Some Final Fantasy VII purists were disappointed upon first seeing the game’s new battle system. It seemed as though Square Enix had completely abandoned the original turn-based combat of the 1997 original in favor of a more real-time modernized battle system.
However, those fears were put to rest after a video shared by Square showed off the remake’s new tactical mode, which promises to bring turn-based combat back to the franchise for those who want it.
By tapping the X button, players can switch to tactical mode. Once you’ve entered this voluntary mode, the combat completely freezes and you will have the freedom to input whatever actions you desire, whether that be a physical attack, a Materia spell, a summon, or an item. This move by Square bridges the gap between the original game and the remake, appealing to both fans who want a modernized version of the classic game and those who feel as though Final Fantasy VII isn’t Final Fantasy VII without turn-based combat.
Square announced this mode and showcased it in action through the game’s official Twitter account.
Enter Tactical Mode by pressing the x button during combat in #FF7R. This slows down time & allows you to pick your next move. Take time to select your target, then choose to use abilities, magic or items.
In this video we spend one ATB charge to use Cloud's Braver ability! pic.twitter.com/1zzavPtYXQ
— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) October 10, 2019
Tactical mode is just one of the many combat advancements coming to Final Fantasy VII Remake. The game’s much celebrate E3 2019 trailer featured the full Guard Scorpion boss fight. In this clip, Cloud and Barret battled against this mechanical foe while engaging in banter between themselves throughout the entire fight.
New to the series will be a combat system that stresses strategic positioning. When the Guard Scorpion raised its tail, a sign in the original game for players to stop attacking, players of the remake will have to find cover somewhere on the battlefield to avoid the boss’s signature tail laser.
Another video, detailing the sewer-based boss fight where Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith take on the enormous monster Abzu (called Apps in the English version of the original), showed the game’s summon Materia system at play. In the video, classic Final Fantasy summon spell Ifrit is called into the battle. Instead of appearing for a brief cutscene followed by a singular attack as has happened in previous games, Ifrit fights alongside the party for a time, hurling flaming attacks at the boss.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a complete remake of the original 1997 Sony PlayStation Classic, Final Fantasy VII. It was first announced via a teaser trailer at E3 2015 and has since been one of the most anticipated and discussed projects on Square’s slate.
Final Fantasy VII Remake releases everywhere on March 3, 2020 on the PlayStation 4 console.
