Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a 2024 action role-playing game created and released by Square Enix. It is a follow-up to Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020) and the second game in a planned trilogy that is remaking the 1997 PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII.
The game’s gameplay mixes fast-paced action with strategy and role-playing features. Set right after the events of Remake, players control Cloud Strife, a mercenary, and a group of characters mainly from the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE. Together, they travel across the Planet to stop the large company Shinra from using Mako, a life force, as an energy source. They also work to defeat Sephiroth, a former elite SOLDIER who wants to unite with the Planet to gain more power.
Production of Rebirth began in November 2019, before Remake was released. The game was officially announced in June 2022. Most of the previous game’s main team members returned to their roles, but Tetsuya Nomura now serves as creative director instead of director, and Naoki Hamaguchi is director instead of co-director.
Rebirth was released for the PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, and for Windows on January 23, 2025. Versions for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S are planned to launch on June 3, 2026. When it was released, the game received high praise from critics and was honored with several end-of-year awards, including Game of the Year. A direct sequel to complete the Remake trilogy is currently being developed.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second game in a series of three games that are remaking the 1997 PlayStation game Final Fantasy VII. The story starts after the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020), when the main characters escape from the city of Midgar.
Players mainly control Cloud Strife, a former soldier who works with the group AVALANCHE to fight Shinra, a company that is taking energy from the Planet. Cloud becomes involved in a battle with Sephiroth, a powerful warrior who was thought to be dead. Like Remake, Rebirth changes parts of the original game while adding more details about the characters and the story.
The game allows players to explore and fight in real time. The world outside the main story is more open than the limited areas in Remake’s Midgar. Markers on the screen show where players need to go for main story tasks and side tasks, along with how far they are from the group. Players can walk or ride Chocobos, which are fast animals that help move around. Rebirth improves on the mix of action-based fighting and the Active Time Battle (ATB) system from Remake. Players control a group of characters who can be switched during battles. During fights, characters use physical attacks and magic, and can use items from a menu to attack, defend, or heal. A feature called "Synergized," first introduced in a special part of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (2021), returns. This lets players combine attacks from different characters.
Plot
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues the story first introduced in Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020), which reimagines the plot, world, and characters from the original Final Fantasy VII (1997). The game is set on the world of Gaia and follows the journey of the main characters as they work to end the rule of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a powerful organization that controls the large city of Midgar by using the Lifestream, a mystical energy source. Their goal is to stop Sephiroth, a former elite soldier of Shinra who was believed to be dead but now seeks to summon Meteor, a massive falling object that could destroy the Planet, to achieve godhood by uniting with the Lifestream. Rebirth covers events from when the characters leave Midgar to their journey to the Forgotten Capital, though the order of locations visited differs from the original game. For example, the visit to Wutai will occur in a later installment.
The main character and leader of the group is Cloud Strife, a former top member of Shinra's elite SOLDIER unit who now works as a mercenary for Avalanche, an eco-terrorist group fighting against Shinra's exploitation of the Planet. Joining him are Barret Wallace, a bold but caring leader of Avalanche, and Tifa Lockhart, Cloud's kind but shy childhood friend who works as a bartender and is also a skilled martial artist. Other members of the group include Aerith Gainsborough, a flower seller and the last survivor of the ancient Cetra people; Red XIII, a clever four-legged creature from Cosmo Canyon who was captured by Shinra; and Yuffie Kisaragi, a skilled thief and ninja from Wutai who joins the team to help defeat Shinra after losing her partner in a failed mission.
Supporting characters include Zack Fair, Aerith's former boyfriend and a previous wielder of the Buster Sword, who was experimented on by Shinra using cells from an alien life form called Jenova; Cait Sith, a robotic cat controlled by Shinra's urban development leader, Reeve Tuesti; Vincent Valentine, a former member of the Turks who was experimented on by Professor Hojo; and Cid Highwind, a grizzled pilot and former Shinra scientist who dreams of space travel.
