Ultimate Delusion VII Rebirth got here out in February 2024. Possibly you’ve lately completed the sport and at the moment are on the lookout for one thing new to play. Whether or not you’ve performed the unique or now not, there’s by no means a improper time to play the unique Ultimate Delusion VII. And in case you’re new to the sector of Cloud and co. and are enthusiastic about 2020’s Ultimate Delusion VII Remake and this 12 months’s Rebirth, however haven’t performed the unique, you can be questioning if it’s a must to play the 1997 vintage earlier than leaping in. Whilst Remake more than likely gained’t depart FF7 newbies out within the chilly, each Remake and Rebirth are very a lot in discussion with the unique recreation—every now and then so immediately that this present remake undertaking truly does really feel like an enormous meta workout. Learn Extra: I’m Satisfied FF7 Rebirth Is A Sequel To The OriginalHere I’ll lay out some crucial concerns to make when diving again into this crucial epic of gaming historical past, whether or not it’s your first time or now not.
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuWhich model?The unique Ultimate Delusion VII isn’t extraordinarily arduous to supply. In case you have a contemporary console similar to a Nintendo Transfer, PS5, Xbox Collection X/S and even closing era machines just like the PS4 and Xbox One, you’ll simply snatch a duplicate from each and every platform’s respective shops. This model has smoother-looking polygons than the unique PlayStation unlock, however the pre-rendered backgrounds are in large part untouched. It additionally options nice quality-of-life options, similar to a 3x velocity toggle, the facility to keep away from random encounters, and a surroundings that straight away heals characters to max well being and raises their Restrict Wreck standing. And whilst the English translation used to be progressed, it nonetheless options a few of FF7’s awkward phraseology on account of its famously rushed origins. It even defaults to naming Aerith “Aeris” like the unique English model did in 1997.
Trendy variations of the unique FF7, then again, have stored this mistranslation. Since you’ll trade each and every major persona’s title in FF7, you might be loose to kill the S and upload a TH in case you’re so susceptible. For me, as somebody who performed the sport when it got here out, seeing “Aeris” at the display takes me again to these satisfied reminiscences. FF7 could also be to be had on Steam. Alternatively, the Steam model, in contrast to the console iterations, does now not come with the aforementioned quality-of-life options similar to the facility to keep away from random encounters. The Steam model, then again, will also be modded. So if you wish to trade out the in-game persona fashions, change out the previous track with the up to date tracks from Remake, upload FFVIII’s Triple Triad, and so a lot more, the PC model may be very amusing to tinker with—particularly in case you’ve performed this recreation to dying.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuOne of essentially the most amusing is the facility to vary the colour of the textual content bins and menus. The default blue is a vintage, however it may be amusing to modify up the colour over the process the sport. I love to modify it after each and every primary tale beat, however you’ll additionally trade it throughout other recreation saves if you wish to have. There’s additionally a at hand Cursor surroundings. This impacts the habits of your cursor all over battles. When set to “Preliminary,” the cursor will reset to the best choice on each and every persona’s flip. “Reminiscence,” then again, will go back the cursor to the closing fight possibility you decided on in step with persona. That is at hand in case you plan on the use of the similar spell or merchandise a couple of turns in a row. And it’ll make fight somewhat sooner for characters you’ll virtually at all times use spells with, similar to Aeris/th.What’s occurring with the ATB settings?FF7 makes use of an lively turn-based fight gadget known as Energetic Time Combat. On “Energetic” surroundings, you’ll select your assaults and movements to your flip as soon as the time gauge fills up, however time by no means pauses. In case you’re new to FF7, this will make boss fights specifically really feel extra demanding as fight gained’t prevent as you’re digging via menus for pieces or spells. Learn Extra: I Concept Aerith Had Goat EarsThe “Beneficial” surroundings is somewhat complicated. Whilst characters are casting spells, the use of Restrict Breaks, or the use of a summon, time will pause if you’re browsing during the spell or merchandise checklist. When set to “Wait,” time will pause anytime you’re browsing via your spells or pieces. 
