Learn More about Red XIII, Professor Hojo, and More in Final Fantasy VII Remake

Square Enix has released more information and screenshots from the highly anticipated Final Fantasy VII Remake. This time, the focus is on the Shinra Electric Power Company’s scientific pursuits: the sinister Professor Hojo and Red XIII. There’s also new information on the game’s summons, Tifa’s abilities in battle, and much more. Let’s jump in.

First up is Red XIII, a mysterious quadrupedal entity who joins the party. He is intelligent and capable of speech, and is being used in Shinra’s experiments. He’s got a fiery red tail and scarlet fur.

Speaking of Shinra, the sinister Professor Hojo helps run the company’s Research and Development Division. He is not an ethical man, and is willing to commit heinous acts in the name of his research. He is also lowkey responsible for Shinra’s SOLDIER program, and it’s greatest creation…

Tifa is an accomplished martial artist, who can perform fast combos by pressing Square. Following up her combo with the Triangle button will allow her to perform special maneuvers, like the devastating Whirling Uppercut, Omnistrike, and Rise and Fall attacks. Once her ATB bar is full, Tifa can unleash a mighty special attack, such as True Strike or Dive Kick.

Several weapons are returning from the original Final Fantasy VII! One of these is the oft-remembered Nail Bat. Changing each character’s weapon affects their appearance in battle, which is a nice touch. Characters can also equip special Deadly Dodge Materia, which allows them to perform a powerful counterattack after a successful dodge. Healing Materia will allow characters to cast healing magic, such as Cure or Regen.

One new aspect of the Remake is the Mercenary Quest system, which allows Cloud to perform quests on behalf of concerned Midgar citizens. From slaying enemies to finding missing items, these quests seem like fairly bog-standard RPG fare, so hopefully there are some exciting objectives mixed in. Who knows!

Pictured above is Chadley, a young researcher in the employ of Professor Hojo. By performing missions for him, he’ll develop more Materia that can then be purchased.

Of course, we’ve talked about the Summons in the Final Fantasy VII Remake before. Here are some pictures of the Chocobo Chick, Carbuncle, and Cactuar summons, which you can get by pre-ordering various editions of the Final Fantasy VII Remake. Man, Carbuncle, what’s wrong with your head?

Stay tuned to RPGFan for more coverage of the Final Fantasy VII Remake! The game will be out for PS4 on April 10th. In the meantime, check out our game page for more new screenshots and media.