Highly anticipated: For some, Final Fantasy VII Remake cannot come soon enough. To tide them over, Square Enix has released a demo. It should also serve as a good example for those of us still unsure whether the reboot will be any good.
If you have been on the fence as I have about the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake, you might be interested to know that Square Enix has just dropped a playable demo. The trial includes the first chapter of the game --- the Mako Reactor bombing mission all the way through the escape.
Square Enix is treading the tightrope with the reboot since it is straying quite far from the JRPG origins of the 1997 title. The team is introducing new characters, monsters, and lore.
Also, instead of menu-based "Active Time Battle" system (ATB), players will engage in more an action-RPG style of play controlling the character in real time. However, the devs have included a "Classic Mode," which plays more like the original ATB system.
It's enough to upset the purists, but not enough to make it a terrible game, especially for a newer audience. It will boil down to how well executed it is. Fortunately, Square Enix is giving us a try-before-you-buy taste.
The Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is available on the PlayStation Store. Those who download the demo between now and May 11 can also get a free PS4 theme to go with it.
The developers put off the original March 3 release date to an unspecified time in April so they could give it a final "polish." They now have the PlayStation 4 exclusive slated for April 10, 2020. It will reportedly be available for Xbox and PC next year.