After 2020’s critically-acclaimed Final Fantasy VII Remake wowed players by reimagining Midgar and the early chapters of the beloved 1997 PlayStation classic, fans eagerly awaited the next chapter in the saga. Now, with Rebirth, developer Square Enix ambitiously expands the scope and scale of Final Fantasy VII’s world for a new generation.
Gone are the industrial steel corridors of Midgar. Rebirth ushers Cloud, Tifa, Aerith and the rest of our planet-saving crew out into the open air, taking players on a globetrotting journey across Gaia itself. From quilted grasslands to arid canyons, players traverse lavishly realized environments brimming with spectacular vistas and nostalgic musical refrains. It’s a vivid sequel overflowing with affection for the original game.
However, Rebirth reaches for more than a gorgeous graphical overhaul. Through revamped combat, expanded backstories, and new twists to the lore, it also attempts to rewrite and reframe key moments from this cherished tale. As our heroes pursue the sinister Sephiroth across the world, familiar story beats arrive with fresh perspective. For fans, it’s a balance between comforting nostalgia and bold new directions.
While uneven at times, Rebirth undoubtedly channels the heart and magic that made Final Fantasy VII so impactful. Now the question is — where will the wayward fates of Cloud and friends lead them next?
An Open World Brimming with Life-Stream
After the restrictive steel maze of Midgar, Rebirth’s sprawling open world regions feel like a gust of fresh air. Instead of rigidly guiding players on a set path, Rebirth embraces exploration and free-roaming hijinks across its vivid landscapes. Fields ripple with windswept grass, canyons glow fiery orange at sunset, and quaint villages bustle with everyday life. Traversing these environments evokes the same childlike awe as my first journeys across Hyrule or Pandora.
Dotted across the map, discoveries like lifting springs and excavation sites hide worthwhile upgrades or crafting materials. While scavenger hunts for map icons initially seem like familiar open-world padding, Rebirth smartly links these activities to tangible progression. Digging up lost chips, for example, gathers materials for new weapons and gear. It makes mundane tasks feel purposeful.
More intriguing are Lifesprings — verdant oases where the Lifestream’s energy nurtures the land. These tranquil sites reinforce Rebirth’s themes of environmentalism and our planet’s precious few havens. Through gameplay and story alike, saving the planet feels more personal and worthwhile.
Of course, no heroic odyssey is complete without obstacles to overcome. Unfortunately, some repetitive traversal activities like cliff climbing or chocobo platforming wear thin over long play sessions. Still, a wealth of combat encounters, puzzles, and surprises fill each region. I happily spent hours chasing every icon on the map.
When swords are drawn, Rebirth also evolves FFVII’s hybrid action-strategy combat into an even more thrilling form. While the core mechanics of building ATB gauges to unleash abilities remain, new Synergy skills add another layer of coordination. Characters now actively support teammates in battle, enabling flashier attacks. Cloud launches Tifa skyward so she can mete out meteoric kicks. Red XIII leaps off Barrett’s back to slam enemies from above.
Mastering these Synergies and chaining cinematic finishing blows together feels immensely satisfying. Familiar faces have fresh moves up their sleeves as well, like Yuffie’s elemental Ninjutsu or the savage fury of Red XIII’s limit breaks. There’s ample flexibility too in the Materia system’s buffs, spells, and passive effects. Even after 80 hours, I still discovered new ability combinations to decimate foes.
That said, a few chaotic encounters betray Rebirth’s elegant battle system, as enemies zip around unpredictably or bombard you with knockback attacks. Still, overcoming these challenges through proper preparation and skillful play remains extremely rewarding overall.
So while its globe-trotting journey has some repetitive stretches, Rebirth realizes FFVII’s world with visual splendor and smartly interweaves its themes into open-ended gameplay. Add in a combat system that’s deeper, flashier, and more synergistic, and Rebirth becomes an adventure that’s hard to peel yourself away from. The planet still needs saving, but enjoying the ride sure feels good too.
Bonds That Bind Through Fate’s Tumultuous Winds
Rebirth expands its scope narratively too, devotedly fleshing out backstories for Final Fantasy VII’s iconic heroes. Fans craved more depth for these characters over the years, and Square Enix poignantly delivers. Seeing the gang open up emotionally or band together in times of crisis adds resonance. I cared deeply about their bonds by the end.
When Barrett returns to his razed hometown Corel, for example, the cocky front he projects among strangers disappears. Years of survivor’s guilt over his failures as a leader and father bubble forth. Voice actor John Eric Bentley captures quiet anguish beautifully in these vulnerable moments. It lends believable motivation for Barrett’s tireless crusade against Shinra.
