Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
MSRP $70.00
“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a phenomenal second chapter of what’s shaping up to be an all-time great game trilogy.”
Pros
Phenomenal story
Strong performances
Impactful fight tweaks
Some wonderful side-content
A legendary soundtrack
Cons
Repetitive open-world construction
When we final left the heroes of Final Fantasy VII Remake, they’d defied their predetermined fates by killing the idea of future — actually. It was a triumphant victory however a short-lived one. As quickly as their journey begins in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, it’s clear that Cloud and firm are dealing with off towards a a lot harder foe that threatens to doom their futures. It’s not Sephiroth; it’s themselves.
Despite having definitive management of their lives, the heroes of Gaia nonetheless battle to beat their very own nervousness. Cloud believes he’s destined to turn into like his arch nemesis, and Barret is left panicking over how his smothering habits will wreck his daughter’s life. The metropolis of Midgar has fallen into collective despair, as its residents are satisfied that there’s merely nothing anybody can do to avoid wasting a dying world. The planet has fallen sufferer to a nihilism epidemic the place hope is as scarce a commodity as Mako.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review | An Unforgettable Sequel
That narrative defines Rebirth, the emotional second chapter of Square Enix’s bold Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. Rather than persevering with the entire meta-deconstruction of its predecessor, Rebirth is a extra private sequel about heroes who’re terrified to turn into true masters of their very own destiny. For them, and maybe gamers themselves, the inevitable feels inescapable — and that’s dangerous information for a sure flower peddler, whose future relies on everybody else getting their act collectively.
In one other brilliantly self-reflexive motion RPG, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth makes use of gaming’s most iconic little bit of dramatic irony to gas a deeply shifting story of self-doubt and private rediscovery. It’s an even bigger, at instances much less targeted journey, however one which leaves the form of life-affirming imprint sure to make it one other instantaneous traditional.
The unwritten future
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth picks up the place Remake left off. Having escaped Midgar and the grip of destiny itself, Cloud and his eclectic eco-terrorist friends set out on a world-spanning journey to seek out the nefarious Sephiroth. The story sticks a lot nearer to the unique 1997 launch’s script this time. The crew follows a well-recognized sequence of occasions, from marching in a navy parade to racing Chocobo on the Gold Saucer, Gaia’s opulent amusement park. For those that felt like Remake spit of their reminiscences, Rebirth gives a extra devoted chapter that’s sure to be extra of a nostalgic crowd-pleaser.
That’s to not say that it doesn’t mess with the unique RPG. It’s very a lot nonetheless a self-aware remake that’s grappling with its legacy and the load of overprotective fan expectations; it’s simply doing so extra contained in the traces this time. Sequences like Barret’s face-off with Dyne, an previous pal gone rogue, are given way more emotional depth right here. It, and moments prefer it, are expanded to higher inform a extra emotionally resonant story of heroes struggling to struggle the grief, failure, and trauma of the previous that threatens to outline their future.
The slow-burn narrative pays off in large vogue for these affected person sufficient to see it by to the top.
What’s particularly spectacular is how Rebirth is ready to ship such totally realized character arcs for each social gathering member. This time, the core quartet is joined by Red XIII, Yuffie Kisaragi, and Cait Sith, who’re all playable within the sequel. That seems like a mosh pit on paper, however each single hero will get the time they deserve. Each character has a big second to face their previous whereas constructing a relationship with each other. That’s a testomony to Rebirth’s expertly penned script, which turns the hodge-podge heart of the unique RPG right into a self-contained story that capabilities aside from Remake.
Credit additionally goes to the voice forged, who flip in terrific performances throughout the board. Briana White will get extra room to determine Aerith as a pure beacon of hope that’s crucial to guard. John Eric Bentley is terrific as Barret, deftly shifting between moments of comedic aid and real heartache. Newcomer Paul Tinto particularly steals the present because the feline prince Cait Sith, making Final Fantasy VII’s strangest character really feel as human as anybody else.
