Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will have a combat system in which allies will be equipped with a more useful and proactive AI in battle, with the aim of overcome the Gambit of Final Fantasy 12. At least this is what was declared by Satoru Koyama, lead battle programmer of the remakes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, in an interview included in Final Fantasy VII Remake Ultimania, the official book of the game published by Square Enix.
Specifically, Koyama explained that in Final Fantasy 7 Remake the AI-guided companions are limited to performing normal attacks, leaving the player with the task of switching from one character to another to perform spells, skills and so on. However in the second remake, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the lead battle programmer aims to make the more active allies in battle.
“With Final Fantasy 7 Remake, we made it so that AI-controlled teammates could only execute the Attack command to allow players to switch between characters while fighting,” Koyama said. “However, with the next game I would like to create an artificial intelligence capable of juggle a variety of techniques and spells. My goal is to surpass Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit system.”
It is interesting that Koyama has mentioned the Gambit, which would seem to suggest that in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth players will be able to establish in advance what actions they will have to perform in battle and in which situations through a special menu.
For the uninitiated, the Gambit is one of the most important mechanics on which Final Fantasy 12 is based. Through this system, players can basically create the routine adopted by the AI-guided companions in battle at will, through a series of commands to be created and assigned to slots, which then they are followed to the letter in combat. A well-organized Gambit potentially allows you to finish the fights without even pressing a button, while deactivating it the characters do not perform any action without a direct order from the player.
Koyama also added that he wants to create some sort of “Classic Mode”where characters fight automatically, to accommodate players unfamiliar with action games.
“I’d also like to focus more energy on aspects that support player control, such as a Classic Mode, where characters fight automatically. I think it’s a shame when people can’t play a game they’re interested in just because they’re not skilled with action-oriented mechanics.”
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is currently in development for PS5, with the launch expected during next wintertherefore towards the end of the year or in the first months of 2024.