‘Final Fantasy 7’ remake vs. intergrade, explained

In a world of remasters and remakes, Final Fantasy VII Remake stands apart as one of the best. Fans speculated for years that Square Enix would eventually remake the beloved classic, and after 20 years, their wish came true.

Remake might have dropped a meager 3 years ago, but the game is already receiving an update. With the second part of the trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, set to release in 2024, now is the perfect time to grab a copy and dive in. With two different versions of the game to pick from, it can be hard to know which to grab. We’ve broken down the copies for you below, but — spoiler alert — you’re going to want to grab the latest release.

What is the difference between FF VII Intergrade and FF VII Remake?

Final Fantasy Remake was released in 2020 to almost universal acclaim. Fans and critics alike praised the title for its graphics, improved gameplay, music, and beefed-up storylines. The first part of a trilogy, Remake showed fans a side of the dystopic city of Midgar that they had never seen before, but maintained the heart of the beloved game.

Remake alone is a wonderful game to play, but since the game’s release Square Enix has made some serious changes. FF7R Intergrade took the base of Remake and streamlined the heck out of it. Obviously the visuals have been improved, and the textures look stunning. Any messy clipping or lighting problems are a thing of the past, and those lengthy load times have been seriously decreased. There is even a new photo mode! If your precious time and beautiful graphics aren’t enough to convince you, Final Fantasy VII Intergrade has an unbeatable perk – Yuffie Kisaragi backstory from FF7R INTERmission.

In the original, the Wutai ninja was an optional follower, but the 4.5 hour DLC makes her far more than a footnote. Not only does it give more context to her sudden appearance, but it also gives her some much-needed backstory. In addition to her story, players will also get two new ending scenes that set the stage for some interesting deviations from the original 1997 release. There is a way around shelling out $40 bucks if FF7 Remake is already a part of your gaming library.

For those players who already own a copy of the PS4 version of Final Fantasy Remake, a free update is available through Square Enix. That’s right, you can get a copy of FF7R with all those graphical perks. The only downside— it doesn’t include any of FF7R INTERmission. PS5 owners are less lucky, however. This freebie doesn’t apply to them.

You can grab a copy of INTERmission for around $20.