The perfect factor I can say about Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth is that I regularly thought to myself “I can’t consider this recreation exists” throughout my 60 or so hours with it.

Following up on 2020’s Remaining Fantasy VII Remake was at all times going to be a tricky process for 2 causes: Remake itself was surprisingly nice, and the unique Remaining Fantasy VII is without doubt one of the most beloved RPGs of all time. Sq. Enix discovered itself in a state of affairs the place it needed to please followers of two video games with one, sure by one set of expectations created in 1997 and one other created practically 25 years later.

Unfathomably, Sq. did it. Rebirth is the sort of gigantic, expansive Japanese RPG that used to outline summer time holidays within the 90s, however with the entire trendy luxuries of big-budget gaming in 2024. It’s lavishly produced from starting to finish, that includes capital-G Nice facet actions, a miraculous fight system, and a narrative that really sticks the touchdown. 

What I liked about Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth

Warning: The next will characteristic spoilers for the top of Remaining Fantasy VII Remake

All the pieces is healthier with buddies

The gang’s all right here.
Credit score: Sq. Enix

Rebirth unsurprisingly picks up proper the place Remake left off, as Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and the remainder of the unique recreation’s traditional occasion depart the dystopian metropolis of Midgar to discover the broader world and cease the long-lasting villain Sephiroth from doing all of the dangerous issues he needs to do. In that sense, it’s a reasonably easy retelling of the center portion of the unique recreation.

In most different senses, although, it’s decidedly not that. As you might or might not recall, Remake ended with Cloud and co. killing an entity authentic to that recreation that may greatest be described as a “canon cop.” It was primarily the sport’s writers giving themselves a lore justification for making adjustments to the story. 

It was and stays a proposition that’s equal components thrilling and terrifying. Getting into and mucking up probably the most cherished online game tales of all time has the potential to be an enormous mistake, but it surely additionally retains gamers new and previous on their toes. It introduces a particular sort of pressure that may solely exist when you realize what’s supposed to occur, however not essentially what will occur.

Talking within the broadest phrases attainable, I feel that method paid off in Rebirth. The place Remake’s ending left me anxious, Rebirth’s left me reassured that that is the fitting option to go. It’s nice stuff.

Aerith is, uh, fairly necessary this time round.
Credit score: Sq. Enix

However the journey issues a lot greater than the vacation spot in a recreation this huge. Rebirth’s greatest narrative triumph will not be its conclusion, however the way it will get you to care about all the things main as much as that. In contrast to sure different current Remaining Fantasy video games, Rebirth offers its diverse forged of central characters loads of time to endear themselves to the participant. Everybody has a narrative to inform and no one looks like an afterthought…with the attainable exception of some characters who’re clearly going to play a lot greater roles within the subsequent recreation.

Oftentimes, the story will cease for some time, giving Cloud the possibility to speak along with his homies. These are literally alternatives to deepen Cloud’s bonds along with his teammates by way of dialogue decisions (with one main reward for doing so late within the recreation), however extra to the purpose, they’re excuses to let these folks be folks. 

Positive, I like controlling Barret and Yuffie in fight, however I really felt connected to them as a result of I received these probabilities to take part in mini-games or different non-combat hijinks with them. There are a number of hours-long sequences with no combating in any respect. It’s superior.

Whilst somebody who was pretty constructive on Remaining Fantasy XVI on the time, enjoying Rebirth strengthened to me that that is what Remaining Fantasy could be at its greatest. The principle characters really feel like three-dimensional folks and also you’ll actually develop to like them over the course of this lengthy, lengthy journey.

Huge and beefy

There’s quite a bit to see and do in ‘Rebirth.’
Credit score: Sq. Enix

Did I point out that Rebirth is lengthy? The place Remake was a modestly sized story with an nearly fully linear design ethos, Rebirth is the overall reverse.

Sq. took the portion of FFVII that focuses most on operating across the planet’s varied areas and expanded it to gargantuan proportions, way more in keeping with what folks count on out of an enormous RPG in 2024. There are a couple of half-dozen enormous areas to discover, and every is full of a strong number of facet actions to take a look at. 

This sort of drastic formulation change was dangerous, but it surely was for one of the best. Rebirth’s zone design works as a result of every one will not be really as huge because it appears, and nobody facet exercise takes longer than quarter-hour or so. In order for you, you may filter out all the things there may be to do in a given area in a pair hours. It’s huge, but it surely’s additionally digestible. Furthermore, you may simply skip the facet stuff and mainline the story in the event you really feel like enjoying that method.

I wouldn’t suggest that, although, as a result of the standard of facet content material in Rebirth is shockingly excessive. There is not an enormous variety of facet quests, however each one has its personal narrative arc that deepens Cloud’s bond with a celebration member indirectly. The place XVI’s facet quests have been repetitive and boring, these are something however. I always discovered myself exploring cool bespoke areas, listening to particular voice appearing and music made only for a facet quest, and combating distinctive enemies you can’t discover in the principle story. 

