The main character of this year’s Tokyo Game Show 2023 (TGS 2023) was definitely ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth (hereinafter referred to as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth).’ Square Enix demonstrated ‘FAFAN 7 Rebirth’ as its secret weapon at TGS 2023. With the news that the world would be the first to experience ‘FAFAN 7 Rebirth’, this year’s Square Enix booth had a longer queue than ever before. The booth was heated up with the enthusiasm of the media and visitors who had gathered for ‘Default 7 Rebirth’. It was a moment when I could really feel the interest and popularity of the game.
The ‘FFVII 7 Rebirth’ demo build that was able to be demonstrated at TGS 2023 was FATED BEGINNINGS: SEPHIROTH & CLOUD and THE WORLD OF FFVII REBIRTH: JUNON AREA. ) It was divided into two modes, so you could freely choose the mode you wanted.
Fated Beginnings, which also serves as a tutorial for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, is set in Nibelheim 5 years before the main story, and features the ability to manipulate Sephiroth. The World of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was presumed to be the beginning of the main story. Unlike the previous work, which was conducted in a straight line, it was possible to freely roam the vast open field.
Through Fated Beginnings, it was possible to not only control Sephiroth, but also experience the newly added combat system of ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ – linked actions and linked abilities – in a preview format. As the strongest soldier and hero in the story, Sephiroth was basically set to be much more powerful than Cloud. It’s literally exciting and powerful. Because it is a mode that also serves as a tutorial, it was possible to kill monsters without difficulty even with Cloud, but even taking that into account, Sephiroth’s strength is unrivaled. By appearing as a playable character, his strength is once again impressed.
Link Action is a battle system that improves the link mode between Yuffie and Sonon, which was introduced in Intergrade Intermission, to suit ‘Final Finals 7 Rebirth’. Unlike the linked mode that consumes 1 ATB, linked actions not only do not consume ATB, but also allow different linked actions to be used depending on the operating character. As long as you are a party member, you can freely perform linked actions with the character you want at any time.
Linked actions with party members can be of great help when used strategically, but that does not mean they are all-purpose. As you can see from the fact that it does not consume ATB, if you just use it, it is worse than not using it at all. Basically, as two characters perform one linked action, dilos may occur. There is no invincibility here, so it may be interrupted. Depending on the situation, it may be necessary to use it in a way that targets the enemy’s weaknesses.
▲ Linkage ability that explodes with style
Linkage ability is a technology that can be said to be completely upward compatible with these linkage actions. In ‘Final Game 7 Reverse’, the more ATB gauge is consumed, the more the linkage gauge accumulates, and when the linkage gauge of two characters fills up to a certain level, the linkage ability can be activated. Since it cannot be used easily, the linked ability is powerful in determining invincibility.
In fact, it is safe to say that it is a linked action of a limiter. In addition, it is characterized by having a kind of buff effect. Cloud and Sephiroth’s linked ability increases Cloud’s limiter level while also applying a no MP consumption buff to Sephiroth. If you use it in a situation where Cloud’s limiter is ready, rather than simply using it, it is possible to use the limiter with Cloud immediately afterward or fire a spell with Sephiroth to inflict burst damage for a short period of time.
▲ There are many types and buffs, so use them strategically.
Not only the type of linked ability but also the buff effect varies depending on which character it is linked with. Representative examples include Magical Bloom, a linkage ability between Aerith and Cloud, and Planet Lore, a linkage ability between Aerith and Red Thirteen. Both are powerful, but Magical Bloom allows Cloud to deliver a powerful blow to the boss by borrowing Aerith’s magical power to launch a long-distance attack, but it can be said to be less effective when dealing with multiple enemies. On the other hand, Planet Lore has a wide range of long-distance attacks, so it is advantageous when dealing with multiple enemies.
This is not the only strategic element. The buff effect of linked abilities cannot be overlooked either. In this demo build, we were able to see an increase in limiter level, no magic MP consumption, and burst reinforcement. In addition to the unique ability of the linked ability, which buff would be good in the current situation varies from time to time, so it seemed necessary to use it strategically.
Through The World of Final Fantasy 7 Reverse, which is the main game, we were able to confirm the exploration elements mentioned in the previous interview. Because the demonstration time was limited, it was not possible to freely roam the field, but you were able to freely roam the wide field riding a chocobo, and the area data analysis chart and world report were used to increase your strategy by catching special monsters in the field. I was also able to confirm.
There were also some changes in the battle presentation. In the previous work, only three battle members participating in battle were displayed on the screen. If the battle members were selected with Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith, Barrett was often not even considered. However, ‘Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’ also improved this direction.
▲ Even though they are not battle members, you can see Tifa and Barrett.
There is still a maximum of 3 battle members, but they appear to be participating in the battle even if they are not included in the battle members. Of course, since they don’t actually participate in battles, they don’t cause damage or anything, but that in itself makes them feel attached to their comrades. In that sense, it is safe to say that although it is small, it is a big improvement.
It can be said that this demonstration was truly perfect in that it allowed us to confirm the new system and raised expectations for the main game. My only regret is that I wasn’t able to experience more of the exploration elements. Of course, this is only a bit of a disappointment. Rather, I am even more excited about what kind of experience I will have in the main story.
‘Papan 7 Rebirth’ is scheduled to be officially released in Korean on February 29, 2024. There are still 5 months left until release. It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve been waiting for the main game while doing a demo build.