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuBrand new gamers will have to check out Wait and Beneficial. Energetic, then again, could make the fight really feel a lot speedier, particularly in case you building up the struggle velocity within the config menu.Common gameplay tipsFF7 is an old-school RPG from the ‘90s. Its tale, characters, and soundtrack could also be undying, however a lot of its gameplay parts may appear cryptic or archaic through as of late’s requirements. Right here are some things to remember whilst saving the planet along with your friends.Fight positioning and defendingWhile you’ll’t transfer your characters freely across the battlefield all over fight, there are two non-obvious “rows” for fight positioning. If a personality’s portrait within the menu display is at the left-most aspect, they’re on the “Entrance,” the place they’ll revel in a spice up in assault energy at the price of decrease protection. FF7 used to be launched within the generation earlier than autosave become usual. Be certain to save lots of, ideally in a brand new slot, each and every unmarried time you notice a save level or step out into the sphere. When a personality portrait is at the right-most aspect, they’re within the “Rear,” the place they’ll see decrease melee assault harm however will revel in a better protection. Particularly, then again, some guns, like Barret’s gun-arms, are “Lengthy vary guns,” which means they’ll do the similar harm whether or not the nature is within the Entrance or Rear. You’ll be able to take a look at a weapon’s vary through soaring over it within the “Merchandise” menu.
You’ll be capable to recruit Vincent whilst you go back to Nibelheim. You’ll discover a secure on the second one ground of the Shinra Manor. The code is Proper 36, Left 10, Proper 59, Proper 97. Get ready for a difficult struggle after opening the secure. Then cross all the way down to the basement and input the room to your left when heading towards the lab/learn about house the place Sephiroth had his little revelatory meltdown. You’ll be able to both trade order within the menu through settling on “Order,” or all over fight through hitting left at the d-pad all over a personality’s flip and settling on “Alternate.”
Captured on Transfer.
Gif: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuYou too can command a personality to shield, thus mitigating harm through part, through hitting correct at the d-pad all over a personality’s flip and settling on “Shield.”Save as ceaselessly as you most likely canFF7 used to be launched within the generation earlier than autosave become usual. Remember to save, ideally in a brand new slot, each and every unmarried time you notice a save level or step out into the sphere. In case you die, you’ll return on your closing save level so it’s really easy to lose hours of development. 
Captured on Transfer.
Gif: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuIt’s now not a nasty concept to carry directly to Restrict Breaks if you realize a chairman struggle is across the nook. If you’re in fight, be happy to make use of the ones extra robust strikes. The unique FF7 doesn’t have a stagger gadget like Remake and Rebirth do, so there’s no level preserving onto the ones Restrict Breaks until you’re saving them for a chairman struggle. You’ll be able to release new Restrict Breaks early onEach persona has 4 ranges of Restrict Breaks, with each and every point providing two distinctive skills. You’ll release each and every point’s 2d Restrict Wreck skill through the use of the primary one a definite collection of instances. For instance, you’ll release Cloud’s Move-Slash after the use of Braver 8 instances. Gaining a brand new Restrict Wreck point calls for you to defeat a definite collection of enemies. Cloud’s level-two restrict ruin, as an example, calls for you to defeat 120 enemies with him.
You may’ve heard that the fashionable variations of FF7 discovered on PS5, Xbox Collection consoles, and Transfer will let you simply center of attention at the tale. Unfortunately, that’s most effective partly true. There’s a superb opportunity early on within the recreation to get Cloud, Barret, and Tifa’s 2d level-one Restrict Wreck skills. When you’re heading to the Sector 5 reactor, after leaping off the teach, run towards the display. You’ll must shuttle via a couple of monitors however in the end you’ll arrive at a scene with two guards who’ll assault you whilst you way. 
