Highlights
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will feature chocobo taming and treasure hunting as new gameplay mechanics, providing players with exciting side activities.
- Chocobos will not only aid players in traversing the game world but also help them find hidden items through a treasure hunting mini-game.
- Chocobos will play a crucial role in exploring the world map, with different types of chocobos offering unique abilities such as climbing cliffs and flying over gaps.
Square Enix has just published clips of chocobo taming and treasure hunting, two new game mechanics for the upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. With one of the most prominent creatures in the Final Fantasy franchise looking to play a bigger role in the upcoming release, returning and new fans of Final Fantasy 7 alike have plenty to be excited about.
Unlike in Square Enix's two previous marquee releases, it appears that players won't just be relying on a single chocobo to aid them in traversing the game world of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Instead, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth looks to integrate this gameplay feature into its planned spread of optional side activities.
Following up on teasers from Square Enix's stage event from Tokyo Game Show 2023, the developer has published new clips on one of its Japanese-language X accounts that detail how chocobo taming will work in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Upon spotting a chocobo in the wild, players will need to stay quiet, use bait to distract the animal, and mount it to kick off the taming process. Functionally, chocobo taming seems to work similarly to horse taming in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Aside from aiding players with traversal, chocobos will also help players find items hidden throughout the world of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth via a treasure hunting mini-game. Additionally, every character in the player's party will be able to ride chocobos in-game. That includes Red XIII in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which made for an amusing sight in the last extended gameplay reveal.
As discussed by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi in an interview with Sony following September's State of Play event, chocobos will feature heavily in the upcoming game. According to Hamaguchi, chocobos will be essential in fully exploring the world map of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. For instance, mountain chocobos will aid players in climbing sheer cliffs, while sky chocobos will offer players the ability to fly over chasms and other gaps in in-game terrain.
Chocobos are also set to play a big part in the upcoming title's planned side content. As part of Square Enix's promise of over 100 hours of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth content, the game is set to include chocobo racing at the Gold Saucer. In an interview with IGN, Hamaguchi shared that each chocobo encountered in-game will be assigned a unique set of stats, which can be upgraded with equipment.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will launch on February 29, 2024, for PS5.
Sources: IGN, PlayStation Blog
