Tokyo Game Show 2026 - Final Fantasy VII Revelation Hands-on

My Tokyo Game Show 2026 Coverage

Last week, I played the Final Fantasy VII Revelation TGS demo. As you might expect, it's a lot like Remake and Rebirth.

I had opinions about both of those - Remake / Rebirth - and for the most part I enjoyed them. However, I haven't returned to either since my launch-window playthroughs, which means that I struggle to recall which mechanics changed between part one and two, and my comparisons between them and Revelation may not be all that reliable. 

With that disclaimer out of the way, I can say that Revelation struck me as being more of the same (complimentary). Thank you for reading my preview. 

Don't worry, I do intend to put more effort into this! What I'd like to share are the similarities and differences that most jumped out to me, informed by my unreliable recollections of what has or hasn't already been established in Remake and Rebirth. Sounds good?

Before I do that, let's get the details out of the way. The TGS demo was a fifteen-minute preview, which I played on PS5, in Japanese. It was set in the Whirlwind Maze, which I assume is part of the Northern Crater, host to an army of hooded Reunion lads who are all very sick. It was a deeply linear demo which was punctuated by a couple of cut-scenes, and culminated in a boss showdown.

Just like Remake and Rebirth, Revelation is astoundingly good looking. It looks like a million bucks, or perhaps I should say 200 million, given the development cost of AAA games these days? The art direction is best-in-class, the visuals pop, and the audio presentation is exceptional. I could have happily spent the entirety of my fifteen minutes just listening to the score, piped into my fancy PS5 headphones.

As you would expect, Revelation fundamentally plays the same as Remake and Rebirth. Combat centres on stagger and burst, and it looks far more chaotic than it actually is. The demo closed with a familiar encounter with one of Jenova's appendages that had fallen off and turned into something ghastly. Outside of battle, things were far less interesting, as I was funnelled down a narrow path for all fifteen minutes, occasionally forced to partake in dull climbing sections, as well as encouraged to hunt sparkling resources for the sake of picking stuff up. Familiar activities for those of you who played Remake or Rebirth.

Sephiroth is still tormenting Cloud, whose descent into psychosis continues apace. Cloud's allies looked at him suspiciously as he interacted with private visions of Sephiroth, and Tifa was especially concerned. Horny perverts will be delighted to hear that there is still plenty of sexual tension between our hero and antihero, as seen in the widely-shared moment where Sephiroth tenderly embraces Cloud, lovingly pulling him to his chest while delicately whispering threats. I wish they would just kiss.

So far, so familiar. So, what's new?

The most prominent additions were Cid and Vincent, who flanked Cloud in combat and were playable for the first time. Cid took centre stage in the opening scene, boasting of his combat abilities and competing with Yuffie for attention. Vincent was far quieter and his presence was considerably more ominous, as you would expect from someone who sleeps in a coffin and can turn into a demon.

In combat, both are distinct and worthwhile additions, more than justifying a further expansion of what was already a considerable roster. Cid is your typical spear-wielding Dragoon. He leaps and sprints, and can close gaps quickly; he's also able to throw his spear from range. Vincent starts as a ranged fighter, stringing shots together to alter their effect. However, he's at his most effective, and most entertaining, when he switches into his Galian Beast form, which transforms him into a hard-hitting melee brawler. This powerful manifestation isn't rationed, and can be triggered at any time. The only downside is that over-reliance leads to a gradual reduction of his maximum HP, though that was a price that I was more than willing to pay for this powerful upgrade. 

Revelation introduces the FITS system which I think is referred to as WEAR in the Japanese. This essentially adds an extra layer of customisation to battlefield options and behaviour, allowing you to choose from one of four basic jobs for each character: Warrior, Knight, Black Mage and Summoner. I could switch between these on the fly, but I didn't fully get to grips with how much they affect basic combat, besides adding some extra abilities and locking others away.  While we're on the topic of customisation, the visual effect of armour choices was more pronounced than I remember it being in the previous two games. Barret looked a little odd in his crystal-like armour, and Yuffie's appearance was more Robin Hood than ninja. To be honest, I hope we'll have the option to turn that off.

I'm sure we'll learn a great deal more about new additions in the coming months, as the April 2027 launch draws near. Regardless of what else does or doesn't change, I'll be there day one, and I hope that we'll be seeing out the trilogy in style.