The Final Fantasy 7 Remake is coming out in just a little more than a month, but if you absolutely can't wait that long (and who can?), there's finally a panacea. This morning, Square Enix released a Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo on the PS4, and it'll let you play through the game's first few hours.
Don't worry; even if you're stuck at work or school right now, we'll tell you how to make sure it's downloaded and ready for you when you get home.
- Play the best PS4 games
- PS5: Release date, price, specs, games and more
- New report shows how Sony can overtake Xbox Series X
Just in case you haven't been following it, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake is, well, a remake of one of the most beloved JRPGs of all time. But the Final Fantasy 7 Remake isn't just a graphical upgrade; it's a complete, top-to-bottom redesign of the original game, complete with a complete 3D world to explore, a fully rewritten, voice-acted script and a new real-time combat system.
We got our hands on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo at E3, and it's well worth your time. I went into the experience feeling fairly skeptical, and came out a believer. The degree of care and polish that Square Enix has put into the game is impressive, and it's almost sure to delight anyone who has fond memories of playing the game back when it first came out.
In any case, the demo takes about two hours, and brings you through the game's first chapter: the bombing mission at the Shinra Mako plant. In it, you'll take control of Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace as they explore the reactor, fight off human and robotic foes and exposit about how Shinra is draining the planet's life energy dry for profit. It's similar to the bombing run from the original FFVII, but now much longer and more detailed.
How to download the Final Fantasy 7 Remake demo
To queue up the download for later, all you need is a computer or smartphone. First, go to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Demo page on the PlayStation Store. It's free, so click on the "Try Free Demo" button. After you do that, you'll get a prompt to visit your Download List. Do so. (If you don't, click your avatar in the upper-right corner, then click Download List.)
In case you've never used the Download List/Queue feature on the PlayStation Store, it's a convenient way to get your downloads started while you're away from home. The most recent game you've bought (or acquired for free, in this case) will show up at the top of the Download List. Select the Download to your PS4 option. The next time your PS4 turns on, it'll automatically download the Final Fantasy VII Remake demo, which requires about 8 GB storage.
There is one catch, of course: If your PS4 is not already turned on, or in rest mode, the Download Queue will not magically power it up. Since many people keep their PS4s in rest mode while they're out and about, this could theoretically help them play the demo the second they come through the door this evening. Otherwise, your best bet is to text someone who comes home before you and ask them to power the PS4 up; the demo can download in the background.
