FF7 Rebirth Release Date Announce Trailer Breakdown – State of Play

PlayStation's State of Play on September 14, 2023, gave us another look at Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which did not disappoint. From character reveals to show us where the story takes the player, I enjoyed every second of it.

But what stood out the most was the actual release date. I'll break down the trailer and share my discoveries below.

FFVII Rebirth Release Date

At long last, we got the official release date of February 29, 2024, for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Speculation can end, and I now have a timetable for when I need to replay FFVII Remake and Intergrade. Let's look at what else the trailer revealed. Additionally, a twin pack was revealed with FFVII Remake + Intergrade and FFVII Rebirth.

FFVII Rebirth Story Beats

With the Final Fantasy VII Remake being split into several parts, I'm dying to know how far Rebirth goes into the original story, and I imagine you are, too. Watching the trailer, I noticed several moments where it revealed parts of the story.

The most obvious is the Golden Saucer, as well as the Shinra Mansion. Seeing Vincent Valentine and Chocobo Racing excites me for what lies in FFVII Rebirth. We also got a more in-depth look at Junon, the weapons being discussed, and what looked like Emerald Weapon. Another iconic monster is the Midgar Zolom, who terrified me as a kid.

But I'm most excited about Sephiroth's descent into madness and his questioning of his humanity. We see Sephiroth discovering the monstrous failed experiments of Shinra. But we also see Cloud possibly losing his mind as he fights alongside Sephiroth in what doesn't appear to be the flashback Cloud initially remembers.

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Square Enix is hinting at an alternate reality or a new look at Cloud's insanity. Zack Fair was seen multiple times, and so was a new look at Sephiroth fighting beside Cloud, as well as more interaction with the failed clones. There is no telling what is going on in FFVII Rebirth, and I cannot wait to discover a new interpretation of the story.

Despite how jam-packed this trailer was, two quotes stood out to me the most. The first was on a black screen and said, "The world will be saved, but will you?" which has so many implications. Further raising my eyebrow was Rufus, who said, "Welcome to the new world order' before firing the cannon at Junon. Both statements go hand in hand with the alternate timeline shenanigans and leave me further confused.

FFVII Rebirth Characters

Two major reveals happened during this trailer. Cait Sith, with a fantastic accent, and Vincent Valentine, voiced by none other than the talented Matthew Mercer, or at least what sounds incredibly close to him, even if he did cosplay Cloud and Sephiroth. The rest of the cast was seen in combat and out, including Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aeris, and Yuffie. We also got a good look at Sephiroth, Rufus, and the hooded clones.

Zack Fair also received more screen time than the last time he appeared in the previous trailer, further hinting at some elements of alternate realities or Cloud really losing his mind. While I hold the original story dear to my heart, I cannot wait to see what Square Enix has planned for FFVII Rebirth.

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FFVII Rebirth Summons

I love summons in Final Fantasy games, especially after playing FFXVI and experiencing the thrill of Eikon combat. So I was thrilled to see Leviathan, Ifrit, Odin, and Alexander appear in this trailer. With so many summons returning, I am beyond excited about the combat potential of FFVII Rebirth.

FFVII Rebirth Gameplay

Combat looks better than ever, and surprisingly, I find myself most excited to use Cait Sith in combat. His goofy appearance hides his combat skills, but the rest of the cast looks to have flashy and impactful combat as well. We only got a brief glimpse of Vincent, but I look forward to seeing him in action as well.

We also got a more in-depth look at the combo system for characters than the world premiere, with Barret and Yuffie teaming up, as well as Aeris and Cait Sith teaming up. Seeing the characters fight together brings a whole new level to party dynamics, which is further topped by the driving scene.

Another exciting reveal was the mini-games return, especially those at the Golden Saucer. The most obvious and exciting was Chocobo Racing, which looks glorious in 3D. We also looked at boxing and the motorcycle mini-game, but the Golden Saucer is promising to be a blast. And you can't not notice Cloud riding a Segway!

Chocobo breeding also appears to be returning, along with more movement options for Chocobos. Cloud was seen running up a cliff on a Chocobo, as well as flying. Final Fantasy's iconic birds appear to be better than ever in FFVII Rebirth.

For more information on Final Fantasy, check out FF16 Branded – What does the mark on Clive Rosfield’s face mean? and Final Fantasy 16 level cap – What is the max level? on Pro Game Guides.