Introduction
Basic information
- Developer Name: Square Enix
- Full Name: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Release Date: February 29, 2024
- Released on: PlayStation 5
- Cross Play: No
Initial thoughts
I played Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core and Final Fantasy VII Remake before diving into Final Fantasy Rebirth, and I highly recommend doing the same if you haven’t already. It’s not only helpful—it’s essential to truly understand the story’s intricacies. Rebirth continues the reimagined Final Fantasy VII saga in incredible ways, picking up where Remake left off and taking the journey to new heights.
Story and setting
Plot overview
The plot of Final Fantasy Rebirth takes everything you know from the Final Fantasy VII universe and expands upon it. Without spoiling any major events, something that longtime fans have been dreaming about finally happens in this game, and it’s done in such a satisfying way that left me in awe. Zack Fair, my all-time favorite video game character, is also playable, even if only in short sections. His inclusion, even in a different timeline, was a massive highlight for me.
World building and immersion
The world-building in Rebirth is remarkable. The game’s open worlds are vast and feel alive, with unique themes and atmospheres for each location you explore. The environments are detailed and immersive, drawing you in completely, whether you’re in bustling cities or quiet, scenic landscapes.
Character development
Each character is given even more depth, with new arcs and interactions that further develop their personalities. Seeing the evolution of characters like Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa, alongside the addition of characters like Zack in the other timeline, brings a fresh dynamic to the game. The story plays out with emotional highs and lows that had me deeply invested.
Emotional impact
The emotional weight of Rebirth hits hard, with plenty of moments that had me on the edge of my seat. The story is crafted in such a way that even knowing what happens in the original Final Fantasy VII, you’re still shocked and moved by the twists and turns. Zack’s sections, in particular, made a considerable impact on me.
Rating for story and setting
I have visited multiple aspects of the story and after some thought and objective thinking, I rated the story and setting with an 9.5
If you are in for an emotional journey, this is a game you should play, but you should play the previous two games first.
Gameplay and mechanics
Core gameplay mechanics
The gameplay in Final Fantasy Rebirth is phenomenal. The mix of action-based combat and strategic planning keeps battles intense and satisfying. The open worlds are a joy to explore, with tons of hidden secrets and treasures to find. Each region feels distinct, adding a sense of variety and freshness as you progress through the game.
Difficulty and balance
The difficulty is well-balanced. It provides enough challenge to keep you engaged, but never feels unfair. Boss fights, in particular, are exciting and can be tough without being frustrating. The game also offers enough customization and upgrades to suit different playstyles.
Pacing of the game
The pacing is mostly great, with a smooth progression through the main story and side content. There’s always something to do, from story missions to side quests and exploration. However, there was a major issue with the save file system that marred the experience slightly for me (more on that later).
Innovation and uniqueness
Rebirth brings plenty of innovative ideas to the table, building upon what made Remake so successful. The open world is more expansive, the battle mechanics are deeper, and the storytelling is more layered, giving fans of the original and newcomers alike something fresh to experience.
Controls and user interface
The controls are responsive and intuitive, making combat feel fluid. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate, allowing quick access to your abilities, items, and party management without pulling you out of the action.
Microtransactions
There are no microtransactions, which is always a plus in a game of this scale.
Rating
After combing through many of the mechanics, the pacing and other factors of this game, I rated the gameplay and mechanics with a 9
This game has many great mechanics for you to explore.
Graphics and art style
Quality of graphics and art direction
The graphics in Final Fantasy Rebirth are breathtaking. From the character models to the environments, everything is very detailed. Each world has a unique look and feel, and the art direction is consistently stunning, making the game feel like a visual masterpiece.
Technical performances
Performance is generally smooth, with no major frame rate drops or technical issues during gameplay. However, I did encounter one significant bug related to the save system, which I’ll discuss shortly.
Environment and design uniqueness
Each area of the game feels distinct, with different atmospheres, weather effects, and level designs. The environments are not just visually impressive, but also fun to explore, with plenty of hidden paths and treasures.
Rating
It took me some time to give the graphics and art style an objective rating. There are many things to consider, but ultimately, I rated this section with a 10.
A visual masterpiece, enough said.
Sound and music
Music score and how it contributed to the game
The soundtracks are perfectly fitting in this game. They not only set the atmosphere, they elevate the whole game to another level without stealing the spotlight from the cutscenes, or battles going on.
Sound effects quality
The sound design is top-notch, with each battle, spell, and environmental sound effect blending perfectly with the action. It truly enhances the overall experience.
Voice Acting
The voice acting is superb, with each character’s voice perfectly fitting their personality. Zack’s sections were especially impactful for me, as the voice work really brought out the emotional depth of his character.
Rating
After a lot of consideration, I rated the sound and music section with a 9.5
The way we see Zack struggle in the newly created timeline is just, epic, and his voice acting, along with the soundtracks really brings out the tragedy of his fate, is it worse than death? Or is there redemption at the end?
Replayability
Game Length and content volume
Final Fantasy Rebirth offers a long, rewarding experience, with the main story taking around 40–50 hours, depending on how much side content you engage with. There’s a lot to explore, making it easy to lose yourself in the world.
Extra Content
There is a good amount of extra content, including collectibles and side quests, that add replay value to the game. Exploring every nook and cranny of the city is rewarding, especially for completionists.
The game is packed with extra content. From revisiting old areas to taking on side quests and challenges in the battle simulator, there’s always something to keep you engaged beyond the main story.
