FF7 Remake summons will work in a much different way than they did in the original game, according to a detailed account of the game’s Tokyo Game Show 2019 presentation provided by Square Enix. FF7 Remake is making a number of dramatic changes to the formula that proved a success for the game the first time around, updating a 1997 classic in an attempt to modernize it for 2020 audiences.
So far, the changes being made have been received pretty positively. FF7 Remake has been the star of pretty much every gaming event it has attended over the last four months, with standout hands-on impressions emerging from E3 2019, Gamescom 2019, and Tokyo Game Show 2019. Trailers for the game have showed off the eye-catching visuals that will recreate fan favorites like Cloud and Tifa, and combat has looked to be a blend of FF15’s mixture of action and menus with a heavy emphasis on the fluidity of movement that is most obvious in Square’s Kingdom Hearts 3. Those worried about too dramatic a departure from the original game can also take heart in the fact that FF7 Remake will have a turn-based combat option called Classic Mode as well, which will surely entice some fans to give it a try who were previously concerned over the need for more active input demands.
The Tokyo Game Show 2019 trailer also gave fans their first glimpse at FF7 Remake summons, although it was tough to make out exactly how they functioned. That has since been clarified in a recap post made by Square Enix earlier today which detailed the lengthy FF7 Remake presentation that took place at TGS. According to Square, each character can have up to one Summon Materia equipped at a time, and attacks cause a Summon gauge to fill up as they happen. Once the Summon Gauge is full, players can use their summon, which is typically controlled by the AI but can also be instructed to use unique abilities with ATB charges. The Summons stay on the battlefield until the Summon Gauge falls, at which point the summon unleashes their ultimate attack before departing.
It’s a system that, while dramatically different from the one in FF7, stays true to the heart of what FF7 Remake summons are supposed to be - flashy, impactful magical abilities that transcend simply instructing a character to cast “Thunder” on an enemy weak to electricity. Summons are some of the Final Fantasy franchises most beloved characters, and they’re often the only ones who make the jump between numbered instalments as they change settings. To hear that they’ll be as important in FF7 Remake as they were in the first iteration is a relief for those who were worried they might be relegated to a more tame role.
Of course, only equipping one FF7 Remake summon materia per character will force players to make some tough choices. Given that FF7 Remake only spans the Midgar portion of the original game’s story, however, it’s possible there won’t be that many summons on offer at all - ones like Knights of the Round and Bahamut weren’t available until much later in the game, whereas Ifrit and Shiva, the two that have been showcased so far, were present from pretty much the beginning.
Next: Square Enix Has No Plans to Release Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Other Platforms
Source: Square Enix