Other characters include Bugenhagen, an elder from Cosmo Canyon; Biggs, an Avalanche member who survives the collapse of Midgar's Sector 7 Plate and seeks revenge against Shinra; Dyne, a childhood friend of Barret and the biological father of his adopted daughter, Marlene; and Elena, a new recruit of the Turks who aims to capture Cloud and his allies.
After the events of the previous game, Zack Fair brings a comatose Cloud to Midgar. It is revealed that Zack lives in a timeline where the Planet's energy, called mako, is nearly gone, causing the end of the world. Shinra has captured Barret and Tifa, while Red XIII sacrifices himself to free a comatose Aerith. Zack takes Cloud and Aerith to the home of Aerith's mother, Elmyra, to hide and search for Biggs, the last surviving member of Avalanche, who comes from the original timeline. After Shinra kills Biggs and Marlene warns that Sephiroth will kill Aerith, Zack struggles with whether to save Cloud or Aerith.
In the original timeline, Cloud and his friends rest in Kalm, where Cloud shares his past with Sephiroth. Five years earlier, Cloud and Sephiroth were sent to investigate a mako reactor in Nibelheim, Cloud and Tifa's hometown. There, Sephiroth became insane after learning he was created from Jenova's cells and burned down Nibelheim, killing many, including Cloud's mother and Tifa's father. Cloud chased Sephiroth to the reactor but has no memory of what happened afterward. Later, Tifa tells Aerith that the events in Nibelheim happened, but she does not remember Cloud being there.
The next day, Shinra forces attack Kalm, forcing the group to flee. They follow the trail of the "black robes," former Shinra test subjects who Cloud believes are heading toward Sephiroth. Their journey takes them through locations like the Shinra-controlled city of Junon, the resort city of Costa del Sol, Barret's hometown of Corel, the Gold Saucer amusement park, Zack's hometown of Gongaga, Red XIII's hometown of Cosmo Canyon (where they learn his real name is Nanaki), and a rebuilt Nibelheim. Along the way, they recruit new members: Yuffie Kisaragi, Cait Sith, Cid Highwind, and Vincent Valentine.
During their journey, the group learns that the Planet has created powerful guardians called Weapons to protect itself. A division has formed among the Whispers, with some helping Sephiroth and others trying to save the Planet. Rufus becomes Shinra's new president and continues searching for the Promised Land to outdo his father. Tensions between Shinra and Wutai grow, threatening war. The group eventually discovers Sephiroth's plan to use the Black Materia to summon Meteor and destroy the Planet. They race Shinra to a mystical fortress, where they obtain the Black Materia, but Sephiroth mind-controls Cloud into giving it to him. Sephiroth reveals that the destruction of the Arbiter of Fate created alternate worlds, allowing him to merge them into one world for his "Reunion" plan. Cloud resists Sephiroth's control and instead plunges himself and Aerith into a forest below.
After waking up and finding Aerith missing, Cloud returns to a version of Midgar where Aerith is cheerful. He learns that the Whispers have drained her ancestral White Materia, which can counter the Black Materia. An alternate version of Aerith summons Cloud to her world, where she confesses her feelings and gives him her White Materia. Reuniting with the group, they follow Aerith to an ancient Cetra city, where a group of Whispers blocks their path to
Development
During the promotion of Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020), Square Enix stated that the game would not tell the full story of the original Final Fantasy VII. Instead, it would be the first game in a series of multiple parts, with each game offering a unique experience. Game director Tetsuya Nomura explained that rebuilding Final Fantasy VII from the beginning using modern technology was a large and complex task. He said that trying to remake the entire game in one installment would require removing important details to fit the game’s design and hardware, which would make the remake less meaningful. Nomura wanted to expand the depiction of Midgar in one game, allowing players to explore areas not fully shown in the original due to the improved power of newer hardware. While he understood fans’ attachment to the original story, he described Remake as a new version of the game meant to excite fans of the original.
