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Final Fantasy VII Remake gets a free upgrade on PS4 amid PC launch turmoil

Starting this Wednesday, PlayStation Plus subscribers who redeemed Final Fantasy VII Remake through PlayStation Plus can upgrade to the PlayStation 5 Intergrade version of the game for free. The announcement comes hot of the heels of a shaky launch for the PC edition of the game.

Starting this Wednesday…

• PS Plus subscribers who previously redeemed @FinalFantasy VII Remake via @PlayStation Plus will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version of the game.

• Episode Intermission, the DLC featuring Yuffie Kisaragi, will be 25% off for a limited time! pic.twitter.com/mnkCIRR586

— FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) December 19, 2021

Final Fantasy VII Remake, which was originally a PlayStation exclusive, was available on PS Plus in March 2021. At that time, only the PlayStation 4 edition was available to players, upsetting many of those who wanted the PS5 version, which promised better visuals, faster load times, support for Sony’s DualSense controller, and other perks.

The Episode Intermission DLC was also not available for the PS4 version of the game, meaning that those who wanted to play it needed to purchase the game and DLC at full price on PS5, even if they were a PS Plus subscriber. Putting the DLC on sale and allowing PS Plus subscribers to upgrade for free seems to be Square Enix’s form of an olive branch for players, though it comes a full nine months after the original PS Plus fiasco.

In addition to being able to upgrade the game for free, the game’s Yuffie Kisaragi DLC, officially named Episode INTERmission, will be 25% off “for a limited time,” also starting this Wednesday.

Final Fantasy VII Remake recently became available on PC, though the launch was not nearly as smooth as Square Enix had hoped for. The game has few graphics options, which means that players can’t adjust settings like resolution scaling, anti-aliasing, VSync, and motion blur, among others.

Players have also experienced serious lag and slowdown when doing things as simple as moving the game’s camera around Cloud. These issues are occurring on even the most high-end PCs, indicating an issue with the game rather than players’ systems. Amid all this, VII Remake‘s hefty $70 price tag has caused even more outrage, though the same price is becoming the norm for AAA PS5 and Xbox Series X/S titles.

Emily Morrow
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Emily Morrow is a games journalist and narrative designer who has written for a variety of online publications. If she’s…
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: all piano sheet music locations and rewards
Cloud playing the piano in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

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Sheet music, thankfully, isn't hidden away in chests or has to be purchased for crazy amounts of Gil, but a few do have some hidden requirements. Each new composition is found on a piano in the world and is free to snag once you sit down. Even if you don't feel like playing right then and there, make sure you always at least grab the music to add to your collection so you don't have to backtrack later and get it. There are eight in total to find, and some will only come later in the story, but none are missable once you open up fast travel back to previous areas. This is the natural order you can collect them.
On Our Way
Our first piece of music can be picked up once you hit Chapter 4. During this section, go to the Crow's Nest town in the Junon region, which you can only enter by doing the "When Words Won't Do" side quest. Once you complete this quest and can freely enter the town, hit up the bar and grab this tune.
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After a rather exciting cruise to Costa del Sol in Chapter 6, you can add this piece to your collection by making a quick stop at the fancy Royal Crown Hotel.
Barret's Theme
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Cinco de Chocobo
Chapter 9 takes you through the town of Gongaga. Even a town way out in the forest has a piano, which means yet another song to snag.
Two Legs? Nothin' to it
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Let the Battles Begin!
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One-Winged Angel
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Barret talking to Dyne in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

This article contains story spoilers for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

Ahead of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth's launch, fans were buzzing about how the sequel would tackle Aerith's story. The holy healer was a major focus of Square Enix's marketing, making it clear that one of gaming's most iconic moments would be pivotal to the adventure. But for me, I was more curious about how another tragedy would play out: the tale of Barret and Dyne.

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Fort Condor characters

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As you work through the game, you'll find that a surprising amount of this playtime sees you engaging with minigames, both to advance the story and just for fun to earn optional rewards. And though there are a few duds scattered along the way -- we're looking at you Gears and Gambits -- most of the minigames you'll encounter offer a unique and enjoyable diversion for Cloud and friends. We've gone through a tough elimination process and decided on our picks for the top five minigames in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
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