The upcoming Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the final installment in the remake project, is set to introduce a host of changes from the original 1997 PlayStation release. Square Enix aims to deliver an expansive experience that builds upon its predecessors, featuring a fully open and explorable world and an enhanced combat system that incorporates a job class mechanic called FITS. These alterations span various aspects of the game, from narrative structure to individual character roles and even the presence and location of iconic summons.
Open World Structure
While the original game eventually allowed for exploration via the Highwind airship in its later stages, Revelation will present a more curated open-world experience from the outset. Director Naoki Hamaguchi indicated that not all locations will be immediately accessible, with elements such as weather events and restricted airspaces acting as gates for content until the player progresses to specific story points. This approach contrasts with the original's immediate freedom upon unlocking the airship.
Character Story Integration
Characters like Yuffie Kisaragi and Vincent Valentine, who were optional party members with side stories in the original Final Fantasy VII, will have their narratives more deeply integrated into the main plot of Revelation. Players will explore Wutai and learn about Vincent's past as a Turk as part of the core story, regardless of whether they would have sought out these elements in the original game.
Combat and Abilities
Vincent's iconic Galian Beast Limit Break from the original will now be a standard part of his combat kit, a change highlighted by battle director Teruki Endo as a favorite element that makes Vincent unique. Other transformations may also be incorporated into his core Limit Break abilities. However, the powerful Master materia, which granted access to all command abilities, magic spells, or summon beasts in the original's turn-based system, will not appear in Revelation. Game director Naoki Hamaguchi stated that its inclusion would “break the game” in the context of Revelation's real-time action combat.
Summons and Superbosses
Several summon monsters will be found in new locations in Revelation. For instance, the wind summon Typhoon moves from the Ancient Forest to Mideel. Hades replaces Leviathan as Wutai's patron deity, moving from an underwater dungeon. Additionally, Leviathan itself appears to be receiving an upgrade, with hints of an enhanced version being present in the Icicle Inn zone's regional summon quest. The ultimate summon spell, Knights of the Round, is slated to be the game's superboss. Developers held an emergency meeting to rebuild its encounter from scratch, deeming the initial design not challenging enough to match its legendary status. The questline for obtaining Knights of the Round will mirror the Gilgamesh quest in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, featuring a dedicated, multi-part storyline that the party follows as they engage with the summon materia.
Minigame Placement
While snowboarding and the Icicle Inn were present in the original game following Cloud's journey to Icicle Town, previews suggest these elements, along with a hypothermia minigame, will appear in Revelation but potentially out of their original sequence.