Perhaps the biggest fish to catch at Tokyo Game Show 2026, both in and outside the RPG sphere, was Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third and final installment in the reimagined Final Fantasy VII trilogy, following Remake (2020) and Rebirth (2024). The game dominated Square Enix’s sizable booth with statues, mini-museums, and photo ops including the ability to ride Cloud’s motorcycle, hold a Buster Sword, or kneel and pray as a life-sized Sephiroth descends on you from above.
My biggest surprise and fanboy moment of all TGS was glancing over while taking photos of said booth and realizing I was standing close to Naoki Hamaguchi, co-director turned lead director on the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. Mr. Hamaguchi was very gracious in both Japanese and English and readily offered to take a photo of us together in front of the giant meteor display. I slipped him my card and whispered in his ear that there was still time to add a pasty Canadian man into Cloud’s party, so fingers crossed I hear back from him.
Soon after, I was sitting down for a 25-minute hands-on with Final Fantasy VII Revelation, which throws players into a special chapter at level 36 called “The Party Assembles.” Cloud and co. were in hot pursuit of Sephiroth, their chase taking them through a scene that echoes the Crater from the original game—a sort of icy astral plane, with frozen crystalline waves and a shimmering aurora in the background.
Though the entire party followed and chatted along, I controlled Cloud during traversal and could switch to Cid Highwind or Vincent Valentine during combat. Fans will remember that this is the first time Cid and Vincent are playable in the Remake trilogy. While they were classed as “Freelancers,” that is, their default classes, the returning party members wore various “FITS” (Function-Integrated Tactical Suitware) that bestowed new classes and abilities.
Barret in his Knight outfit looked like a gun-armed Kamen Rider, and playing as Summoner Cloud meant I could infuse my regular slashing attacks with periodically appearing apparitions of Ifrit, Shiva, and Titan. Cid plays like a dragoon-type should, with long poking flurries and diving stabs with his spear. Vincent very stylishly combos duel-wielded gunshots into heavier blasts, as well as transforming into a “Galian Beast” form like a cross between a werewolf and a behemoth.
Even with just three characters and only one new FITS, I could see the huge number of party compositions players will be able to synergize with, considering each character will reportedly have four unique FITS.
The combat itself was quick and bombastic without becoming overwhelming thanks to a simple and clean UI and the ability to freeze and choose abilities for your party once you’ve dished out enough standard and heavy attacks. I think they’ve nailed the right zone between the mashiness of Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy XV and the forethought required of traditional Final Fantasy titles. Classic Mode returns in Final Fantasy VII Revelation for the few who will choose it—standard attacks and movement are handled automatically, so you need only act when Active Time Battle action bars fill up.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation‘s music and sound design were top-notch. I want to say the soundtrack was an even more ominous stretch of the track “The North Cave” from the original Final Fantasy VII, but I could be wrong. I loved how much characterization the banter conveys, even outside your current core three. As you’re cautiously stepping between cloaked and mind-washed slaves to Sephiroth, Cloud tells Tifa to move with care. Then, Red XIII inhales too many mako fumes in the air and begins acting like a giggly, goofy kid. Yuffie laments how long she’s been away from Wutai, and Cid shows his bravado every chance he can.
If you’re at all concerned about any of the eight core party members not getting their due in Final Fantasy VII Revelation, rest easy. These are the most fleshed-out and likable versions of these characters.
Towards the end of the demo, I battled a somewhat modest version of Gigas (another encounter echoing the classic Final Fantasy VII) before a vision of Sephiroth overtook Cloud. He was powerless as Sephiroth embraced him and held him close, marveling at how Cloud’s SOLDIER number was missing from his arm: “How strange. I must have the wrong man.” The direction and voicework kept Sephiroth every bit as imposing as fans would expect.
When Cloud came to, he confided in Tifa that he couldn’t remember his own SOLDIER number, but she must keep it a secret from the others. Regaining control, I had just enough time to sprint ahead to a horrific boss battle with JENOVA… when the demo time ended.
Suffice it to say, I was once more swept into the grandiosity Square Enix has been affording the Final Fantasy VII series, but even more so by the lighthearted charm of its cast and the new potential of the FITS job system. How many dozen minigames will eat up my time in the overworld remains to be seen. Let’s see if Mr. Hamaguchi and his team can land this Highwind when Final Fantasy VII Revelation releases April 8th, 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation Cast Screenshots
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