Final Fantasy 7 Remake Combat Offers Real-Time and Tactical Options, Boss Fight Showcased

Square Enix kicked off its E3 2019 presser with a short recreation of Final Fantasy 7’s iconic opening (you know the one), but in the upcoming remake. From there, we received a fairly good introduction to combat, along with footage of the Scorpion Sentinel boss fight. Check it out below.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake mixes real-time action with command-based combat. There’s an Active Time Bar that fills when attacks land. When it’s full, you can enter Tactical Mode, where everything slows down. You can unleash different abilities, with items and Materia depleting ATB charges, with magic also consuming MP.

During combat, it’s possible to switch between different characters, each with their own abilities. Barret can target enemies from a distance, for instance. Characters will fight even if they’re not being controlled, but they can also be issued commands. Abilities and skills can also be bound to shortcuts for real-time action players. This approach is meant to provide a choice for how players experience combat.

Enemies have a Focus gauge that fills – once full, they get staggered and take more damage. At some points in combat, it’s possible to take cover from enemy attacks (like when the Scorpion Sentinel unleashes its laser beam).

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is out on March 3rd, 2020 for the PlayStation 4. The final game will have two Blu-ray discs worth of content, according to the developer.