Meanwhile, Cloud’s fractured memories leave him questioning his own past, until childhood friend Tifa helps ground him. Their heart-to-heart conversations add intimate, humanizing texture outside anime theatrics. Though the dialogue flirts with melodrama at times, the genuine affection between characters still shines through.
As bonds strengthen, optional side-quests with characters further enrich their backstories and indirectly worldbuild too. By spending time around Costa del Sol’s residents, for example, I better understood how the nearby Gold Saucer tourist trap economically exploited neighboring regions. What initially seemed like frivolous beach episodes helped underscore the story’s themes.
At their best, these vignettes capture Final Fantasy VII’s signature blend of quirky humor and poignancy. But similar to the original game, Rebirth’s pacing falters when key plot beats get smothered in repetitive minigames and tonal whiplash. Hours spent distracted by Gold Saucer’s arcades, chocobo races, and wacky mascot characters deflate narrative tension. high stakes get obscured. The theme park’s flashy spectacle bedazzles, but its mandatory activities disrupt momentum.
Most frustratingly, Rebirth fumbles delivering climactic story moments that recontextualize Final Fantasy VII’s lore. Attempting to surprise while also retaining the original’s emotional impact proves too ambitious. Instead, pivotal events become fragmented, contradictory, or befuddling. Certain actions and motivations remain undefined when clarity is needed most.
By chasing bold new plot directions, Rebirth admirably tries redefining a canonical tale for modern audiences. But struggling to convey key themes and character arcs amidst the changes underserves newcomers and diehards alike. Still, the journey with these companions stays mostly magical despite frustrating detours. Their bonds of loyalty in trying times capture the original’s spirit.
Painting with Pixels and Melodies
Beyond its gameplay and storytelling triumphs, Rebirth is simply a graphical marvel, rebuilding Final Fantasy VII’s world with incredible fidelity down to the finest details. Lush grassland vistas rolling to the horizon, mythical beasts prowling misty jungles, the hodgepodge urban maze of Kalm town plazas—Rebirth’s environments never cease to astonish in their splendor and scale. The dev team’s meticulous worldbuilding makes all of Gaia feel tangibly real and lived-in.
Watching this rich scenery glide by aboard the chugging Hardy Daytona train or soaring over forests atop a loyal chocobo steed captures the romanticism of a globe-spanning fantasy journey perfectly. No matter where the wayward party treks, Rebirth seems intent on inspiring childlike wonder through sheer spectacle alone.
Character designs also receive lavish modern makeovers bursting with expressiveness that stay true to the originals. Seeing goofy caricatures like Cait Sith or Nanaki rendered in magnificent high fidelity using advanced facial motion capture is a trip. Watching the gang revel during silly mini-games highlights little mannerisms that further humanize them too. Square Enix’s exacting and affectionate attention to detail shines through.
And then there’s Rebirth’s heavenly musical score—iconic enough to make any longtime Final Fantasy fan well up instantly from sheer sense memory alone. Hearing those sweeping orchestral melodies as Cloud and Aerith gaze out at sparkling coastal vistas or Tifa grapples with past trauma triggers profound nostalgia. Though Rebirth modernizes so much, composer Nobuo Uematsu’s timeless motifs endure to remind why this fictional universe holds such cherished significance for millions worldwide.
Some occasional rough edges betray Rebirth’s ambitious scale, as scenic backdrops can pop in slowly and character textures get muddy in hectic battles. But through vivid lands, vivacious heroes, and the most emotionally potent chiptunes in gaming, Rebirth ultimately stands as a testament to Final Fantasy VII’s lasting visual and musical artistry.
Connected to the Lifestream
While mostly a solo journey, Rebirth smartly incorporates online connectivity in a few key ways that enhance the experience rather than feel tacked on. The game avoids diverting focus to competitive multiplayer suites or battle royales to instead enable community engagement and extended playability through thoughtful features.
The Whisper Net phone app lets players browse player profiles, view shared photos, and exchange messages. It’s a fun way to see how others’ journeys differ and trade tips or creative images. Square Enix also hosts ongoing community events like seasonal festivals or in-game item giveaways to maintain activity.
More robust online integration comes via asynchronous multiplayer in Fort Condor mode. This base defense RTS minigame returns from the original Final Fantasy VII, but now other players’ Condor units battle alongside yours. You take turns maneuvering units around a battlefield to capture bases while managing resources. Approachable enough for newcomers but reasonably strategic with distinct unit abilities to master, I lost dozens of hours to its moreish loop.
Seeing other players’ creative unit combinations that synergize with my own added unpredictability and allowed conquering higher difficulties. Weekly online leaderboards further incentivize replayability. Fort Condor makes for an addictive palate cleanser from core questing and could have easily been expanded into its own standalone release.
