If you want to catch up before Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the essential play order is simple: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, then Revelation.
You do not need to play the original 1997 Final Fantasy VII or Crisis Core first, and for a completely new player, doing so can actually reveal story information that the Remake trilogy presents more gradually.
That matters more now because the finish line is official. Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches April 8, 2027 as the third and final part of the Remake trilogy. Square Enix has also made catching up easier with Streamlined Progression options in both previous games, so you can prioritize the story without spending nearly as much time grinding, struggling through difficult encounters, or clearing every optional activity.
Recommended order for newcomers: Play Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade’s main story first, then INTERmission, then Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Crisis Core Reunion and the original Final Fantasy VII are optional. If avoiding Revelation spoilers matters to you, save the 1997 game until after the trilogy finale.
Table of Contents
- The best Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy play order
- 1. Start with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
- 2. Play INTERmission before Rebirth
- 3. Continue with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Where does Crisis Core Reunion fit?
- Should you play the original Final Fantasy VII?
- What about Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus, and Ever Crisis?
- How to catch up faster before Revelation
- Which platforms can you play the trilogy on?
- Final Fantasy VII play order FAQ
The best Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy play order
For a first-time player who wants the story presented in the order Square Enix is currently telling it, this is the cleanest route:
- Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade main story
- FF7R EPISODE INTERmission
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion, optional if you want deeper Zack and SOLDIER context
- Final Fantasy VII Revelation on April 8, 2027
You will sometimes see chronological lists put Crisis Core first because its events take place before Final Fantasy VII. That is technically chronological, but it is not the order we recommend for a newcomer. Crisis Core assumes familiarity with important characters and openly explains parts of Cloud and Zack’s history that the Remake trilogy reveals much more carefully.
Release order works better here because you learn what the modern trilogy wants you to know when it wants you to know it.
1. Start with Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is the correct starting point. It is the first game in the trilogy and covers Cloud’s journey through Midgar, introducing Avalanche, Shinra, Sephiroth, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, and the fundamental questions the rest of the trilogy builds around.
The important word here is Intergrade. If you are buying the game today, choose Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade rather than worrying about the original PS4 release. Intergrade contains the Remake main story and FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, giving you the complete first chapter of the modern trilogy in one package.
Remake is much more than a graphical recreation of the Midgar portion of the 1997 game. It expands characters, locations, relationships, and story events while establishing new mysteries that continue through Rebirth and Revelation.
If the hybrid combat takes a little while to click, do not treat it like a pure action game. Basic attacks mainly help build ATB, while abilities, spells, character switching, Pressure, and Stagger are where most of the tactical depth lives. Our upcoming Remake combat and materia guides will build directly from this starting point.
2. Play INTERmission before Rebirth
Do not skip FF7R EPISODE INTERmission if your goal is to be fully prepared for Rebirth and Revelation.
INTERmission follows Yuffie Kisaragi during events that happen alongside Cloud’s adventure in Midgar. Square Enix director Naoki Hamaguchi has explained that the episode was designed with three goals: introduce Yuffie as an integral member of the Remake trilogy, connect Remake to Rebirth, and bring wider Final Fantasy VII lore such as Deepground into the modern storyline.
That makes it more important than a typical optional DLC episode. Rebirth does not stop and reintroduce every element from Yuffie’s Midgar story as though you have never seen it. Playing INTERmission first gives her arrival more context and also introduces ideas that could continue to matter in Revelation.
Can you skip INTERmission? Technically, yes. Rebirth remains playable without it. But if you are deliberately catching up before Revelation, there is little reason to skip the episode because it introduces Yuffie, connects the first two games, and expands lore that the trilogy continues to use.
3. Continue with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Rebirth begins after Cloud and the party leave Midgar. The scale changes immediately. Instead of Remake’s dense urban structure, the second game opens into large regions filled with towns, Chocobos, World Intel, side quests, minigames, optional bosses, relationship systems, and a much larger set of party combinations.
Combat also evolves. Synergy Skills and Synergy Abilities make relationships between party members mechanically important, Folios expand character progression, and the game gives you considerably more freedom in how you build a team.
Rebirth is technically designed so someone can start there, and Square Enix included story recap material. But if your goal is to understand Revelation rather than simply see whether you enjoy the combat, starting with Rebirth is a compromise. Character relationships, Sephiroth’s role, Zack’s scenes, and several of the trilogy’s biggest mysteries all build directly on Remake.
Rebirth is also now available well beyond its original PS5 release. Square Enix brought the game to Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox on PC in June 2026, meaning the first two parts of the trilogy are now available across the same major modern ecosystems ahead of Revelation. You can read more about the Rebirth Switch 2 release here.
Where does Crisis Core Reunion fit?
Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is optional, but increasingly relevant. It is a remastered version of the prequel centered on Zack Fair, taking place years before Final Fantasy VII and explaining his relationships with Cloud, Aerith, Sephiroth, Shinra, and SOLDIER.
Chronologically, it comes first. For a newcomer, however, we recommend playing it after Rebirth if you want to preserve as much mystery as possible.
That recommendation becomes especially relevant before Revelation because Zack is no longer just distant backstory. The Remake trilogy is actively using him in its current narrative, so knowing his original story gives you additional context going into the finale.
When should you play Crisis Core?
| You are… | Best timing |
|---|---|
| Completely new to FFVII | After Rebirth, before Revelation |
| Already know the original FFVII story | Any time after Remake is fine |
| Short on time | Skip it for now and prioritize Remake, INTERmission, and Rebirth |
If you want to add Zack’s full story to your catch-up, you can check out Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion on G2A.COM.
Should you play the original Final Fantasy VII before Revelation?
