Can You Play As Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

It’s no secret that Sephiroth plays a major role throughout all parts of Final Fantasy 7, and the middle portion in Rebirth is no exception. So, can you play as Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? Keep reading to find out.

One of the things Final Fantasy 7 Remake got right was how it let players use the large cast of characters in battle. Switching between the fast-paced punches of Tifa to Aerith’s support healing was a blast in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and you better believe the large playable cast is expanded further in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

Is Sephiroth Playable in FF7 Rebirth?

Yes, you can play as Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Chapter 1 sets up the iconic Nibelheim flashback sequence as Could narrates the events to Barret, Tifa, and Aerith while lodging in Kalm. Sephiroth is the very first character you take control of in this flashback, and it’s a combat scenario no less.

During this sequence, Cloud is deployed with Sephiroth to inspect the Mako reactor in Nibelheim. On route to the village, Cloud and Sephiroth get stopped by monster activity on the road. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth then puts players in control of none other than SOLDIER First Class himself, Sephiroth.

This first battle is super easy due to Sephiroth’s advanced abilities and superior stats. This fight is a pure show of strength and you can easily win by mashing the Square and Triangle buttons. After defeating the roadside threat, the game puts the player in the shoes of Cloud once again.

During this brief respite in Nibelheim, you can visit Cloud’s mom, go through Tifa’s room, and visit the water tower spot in the center of town. After sleeping at the inn for the night, you’ll start your journey to the Mako Reactor on Mt. Nibel alongside Sephiroth and your tour guide, Tifa.

Sephiroth in Combat

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth takes off the training wheels during the ascent of Mt. Nibel, allowing full control over Sephiroth in battles. It’s here where you’ll get a combat tutorial for Sephiroth and get to play with his offensive abilities.

Sephiroth’s combat style is fast and devastating. You string together rapid combos mashing the square button and top off those combos with finishers using Triangle. The finisher attacks change depending on what combos you’re engaged in at any given time and can only be pulled off when your Aura Gauge is full.

I’m partial to the Pierce finisher since it’s such an iconic and effective long-range skewer move. In addition to Sephiroth’s regular attacks, he has a retaliation stance (R1 Button) that serves to defend and parry incoming attacks. And of course, who could forget Sephiroth’s epic Limit Break, Octoslash?

Savor the Nibelheim flashback section with Sephiroth because, after the events of the flashback conclude, there’s no way to play as Sephiroth again in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Sephiroth can only be controlled in battles during the Nibelheim flashback sequence. But not to worry, Sephiroth is one of the main antagonists of Final Fantasy 7 and will continue to haunt Cloud and company throughout their journey.

That’s everything you need to know about whether or not you can play as Sephiroth in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. You can play the game’s two-part demo on PS5 to control Sephiroth for yourself.