Sure, you’ll have the ability to play as Sephiroth. As a part of a brand new gameplay trailer previous this yr, Ultimate Myth VII Rebirth showed a key scene from the unique would characteristic on this, the second one access in a three-game challenge of the seminal PS1 vintage. In 1997, that second – a more youthful, revenge-driven Tifa dealing with off towards Sephiroth – shaped a part of a longer playable flashback. Again then, the SOLDIER legend was once however an NPC on your celebration. In closing week’s State of Play, a brand new trailer published no longer handiest would that flashback be found in Ultimate Myth VII Rebirth in some capability, however an accompanying interview showed the One-Winged Angel will probably be DualSense able. And now, due to a brand new hands-on with a preview construct of the sport, we all know what taking part in as Sephiroth will really feel like.
That construct is in reality a two-part demo. The primary part is a combat-heavy however story-driven phase charts Cloud and Sephiroth’s undertaking to the mountainous Nibelheim and is round 20 mins in duration. The second one section – Cloud and corporate’s post-Midgar journey taking them throughout a sweeping valley sat within the shadow of Junon – is of identical duration, if you head immediately to the marked vacation spot at the HUD. Play time might be and is prolonged because of the realm’s expansive global and facet actions that beckon: Chocobo chicks to practice, Chocobo farms discuss with to customise your newly-acquired mount, beasts to thrash with one eye on not obligatory targets. (It’s additionally a space rendered in such surprising element, that I lose time simply panning the in-game digital camera round to recognize my atmosphere.)
The demo as a complete is curated for attendees at this week’s Tokyo Recreation Display. As such further tutorials are integrated to give an explanation for mechanics and new additions, to refresh or familiarize avid gamers relying on whether or not they’re coming back from Ultimate Myth VII Remake or no longer. We controlled to get an early glance forward of the showfloor opening, and right here’s what we found out.
The mountain of Nibelheim was once wealthy in collectable, equipable Materia, the demo egging me on to modify my setup often to check the brand new varieties. Examples integrated Amplify Materia, expanding the choice of enemies struck by way of an attack-type Materia if Amplify was once slotted in along them. A laugh but probably tough was once the ‘Spare Alternate’ Materia, with my assault energy in accordance with how a lot Gil I’d solid (toss?) at an enemy.
Kickass Angel: The Nibelheim flashback pairs Sephiroth with a more youthful Cloud, the latter’s inexperience serving as a window for avid gamers to obtain world-building exposition from each his comrade and Tifa (pre-Avalanche and accompanying the visiting Shinra army as a neighborhood information). Within the unique recreation, the Masamune wielder performed NPC on your celebration, commanding immediate appreciate together with his four-digit lengthy stack of HP and skill to one-shot maximum enemies with a unmarried swipe of his sword. In Ultimate Myth VII Rebirth, you’ve the selection to direct or keep an eye on him. That side of the fight machine will probably be very similar to Ultimate Myth VII Remake avid gamers (use DualSense triggers to factor instructions to allies, D-Pad left or proper to modify persona). He’s not a one-strike guy, however nonetheless boasts some impressive takedown abilities that continuously catches the attention (amusing observe: whilst his and Cloud’s HP stats are similar in FFVII Rebirth, Sephiroth’s HP continues to be within the 4 digit vary). Along some fashionable and distinctive Talents he’s ready to deploy throughout fights, he too can workforce up with Cloud to execute one in every of FFVII Rebirth’s flashy new options: Synergy strikes (extra in the ones in a second). Unfortunately this demo collection is all-too temporary, however the adorned wrestle and tale moments from the unique leaves me in a identical awe of Sephiroth because it did again within the day.
The Nibelheim portion of the demo had me slowly ascend the mountainside, with slender paths and cliff face climbs. Panning the digital camera as I explored published sparkling Materia, suggesting not obligatory routes I hadn’t noticed. Leisure Stops allowed restoration of HP and MP. At one level a deadly increase of Mako fuel blanketed the foyer space of an elevator, triggering a lockdown, forcing me to cleanse the realm with a close-by air purifier unit prior to the carry reactivated.
Synergy Talents and Talents: Those let two characters on your energetic celebration sign up for forces for an impressive assault throughout wrestle. They’ve been evolved with every member’s combat taste and strengths in thoughts, which means there’s distinctive Synergies for each pairing – one more reason to repeatedly combine up your energetic celebration whilst exploring. Some Synergies are AOE, others directional. You’ll uncover which of them may also be deployed straight away, which desire a finally end up prior to unleashing. All require you to weigh up and measure enemy (and occasionally pleasant) placements appropriately to verify those moves land. Synergies are available in two flavors: Talents and Talents, every getting a subsection of the command menu (gradual time to a move slowly with a press of X to go into Tactical Mode and cycle via wrestle choices to strategize your celebration’s subsequent strikes).
All of your team – even the ones no longer actively on your celebration – mount up on Chocobos and practice your lead as you discover. Sure, that comes with Purple XIII. And sure, it seems to be as splendidly absurd as you’d consider.
Junon: As discussed, the second one phase of the demo granted (nearly) unfastened exploration of a rugged stretch of land between the Mythril Mine and Junon. Sure sections had been closed off for the demo, however nonetheless there lay a beneficiant phase of terrain for me to steer my Chocobo-riding celebration round. This space specifically in reality strengthened the sport’s visible splendor, Sq. Enix making its rendering of the towering Junon and the encircling panorama wallpaper-worthy. Very similar to the primary luscious in-game pans of Midgar in Ultimate Myth VII Remake, I’m dazzled by way of what was once as soon as perfect offered in leading edge CG cutscenes within the 90s is now outstripped by way of an in-game type. That comes with Below Junon, a township constructed underneath the ft of Junon and which I’ve fond recollections visiting the primary time, and who’s next-gen enlargement keeps the unique’s vibe however higher captures the contrasting scale of it and the colossus towering above.
The Open Wilds of Junon cover many secrets and techniques, a few of which may also be sniffed out by way of your Chocobo, others requiring you to help Chocobo chicks. Assist a chick reactivate a Chocobo prevent and also you’ll earn a Golden Plume, which may also be cashed in at a close-by Chocobo farm to unencumber cosmetics on your fowl mount.
A stowaway ninja, a dolphin and a chairman combat: Below Junon is designed as the tip vacation spot of the second one demo, however the demo’s climax performs out in an epic fight by way of the coastline within reach. The serpentine monster from the unique returns as the realm’s boss fight, regardless that the cause of its assault is just a little other this time spherical. In Ultimate Myth VII Rebirth it’s the creation (and rescue) of Yuffie Kisaragi (who avid gamers closing encountered in Ultimate Myth VII Remake EPISODE INTERmission) as she sails landward that units up the reimagined conflict between seaborn risk and Avalanche’s best.
The demo concludes with a cutscene that’s so audacious but so consciously tongue-in-cheek that it earns my 2nd giant giggle of the consultation, a piece of which you’ll watch under (even if a dolphin-assisted Cloud assault nonetheless puts 2nd to the sight of Purple XIII using a Chocobo for my favourite second of the hands-on).
The 2-part demo is an interesting slice of what we will be expecting come February 29. With new elaborations to the wrestle machine, the visible splendor of a reimagined global past Midgar already on show due to the facility of PS5 and specifically juicy moments teased on this 2nd act of the sport’s tale, Ultimate Myth VII Rebirth is having a look very promising certainly.
