Final Fantasy VII Remake is due to hit PS4 on April 10. Fan hype is palpable, and Square Enix knows this. That’s why, to really raise the roof with hype levels, the developer and publisher dropped a Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo taking players through the first chapter in the Mako Reactor.
To get you suitably hyped for the game’s full release, we played through the Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo and made notes of some of the most impressive details we spotted as we played through.
Please note, we’ve done our best to get images that show the details we’re talking about, but it’s not always possible to see the details as clearly in the images than when playing the game in real-time on a crisp 4K OLED display.
Jessie’s Armor Imperfections
The action of Final Fantasy VII isn’t the first time our party of characters has found themselves in trouble. It’s something that’s kinda clear from their combat, and even more obvious when you take a closer look at their gear.
Jessie’s, in particular, looks rather well-worn and tarnished over the years. When the light catches it just right, you can see imperfections from when it was crafted. Perhaps the ore just had some slight marks that couldn’t be hammered out. Perhaps those small dents and scratches are from narrowly avoiding death from a blaster shot. Or perhaps it’s the only trace of a close-shave Jessie had with an enemy blade in the past.
Whatever the story, the point here is simple. These tiny details make the world feel lived in. These characters have had lives before we came around to join them on this latest adventure, and there’s evidence of it if you look close enough.
Barrett’s Blasphemy in the Elevator
This one isn’t a graphical detail, but something that long-term fans will likely get onto. If you’re a newcomer like me, however, you’ll overlook this completely, so thanks to our Reviews Editor Zhiqing Wan for pointing this one out to me.
Towards the beginning of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo, the party will find themselves in an elevator. Barrett goes off on one at Cloud and Jessie in the lift, and you’ll hear him say “shit.” In the original, you had to try and decipher what he said, as it was censored with symbols instead.
No, no we’re not calling Barrett’s potty mouth an insane detail, more that Square Enix has gone that little extra mile with quality of life changes to make the game feel more mature and at home in the landscape of the industry today.
Cloud’s Incredibly Detailed Belt
Let’s be real, most people aren’t going to sit around and ogle at the character’s clothing, making sure the stitching is just perfect. But I’m not like all normal people, I’m odd. So I spent about five minutes staring at Cloud’s belt.
Just looking around the belt to begin with, there are so many details that so many players are barely going to even notice. With them being on the front of the character model and the camera almost always following from behind in the action, it’s the kind of detail that really feels unnecessary.
Just above the actual belt itself, you can see some intricate design etched into the leather. On the actual belt part itself, Square Enix has even gone so far as to add in holes on the belt.
When combining this tiny detail with all the others, though, it truly takes the experience to the next level and makes Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo look like one of the best-looking games on PS4.
Barrett’s Arm Veins
Barrett’s a pretty giant dude, and he’s really the muscle in your party, from what I can gather as a newcomer.
While long-term fans will probably be clamoring over how sweet his tattoo’s look in all their 4K glory, I instead went for a creepier detail.
Yes, let’s take a minute to admire Barrett’s prominent circulatory system, even under the skin! In a fair few of the cutscenes in Final Fantasy VII Remake’s demo, you’ll get a close-up view of Barrett. His forearms aren’t just bulging with muscles, but if you look closely you’ll spot his veins running down his arms.
Buster Sword Materia Slots
Cloud’s Buster Sword is undoubtedly one of the most iconic video game weapons of all time. For those unaware, it’s that giant oversized sword that the blonde protagonist lugs around with him throughout the entire game.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Square Enix put a ton of time into ensuring that the Buster Sword got the true rework it deserved.
If you catch the lighting just right, you’ll notice that there are a ton of weathering marks and imperfections on the surface of the sword itself.
That’s not all. The Buster Sword’s materia slots are proudly on display, too. The green orb in his sword is a materia orb and can be seen towards the hilt. Just below it, you’ll spot another empty slot.
We’re assuming that later in the full game, you’ll be able to find another materia orb and place it in the slot, which should see a visual change to your Buster Sword. It’s a really neat way to make your decisions feel like they’ve got some weight to them in the world. Not to mention it adds to the immersion, too!
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