Final Fantasy VII Remake demo goes live as release day approaches

The first part of Final Fantasy VII Remake is a little over a month away, which makes this the perfect time for Square Enix to release a demo. The company did just that today, launching a demo that takes players through the opening stages of the game. If you're on the fence about Final Fantasy VII Remake – or you're just excited and want something to hold you over until April – then this demo is probably worth a download.

As detailed on the PlayStation Blog, the demo "features a lengthy segment from the very beginning of the game." Final Fantasy VII veterans know what that means: You'll be playing as Cloud and Barret as they infiltrate the Shinra Electric Power Company and attempt to destroy Mako Reactor 1.

During the demo, you'll be able to explore the power company, eventually fight the Scorpion Sentinel boss, and then escape the facility after your sabotage has been carried out. Those who have played the original version of Final Fantasy VII may want to check this out for reasons beyond the updated graphics, as it'll also let players take the ATB combat system for a spin.

The ATB combat system has players performing basic attacks with the Square button to build up their ATB meters; when those meters are full, characters can perform actions, whether those are using an ability, using an item, or casting a spell. It's a big departure from the way combat worked in the original game, but if you want, you can switch combat into Classic Mode, which will have characters acting automatically as you issue commands.

The Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is up now on the PlayStation Store, so download it and take it for a spin. The full game will be out on April 10th, 2020 for PlayStation 4 – though we'll likely see it come to other platforms next year.