Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Video game review

Release date	29th Feb 2024
Developer	Square Enix
Mode	Single player
Platform	Playstation 5
Man5hit Rating

Final Fantasy, the king of RPGs, reached a point where they needed to give their old classics a major upgrade and jump on the remaster bandwagon. In 2020, they did exactly this, gathering their crew and packing up supplies for a big adventure. Now, they’re back at it again with Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.

This time, they bid farewell to Midgar’s gloom and spin the second disc of the OG game into a brand-new escapade. After eco-warriors Avalanche tangled with the shady corp Shinra, it’s all about hero Cloud and his crew chasing down Sephiroth around the globe—yeah, it’s free world action!

Square Enix doesn’t mess around with gameplay; you’re thrown straight into the action, reliving Cloud’s military glory in wild flashbacks and witnessing Sephiroth going full villain mode. The game definitely centers around Cloud, which is cool, and unlike the Remake, where you’re stuck doing mundane stuff as Cloud, Rebirth lets you call the shots.

Playing the game, you get plenty of versatility, jumping between decent story bits, intimidating dungeons, stretches of open plains in Junon, and even some tropical paradise. Each new spot feels like a fresh start, a real adventure that breaks away from the straight line of the Remake.

Combat’s back, but with some good twists inspired by FFXVI. In the Remake, it was mostly just controlling Cloud and spamming the same moves. But in Rebirth, you’ve got to use the whole squad, with sweet team-up moves and different spells you can mix and match. It’s about mastering each character to take down the big bosses. It can get complicated at times, but Square nails it, blending classic RPG strategy with modern action.

But Rebirth isn’t just about fights; there’s way more to do, like picking dialogue to bond with your crew or doing side quests to spice things up. The world feels alive with NPCs going about their day. Square’s goal of making everything bigger and better shines through, with side quests playing an important part in the gameplay.

Sounds great, right? Well, those fun extras can start feeling like chores as the game progresses. Side quests become mandatory, and the main story fades into the background to an extent. FF7’s second disc was short, but Rebirth stretches it into a massive 50-hour saga. Don’t get me wrong, it’s cool with all the side stuff, but sometimes you just want to get back to the main story.

Diehard fans will love the nostalgia and extra time with their favorite characters. For them, it’s a dream come true. But if you’re new to the series, be ready for some slow moments mixed with the good stuff. Either way, prepare for hours of adventure and embrace the journey.