviewer concluded that, barring any excessive mini-game bloat, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is shaping up to be a compelling experience, with the early introductions of Cid and Vincent suggesting Square Enix has indeed saved some of its best design elements for the final chapter.