The one that keeps coming up
At launch
Is this Final Fantasy XVII, or a spin-off?
Neither label appears in Square Enix's material. It is an adaptation of the first story arc, "Lapis", of the mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, and the first Final Fantasy built in Square Enix's HD-2D style. It carries no number. Nakashima told Noisy Pixel the team treats it as "a complete standalone game".
Do I need to have played Final Fantasy Brave Exvius?
No, on the developers' own word. Nakashima has said that familiarity is not necessary and the game stands independently. Director Hiroto Furuya has said the team wanted "a flat playing field where regardless of if you're a long-time fan or if this is your first Final Fantasy, we wanted to make it so that you could easily dive in", and said Vision perks were kept from being game-changing so series knowledge does not turn into an advantage.
Is the combat turn-based or action?
Traditional turn-based, rather than the ATB of earlier entries. Square Enix's PlayStation Blog post describes a timeline showing the order everyone acts in, a Stagger Gauge that stops an enemy acting when emptied, and Resonance moves tied to each Vision.
How long is it?
Square Enix said 30 to 40 hours for the main story and 60 to 80 hours to complete everything, figures reported on 16 July 2026. Launch reviews fall inside that range: reviewers report about 40 to 55 hours, side quests included.
Does the demo save carry into the full game?
Yes. Square Enix's PlayStation Blog post of 3 September 2026 says save data carries over. The demo covers the opening through the end of chapter one, roughly three to five hours, on all five platforms.
Is Sephiroth in the demo?
No. Guides published at launch place the optional Sephiroth fight in Whirlpool Hollow, which you reach once you have the airship in chapter 5, so the chapter-one demo does not get there. Square Enix's PlayStation Blog post and press release, describing the game: "Players will be able to find and challenge Sephiroth in hopes of winning and unlocking a special reward." What that reward is, the What We Know page has behind a spoiler mark.
How many Visions are there, and who are they?
26, per Nakashima, and guides published at launch list all 26: 17 heroes from the mainline series and 9 from Brave Exvius. Named in official screenshots and trailers and in the hands-on previews: Cloud, Terra, Noctis, Lightning, Firion, Onion Knight, Vaan, Clive, Zidane Tribal and Cecil Harvey — the last two each got their own official Vision trailer in late September; a July report adds Bartz Klauser, Squall Leonhart and Tidus. Yuna is not among them, and Brave Exvius had over two thousand characters.
Is there any multiplayer or co-op?
None has been announced. Steam lists the game as Single-player and the US Nintendo eShop listing says "Single system (1)". That is why this guide has no multiplayer page.
Is it coming to Game Pass or PlayStation Plus?
It launched outside Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation Plus and Nintendo Switch Online. It is on Xbox Series X|S from day one through the Microsoft Store, which is not the same thing.
Is there DLC or a season pass?
Nothing announced as of launch. Nakashima, in an interview reported 7 September 2026: "As of now, there are currently no plans for additional Visions. We wanted to make sure our focus and all our resources were allocated towards ensuring a satisfying and fun main game experience." He added that commercial success and strong reception "does open up possibilities". Square Enix is reportedly prioritising the core experience over DLC.
Will there be a sequel covering the rest of Brave Exvius?
Not announced. Nakashima told Noisy Pixel the team is approaching the project as if "this is the one game", with no sequel currently in development and all resources on this release. Whether later Brave Exvius arcs are ever adapted has not been stated.
Are there difficulty options?
Three, per VICE's July report of Square Enix's details: Casual, Normal and Expert. Guides published at launch say it can be changed from the Options menu, where it is the first setting under Gameplay, and Steam lists the game as having adjustable difficulty. No source we read says whether anything is locked behind a setting.
How does it run on Switch?
Before launch the only measurements came from one outlet playing the demo: the Switch version targets 30 fps and drops below it at times, at sub-native resolution; the Switch 2 version targets 60 fps handheld, looks crisp and showed no major performance issues. A launch review of the Switch 2 version found it running at a smooth 60 fps in handheld, which matches. Square Enix has published no console frame-rate target. The Platforms page has the rest, including Steam Deck and ROG Ally.
Are there reviews yet?
Yes. Launch reviews went up from 20 October, two days before release, and the critic aggregate averages 86 from 47 reviews. They praise the HD-2D presentation and the turn-based combat; three of the four we read found the story the weak part, and one praised it.