Final Fantasy 7 Remakechanged a lot with the story over the PS1 original when it launched in 2020. From going more in-depth with characters like Jessie to adding nods to the original game, it was more of a sequel than a remake. There were a lot of gameplay changes too and the biggest of which was the combat restructuring.
It went from turn-based to action and there was a big emphasis on weapon customization too. The action and weapon stuff was kept forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and this sequel added even more gameplay elements too. From big additions to little changes, here’s a look at all of them.
6Synergy Abilities
A Nod To Chrono Trigger
Every character in the original game could attack with their weapons and then whatever Materia they had equipped.Final Fantasy 7 Remakekept the Materia but it gave everyone special abilities too like Barret’s Overcharge. The biggest change was going from turn-based battles to action combat with some slow-down effects for menus. It was a gamble but it paid off for most fans.
This sequel goes a step beyond by giving players dual attacks kind of likeChrono Trigger. Two characters inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthcan perform Synergieswhich are easier to activate and are often deadlier than a Limit Break. Certain pairs work well together like Barret and Red 13 and it will take a while to unlock all Synergies in the game. Testing them all out is half the fun.
5Item Crafting
Time To Gather Materials
Midgar was pretty small in size as everything was confined to tight corridors inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Beyond Midgar is an open world filled with side quests from helping Chadley map the world to exposing new quests. Another thing that populates the landscape is materials players can use for crafting. Players don’t need to visit a shop or special kiosk to craft either which is handy as it’s in the menu.
Players just need to gather the rightmaterials to craft items like potions inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. There are even ways to get good Bangles and expand Materia slots early. The neatest addition to this mechanic is the to-do list which will remind players if they have all the materials they need to form a new item. Crafting items will earn players EXP and reaching new levels will unlock new recipes.
4Weapon Upgrades
Understanding Folios
Weapons in the original game came with different stats and slot allotments for Materia. There was no way to upgrade them until Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Every weapon players found or bought had a separate skill tree attached to level up like Cloud’s Buster Sword.Weapons can be upgraded inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthtoo but the system has been slightly altered.
Instead of individual weapon trees, there is now a skill tree for every character inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthin a system called Folios. Players can purchase skills at vending machines or shops in towns. The aforementioned Synergy abilities can be unlocked through this method along with stat upgrades like increasing HP by 200. Also, there are collectible books that will raise a character’s overall weapon level.
3The Party Level
A Persona-Like Dating System
Dialogue choices have become a mainstream mechanic in RPGssince BioWare helped popularize them in the early 2000s. While not prolific, there was a hidden mechanic behind the scenes inFinal Fantasy 7that calculated several choices made. Players could go on a date with a character at Gold Saucer depending on who players had in their party among other things. The date scene in Golden Saucer returns inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthbut it’s a bit easier to figure out who likes Cloud the most.
Besides individually leveling up characters, there is a party-based level too. Leveling it up will increase what players can get in the Folio skill tree. Smiling icons also appear periodically above the heads of characters, showcasing their mood toward Cloud. Keeping a party happy will lead to great teamwork in the field.
2Chadley’s Quests
Building Up The World’s Intel
Chadley is a robot that Hojo created which is a revelation found out during an extremely hard-to-get-to encounter inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. He returns in the sequel to give Cloud a variety of quests from helping Moogles to climbing towers. The world was open in the original game but it was never as massive as this.Final Fantasy 7launched before the true open-world revolution began in the late 2000s with games likeAssassin’s CreedandThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’sWorld Intelquests are full of common open-world tropes such as towers which will showcase new areas of the map. Most of these missions are tied to Chadley and it’s the best way to level up and to get rare gear and Materia fast. There weren’t as many side quests overall for sure in the original game.
1Traversal Abilities
The Party Is More Versatile
Perhaps one of the biggest changes that coincides with the action combat is how flexible everyone is outside of battles. The game is even more improved fromFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeas there are a lot more modes of transportation along with more ways to traverse the land. Players can now hop over fences or land masses. They can climb certain footholds as well.
One of the coolest traversalabilities gives Yuffieand Cloud grappling hooks to swing around like they were vacationing on the set of the next Uncharted game. There are stealth segments too along with swimming in certain waters. The changes to mobility are numerous and it would take all day to list them all but those are some biggest examples.
