Final Fantasy 7 Remake changed 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.

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It went from turn-based to action and there was a big emphasis on weapon customization too. The action and weapon stuff was kept for Final 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.

6 Synergy Abilities

A Nod To Chrono Trigger

Cloud and Tifa performing a Synergy skill in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Every character in the original game could attack with their weapons and then whatever Materia they had equipped. Final Fantasy 7 Remake kept 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 like Chrono Trigger. Two characters in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth can perform Synergies which 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.

5 Item Crafting

Time To Gather Materials

Crafting items in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Midgar was pretty small in size as everything was confined to tight corridors in Final 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.

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Players just need to gather the right materials to craft items like potions in Final 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.

4 Weapon Upgrades

Understanding Folios

Weapon upgrade menu in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

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 in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth too but the system has been slightly altered.

Instead of individual weapon trees, there is now a skill tree for every character in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in 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.

3 The Party Level

A Persona-Like Dating System

Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Dialogue choices have become a mainstream mechanic in RPGs since BioWare helped popularize them in the early 2000s. While not prolific, there was a hidden mechanic behind the scenes in Final Fantasy 7 that 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 in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth but 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.

2 Chadley’s Quests

Building Up The World’s Intel

Chadley in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Chadley is a robot that Hojo created which is a revelation found out during an extremely hard-to-get-to encounter in Final 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 7 launched before the true open-world revolution began in the late 2000s with games like Assassin’s Creed and The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.

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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s World Intel quests 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.

1 Traversal Abilities

The Party Is More Versatile

Climbing a cliff in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

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 from Final Fantasy 7 Remake as 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 traversal abilities gives Yuffie and 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.

FF7RebirthTag
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Platform(s)
PlayStation 5
Released
February 29, 2024
Developer(s)
Square Enix