Producer Yoshinori Kitase compared Remake’s structure to Final Fantasy XIII (2009) and its sequels, Final Fantasy XIII-2 (2011) and Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (2013). He noted that Remake would differ from XIII because it is a remake of a story centered on one main character, Cloud Strife, rather than telling the story from multiple perspectives. Kitase expected each game in the Remake series to be about the same length as one of the Final Fantasy XIII games. He later revealed that the Remake project would include three games: Remake, its sequel, and a final entry. The team initially planned to make two games but faced challenges in deciding how many parts the series would have. Kitase explained that the team struggled to plan development schedules because they were unsure of the project’s full scope. Development on the sequel to Remake began in November 2019, before the game’s release on PlayStation 4. Nomura said the game was designed to be accessible to new players.
In July 2020, Nomura said the goal was to create a higher-quality game than the original while releasing it as quickly as possible. Regarding the 2021 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake, called Intergrade, Nomura mentioned that environmental effects like fog were added to improve realism and immersion. He encouraged fans to wait for future games to fully use the PS5’s hardware. Game director Naoki Hamaguchi said he wanted to use new battle mechanics from the INTERmission downloadable content, such as team-up attacks by Yuffie Kisaragi and Sonon Kusakabe, in the next game. He believed these mechanics added a new feel to battles.
Rebirth was announced alongside Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, a remastered version of Crisis Core using Unreal Engine 4. This remaster includes quality-of-life improvements and the English voice cast from Remake, replacing the original actors from other media in the Final Fantasy VII series. Reunion was part of the Remake project and served as a prequel to the main trilogy, introducing players to Zack Fair’s story before his role in Rebirth. Lead battle programmer Satoru Koyama mentioned the possibility of improving party artificial intelligence in Rebirth and its sequel, allowing characters to perform physical attacks and cast magic more effectively. He also expressed a desire to improve upon the "gambit" system used in Final Fantasy XII (2006) for non-controlled characters.
Unlike Remake, which is set only in Midgar, Rebirth focuses on different regions, such as sunlit Cosmo Canyon, the cheerful Gold Saucer, and the ruined Nibelheim, which is suffering under Shinra’s mining operations. The game includes many exploration elements, such as hidden paths, in open areas. Hamaguchi estimated that Rebirth had about twice as much "side content" as main story content, including exploration and minigames. These minigames, which were important in the original game, were expanded in Rebirth. Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima added new scenes to explore character development and emotions that were not possible in the original due to technological limits, such as the lack of voiceover and detailed facial expressions. He used the Nibelheim flashback to show a younger, more playful Sephiroth and a less experienced Cloud, contrasting with their current selves. Cloud’s relationship with his teammates becomes more friendly and open in Rebirth, reflecting his mental growth. Nojima also aimed to clarify the bond between Tifa and Aerith, which he felt was misunderstood as a rivalry in the original. Hamaguchi said Nojima’s focus on "bonds" inspired the inclusion of Synergy abilities in combat. Each party member in Rebirth has a unique playstyle, which was challenging to design for characters like Red XIII, who moves on four legs, and Cait Sith, who switches between riding his Moogle doll and fighting alone.
Marketing and release
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was announced by Square Enix as the third part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake project. It was revealed in June 2022 during the Final Fantasy VII 25th Anniversary Celebration livestream, along with Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion and the Steam version of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.
In June 2023, the game’s official social media accounts started sharing messages from the developers. Game director Naoki Hamaguchi said Rebirth would have a large, complex world with many choices for players, unlike the more direct path through Midgar in Remake. A gameplay trailer was shown on June 9, 2023, during Summer Game Fest, which showed how players could explore and fight in the game, as well as hints about the story and characters. Another trailer was shown in September 2023 during PlayStation’s State of Play, revealing the game’s release date: February 29, 2024. A new trailer was shown at The Game Awards 2023, featuring the song "No Promises to Keep" by Loren Allred and gameplay with characters Vincent Valentine and Cid Highwind. At The Game Awards, Square Enix also announced a collaboration between Final Fantasy VII and Apex Legends.
