Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be getting a pre-launch graphics update for Performance Mode

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Born again

Yuffie prepares a Ninjitsu technique
(Image credit: Square Enix)

The demo for the anticipated fantasy role-playing game (RPG) Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will be getting a visual update, which will also be applied to the main game on release. 

The official Final Fantasy 7 Twitter / X page announced: "The update to the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth demo scheduled for February 21 will apply improvements to the visual quality when selecting 'Performance Mode' from the graphics options.

"The same improvements will also be applied to the full game," clarified the statement.

This comes in response to reports from some fans that the demo's Performance Mode graphics suffered from issues. As our sister site GamesRadar reported: "A whole bunch of folks on special media are disappointed by the demo's visual presentation, whether it's the lack of interactive foliage, muddy textures, technical issues, or just the image quality overall" (via GamesRadar).

Reddit user jmnrdt9 highlighted these issues in a post last week, saying that they were "disappointed" with the demo's graphics. "I spotted a fair few subpar textures and models in the demo [...] I can't help but feel a little bit down about it."

It is unknown if this will coincide with Square Enix's plan to expand the demo later this month by adding access to the Junon area.

The demo has also sparked discourse surrounding its climbing sections, which mark interactable handholds with yellow paint. While some have responded positively, seeing this as a helpful accessibility feature, others expressed concern that the yellow paint was indicative of lazy environmental design.

Despite these issues, we at TechRadar Gaming were very impressed by our hands-on with a preview build of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The fluid combat, exceptional writing, and rewarding exploration all suggest that the RPG could well deliver once it's released on February 29 for PS5. 

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the second game in Square Enix's trilogy of remakes of the original Final Fantasy 7, which was first released in 1997. 

Looking for similar titles? Check out our lists of the best RPGs and the best single-player games.

Cat Bussell
Cat Bussell
Freelance contributor

An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.

A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.