The wait for the next episode continues, though it seems Square Enix isn’t entirely through with the first chapter ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remakejust yet. Alongside the PS5 “Intergrade” release, it seems an additional Yuffie-focused episode is coming toFinal Fantasy 7 Remakethis summer. This is huge for a number of reasons, not only in terms of significant graphical and performance upgrades over the first game, but it also includes some additional story implications as well. Similar to expectations withThe Last of Us 2, many would’ve expected a comparatively simple PS5 optimization forFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, but it seems Square Enix is going the extra mile.
Bringing additional content to the base game this early couldpotentiallybe a double-edged sword forFinal Fantasy 7 Remakein a few ways. Yuffie stepping into Square Enix’s remake this early is certainly unexpected, especially for fans of the originalFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. This is, from the get-go, a sizable narrative diversion from the original game. While changes are a pretty big reason whyFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeexists, the reception of Yuffie’s standalone episode will be very important. However, even more important from this announcement is the solving of the PS4 version’s notable performance issues, including low-res textures and long loading times.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade’s Improvements
Generally, there are a surprising amount of graphical improvements and overhauls being made withFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade. Square Enix’s wonderful naming conventions aside,thisIntergradeedition features next-gen improvementsto textures, lighting, fog effects, ray tracing-like reflections, loading times, and more. Additionally, the PS5 upgrade will bring several different quality of life adjustments as well, including resolution/performance modes and a photo mode.Final Fantasy 7 Remakecertainly runs quite well on PS4/PS4 Pro, but it was certainly not flawless. Any visual issues from the original release seem to be solved in the PS5 upgrade.
Starting with graphical improvements, several key changes are welcome improvements over the original. Some fans may rememberFinal Fantasy 7 Remakehad some questionably low-resolution backgroundsand textures in the original release due to hardware complications. Based on the trailer alone, those strange issues with blurry background images and muddy environmental textures are solved. In that same vein, faster loading speeds solves texture pop-in, as well as abysmally long loading/saving time on PS4. Plus, all the bells and whistles of true 4K resolution and/or 60 FPS makeFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Intergradethe definitive version of the game.
The Yuffie Episode is Intergrade’s Cherry On Top
However, another significant change coming inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Intergradeis the addition of a standalone episode focused on Yuffie. Acting as an optional party member in the original game, it seems the remake is intent oninjecting Yuffie Kisaragi into theFinal Fantasy 7 Remakestorymuch earlier than expected. Not only that, but it’s pretty obvious at this point that Yuffie may no longer be an optional character like in the original game. Even more interesting is that, along with Yuffie’s earlier introduction, it seemsFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Intergradeis bringing in plenty of lore content from theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7as well.
Yuffie’s own story in a standalone episode is certainly a nice cherry on top ofFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeIntergradeon PS5. Being able to play as the fan-favorite Wutai ninja, even if briefly, will hopefully tide over fans until the next episode ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeis released. However, Yuffie’s episode is really where the double-edged sword comes into play. Undoubtedly, this episode can serveas evidence thatFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Part Two(or whatever the next chapter is called) is much farther away than fans may have initially expected. Based on this content coming to the PS5 version, this soon afterFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s original release, it may be a while.
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Pros and Cons of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Depending on the length of Yuffie’s story, it’s hard to really judge whether this standalone episode will be enough for anxious fans, but it’s at least something new. In fact, this approach of various newFinal Fantasy 7 Remakecontent is starting to resemble the beginnings of what Square Enix did withFinal Fantasy 15. This is without even mentioningtheFinal Fantasy 7battle royale, or theEver Crisismobile game. Granted,Final Fantasy 15took a much more ambitious and strange approach than what Square Enix seems to be doing withFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. This is just one extra episode tagged onto one of the most critically-acclaimed games from 2020.
Although it’s arguable whether or not this franchising approach to new games is better than no news for several years at a time. Square Enix used to be notoriously silent mid-development for franchises likeKingdom Hearts, and other mainlineFinal Fantasygames. Adding this kind of short-form content toFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, while the full-onsecond chapter ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeis in development, could be very well received in the short-term. It remains to be seen whether this approach could adversely affect the second portion ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s already ambitious storyline. That being said,Intergradeis a welcome surprise for a PS5 enhancement.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergradereleases on July 31, 2025, for PS5.
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