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Reviewed On: PS5
Price: $69.99 USD
Developer: Square Enix Creative Business Unit 1
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: February 29, 2024
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up right where Remake left off, bringing back the action-packed combat and beloved characters we obsessed over. But fear not, veterans and newcomers alike: Rebirth throws in enough new mechanics and story twists to keep things fresh. The combat remains familiar, that satisfying blend of real-time action and strategic menu pausing. This time around, it feels smoother and even more exhilarating, with a renewed focus on teamwork. Synergy Attacks, for example, let you unleash devastating team combos with your party members, adding a layer of tactical depth as you build your synergy bar.
The depth comes from the new “Folios” system, essentially a fancy name for a skill tree that lets you customize your characters exactly how you like. Materia mechanics are back, of course, and this time they work in tandem with weapon perks, allowing for even more strategic outfitting of your favorite heroes. Finally, crafting makes a triumphant return, letting you whip up potions, gear, and other goodies on the go, especially useful when you’re out in the wild and low on supplies.
Speaking of on-the-go, Rebirth embraces an open world. While exciting at first, exploration can become a chore. Repetitive side quests and a fetch-quest-heavy approach quickly lose their luster. Don’t get me wrong, there are some hidden gems, like tracking down Summon temples and challenging iconic beasts. You’ll also find yourself collecting data for Chadley’s combat sims, uncovering more about the lore and region you’re currently in.
Completing these side quests allows you to get better gear and materia, and who doesn’t like using the combat simulator to get more Summons and EXP? Thankfully, fast travel is readily available via strategically placed Chocobo travel stops, which double as rest stops if you have a cushion (craftable or purchasable). These adorable Chocobos also come in different varieties, some allowing you to climb walls or glide through the skies, adding a bit of variety to traversing the open world.
The story, however, is a rollercoaster. Square Enix expertly weaves in fan-favorite moments from the original FFVII while throwing in enough curveballs to keep you guessing. The world feels richer too, with NPCs offering valuable insights and emotional weight to the events unfolding. Be prepared for some tonal shifts, though. The game leans more mature, and there’s a definite emphasis on the love triangle between Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith, including a questionable fan service chapter for Tifa that feels a bit out of place. Sephiroth, of course, remains the ever-looming bad guy who appears periodically to do what he does best, while the gang also goes up against the remnants of the Shinra company.
Then there are the mini-games. Rebirth boasts a whopping 30, but some are mandatory, interrupting the narrative flow like a Chocobo in a china shop. Thankfully, there are gems like the strategic card game “Queen’s Blood” and the ever-addictive Chocobo races to keep you entertained. Visually, Rebirth is a bit of a mixed bag. While character models are somewhat impressive close-up, environments can suffer not only in performance mode but in quality mode and some cutscenes.
The photo mode, a Square Enix mainstay, is disappointingly bare-bones. Here’s hoping they can leverage the expertise of PlayStation first-party studios to improve these aspects in future installments. Overall, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a worthy successor to Remake. The combat is fantastic, the story is a wild ride, and the world feels richer than ever.
Just be prepared for some repetitive open-world activities, forced mini-games, and some questionable stylistic choices. But hey, at least you can always hop on a Chocobo and soar above it all… for a while, at least. And hey, who knows? Maybe the next installment will address some of these shortcomings and deliver the full Final Fantasy VII experience we’ve all been waiting for. Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is rightfully deserving of an 8.5/10.
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