I have really been going hard on the RPGs this year which I am not complaining about. However, it has definitely taken me away from writing quite a bit. That being said, I am excited to finally write about this behemoth of a title, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. It is honestly one of the best games I have ever played. Is it perfect? Of course not. However what it gets right, it gets right perfectly. Let’s dive right into this.
To The Grasslands and Beyond, SOLDIER
Where Final Fantasy VII Remake left off, our party was just beginning their journey into uncharted territory. Remake expanded upon the Midgar section for Final Fantasy VII so much, it made an entire game. While that title was absolutely fantastic, it left us wondering what the world of Gaia had in store for us. Let me tell you, the wait was well worth it. Rebirth is, in my opinion, one of the best Final Fantasy titles I have had the pleasure to play. The world is expansive without being overwhelming. It is detailed and gorgeous, never failing to impress in both graphics and performance. Gaia is a breathing world that, with Rebith’s help, is fully realized. I can finally see why Barret is always screaming about saving their planet because it was freaking beautiful.
After a few hours of cutscenes and plot building, the party finds themselves in none other than the Grasslands region. Lush green grass sprawls for miles with dirt paths and small settlements peppered throughout. The backdrop of an endless deep blue ocean sits on the horizon. You are instantly filled with the classic sensation of the whole world being at your fingertips. Explore to your heart’s content, as this world has a lot to offer. Materials for crafting are waiting to be plucked from the ground. Quests are ready to be accepted and fulfilled. More importantly though, Chocobos are waiting to be mounted.
Of course, the Grasslands isn’t the only region you’ll be exploring. You’ll be visiting most of the key areas from the original Final Fantasy VII’s first disc. There is a great emphasis on previously optional areas, furthing Square Enix’s mission to flesh this story out as best as possible. So far they are doing such a good job with that goal. With Remake being so constrained to Midgar, I don’t think I was fully prepared for the extremely large open-world of this game but I was immediately receptive to it.
Impactful Combat
While I eventually enjoyed combat in Remake, Rebirth’s combat clicked so much faster. That might be due to having experienced Remake, but they did make some important changes here that added even more layers to combat. I had a absolute blast playing as every character but ended up leaning more into Cloud and Yuffie. They gave Cloud some aerial moves and the means to get airborne which helped with combat tremendously. That also made it much more fun. Playing as Cloud actually began to remind me of the combat from the Kingdom Hearts series, which I definitely enjoyed.
Synergy attacks are new to Rebirth as well, allowing characters to team up with each other for some killer blows. Not only does this help build your relationships with your party, it also adds additional buffs or benefits to combat. Experiment to see your favorite synergy abilities and you’ll be rewarded handsomely. I found myself performing this way more than Limit Breaks because they were just a lot cooler to pull off. The animations for all of them are really quite stellar.
The party feels a lot more unified in this game. Sure there are moments where they get seperated, but it didn’t seem to happen as much as in Remake. This allowed me to spend quality time with every member, no doubt perfecting my dream team. The options are almost limitless with the Materia the game has to offer. I gave Cloud access to every element since I found myself playing as him the most, but anyone can equip any Materia in the game. The game really encourages you to switch players often though, so make sure everyone in your party is ready for a fight.
Queen’s Blood and Many… Mini More.
I don’t usually enjoy the added minigames in RPGs. There have been a few I have enjoyed but never as much as I enjoyed Queen’s Blood, Rebirth’s card game. I had a blast collecting cards, trying out new combinations and working my way up in the ranks. Something about the strategy behind it really sunk in for me. If Queen’s Blood was a standalone title, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. Rebirth has an insane amount of minigames, not all good honestly, but Queen’s Blood makes up for it.
The Gold Saucer is home to many of these games, shining as a beacon of escapism from the impending doom Sephiroth is trying to bring about. While the development team did a fantastic job bringing this whole game to life, The Gold Saucer is quite the feat. New and old games return here making it hard not to find a favorite. You can earn Gold Saucer Points to spend on both battle items and collectibles. Try your hand at all that’s on offer!
I think my only grievance with this game ended up being the fact that around every corner was a minigame. I felt like I was having to learn new game mechanics for these games all the way up to the final fight. Some may enjoy that, but for me it began to feel a bit overwhelming. That being said, some of these minigames are a true joy, it is just that some are not optional and can mess with immersion, at least a little bit. All in all though, I still had a great time with most of them.
Fight For Us, Little Stamp
I am not even sure I need to talk about this game’s soundtrack, as it is already getting the recognition it deserves. However, it played a huge role in why I fell in love with this game so I just have to mention it. This soundtrack is one of the best I have ever heard, and I was lucky enough to acquire the Special Edit of it. I am, of course, listening to it as I write this piece. The way this soundtrack mixes the original game’s music into modern tracks is an incredible feat alone. The brand new tracks are just gravy.
I found myself pausing the game numerous times just to jam with this soundtrack. It still puts a smile on my face and always will. They did a fantastic job with this one. It embodies all the highs and lows of the game’s plot. Not to mention it just generally slaps overall. Square Enix never disappoints with their music and this is clearly no exception. My favorite tracks are almost all on the 8th bonus disc so I’m incredibly thankful I got my hands on the Special Edit.
A Cast To Sink Your Teeth Into
Boy oh boy did they nail every character in this game. Remake did a fantastic job setting up Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Cloud as characters. Rebirth takes that and expands on it, leaving almost no stone unturned. On top of that, we have Yuffie, Red XIII and Cait Sith to enjoy this time around. While I do love every character from this game, Rebirth really made me fall in love with Yuffie. I feel like since she was an optional character in the original game, she didn’t get a lot of screen time. Here though, she really shines.
Of course, all of the characters shine. Each have their time in the spotlight allowing the players to really see into their hearts and minds. Whether you’ve played the original game or not, you’ll have no problem following this party on their adventure across Gaia. In fact, I think the way this story is presented makes it a lot easier to understand everything. There are bits of story here that, for the original game, were in other titles. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth unifies all of Final Fantasy VII’s universe into one cohesive story, making it that much easier to follow.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story here. Yes, I know the original one quite well but the changes they made with this saga have been welcomed so far. By the end of Rebirth, things made sense to me and I can grasp where they are heading with the plot. Mind you, I was terrified of certain aspects of the story, but they handled everything with care. I think old and newcomers alike will find joy in this game.
Reborn and It Feels So Good
I spent over 100 hours with this game and I still want more. It left such an impression with me, I found it more difficult than usual to pick a game to play after this. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even think about other games while I played this one. Crazy, I know. It easily became such a special game to me and I’m incredibly grateful I got to experience it. Moving forward, I was able to finally play other games after this title. However, Rebirth will always have a special place in my heart.
I am eager to see the next installment, whenever that may be. I am more convinced than ever before that the team working on these games will do us proud. Until then, I may find myself replaying this one. I’d like to try to get the platinum trophy but my entire backlog screams at me when I make attempts like that. I guess we shall see. Regardless, Rebirth is well worth your time whether you’re new to Final Fantasy VII or not.
