Well, I think I have reviewed enough small indie games to try my hand at bigger titles and what better way to start than with the demo of the remake of the century! I hope to do more first impressions in the future since 2020 is shaping up to be an EPIC year for game releases.

Story

I won’t spoil too much for you, but rest easy original FFVII fans because all is well up in here! Story-wise, the developers have kept true to the original but have sprinkled in slight twists. For example, a scene has been added to show the corrupted Shinra Electric Power Company aiding in the eco-terrorist bombing mission of its own building. While this one scene does not seem necessary to explain the plot, it does help paint the good guys in a bad light to the public. I hope that the remake as a whole sticks to that formula – adding bits that enhance the story rather than completely changing them or omitting key events. Since it has been straight fan-service so far, I think the future looks bright. Even characters like Jessie have gotten some extra quality lines that really help to develop them further and make them so much more interesting (Jessie x Cloud hint hint ;). If this demo is anything to go off of, hardcore fans of the original like myself shouldn’t be offended by this remake’s refreshing approach to the story.

Gameplay

I was VERY skeptical when I heard that the developers would be ditching the original’s turn-based combat for real-time action combat as I am a believer in classic FFVII gameplay. I was scared that it would take after FFXV’s hack n’ slash mess, but I am happy to say that we have got ourselves true active-time battle (ATB) at its best! It is very close to FFXIII’s ATB combat, which is one of my favorite spins on FF’s original turn-based combat. Here, battles do not cut away and you control the movement of the character. Anything other than a regular attack, block, or evade requires you to wait until the ATB gauge fills up in order to use the command list. Once it does, you have the option to use items, spells, and special abilities. It’s a system that makes you pay attention to the flow of battle and strategize your choices and I definitely never got bored from it. For the first half of the demo you only control Cloud but Barret joins the party in the second half. Switching between them was seamless and adds even more strategy to battle. However, when locked onto an enemy, the camera does not faze through the environment very well and close-quarter battles could get very annoying. I should note that the combat described above is the Normal mode, but there is also a Classic and Easy mode available. With Classic, the characters move, attack, block, and evade all by themselves during combat and is equatable to Easy mode.

Graphics

I think the side-by-side comparison above speaks for itself but never has FFVII or any FF looked better. We went from polygon arms to hi-def biceps. FF is known for its prettiness and jaw-dropping cutscenes and the eye-candy continues. I don’t think that it could get any better. I can barely contain my 10-year-old inner Cloud fangirl, so I should probably stop now before I go on a rant *drool puddle begins to form*.

Soundtrack

The original FFVII soundtrack is what lead me to fall in love with classical music and eventually play the violin, which I sucked at and quit. Nevertheless, hearing it remastered gave me chills, tears, and pure joy. I’m content to just let the game sit on pause all day to listen to the music. The majority of the tracks included in the demo are fast-paced fighting themes meant to immerse you in the non-stop action, but I cannot wait to hear slower tracks like Aerith’s theme. A sacrifice of the ATB combat is not getting to hear the victory theme after every battle, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

The Final Fantasy VII Remake releases on April 10, 2020, and I could not be more excited. This demo is undoubtedly the best demo that I have ever played and does a great job of showcasing what the full game will offer. If you are new to the series or an old-time friend, this demo deserves your attention, kupo!