Replay value
Thanks to its depth and the amount of side content, the game has high replay value. You can go back to earlier sections to explore more, complete side quests, or experiment with different strategies in combat.
Rating
After thoughtful consideration, I decided to rate the replayability and game length of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth with an 8.5
If you are looking for a game with a large timesink, then you have found it!
Suggestions and comparisons
Suggestions and feedback
The biggest issue I encountered was the save file bug. If you choose to go back to a previous checkpoint, you risk losing hours of progress. This happened to me, and I lost about five hours of gameplay. While I was able to rush through the content I had already completed, it wasn’t fun having to repeat sections. Square Enix needs to address this bug, as it can be incredibly frustrating for players.
Comparisons
Compared to Final Fantasy VII Remake, Rebirth builds upon its foundation in almost every way. The open worlds are more expansive, the combat is deeper, and the inclusion of characters like Zack gives it a fresh, exciting feel.
Personal experiences and anecdotes
Having Zack as a playable character, even for short sections, made this game incredibly special for me. As my favorite video game character of all time, being able to control him and see how his story unfolds in this new timeline was an absolute joy. Even with the frustrating save file bug, this game still ranks as one of my personal favorites.
Rating
Taking in all the personal experiences with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, I give it a personal rating of 9,9
Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core is, and will probably remain my most favorite game forever.
Last words
Pros
- Stunning graphics and art direction
- Emotional and engaging story
- Zack Fair is playable
- Open worlds are fun to explore
- Excellent voice acting.
- Challenging but fair boss fights.
- Deep, customizable combat system.
- Great balance between main quests and side content
- High replay value with lots of extra content
- Nostalgic moments for Final Fantasy VII fans
- Excellent character development
- Battle simulator adds additional challenge and replayability
Cons
- Save file bug can cause major loss of progress
- Replaying content due to the bug is not enjoyable
- Occasional frame drops on certain platforms
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a stunning, emotionally engaging experience that builds upon everything fans loved about Remake. Even with the save file bug that caused me to lose several hours of progress, I had a wonderful time with this game. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, Rebirth is an unforgettable journey.
Final Rating
9.7
Please let me know what you think of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in the comments!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review, I hope to see you in the next review!
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I grew up in the time of the original FF7. I did see some gameplay of FF8-10 myself but then I had a big gap. The next game I played was FF15 which was totally different as I knew FF in general. But not in a bad way … I see and read here a lot of good things … but I don’t like playing half of the story … and the release of the episodes takes really long … not sure if I can wait till the whole game (like the original was) will be released. Thanks for this review.
If you wait for the entire FF 7 series to play at once, I think you will like it!
This game is on my wishlist! Nice review!
Glad you liked the review!
I love this FF, and all I want to do is dive in. Thanks for the presentation.
I hope you will like it!
That’s a lot of Zack Fair. xD
The video was a bit confusing to me, so many different things with barely any transitions.
The game looks really nice! I like the art style in Final Fantasy games. The gameplay, however, seems to not really be for me…
What did you mean by savefile “bug”? Like, when reloading the checkpoint, it reloads to a much older checkpoint than it should have?
If you are not familiar with the series, it can be confusing. As for the savefile bug, that is indeed the problem.
My first FF game was FF7 on the original playstation. Seeing updated graphics and alternative timeline is a great way to just re-experience the game in a whole new way.
I have to agree, and yes, that also was my first FF game!
0 micro-transactions equals big W. Great review.
Glad you liked the review!
It’s highly rated and very nice.
I’ve been waiting for all three works to come out, but now I’m even more impatient.🐑
Yeah, I wanted to wait to, but I couldn’t.
It’s a great Final Fantasy game, recent ones have good changes
They do!
It’s great to know that FF 7 Rebirth is this great. Hopefully KH 4 could be even better since it’s basically a fresh start for the serie.
FF characters in Kingdom Hearts would be great!
Wow! A great score for this version. It should reconcile those who were angry with the previous games.
Yeah, it should!
I don’t know why, but I get the feeling that you really like Zack Fair… XD
Good job on the review as always! 🙂
I do, I resonate deeply with his character!
It’s always sad, when your savegame gets corrupted ó_ò
still interesting
Yeah, can happen!
Not had been expecting it will so much favorable review, never got into FF saga games but it is nice to know more about those games thanks to your reviews. I’m a more crpg guy then jrpg but i also like variety so happy to hear about it and that you liked it so much. More after video.
Glad you still like the review!
Hopefully the save file bug gets fixed
Yeah, I hope so too!
Awesome review Sven! i have actually never played a final fantasy game, nor could i play this one because my laptop is too weak but the game still looks amazing!
That is sad, but this game is indeed amazing!
This series just looks amazing! I love the magical feeling of the world and the highly emotional story! I’m glad to hear there’s a lot of unique locations and hidden areas, I always love that 🙂
I also like hidden areas!
Good game and nice review
Glad you liked the review!
It sounds like there’s a lot of depth to the story and world-building, and the combat mechanics seem pretty exciting.
There is indeed a lot of depth!
Omg its huge review point. Someone loves FF series 😀
FF is good, FF is life, FF is awesome games!
Save file bug – is one the most annoying things in gaming.
I would explode.
Happens too often in games…
FF franchise just keeps rocking its solid game play and story lines. No wonder you gave it such a high rating.
However, the dreaded save file bug is something that turns me away from games that have them… Hopefully SE manages to find a fix for it soon!
I also hope it is fixed by now!
This review is amazing! I like all aspects in this game.
Glad you like it!