Episode Intermission is a standalone expansion that takes place during the events of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. While Intergrade pitches it as something you can jump into at any time from the main menu, it does assume knowledge of major plot moments and concludes with a final act that isn’t afraid to spoil the ending of its larger sibling.
Knowing this, we would heartily recommend ensuring you have beaten the main game before jumping into Yuffie’s adventure, since it does include discussion of characters, events, and major revelations that are best left unsaid until you’ve experienced them for yourself. We imagine the majority of players will save Intermission until after they’ve cleared the entire first chapter of the remake, but for those who don’t, consider this a small public service announcement.
Intermission is also pretty tough in terms of challenge, and doesn’t explain the basics of combat beyond covering how the mechanics and abilities of Yuffie and Sonon work both in and outside of battle. Once again, it assumes prior knowledge, and much of this must be carried over from the main game. It’s still a wonderful expansion, but one that requires a bit of prior preparation to make the most of it.
Once you’re into the thick of things, Intermission is brilliant. We make that much clear in our 4.5/5 review: ‘Intermission is an excellent expansion for the world of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, introducing Yuffie Kisaragi and expanding upon her character and history in ways that simply weren’t possible in the 1997 original. She absolutely steals the show here, bolstered up by a selection of compelling newcomers and a continuation of the main narrative that teases a tantalisingly exciting future for this ambitious project’
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is a free upgrade for existing owners of the game on PS4, you simply need to upgrade through the PlayStation Store and download the next-gen version. It's gorgeous, boasting a number of worthwhile visual and performance improvements when compared to its older sibling. Sadly, you will need to purchase the Yuffie DLC if you're an existing owner, otherwise it comes with all new copies of the game on PS5.