Ive played the first 45 minutes Final Fantasy VII Revelation

Date:
Sun, 18 Oct 2026 22:00:00 +0000

Description:
Sephiroth might be the cattiest antagonist in gaming history based on my FF7 Revelation demo.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Following its expansive
Gamescom 2026 demo, I just got to experience a much more linear segment from Final Fantasy VII Revelation set right at the start of the new game it sets Cloud and the gang up to finally face the biggest twist from the original, albeit a lot earlier than they did in 1997.

The demo itself was pretty short I blasted through in around 30 to 45
minutes but I got to play around with the new party members Vincent and Cid (the latter formally joined as an active combatant at the start of the demo), and most of my team were utilizing the new FITS system ( Revelation s version of the Job / Class system used in other Square Enix games). Though I want to focus on the story content. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

The party finds themselves in the North Crater, the impact site of the asteroid which brought Jenova to the games planet. Here they find even more
of the black-robed figures theyve been following for the past three games including Broden, the former SOLDIER and inn manager you meet in Kalm during Rebirth and yet again Cloud is racked with headaches and visions of Sephiroth, tormenting him about his past.

Players of the original will know where this is going, but before I go into any more details, heres an obligatory SPOILER WARNING . Well be talking about Final Fantasy VII s biggest twist after Aeriths death below, and if you somehow dont know it yet and dont want to get spoiled, youve been warned. You may like Final Fantasy 7 Revelation preview: an awe-inspiring achievement that's bursting at the seams Final Fantasy Resonance preview: an exciting old-school RPG steeped in fan service Control Resonant's gameplay designer
has me convinced it'll be a big hit (Image credit: Square Enix) While my demo cuts things a little short, it shows Sephiroth forcing Cloud to remember he isnt really a SOLDIER, just as he does in the og FF7 .

Hes pointing out inconsistencies like Clouds lack of a SOLDIER ID number on his arm (something all the others have), comments that he must have the wrong man when attempting to reminisce with Cloud, and finally making him, Barret, and Tifa relive the Nibelheim incident one last time and we see differences from the version from Rebirth, as Zack features, and one of the Shinra guards that was with the group before is suddenly missing Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Barrett even comments on how happy Cloud looks when posing for a photo,
saying he looks like a whole other person. SOLDIER no more As a reminder for anyone who hasnt relived the FF7 narrative recently, or who is unfamiliar
with the plot and doesnt care for spoilers, Cloud was actually just your regular Shinra grunt those (lowercase) soldiers weve been dicing up since
the opening of Final Fantasy 7 Remake .

He was there at the Nibelheim incident, but as backup for the actual SOLDIERs Sephiroth and Zack Fair. Embarrassed that he didn't achieve his SOLDIER dreams, Cloud hides his face from Tifa and others in the village, which is
why she told Aerith that she doesnt remember seeing him on that mission
during the events of Rebirth . What to read next Persona 4 Revival plays fantastically, but I'm still not convinced it's an essential remake of Golden Dragon's Dogma 2's expansion is impressive, but I still need to see more
Final Fantasy 14: Evercold will revitalize the long-running MMO with all-new content and gameplay features here are the top three things I can't wait to try Cloud suits the Shinra uniform... (Image credit: Square Enix) We already know from Rebirth that things dont go according to Shinras plans on this mission, and in the original continuity we know that Cloud is able to defeat
a weakened Sephiroth using Zacks Buster Sword (it seems likely this is what happens in the Remake continuity too, though we havent had explicit confirmation, and weve already seen more than a few plot details shift
between the two timelines).

Following the victory, Cloud and Zack are picked up by the mad Shinra scientist Hojo, who proceeds to experiment on the pair using Mako and Jenova cells in the hope theyll become clones of the slain Sephiroth or at least gain strength comparable to him.

Clouds mind is broken by these experiments, but Zack is able to hold himself together and rescue himself and Cloud making it all the way to Midgar with his unconscious friend before Shinra catches up with them. In the original, this is where Zack is gunned down, though in at least one timeline (which we see in Remake and Rebirth ) Zack is somehow able to survive the onslaught.

Back to the original version, however, left for dead by the grunts, Cloud eventually recovers enough to pick up Zacks weapon, mourn his friend, and carry himself the rest of the way to Midgar where he bumps into Tifa, and he is convinced into helping Avalanche on the mission Remake starts with.

The trauma caused by years of experimentation and the loss of his friend causes Clouds mind to build itself back incorrectly. His memories arent just his own, but an amalgamation of his and Zacks making Cloud believe he is indeed a First-Class SOLDIER. (Image credit: Square Enix) The truth is out Thanks to Hojos test, Cloud becomes as physically strong and agile as a First-Class SOLDIER, and earns their Mako eyes a glow associated with Mako-enhanced folks which is why hes able to pass as one so effectively.

But Rebirth already poked holes in his story. In the Nibelheim flashback, we see multiple instances of Cloud behaving unlike himself with the party
noting he sounds a lot more upbeat and happy-go-lucky than he is with them, and Tifa admitting to Aerith that Cloud wasnt one of the SOLDIERs she remembers being on the expedition with her.

Revelation looks set to finally burst Clouds bubble in the Remake
continuity, but interestingly this looks set to happen at the games intro rather than at its climax as it does in the original.

What impact this will have on the partys dynamics trust in Cloud already seems to be at an all-time low thanks to the visions and strange behaviour caused by his connection to Jenova and for Cloud himself is yet to be seen.

But its another sign that Final Fantasy VII Revelation is just as unafraid to mix up the games timeline as previous entries, and I, for one, am excited to see what giving the party more time to digest this twist will mean for the adventure when it finally lands on April 8, 2027. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ive-played-the-start-of-final-fantasy-vii-rev elation-and-it-mixes-up-the-biggest-twist-from-the-originals-finale


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