On June 10th, 2021, Final Fantasy 7 Remake received a PS5 upgrade called Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. The re-release and upgrade, which comes for free for anyone who bought the original release on PS4 either on disc or digitally, brings a whole slew of changes to the experience, making it worth playing through one more time.
One thing to note about the PS5 upgrade is those who received Final Fantasy 7 Remake as a free PS Plus game are not eligible to receive the free upgrade. Even with this in mind, all the new goodies available on the next-generation console are worth the price of admission.
10 Photo Mode
Almost standard for every modern PlayStation game, Final Fantasy 7 Remake now has a photo mode for the photographically inclined. It is not as extensive as photo modes from other games like Ghost of Tsushima, but there are enough options to make some nice snapshots and showcase Midgar's beauty. The graphics are so good it only makes sense to give the player the opportunity to stop and appreciate the visual fidelity.
9 Yuffie's DLC Chapter: INTERmission
The PS5 upgrade also adds a story expansion starring Yuffie called INTERmission. This episode is two chapters long and takes anywhere between six and eight hours to complete. This chapter is not free, however, and costs twenty dollars for anyone who already owns the game.
Those purchasing Final Fantasy 7 Remake for the first time on the PS5 receive the DLC without any additional charge, though the whole package is $69.99. We don't know when the next chapter in the remake saga will come out, but INTERmission sates fans' hunger for now.
8 Additional Visual Effects
The graphics on the whole receive a significant upgrade on the PS5. When directly comparing the two versions, one can see additional visual affects in almost every environment. There is more fog and lighting effects everywhere, and shadows also receive a notable touch up. The original release from 2020 is already a visual spectacle, and these additions just help the visuals shine even brighter.
7 Extra Fights In The Combat Simulator
In addition to the combat simulator battles available within INTERmission, the main campaign adds one additional fight to the PS5 based off a character from the new DLC chapter. The combat simulator in general is a great way to add replay value and extra challenge to both the main story and the DLC. It is also quite easy to grind up to the level cap using this feature. To unlock the new bout, one must first beat the INTERmission DLC.
6 4K Resolution
Older gamers remember the HD revolution a little over a decade ago. With HDTVs now basically in every home, tech is now looking to the future and making sure every game can run at 4K resolution. The graphics option in Final Fantasy 7 Remake runs the game at 4K resolution at a solid 30 frame per second. The resolution also remains steady throughout, rarely if ever dropping below 4K. With more people buying 4K TVs as time goes by, more and more people can enjoy the crystal clear visuals.
5 Performance Mode Running The Game At 60 Frames Per Second
For those who would rather play the game at smoother frame rate, there is a Performance Mode that runs Final Fantasy 7 Remake at 60 frames per second at a lower resolution. This is the optimal option for anybody who does not yet have a 4K television. Even if one does have the ability to run the game in 4K, they may still prefer a higher frame rate. The animations in battle are so stunning, seeing it at a higher frame rate is a real treat.
4 Fort Condor Minigame
INTERmission includes a new minigame Yuffie can play with numerous NPCs within Sector 7. Fort Condor is a board game based on the tower defense game from the original Final Fantasy 7 on the PS1.
The rules differ slightly from its source material and the rounds go by faster. With this minigame in existence, one wonders how the actual Fort Condor battles will play out when the party reaches the area in the remakes.
3 Improved Textures (Including The Infamous Door)
In addition to the fog and lighting improvements, textures receive incredible adjustments. They look better and load faster. There is also the infamous door of the motel. In the original release the texture never loads in, looking like something from an N64 game. On the PS5 it is as it should be. It is hard to go back to the PS4 version after seeing the gorgeous textures on PS5.
2 Shorter Load Times
The PS5 upgrade, which has to be downloaded onto the console storage, takes full advantage of the console's features. Most notably, the load times are lightning quick. On the PS4 loading up a save file or a new area sometimes takes upwards of 30 seconds. On the PS5 these are reduced to just over a single second. In a game over thirty hours long the reduction of multiple load times literally cuts down hours of waiting.
1 Classic For Normal Mode
For those who prefer the old ATB battle system from the original Final Fantasy 7, the first edition of the remake comes with a Classic Mode. However, it is only available for easy mode. With the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Classic is now available for the Normal difficulty option. This mode makes movement automatic so players can focus solely on action commands. With this addition, classic mode can now put up a little resistance.