Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis launches in closed beta later this year

The original Final Fantasy VII influenced the imaginations of an entire generation of gaming enthusiasts, so it's no surprise that some would prefer a more authentic retelling of that tale than the twist-and-turn approach on display in Final Fantasy VII Remake and its upcoming sequel, Rebirth. Those fans have kept a sharp ear out for more information on Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, an episodic mobile title that aims to cover not only the original game but even its semi-forgotten spinoffs.

During Square Enix's FFVII 25th Anniversary Celebration Broadcast event today, Square gave us an extended glimpse at Ever Crisis along with a targeted 2022 closed beta release. Seeing as we're midway through the year, this obviously narrows things down to a six-month window, though it remains to be seen just how close we're talking about here.

The trailer, visible above, showcases a collection of Ever Crisis' flashy, Remake-style combat sequences interspersed among cutscenes and locations that will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has played the 1997 classic FFVII. Character models are substantially improved-upon, and backgrounds have been recreated but maintain the angles and edges that fans know and love.

Ever Crisis is being touted as a free-to-play retelling of FFVII, Crisis Core, Before Crisis, Advent Children, and Dirge of Cerberus — in other words, the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series. In the trailer, characters periodically appear garbed in outfits that don't fit the scene per the original game; it's a safe bet such departures will factor into the optional monetization system.

The FFVII 25th Anniversary Celebration Broadcast event is jam-packed with enough Cloud-based content to make Ever Crisis look like a footnote in the grand scheme. Be sure to check out our coverage on Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion, the pending Steam launch of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, and last but most assuredly not least, the announcement of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.