My first demo is a shorter, linear slice set years before Remake’s events. Cloud, still a member of SOLDIER, climbs Mt. Nibel guided by Tifa and accompanied by his mentor and future nemesis, Sephiroth. At this point, Sephiroth has not yet gone off the deep end, while this younger Cloud has an uncharacteristically chipper attitude. The group is making its way to a mako reactor at Nibel’s summit, with copious monster battles reaclimating me to combat.

Rebirth plays identically to Remake; its entertaining hybrid of stylish action and turn-based mechanics remains a thrilling and strategic treat with a new wrinkle: Synergy Skills. These attacks combine the might of two party members to unleash a flashy tag team assault, provided you have an ATB bar to spend. One of Cloud and Sephiroth’s Synergy Skills, for example, is called Dualblade Dance, and it plays out as a cinematic and flashy display of tandem swordplay as both warriors eviscerate a target. Some Synergy Skills are defensive; while playing the second demo, Aerith partners with Cloud or Barrett to use Bodyguard, which sees her partner act as a human shield while she attacks from a distance.

Synergy Skills encourage players to experiment with different party combinations. On that front, you can now create saved party lineups that you can instantly swap between in-game. Need to change your Cloud/Barrett/Aerith crew to Cloud/Red XIII/Tifa? It’s just a button press away, saving you trips to the menu.