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuFrom right here you’ll interact in different battles through opting for “Keep right here” after each and every struggle. In case you’re taking part in a contemporary model of the sport with “God Mode” (activated through pushing each thumbsticks in at the controller), and 3x velocity (activated through pushing the left thumbstick in), you’ll deal with this sequence of battles as an XP farm and a Restrict Wreck farm through spamming Restrict Breaks in each and every struggle.At all times take a look at your stock for brand new guns, armor, equipment, and materiaFF7 used to be made in 1997, so it doesn’t have a menu that’ll badger you with flashing signs every time you pick out up one thing new. When you’ll generally be notified of receiving a brand new merchandise after selecting it up within the box or as a praise after a struggle, it’s really easy to put out of your mind you’ve carried out so. It’s a good suggestion to test your stock ceaselessly to verify your characters are the use of the most efficient imaginable apparatus.At all times take a look at retail outlets for brand new materia and equipmentFF7 desires you to be in search of new materia and pieces. You’ll be able to get quite a lot of Gil from random encounters, so farming for money isn’t too arduous. However be sure you take a look at in with any individual who’s promoting issues to look if they have got one thing particular that would provide you with an edge within the battles to come back.Don’t put out of your mind in regards to the ‘Choose Button’
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuWhile most present controllers have lengthy since carried out away with Get started and Choose buttons, trendy variations of FF7 retain the “Choose button” characteristic, sure to the “-” button on Transfer, the “View” button on Xbox (the only with two squares), or the left aspect of the touchpad on a PS4/5 controller.This will likely turn on a pointer that hovers over your persona whilst exploring the sector, accompanied through pink arrows to signify doorways and inexperienced arrows to signify ladders. It’s a snappy means to determine what’s to be had to you in case you’re misplaced. All the way through fight, this may occasionally upload a 2d menu that tells you the names of enemies when concentrated on them in addition to related fight data in case you’ve used the Sense materia on a goal.Trendy variations of FF7 don’t utterly make fight irrelevantYou may’ve heard that the fashionable variations of FF7 discovered on PS5, Xbox Collection consoles, and Transfer will let you simply center of attention at the tale. Unfortunately, that’s most effective partly true.In case you simply wish to revel in the tale and now not interact in any fight, you could be at an advantage simply observing a no-commentary Let’s Play or one thing. Present variations of FF7 nonetheless require you to have interaction in fight and do a little persona leveling and speccing. I don’t in finding this to be a nasty factor as this can be a recreation, in the end. Alternatively, the added options, similar to dashing up the sport, giving your characters max well being straight away, and skipping random encounters, do make the revel in of Ultimate Delusion VII just a little more uncomplicated to regulate. Right here’s how those options paintings and the way you’ll very best employ them:God Mode doesn’t make you utterly invincible
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuThis tip considerations all variations of FF7 which let you accelerate the sport, flip off random encounters, and turn on “God Mode” through pushing each thumbsticks in. Whilst it generally works simply wonderful for random encounters, it’s now not going to save lots of you from bosses you’re now not correctly leveled and supplied for.Despite the fact that this mode will straight away regenerate your HP again to its best worth after each and every hit you’re taking, in case you get hit with harm that’s upper than your most HP, you are going to nonetheless die. While you believe that many bosses have assaults that hit all birthday party contributors for massive quantities of wear and tear, that suggests you very a lot can achieve a recreation over display even with “God Mode” grew to become on.So what will have to you utilize this mode for? It’s nice for grinding random encounters as low-level monsters are not going to kill you with this mode on. It’s additionally a very easy technique to reset your well being and MP just like the blue benches do in FF7 Rebirth. Additionally, in case you simply unlocked a brand new Restrict Wreck and wish to take a look at it out immediately, it’s very at hand for that as neatly. 
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuSkipping too many random encounters will depart you dramatically underleveledPressing in the suitable thumbstick on trendy variations of FF7 will cancel out all random encounters. Infrequently this can be a great trade of tempo, however you need to use it deliberately. Don’t depart it on at all times. FF7’s bosses had been designed with the working out that gamers would undergo a couple of random encounters, therefore upping their point over the process the sport, now not simply from pivotal fights. Random encounters also are a forged technique to slowly building up sufficient Gil to shop for pieces, guns, armor, and materia. Infrequently it’s great to present your self a ruin and keep away from random encounters, however be sure you commit time to enticing in them to you should definitely’re correctly leveled.Rushing up the sport could make it harderSequences like this one are a lot tougher when the sport is working at 3x velocity.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuI like to regard the 3x velocity possibility as one of those dash button. It’s even sure to the left thumbstick like maximum dash instructions in trendy video games. 3x velocity is a good way to hurry up advanced struggle animations, hiking ladders, or traversing the open international. That stated, positive mini-games and sequences like shooting a chocobo all over a struggle are made a lot tougher when it’s a must to stay alongside of the sport working at thrice its supposed tempo. 
Captured on Transfer.
Screenshot: Sq. Enix / Claire Jackson / KotakuFF7 is a vintage online game. It’s a very good RPG that includes a phenomenal and dynamic story, set in a shiny international that fuses science fiction and delusion, delivered to existence through essentially attention-grabbing combos of 2D and 3-D graphics, and set to one of the most largest soundtracks of all time—and now not simply in video video games, I essentially imply of all time. It’s a recreation that are meant to be to your checklist to play whether or not it’s your first time, 7th time, or 777th time.
/wion/media/media_files/2025/03/30/B1xgUHuPTxMh8iNXB0N4.png "Spider eggs on Mars? NASA scientists spot unusual, mysterious object on Purple Planet – see close-up symbol")
