In a recent article published by IGN detailing conversations with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi, both Vincent Valentine and Cid won’t be making their combat debuts in the upcoming sequel.
This goes deeper than simply being unplayable in combat like the AI-controlled Red XIII assisting in combat sequences in Final Fantasy VII Remake. According to Hamaguchi, the pair won’t be in combat with players at all.
He tells IGN that “both Cid and Vincent are accompanying the party on their journey and they do help out, but they aren't actually featuring in battle as guest characters. So they're not really going to be involved in your fight.”
He also elaborates that the decision to bench the two is to give players something to look forward to in the third and final installment of the Remake trilogy. But that’s not to say that they won’t have a significant impact in Rebirth. In addition to assisting players during key story scenarios as NPCs, players will also get to learn more about each character via side quests.
So, yes, we’ll have to wait a while to see how Vincent and Cid synergize with the rest of the crew on the battlefield, but it’s reassuring to know that their appearance in Rebirth does have significant meaning. Especially considering how Matt Mercer–Critical Role Dungeon Master and prominent voice actor–taking on the role of Vincent Valentine was one of the game’s biggest announcements in 2023.
We’ll be able to hear Matt Mercer along with the many new and returning voice cast soon enough. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches in just two weeks on February 29.