Square Enix
Those human touches are essential as a result of Rebirth’s story can initially really feel more durable to know on to than the hyper-focused Remake. It hops round a number of plot threads over the course of 70 hours and takes its candy time tying them collectively. Zack Fair, the Crisis Core star who miraculously escapes his fated dying on the finish of Remake, finds himself on the heart of a gripping thriller that’s key to understanding the whole sequel on a thematic degree, nevertheless it takes a very long time to get there. That can really feel exhausting within the second, however the slow-burn narrative pays off in large vogue for these affected person sufficient to see it by to the top.
Rebirth doesn’t dance round the truth that most gamers and their moms know the destiny of our heroes within the authentic story. Instead of obscuring that historical past, it builds an extremely tense story round it, one which places gamers in the identical headspace as Cloud and his companions. The finish feels inevitable from the beginning. Even if the long run is technically unwritten, why hope that something may ever change? Rebirth’s final energy is available in how a lot it rallies gamers to beat that pessimism and the way it teaches them to maintain pushing ahead it doesn’t matter what the result is. It’s a significant work for our present period of local weather nervousness, a time the place it’s straightforward to surrender the struggle and succumb to impending doom.
Finding synergy
Our heroes aren’t combating their private demons alone. Among its wealth of loaded themes, Rebirth can be a story about disparate mates forming a powerful help system. Those bonds are essential to weathering the emotional battles of the Final Fantasy VII universe, so the sequel bakes that into its gameplay. While the core motion RPG formulation is essentially unchanged from Remake, Square Enix makes a number of small tweaks right here that give the whole sequel a better sense of camaraderie.
Square Enix
Look at its fight system, as an example. Rebirth options the identical wonderful motion as its predecessor, cleverly paying tribute to the unique’s turn-based fight with action-freezing instructions that may be executed from a menu in the course of quick, real-time fights. It’s nonetheless powered by a deep RPG system that has gamers creating excellent Materia combos for every ally. Skills have been tweaked — they’re not tied to weapons, however broader character folios that grant everlasting buffs — however the profitable formulation stays.
What’s modified, although, is how characters now work together with each other fairly than combating as lone wolves in the identical area. By holding down a bumper, every character can entry a choice of talents to carry out duo assaults with lively allies. Those can fully broaden every hero’s playstyle. When I’ve Cloud lively, I can have Barret shoot a bullet at his buster sword and deflect it into my foe. The extra I work with my companions, the extra environment friendly and versatile we’re collectively.
With future lifeless, gamers have full management over their staff.
That’s dropped at an excellent better conclusion with synergy talents, which act as tandem restrict breaks. When Barret and Cait Sith each have sufficient power, they will staff up and switch right into a rotating merry-go-round of dying. Those devastating bonus assaults can critically flip the tides of battle, all whereas granting essential help abilities to allies. You don’t simply grasp particular person characters in Rebirth; you construct social gathering relationships that make everybody stronger.
Every small element has some thematic significance. Compare the way in which social gathering composition is dealt with between Remake and Rebirth. In the previous, gamers by no means obtained to decide on who was on their staff. There was at all times a pre-selected trio in every encounter — a becoming resolution for a sport the place our heroes had been combating for his or her free will. With future lifeless, gamers have full management over their staff (apart from just a few key story missions that decision for particular heroes). That makes Rebirth really feel like a much less restrictive journey, providing gamers the liberty to construct their characters by meticulous RPG customization.
The feel and look of Gaia
Freedom isn’t simply core to fight; the whole form of Rebirth comes from that idea. Where Remake positioned gamers in linear halls that reminded them how little management they’d over their claustrophobic destiny, Rebirth well opts for extra of an open-world strategy. The huge planet is cut up up into six distinct biomes, every of which is a freely explorable house full of checklist-driven map actions, sidequests, and minigames galore.
The nearly overwhelming sense of journey creates an ideal match for its now-dated predecessor, whose overworld ambitions really feel smaller right this moment than they did in 1997. Regions like Junon aren’t simply empty fields loaded with clean house (a sin Final Fantasy XVI is responsible of). They’re richly detailed, with bits of environmental storytelling woven in that give a greater sense of how the evil Shinra Corporation’s planet-draining operations are littering the pure world. It helps that Rebirth is a visible feat that takes full benefit of the highly effective PS5. Every element, from the dazzling neon lights of the Gold Saucer to the hilariously lifelike dolphins of Junon, breathes new life into the world exterior of Midgar.
