FF7 Revelation Lets You Start on Hard Mode from Day One

Ever wanted to jump straight into the toughest challenge without beating the game first? In Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, you can do exactly that. Producer Naoki Hamaguchi has confirmed that Hard Mode is selectable from the very beginning, a first for the Remake series.

In Remake and Rebirth, Hard Mode only unlocked after finishing the main story, which meant you had to replay the entire game to experience it. With Revelation, that barrier is gone. Hamaguchi explained in an interview with Hardcore Gamer that the team has "reimagined the high-difficulty experience to align with the new game design."

But don't expect it to play exactly like before. Hamaguchi noted that Hard Mode "won't function in the exact same way as it did in Remake and Rebirth." The balance has shifted, and player options have "expanded significantly," leading the team to determine that "simply banning items wouldn't be enough to achieve the ideal high-difficulty experience we envisioned."

That's where the new Enemy Strength setting comes in. You can choose between the returning Dynamic mode, where enemies scale with your level, and static enemies for a more traditional challenge. According to Hamaguchi, this creates "a challenging environment that will thoroughly satisfy those seeking high difficulty, while also expanding players' freedom and strategic options."

And if you're worried about running out of things to do after the credits roll, Revelation has you covered. Hamaguchi says that "unlike Remake and Rebirth, Revelation offers a wide variety of end-game content even after you've beaten the game," adding that the team "aimed to create a game where players can enjoy various new content and challenges even after completing the main story."

So whether you're a masochist who wants to suffer from the first minute or someone who just wants to enjoy the story without too much friction, Revelation seems to have options for you. More choices are always a good thing, right?

What do you think? Will you be starting on Hard Mode, or are you sticking to normal? Let us know in the comments!