As someone who didn’t play much of the original, Final Fantasy VII Remake had me excited going into the demo. It was announced alongside Kingdom Hearts III in 2013 and we now have an idea of what it plays like. After spending about 10 or 20 minutes with it, Final Fantasy VII Remake has become one of my most anticipated games of 2020.
Back In Midgar
The demo has players controlling Cloud and Barrett as they do the Scorpion Sentinel boss battle. Right out the gate, the combat felt like a mix between Final Fantasy XV and the original Final Fantasy VII. Battles are happening in real-time rather than turn-based. Where it feels like the original is it retains the essence and basics of what made it so special back in the day. Additionally, features like the ATB bar are still there and help add some variety to combat by letting players slow down time and plan out what to do next.
Midgar feels fully realized and visually stunning in a way that couldn’t be accomplished back on the PlayStation One. The scale feels massive in just the snippet of gameplay in the demo.
Entering the Fray
The combat feels smooth and exciting which each combat encounter. An important aspect of combat comes from switching back and forth between Cloud and Barrett.
Cloud seems to work with close combat with his sword while Barrett fits more for ranged with his guns. Additionally, this difference in play styles adds an extra element of strategy when it comes to battles and especially boss encounters.
The Scorpion Sentinel boss battle ramps up as the scorpion’s health goes down and the level of strategy increases. At one point, barriers appear that you have to hide behind so you don’t get hit by the scorpion’s lasers. Another point comes up where the scorpion has its shields up. This particular boss battle showcased the amount of variety in fights and how it’s important to switch back and forth between characters. While you might want to slash the scorpion as Cloud, it might be better to take the shields down as Barrett from a distance.
Verdict
Overall, Final Fantasy VII Remake is easily one of my favorite games from E3. From its fleshed out world to its graphics and gameplay, it looks like a lot of love and passion has been put into this remake. Gameplay elements like switching characters help make combat fresh with each encounter. Visually, it looks stunning and it’ll be exciting to explore Midgar once the final game comes out. After playing this demo, it makes me want to go play the original and take it all in.
Final Fantasy VII Remake releases on PS4 on March 3, 2020. For more E3 coverage, including our Square-Enix recap, stay tuned to vgr.com.