Final Fantasy VII Revelation will not make you beat it first to play it on Hard. In a new interview with Hardcore Gamer, series director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed that “Hard Mode is selectable from the very start of this game,” a big change from Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, where the top difficulty only unlocked after the credits.
Why Hard Mode is open from day one
Hamaguchi says the reason is Revelation’s post-game. “Unlike REMAKE and REBIRTH, REVELATION offers a wide variety of end-game content even after you’ve beaten the game,” he told Hardcore Gamer. “Rather than relying solely on the traditional flow of challenging Hard Mode after beating the game, we aimed to create a game where players can enjoy various new content and challenges even after completing the main story.”
He also said Hard “won’t function in the exact same way” it did in the first two games. “In REVELATION, we’ve reimagined the high-difficulty experience to align with the new game design.”
No item ban, and Dynamic Mode returns
The biggest rule change is that Revelation is dropping the no-items restriction that defined Hard Mode in Remake and Rebirth. Hamaguchi says player options such as cooperative abilities and the new FITS system “have expanded significantly,” so the team “determined that simply banning items wouldn’t be enough to achieve the ideal high-difficulty experience we envisioned.”
For players who want something closer to the old Hard Mode, Revelation keeps Dynamic Mode, which scales enemies to your party’s level. “Here, you can enjoy highly strategic battles with both enemies and your character fully leveled up,” Hamaguchi said. GamesRadar describes it as a separate Enemy Strength option, letting you choose between Dynamic and standard enemy levels alongside your combat difficulty.
“We’ve created a challenging environment that will thoroughly satisfy those seeking high difficulty, while also expanding players’ freedom and strategic options,” he added.
When you can play it
Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the last part of the remake trilogy, is set for April 8, 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2. Square Enix has been filling in more of the combat over the past few months, including the FITS details shown at PAX West. Knowing that the hardest setting is available from your first playthrough should make the long wait a little easier for fans who found the first two games too gentle.
