Everything you need to know about FF7: The First Soldier
It’s the first-ever battle royale set in a Final Fantasy universe.
Your dreams of being as cool as Cloud Strife just got a little bit closer to reality. Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier lets players create their own SOLDIER just like the beloved game’s broody badass protagonist. Will the events of this mobile battle royale play into the events of Final Fantasy VII: Remake Part 2? Here’s everything we know about FF7: The First Soldier.
When is the FF7: The First Soldier release date?
Square Enix will bring FF7: The First Soldier to iOS and Android in November 2021. We still don’t know the exact release date, so just expect to get your SOLDIER on during November.
Is there a FF7: The First Soldier trailer?
Yes! You can watch a trailer for The First Soldier below.
The trailer sets up the backstory: 30 years before the events of FF7, Shinra begins a top-secret project to bioengineer supersoldiers, aptly named SOLDIER. “To supplement their military prowess, Shinra forms SOLDIER — an experimental corps of enhanced fighters.”
The First Soldier mixes first- and third-person action where players wield two weapons, three magic spells, and what looks like a movement-based ability. There are also vehicles like motorcycles and Chocobos in the mix, along with familiar-looking enemies like Bombs and various Shinra robots — so not only will some of these maps be large, but players aren’t the only enemies you have to worry about.
We then see the trailer take us through the various styles that will be available in the full-game like Monk and Ranger.
We see one SOLDIER cast a spell that creates a barrier to block an incoming fireball. When players aim down the sights, they get a first-person zoom that seems pretty effective at a variety of ranges.
The trailer concludes with a SOLDIER confronting Ifrit.
What is the FF7: The First Soldier story?
Familiar Shinra machinery is present in the game.
The First Soldier takes place in Midgar several decades before the original FF7, when construction was still underway on the city. A March 2021 Famitsu report confirms that the game will depict much younger versions of iconic FF7 characters. That same report confirms that the Ever Crisis mobile game, which covers the narrative from every previous FF7-related game, will also include original chapters focusing on the backstory of The First Soldier.
“The First Soldier takes place around 30 years before the FF7 main story,” Nomura said, “and goes into the founding of SOLDIER, so it goes without saying that you will see some of the legendary heroes in their younger days, as well as younger versions of the future Shinra executives and other characters who will appear in the FF7 Remake sequels. I think that it will really add depth to some of the characters who we do not have room to show fully in the main games.”
Many of the younger cast — like Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and even villains like Rufus Shinra and Sephiroth — were not born yet in this era. However, it’s likely that The First Soldier will include older characters like President Shinra, Vincent Valentine, Professor Hojo, and more.
What is FF7: The First Soldier gameplay like?
Look at the icons within the squad on the top-left to get a sense of the combat “styles.”
The First Soldier is an action-oriented third-person shooter that also incorporates melee weapons like swords. So it does resemble Fortnite in some fashion, but incorporating several different types of magical spells will likely make it feel a bit closer to Spellbreak.
A March 2021 Famitsu interview confirms The First Soldier will have some sort of job/class-based system, as evidenced by icons attached to players that look like a blue fist, red sword, or yellow staff.
What are the styles in FF7: The First Soldier?
Since traditional Final Fantasy classes like jobs are non-existent in the Final Fantasy VII universe, FF7: The First Soldier calls them “styles.” These are the abilities used by SOLDIERS in FF7: The First Soldier. Here are the currently known styles.
- Warrior – specializes in close-ranged melee attacks.
- Sorcerer – mid-ranged area of effect attacks is this Style’s specialty; their basic magic spells Fire, Blizzard, and Thunder are powered up.
- Monk – high-vitality Style, who has self-healing and shield abilities.
- Ranger – skilled in seeking out enemies and sniping them from afar.
- Ninja – a character equipped with a shuriken, similar to the one Yuffie uses.
Additional styles will likely be added later in the game’s life cycle.
What locations are in FF7: The First Soldier?
FF7: The First Soldier has numerous locations from around the Final Fantasy VII world. In a May 2021 livetstream, Square Enix revealed an initial slew of locations to expect in The First Soldier:
- Sector 5 Station
- Church
- Verdant House
- Collapsed Expressway
- Sector 7 Slums
- Sector 5 Slums
- Train Graveyard
- Corneo's Mansion
- Plate Support
- Sector 7 Station
- Entertainment District
- Sewer System
- Desolate Area (West)
- Desolate Area (East)
- Colosseum
Will FF7: The First Soldier get a console release?
Currently, The First Soldier is slated for release on iOS and Android devices only, but developers are at least considering console ports.
"I have no plans to distribute it on a dedicated machine, but I would like to discuss it with Square Enix," a representative of developer Ateam said, as reported by Gamebiz back in March 2021.
FF7: The First Soldier will launch worldwide on iOS and Android devices in November 2021.
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