Final Fantasy vii
Overview of FF7
Final Fantasy VII isn’t just another RPG; it’s basically the reason a whole generation fell in love with gaming. When it hit the scene back in ’97, it completely shattered the mold. It ditched the traditional “knights and castles” vibe for a gritty, industrial world fueled by Mako energy and corporate greed. Even though it’s been nearly thirty years, the story of Cloud and his crew feels just as heavy and relevant today as it did on the original PlayStation.
Final fantasy 7 in the modern era
Because the original was so iconic, fans spent decades begging for a modern version. Square Enix finally delivered with the Final Fantasy VII Remake Project, starting in 2020.
But this wasn’t just a simple “coat of paint” job. “Remake” (and the subsequent Rebirth) takes the Midgar we remembered and expands it into something massive, giving the characters way more depth and the world a level of detail that just wasn’t possible in the 90s. Whether you’re playing the low-poly original or the stunning new trilogy, the heart of the journey stays the same.
How to play final fantasy vii?
If you’re after the Original 1997 experience, it’s available on virtually every digital storefront, including Steam (PC), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and even mobile devices. These versions are great because they include modern “cheats” like triple-speed mode to help you breeze through the grind.
For the Remake Trilogy, you’ll want to start with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (available on PS5, PC, and now Xbox/Switch 2), followed by Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. These modern versions are massive action-RPGs that expand the story far beyond what was possible in the 90s.
Differences between ffvii original and ffvii remake
| Feature | Original (1997) | Remake Project |
| Combat Style | Turn-based “Active Time Battle” (ATB) | Action-RPG with tactical pauses |
| Visuals | Pre-rendered backgrounds & “chibi” models | High-fidelity 4K / Unreal Engine |
| Story Scope | The entire global journey on one disc | Split into a trilogy (Remake, Rebirth, Part 3) |
| Voice Acting | Text boxes only | Fully voiced cinematic dialogue |
| World Map | “Overworld” map with a giant Cloud | Seamless, massive open-world zones |
There’s no definitive answer to this question, and it’s often heavily debated within Final Fantasy community circles. If you’re okay with 90s visuals, I’d honestly say try the original FF7 first. The modern ports have “3x speed” and “god mode” toggles, so it gives you the option to breeze through the story without the grind. It gives you the full context, which makes the changes in Final Fantasy 7 Remake feel way more meaningful.
But if you just want to see Cloud in 4K and jump straight into the action, start with FF7 Remake. It’s built to be totally welcoming to newcomers, so you won’t feel lost if you’ve never touched the series before.
One major heads-up: Avoid Crisis Core Reunion for now. Even though it’s technically a prequel, it casually drops massive spoilers for the biggest twists in the main story. Keep that one on the shelf until you’ve finished the original or the Remake trilogy.
Overall in the base game, there are 18 chapters in Final Fantasy 7 Remake (with an additional 2 chapters in the INTERmission version of the game, bringing the total to 20 chapters).
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is the “definitive edition” of Final Fantasy VII Remake. It was built to bridge the gap between the original PS4 release (back in 2020) and the newer hardware. FF7R Intergrade includes the Yuffie DLC story expansion known as INTERmission, which adds additional content to the base game. Intergrade also includes several technical & visual enhancements as well as overall performance improvements.
This can depend on whether you are wanting to complete all the side missions, or 100% the game. The main story of FF7R takes around 30 – 35 hours to complete, however there are also several optional side missions, referred to ingame as “Odd jobs”, which can take a further 10 or so hours.
If you’re going for the Platinum trophy and are wanting to 100% complete the game, you’re looking at around 100 hours. This is mainly due to having to finish the initial game, and then also beat the game on hard mode.
There’s no confirmed release date as of yet, but all signs point to a 2027 release for the third installment of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project.
As of January 2026, director Naoki Hamaguchi has confirmed that the main story is finished and the game is already in a “playable state.” The team is currently in the polishing phase and working on the final title, which they expect to reveal officially sometime this year
