FF7 Revelation lets players start on Hard Mode

Hard Mode in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will be open from the very first save.

Players can pick the tougher option at the start of a first playthrough, rather than finishing the story to unlock it. That is a break from Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, which both kept Hard Mode locked until after the credits Eurogamer.

Director Naoki Hamaguchi said the mode will not work in quite the same way as before. It has been reimagined to fit the design of the new game, though full details of the rework have not been shared.

The detail came from a director interview published by Hardcore Gamer, which has since been picked up more widely Hardcore Gamer. According to that interview, the from-start option is aimed at players who want challenging battles and high-difficulty play without a second run.

Revelation is adding other ways to tune the challenge. A Dynamic Mode, a difficulty setting that adjusts with the player and was also used in Rebirth, will be available at launch. Players will also be able to adjust the difficulty of mini-games separately from combat.

For newcomers, the combat blends live action with pause-and-plan orders. Players can switch directly between party members in battle and use Tactical Mode, which slows time to issue commands, alongside team attacks built around powerful abilities and synergies.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is scheduled to release on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S on 8 April 2027.

Trophy hunters get some relief too. The developers have said Revelation should be easier to Platinum than Rebirth, with an expectation that 20 percent of players or more could earn the Platinum trophy IGN.

What makes this stand out is choice. Veterans can test themselves straight away. Everyone else can customise the run, keep the story moving, and still have a fair shot at the top trophy.