Final Fantasy 7 Revelation hands-on reveals new combat tweaks

A new hands-on demo for Final Fantasy VII Revelation gave IGN a look at both a linear story section and fresh combat adjustments. The preview, set early in Chapter 1 in the North Crater, featured a party already equipped with late-game gear, though the outlet notes balance could change before launch.

IGN reports a new Materia leveling system using consumable "Materia fragments" and a welcome quality-of-life change: the auto-loot feature from Rebirth is now enabled by default. Players exploring the crater won't have to constantly mash a button to gather crafting materials.

The demo's combat showcased the new character Cid, whose attacks have a rhythmic, mist-wrapped mechanic for stronger strikes. According to IGN, standard enemies melted quickly, making it tricky to test the new FITS summoning job system fully. The Summoner job lets characters like Cloud spend ATB to summon Ifrit or Shiva for enhanced attacks and special Synergy moves.

The session culminated in a boss fight against Jenova Deathmourner, which finally provided a challenge after the easier preceding enemies. The game is scheduled for release on April 8, 2027.