Should I Play the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Demo?

A demo has finally dropped for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, one of the most anticipated games of the year. So, what exactly can you gain in the full release by playing the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo now?

What carries over from the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo?

The Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo lets players experience the game’s first chapter, titled “Fall of a Hero in Nibelheim,” in its entirety. Players of the original game will, of course, recognize this famous flashback sequence. An update on February 21, 2024, will add a portion of a later chapter, “Dawn of a New Era in Junon,” to the demo. A demo with a content update? Square Enix is going all out for this one.

Completing the “Fall of a Hero in Nibelheim” demo earns players a Kupo Charm and a Survival Set, redeemable after the full game’s release on February 29. The demo’s completion also allows players to skip over that chapter in the game. The Kupo Charm boosts item drops, handy early on when resources are limited from Shinra boxes, while the Survival Set jumpstarts item collection with potions, ethers, and more. However, “Dawn of a New Era in Junon” content will not carry over into the full release.

This is because the content in the demo will be scaled back and differ from the full release. So, with bonuses like that, it seems like a no-brainer – you should absolutely play the demo. However, you may find you’re a person who wants to experience a story for the first time in the context of the full game. I think this is totally valid, and if you want to avoid spoiling that experience, maybe skip the demo. I personally played the demo, but I still plan to replay the chapter when the full game drops anyway. To me it just feels right playing it in sequence, I did the same thing for Final Fantasy XVI.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will be released on PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024.