Offered with out remark.
Credit score: Sq. Enix

And whereas there may be repetition to be discovered within the recreation’s slate of open world actions, Rebirth manages to maintain issues contemporary regardless. Scanning crystals or combating powered-up variations of normal enemies won’t sound all that thrilling on paper, however the distinctive traversal mechanics of every area make it enjoyable to simply get to goals earlier than you even full them. Experiences like driving a buggy across the Corel desert or hovering over Cosmo Canyon on a gliding chocobo add a ton of juice to the exploration.

To place it merely, Rebirth does an excellent job of continually ensuring that you just’re at all times doing one thing you haven’t finished earlier than. That brings me to its intense suite of mini-games. Each 60 to 90 minutes, Rebirth introduces some sort of new mini-game that’s each hilarious and extra concerned than it has any proper to be. 

My favorites included a parade march mini-game the place you may manually set formations, a high-speed swimming exercise involving a dolphin named Mr. Dolphin, weirdly enjoyable chocobo races, a Star Fox rip-off, and a easy combating recreation. That’s to not point out Queen’s Blood, a completely featured card recreation with an accompanying storyline that I didn’t even contact.

Not each mini-game is nice (although the worst ones are additionally essentially the most non-obligatory), however that’s irrelevant. Rebirth’s nonstop, madcap sense of selection retains the wheels spinning from hour one all the best way to hour 60 and past.

Battle on!

The combo assaults are so cool.
Credit score: Sq. Enix

It doesn’t damage that the fight can also be best-in-class by trendy motion RPG requirements. Although, anybody who performed Remake may let you know it is that good. In spite of everything, Rebirth adjustments little about what was already there, which is for one of the best.

To be extra particular, this recreation retains the identical distinctive mixture of motion and turn-based combating that made Remake so particular. You’ll straight management characters on the battlefield, together with your button-mashed combos build up a meter that you should use to pause the sport and pull off particular talents and forged spells.

Every character has their very own set of mechanics that each one really feel rewarding to interact with. Pink XIII, for instance, can replenish a meter by blocking enemy assaults and, as soon as full, unleash it to energy up his primary strikes and unlock new ones. Yuffie’s elemental ninjutsu from the Intermission DLC for Remake is again and nonetheless a ton of enjoyable to play with, too. 

Apart from a couple of new characters, Rebirth’s largest fight addition is the idea of synergy. Characters can now crew up for particular combo strikes which are each extremely flashy and eminently helpful. I’m an enormous fan of the one the place Barret launches Pink XIII at an enemy like a soccer, personally. Every of those strikes prompts some sort of particular impact (like momentary limitless MP or stronger final strikes), and you may solely do them in the event you keep diligent about switching between characters throughout fights.

Identical to in Remake, the fight in Rebirth is self-evidently enjoyable on the floor and nicely price mastering. Whenever you get into its particular circulate state and end up switching between characters each 5 seconds throughout a annoying boss combat, steadily filling up a stagger meter earlier than unleashing hell and profitable by the pores and skin of your enamel, it’s nearly as good as RPG fight will get. 

What I disliked about Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth

You’ll be able to’t simply hold doing Kingdom Hearts

Honestly, there isn’t quite a bit I dislike about Rebirth. It’s a improbable recreation. Nonetheless, I’ve one gripe: It’s just a little bit an excessive amount of like Kingdom Hearts within the worst method.

By that I imply Rebirth has a little bit of an annoying behavior of referencing and even giving necessary roles to characters and occasions from different tertiary Remaining Fantasy VII media. There’s one man particularly who looks as if he issues quite a bit, and once I Googled his title, I discovered he was from a cellular recreation I by no means performed. Come on, man.

It is a small downside that’s fairly simply ignored, however simply be ready to sometimes really feel just a little misplaced in the event you aren’t totally purchased into each FFVII spin-off.

Remaining ideas

For those who felt that Remaining Fantasy XVI wasn’t sufficient of an RPG, or wasn’t colourful or jovial sufficient, or didn’t have sufficient mini-games, Rebirth is for you. For those who don’t care about these issues in any respect, Rebirth may also be for you. It’s simply an all-around wonderful online game.

For brevity’s sake, I haven’t even touched on different elements of its greatness, akin to a superbly hummable soundtrack and its practically flawless efficiency on PS5. There’s quite a bit happening in Rebirth, and by some miracle, nearly all of it really works. It isn’t full of a droning hum of content material like Starfield was. All the pieces that’s right here feels considerate and hand-crafted. 

I can’t anticipate folks to spend dozens of hours enjoying the rattling card recreation and ignoring all that different nice stuff I talked about, too.