Today Square Enix released a large batch of screenshots, artwork, and details about the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake.
First of all, we get to see two wonderful new pieces of key artwork featuring Aerith and Barret.
More images show the Turks Reno and Rude on top of the members of Shinra, Jesse, Biggs, and Wedge.
More screenshots show the menu that will let us turn the game into Classic Mode, which will let you select commands as the ATB gauge accumulates in a way similar to the original game.
That being said, even in Classic Mode, you can return to action gameplay at any time.
By pressing the triangle button you can activate each character’s unique ability. For Cloud, it’s a mode change between “Operator Mode” (Assault Mode in Japanese) “Punisher Mode” (Brave Mode in Japanese). The former is balanced between attack and defense, while the latter is focused on attack.
In Punisher Mode Cloud moves more slowly, but his basic attacks with the square button inflict more damage.
Another feature showcased today is weapon progression. The more you use a weapon, the more proficient you become. When your proficiency reaches its top level, you can use the Weapon Ability associated with that weapon with any weapon you wield.
Each weapon has an upgrade menu that lets you buff the wielder and increase the Materia slots.
We also see a Materia that gives you the Assess ability, letting you see an enemy’s resistance and weakness parameters.
Summons can be used when equipping a summon materia and the summon gauge is filled. They fight automatically by your side, but you can order them to use their special abilities by consuming ATB gauge.
They also launch a powerful technique just before disappearing.
We get to see the Chocobo & Moogle summon, which can use “Stampede” and “Mog Explosion.”
The images also showcase a few familiar places within the world of the remake, the Church in the slums, and Aerith’s house.
We also see the ability to play darts at Seventh Heaven and the bike chase with Jesse as Cloud escapes from Shinra.
If you’d like to see and learn more about the game, you can check out a few recent videos, the previous video from a few days before, alongside a few additional assets, a charming TV commercal mixing live-action and a nostalgic feel, the latest trailer, the western box art for the game, plenty more beautiful screrenshots, and recent gameplay with the reveal of the Classic Mode.
The first game of the Final Fantasy VII Remake will launch on PS4 on March 3, 2020. No other platforms have been announced so far.
