21 February 2024 , 11:43
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Square Enix is updating its Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo today, with a sneak peek at visual improvements that will carry over to the full game, as well as unique demo content to boot.
In case you've not been keeping up to date with all things Final Fantasy 7, Square Enix is pulling the same move Peter Jackson did with The Hobbit; it's remaking the 1997 original but splitting it over three – very long – parts. 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS4 was the first instalment, followed by the enhanced Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade one year later for PS5 and PC.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second in the trilogy, releasing next week on Thursday, February 29 on PS5 only. A PC release will likely follow next year, but for now, it's a PS5 exclusive. The demo for the game consists of two parts, with the first one releasing at the start of the month. The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 is rolling out today, as confirmed by the game's official Twitter account. Here's the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 release time for the UK, Europe, US and Australia:
- 12pm GMT
- 1pm CET
- 7am EST
- 4am PST
- 11pm ACT
If you're waiting for the full game, or have played the first portion of the demo, you might be wondering what today's update is all about. Here's everything being added in the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 and why you should, at minimum, boot it up before the full game launches.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2: new content
The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 unlocks 'Dawn of a new Era' allowing players to explore an open area near the major city of Junon. Part 1 focused on the Nibelheim portion, letting you poke around as well as experience some of the story. The second part expands on the first, and as well as the new area, Square Enix has teased content "unique to the demo".
PSVR 2 is already losing to the Meta Quest 2 in the VR headset battle
It's important to note that the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 is not just a section of the full game that's playable ahead of time. The 'unique content' here refers to skills and summons available in this expanded demo that do not reflect what will be available to you at this point in the actual game.
As well as unlocking Junon and being able to experiment with gameplay, the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 also brings improved visual fidelity with it in performance mode.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2: what carries over to the full game?
Because of the deviation from the actual game content, nothing in the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo part 2 carries over to the full game when it launches next week. That's in stark contrast to part 1, which is a true slice of the game, so if you've played that already, you can skip the Nibelheim episode when you boot up the game.
Little service announcement: do not delete your Final Fantasy 7 demo save! It needs to be present on your console when you get the full game for your progress to carry over – as well as cashing in on the demo rewards.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo rewards
Playing the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo (even if you don't dabble in part 2) will net you a couple of rewards that you can get your hands on when you play the full version of the game.
- Kupo Charm: accessory that increases the number of resource items extracted at a set rate
- Survival set: selection of items to aid on your adventure, such as potions and ethers.
For players on the fence about spoiling the experience ahead of time, or not wanting to play now for fear of the interminable wait for the game's release next week, the Square Enix Twitter account recommends booting up the demo "right before you launch the full game" so that you can reap those rewards to help you on your adventure.