Final Fantasy 7 Remake features a "Classic Mode" that will turn the combat back to the original turn-based format

Final Fantasy 7 Remake
(Image credit: Square Enix)

During a Final Fantasy 7 Remake gameplay demo at the Tokyo Game Show 2019, it was revealed that we'll have the option to play in 'Classic Mode', which switches up the combat to revert it back to the original turn-based menu selecting format you'll be familiar with if you've played the 1997 release. 

At E3 2019, we first learned that the Remake is set to mix things up in the combat department, with a blend of real-time fighting and a sprinkle of turn-based action that includes a kind of pause system. It essentially looks like it mashes up the combat seen in Final Fantasy 15 with that of the old format. If you loved the original style with the turn-based menu screen actions, then "Classic Mode" is definitely for you. 

The official Final Fantasy 7 Remake Twitter account posted a translated overview of the gameplay shown at the Tokyo Game Show, saying that any player who uses Classic Mode will "not have to worry about the action side of the combat system". They also explain that in the standard modes, the ATB Gauge will fill up by repeatedly attacking enemies, but the Gauge automatically fills up for you if you decide to play in the Classic Mode. 

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A new trailer also recently dropped for the Remake last week, giving us a look at some more combat in action, as well as introducing us to the Turks and showing off the updated take on the classic exercising mini-game. The "Classic Mode" is a neat feature for those players who want to relive the original combat style, and it's just further proof that the Remake is both building on the 1997 release and also staying very faithful to what we all love about Final Fantasy 7. Now all we have to do is to decide which mode we want to play in as we wait for our reunion with Cloud and the gang on March 3, 2020.

Read more: Final Fantasy 7 Remake is everything you want it to be, so put down the pitchforks

Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.