Rebirth was released for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, and was available only on PlayStation 5 for at least three months. A standard edition, a Deluxe Edition, and a Collector’s Edition were available. The Deluxe and Collector’s Editions included special packaging, a mini-soundtrack CD, and an artbook. The Collector’s Edition also had a statue of Sephiroth and keys for downloadable content (DLC). Rebirth was one of the first major games to be released on Leap Day.
On December 12, 2024, during Game Awards 2024, Square Enix announced a Windows version of the game would be released on January 23, 2025. In September 2025, Square Enix confirmed that the entire Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, including Rebirth, would be available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S, in addition to existing platforms. Creative director Naoki Hamaguchi said Rebirth would launch on these platforms as soon as possible to help players catch up on the story before the trilogy’s third game.
During the February 2026 Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Square Enix announced that Rebirth would be released for Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S on June 3, 2026. These versions include an easier "Streamlined Progression" difficulty setting, which gives players boosts like maximum money, stronger characters, and more damage to enemies. Standard versions on both platforms cost $49.99 USD or 66.99 CAD in North America, with discounts for pre-orders. The Nintendo Switch 2 version will be sold on a Game Key Card, with limited copies bundled with a special Magic: The Gathering card featuring artwork of Zack Fair. The Xbox Series X/S version supports cross-platform play with the PC version. On February 9, 2026, the PlayStation 5 and Windows versions received a permanent price reduction to match other platforms and added the "Streamlined Progression" features.
The Collector’s Edition includes keys for downloadable content (DLC) that can be used earlier in the game. These include summoning abilities like Moogle Trio and Magic Pot, as well as armor and accessories. Players who have saved game data from Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4) or Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (PS5) can unlock summoning abilities like Leviathan or Ramuh from the start.
During The Game Awards on December 13, 2024, Square Enix announced the PC version of Rebirth would be released on January 23, 2025, via Steam and Epic Games Store. The PC version allows players to adjust graphics settings for different computers. Three preset options are available, and players can customize settings for better performance. The PC version supports up to 120FPS, improved visuals, and features like NVIDIA DLSS. Players can use a DualSense controller, keyboard, or mouse, with customizable controls for exploration, combat, and mini-games.
Reception
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth received "universal acclaim" from critics, as reported by Metacritic, a website that collects and summarizes game reviews. OpenCritic noted that 97% of critics recommended the game.
In Japan, the game was the top-selling new release during its first week, with over 262,000 physical copies sold. It remained the best-selling game at Japanese retail stores in March, selling over 310,000 units. The game also reached the Top Five in Japan’s boxed games charts. In the United States, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was the second-best-selling game in February 2024, even though it was available for only 24 hours. The Remake & Rebirth Twin Pack was the eighth-best-selling game that month. The game was the most downloaded PlayStation game in Japan and the 14th most downloaded game in North America. It won the Grand Award at the PlayStation Partners Awards, which honors the top three games developed in Japan and Asia with the highest worldwide sales between October 2023 and September 2024.
The PC version of the game reached 40,564 players playing at the same time on Steam, making it the most popular single-player Final Fantasy game on PC. In the United States, it was the best-selling game in its first week, while its bundle with the Remake ranked third. On Steam’s monthly chart in January, the game placed third, and the Remake & Rebirth Twin Pack ranked sixteenth. Analysts said the game exceeded their expectations for that financial year. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was one of the most successful remakes from January 2024 to September 2025.
In Square Enix’s May 2024 financial report, president Takashi Kiryu said that sales of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on the PS5 during its launch were lower than expected. In December 2024, producer Yoshinori Kitase stated that the company was "satisfied" with the number of units sold but added that the game could not be limited to one platform due to the current state of game development. Kitase said, "We need to offer the game to as many players as possible." In September 2025, game director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed that the game was performing well on PS5 and PC and that the third game in the trilogy was still being developed.