At Sony’s recent state of Play on February 25th, 2021, Square announced a new version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake called Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. The title sounds like something a Metal Gear Solid re-release would be called (like Metal Gear Solid: Integral or Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance).
Similarly, it is receiving a slew of upgrades to lure in new players and entice veteran fans into a second playthrough. The greatest thing of all is that these are free additions to those who already own the game. There is only one entry one the list which will cost extra money, but it is ultimately justifiable. The last thing to know before we get going is newcomers will have to pay $70 for it and those who play the PS4 version for free via PS Plus will not be eligible for the free upgrade.
10 Yuffie’s Episode
This is the one thing that will cost money for those who already own the game. Fans already know Yuffie from her part on the roster in the original Final Fantasy 7. She is getting her own episode as an add on to Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Details are sparse at the moment, but we imagine we’ll learn more about Wutai and the conflict between it and Midgar. Yuffie is a lovable scamp, and her presence in Final Fantasy 7 Remake was missed.
9 Graphics Mode
Once atypical to console gaming, more and more titles are offering players the choice to choose between prioritizing graphics or frame rate. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade features a graphics mode, which focuses on keeping a 4K resolution throughout. Playing the currently available version on the PS4 utilizes a dynamic resolution, meaning it changes periodically to ensure it maintains a stable 30 frames per second. Hopefully the upgrade will maintain 4K throughout for those with the proper televisions.
8 Performance Mode
On the other end of the spectrum is the performance mode, which prioritizes a smooth 60 frames per second performance over resolution. The original version ran at half that frame rate, and looking at the trailer already reveals the difference. The choice between the two in this game depends on personal preference. Since gameplay is not dependent on split-second timing and reflexes, playing at 60 frames per second is not as vital as it is in games like Control or Call of Duty.
7 Better Textures
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is one of the most beautiful games of the generation, but looking closely at it reveals some rough edges. Most notably, the textures are usually subpar.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade promises improved textures, which will go a long way towards perfecting the visual presentation. Hopefully the infamous door in sector 7 is given a huge facelift. Some of the textures are so bad, it is somewhat of a punchline among fans.
6 Changes To The Combat
This one is so far only promised to Yuffie’s upcoming episode. According to Square Enix’s press release, the new content will include “new multiple combat and gameplay additions.” What these are remains to be seen, but the trailer shows Yuffie interacting with a second party member for what looks to be moves involving two characters, like Double Techs from Chrono Trigger. We hope some of the new additions do things that simply weren’t possible on PS4, taking full advantage of the new hardware.
5 DualSense Support
PS5 owners are still singing the praises of the PS5’s controller, though after several months many are now reporting issues with the analog sticks. Its standout features are the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers both of which are making their way to the new version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While seemingly subtle additions, they go a long way towards making the gameplay experience more enjoyable. Of course, some games utilize the feature better than others.
4 Fog Effects
Textures are not the only thing seeing upgrades in terms of the visuals. The trailer details additional fog effects to liven up both cinematics and the environments. While it does not seem like much, such details are essential to making an aesthetic really shine. For comparison, look at a game like Silent Hill 2. The original PS2 release has gorgeous fog effects, and many re-releases botch this detail, bringing down the visuals even when the resolution and graphical fidelity are higher.
3 New Difficulty
A new difficult mode is added for the classic style of play called “Normal (Classic)”. The original Classic difficulty mode was too easy, giving those who preferred the turn-based combat nothing interesting in terms of challenge.
Hopefully this mode achieves something closer to the original Final Fantasy 7 gameplay, which certainly puts up resistance to those who play without tact. We would love if the Classic mode also received a Hard mode, adding even more replay value.
2 Decreased Load Times
While graphics are the big thing players look forward to in a future generation, one would argue the bigger feature of the PS5 is the SSD’s ability to load games up at lightning fast speeds. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is taking advantage of this to speed up load times. Considering its scope, the load times were not insufferable on the original release, but any improvement to this area is welcome.
1 Photo Mode
Photo Mode is a popular feature in most games, but is especially prevalent in PlayStation exclusives. While the game will most likely come to other consoles and PCs in the future, it is still only available on Sony hardware, making the addition of a Photo Mode wholly appropriate. You will not only be able to control the camera, but also change the look with a variety of filters and other customization options.