No, the 1997 Final Fantasy VII is not required before starting the Remake trilogy. Hamaguchi has explicitly described Remake as a way for newcomers to experience Final Fantasy VII from the beginning, and the trilogy has been designed as a modern reimagining rather than a simple visual upgrade.
Playing the original can make the Remake project even more interesting because you will recognize what Square Enix preserves, expands, moves, or deliberately changes. It also gives you a much stronger reference point for some of the trilogy’s stranger moments.
There is one major trade-off: the original reveals the full core Final Fantasy VII storyline. Revelation is adapting the final portion of that story while continuing the Remake trilogy’s own mysteries. If you want to experience those events without knowing where the original went, wait until after Revelation.
Best choice for a spoiler-sensitive newcomer: Stay inside the Remake trilogy until Revelation is finished. Play the original afterward and compare the two versions of the story.
What about Advent Children, Dirge of Cerberus, and Ever Crisis?
Final Fantasy VII has accumulated a lot of side material over the years, but you do not need to consume the entire Compilation of Final Fantasy VII before April 2027.
For most people, adding more material than Crisis Core before Revelation creates more homework than useful preparation. Finish the two released main games first.
How to catch up faster before Revelation
Square Enix knows that asking someone to start a multi-game RPG saga shortly before its third installment is a big commitment. That is exactly why the studio introduced Streamlined Progression.
Remake Intergrade Streamlined Progression
The current version of Remake Intergrade can let you keep HP and MP full, deal 9,999 damage with attacks, and maintain maximum quantities of many items. The settings can be changed individually, so you do not have to turn everything into an automatic victory if you still want to learn the combat.
There is also a New Game – Head Start option that begins the game with level 45 characters, upgraded materia, useful gear and accessories, items, and 50,000 gil. It can be used for both the main Remake story and INTERmission.
Rebirth Streamlined Progression
Rebirth now has its own Streamlined Progression settings, including options such as unlimited HP and MP, full combat gauges, 9,999 damage, faster progression, and assistance with weapon ability acquisition. New Game – Head Start can begin Rebirth with characters at level 65 and several enhanced materia.
These are optional tools, not a replacement difficulty that you have to use. If you enjoy mastering ATB, Stagger, materia combinations, Synergy Abilities, and boss mechanics, play normally. If your priority is being caught up on Cloud’s story before April, the tools exist specifically to remove some of the friction.
Fastest sensible catch-up route
- Play Remake’s main story with Streamlined Progression if needed.
- Play INTERmission.
- Start Rebirth and focus primarily on the main story and character quests you care about.
- Use Rebirth’s Streamlined Progression settings rather than grinding if time is running short.
- Skip Crisis Core, Hard Mode, superbosses, trophy cleanup, and most completionist content until later.
Hamaguchi has directly connected these progression options to the arrival of the trilogy on more platforms and the desire to let time-limited players experience Remake and Rebirth before the third game. In other words, using them for a Revelation catch-up run is exactly what they were made for.
Which platforms can you play the trilogy on?
For the first time in the project’s history, platform availability is no longer particularly complicated. Remake Intergrade and Rebirth are already available across the major current systems that will receive Revelation.
Square Enix also says save data from same-platform versions of Remake Intergrade and Rebirth will unlock additional in-game bonuses in Revelation. If you have a choice and want those bonuses, sticking with the same platform across the trilogy is the simplest route.
Revelation will be the first chapter in the trilogy to launch across all of those platforms simultaneously. For everything Square Enix has shown about the finale so far, see our Final Fantasy VII Revelation reveal breakdown.
Which Final Fantasy VII catch-up route should you choose?
Building your Final Fantasy VII library?
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Final Fantasy VII play order FAQ
Do I need to play Remake before Rebirth?
For the complete story experience, yes. Rebirth follows directly from Remake and assumes familiarity with its characters, relationships, and major story events. A recap can cover the broad plot, but it cannot replace all of that context.
Is INTERmission required before Rebirth?
It is not technically mandatory, but we strongly recommend it. Square Enix specifically created INTERmission to introduce Yuffie, connect Remake to Rebirth, and incorporate wider FFVII lore into the trilogy.
Do I need to play Crisis Core before Revelation?
No. Remake and Rebirth are the essential preparation. Crisis Core is useful optional context because it explains Zack Fair’s history and connections to Cloud, Sephiroth, Aerith, and SOLDIER.
Can I start with Revelation?
You could mechanically start there, but it is not the recommended way to experience the story. Revelation is the finale to plotlines established across Remake and Rebirth. Director Naoki Hamaguchi has also said that players will need to start with the first installment to get the full understanding of the story.
More Final Fantasy VII reading
If you already know you are committing to the trilogy, our Remake and Rebirth Twin Pack guide covers the buying side. If you finish Remake and want something similar before moving on, we also have a Games Like Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade guide.
For the destination itself, read our Final Fantasy VII Revelation release-date report or the deeper Revelation reveal and gameplay breakdown.
You do not need to turn catching up into homework
Final Fantasy VII has decades of games, movies, spin-offs, remasters, and lore attached to it, but the path to Revelation is much cleaner than that history makes it look.
Start with Remake Intergrade. Play INTERmission. Continue into Rebirth. Then you are ready for Revelation. Add Crisis Core if Zack’s history interests you. Play the original if you want the full comparison and do not mind learning major story events in advance. Everything else can wait.
And if April 8 suddenly looks much closer than it did a few months ago, Streamlined Progression exists for exactly this situation. You do not have to clear every superboss, master every materia setup, win every minigame, or complete every region to understand why Cloud and his friends are boarding the Highwind for one final fight.