Active vs Classic combat differences in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth & which one should you use?

There are plenty of ways to approach battles in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, including the choice between Active and Classic combat styles – so I'm here to break down all the differences between the two styles and explain everything you need to know about them.

As you get stronger in the game, whether that’s by upgrading your weapons or setting the best Materia for your party, one of the earliest choices you can make is how you want your combat style to work.

Active Style in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth allows you to actively participate in battles, meaning you have complete control over what your character does and when.

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So when you want to perform a basic attack, use a unique ability or even Synergy Abilities, you’ll be able to do so at your whim.

Classic Style combat essentially allows the fights to play out automatically while you issue Commands to the party.

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While you’ll undoubtedly have to wait for the appropriate amount of ATB to build up while the battles take place, you can emulate the traditional FF7 RPG experience in this mode.

Personally, I would choose the Active Style combat, as it gives you more control over how you decide to tackle battles. Part of the fun of FF7 Rebirth’s frantic combat is being able to decide how you attack with whom.

While the Classic Style allows you to focus on Commands to help emulate the traditional Final Fantasy experience, I found Active Style allowed me to not only improve my combat but also become more directly familiar with the characters.

If you’ve found that you want to try both options out or you prefer one to the other during the game, then yes, you can change your combat style freely.

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All you need to do is head to the Settings Menu, go to the Gameplay section, and from there you’ll be able to choose between Active and Classic combat as above.

Now that you know the differences, you’ll be able to enjoy the story of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as much as we have, and maybe even collect a trophy or two along the way.

If you’re on the hunt for even more FF7 Rebirth guides, be sure to check out our Final Fantasy homepage where you can find out the best combinations for your party, how to play Queen’s Blood and get started finding Protorelics in the game.