Square Enix
The nearly Like a Dragon-esque strategy to open-world design has its execs and cons. Numerous effort went into crafting significant side-content that builds out the eclectic angle of the unique. Some of these actions will preserve gamers engrossed in fully non-obligatory content material. A wildly detailed piano-playing minigame has already received gamers over in Rebirth’s demo alone, however the true star is Queen’s Blood. That’s the RPG’s Gwent equal, an in-world deck-building card sport that will get its personal huge facet plot. It’s completely improbable, taking part in like a combination between Marvel Snap and Splatoon 3’s Tableturf Battles. More crucially, it permits Square Enix to color a broader image of life on Gaia. I realized a lot about its numerous cities and their native eccentrics by chatting earlier than an exciting spherical of playing cards.
The monumental assortment of content material additionally provides composers Mitsuto Suzuki and Masashi Hamauzu loads of alternatives to create memorable compositions that slot in alongside previous classics. The result’s astonishing. Rebirth options over 400 musical tracks and hardly a dud within the bunch. The soundtrack effortlessly swings between heart-wrenching orchestral ballads and gleefully bizarre synth ditties that play every time I’ve to escort a canine by the woods. I don’t suppose I’m being overly effusive once I name it one of many all-time greatest online game scores.
Open-world exhaustion
While there’s quite a bit to like about Rebirth’s awe-inspiring scope, its weakest moments come from these open-world ambitions. It might be an exhausting journey at instances that refuses to stop whereas it’s forward. When I obtained to my fourth open space, the formulation began to put on skinny. Every single biome options the identical actual guidelines of easy actions. I can activate towers, discover some hidden crystals, do a button-pressing reminiscence minigame to achieve summon knowledge, struggle by an inventory of simulated battles, and extra. That formulation doesn’t change a lot from space to space, which turns exploration right into a repetitive chore by the point you attain the luxurious jungles of Gongaga — and there’s nonetheless a lot extra sport after that time.
Its glut of content material can really feel hole at moments …
A handful of charming however weak minigames additional compounds that pressure. Some are straightforward sufficient to skip, like a clunky 3D brawling minigame within the Gold Saucer. Others, sadly, are tied to nice facet tales. Intergrade’s dreaded reimagining of Fort Condor returns right here, and it’s as irritating as ever, however Rebirth one-ups that with a really horrible robotic tower protection minigame. I had already felt exhausted by the point I reached it, as I’d felt compelled to verify off as many open-world actions as I may. That minigame was the straw that broke the camel’s again, crushing my will to see all of it.
I’m of two minds in the case of Rebirth’s bloated construction. Its glut of content material can really feel hole at moments, dragging out a riveting story with hours of repetitive diversions. But even then, there’s a perform in that construction. When The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild got here out, I keep in mind having a number of conversations the place mates instructed me they refused to beat it. They merely weren’t prepared to go away a world they beloved so dearly, in order that they’d devoted as a lot time as they may to finishing each shrine or discovering each Korok seed. As lengthy as they by no means fought Calamity Ganon, they may stave off the inevitable credit roll without end.
Square Enix
I had that very same feeling taking part in Rebirth, however not as a result of I didn’t wish to put down a sport I beloved. I feared what awaited me in its last chapter. An ever-present dread hangs over Rebirth, even in its brightest moments. The risk of a grand, traumatic failure looms like thick smoke from a Shinra reactor. I used to be decided to vary that consequence, however what if I couldn’t? Would I be prepared to simply accept that I can nonetheless be powerless in a world with out destiny? Maybe I’d by no means should face that actuality if I devoted my life to Chocobo Racing or perfecting my Queen’s Blood deck.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth leads each its heroes and gamers on a quest for self-acceptance. That’s not one thing you may rush. One can solely face their worst worry once they’re prepared to simply accept that their life doesn’t must be outlined by a singular success or failure. The future is unwritten. After all, we nonetheless have a trilogy to complete.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was examined on a PS5 hooked as much as a TCL 6-Series R635.
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