While expanded co-op would be welcome in a sequel, Square Enix focused on infusing single player with community richness instead of diverting resources to bolt-on multiplayer features. User-created quests or asynchronous message boards full of theories/photomode shots offer modern connections while keeping the journey intimate.
Overall Rebirth builds ample camaraderie and enduring value through its focused online ecosystem. I felt engaged with a passionate playerbase throughout, whether browsing other fans’ in-game snapshots or banding together on the Fort Condor battlefield. It will be exciting to see how Square Enix expands this community presence further in the finale chapter.
The Journey Continues
Like its sprawling world stretched endlessly over the horizon, Rebirth offers more adventures long beyond witnessing emotional finale events. From combat challenges to unresolved side tales, the post-game provides hours upon hours of worthwhile pursuit.
Immediately notable is unlocking an alternate party member to swap into your active roster and level up. Their unique abilities lend fresh combat options while their rapport scenes add supplemental perspective.
There are also superbosses that push combat mastery further through intense, multi-phase battles requiring peak utilization of all abilities, equipment, and strategies developed until then. I relished tinkering with builds and approach to finally topple these Columbia-sized foes.
Most side content weaves minor lingering narrative threads up too, like revisiting previous allies for poignant epilogues or investigating undiscovered valley oddities. I met quirky new characters absent from the original game as well for surprises. By the time credits rolled I still had over a dozen unresolved tales left dangling as tantalizing breadcrumbs.
What’s most impressive is these explorations organically emerge from gameplay systems already established instead of throwing excess features to artificially extend playtime. It makes post-game content feel like a coherent bonus chapter rather than detached padding. The additional 20 hours I’ve spent so far never felt repetitive or pointless thanks to this mindful integration.
So while Rebirth’s conclusion provides emotional payoff, Square Enix wisely sustains momentum beyond it through impactful play incentives and carefully considered storytelling. Hours of worthwhile adventures await embracing side characters, tougher monsters, and mysterious lore — ensuring Rebirth becomes an easy 100+ hour voyage for Final Fantasy diehards like myself.
Next Stop: Destiny’s Crossroads
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth undeniably reaches for the stars, reimagining a gaming icon on a scale only modern high-powered consoles could achieve. Lush environments brimming with secrets, evolved hybrid combat, expanded backstories—Rebirth delivers a triple-A blockbuster experience for fans and newcomers alike through most of its 80-hour journey. For that, developer Square Enix deserves tremendous credit.
However, Rebirth also tries rewriting a sacred story rather than just retelling it more richly. This ambitious narrative gambit admirably attempts redefining Final Fantasy VII’s themes of fate and legacies for a new generation. But ambiguity around key plot points and motivations ultimately muddles more than intrigues.
After spending dozens of hours investing in beloved characters like Cloud, Aerith and Sephiroth, having their climactic resolutions underdelivered feels almost betraying. Rebirth falls just short of properly honoring their profound legacy.
Still, Rebirth’s strengths far eclipse its uneven narrative experimentation overall. Exploring this reimagined world of sprawling vistas and bustling villages brought childlike awe, especially when taking detours off the critical path. The story’s quiet moments profiling how everyday citizens cope with tragedy also grounded the planet-saving stakes. Sinking my teeth into cleverly revamped combat systems or bonding further with characters during amusing side-quests kept me utterly hooked too.
So when the credits rolled after 85 hours, my prevailing emotions were satisfaction tinged with slight disappointment—not the raw catharsis or hype for what comes next that Final Fantasy VII’s bold revisit perhaps warranted. But Rebirth’s astonishing technical prowess and director Yoshinori Kitase’s obvious affection for this material still shine brightly to inspire optimism going forward.
As our heroes stand poised at Destiny’s Crossroads gazing into an unknowable future, so too does Final Fantasy VII Remake enter its own pivotal moment. With bonds fortified, the planet waiting to be saved, and the grand finale ahead, the stage is set for an epic trilogy capstone. Let’s hope Square Enix sticks the landing to crystallize these remakes as the definitive incarnation of a masterpiece RPG saga reborn.
The Review
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
For all its uneven storytelling and pacing issues, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth still manages an exhilarating open-world adventure overflowing with visual marvels and satisfying combat. It expands beautifully on the original’s foundations despite a convoluted conclusion. This nostalgic journey stays highly recommendable overall.
PROS
- Gorgeous open world environments with engaging side activities
- Greatly expanded combat system emphasizing team coordination
- Added backstory and depth for beloved characters
- Spectacular graphics and musical score
CONS
- Uneven pacing due to over-reliance on minigames
- Messy delivery of important plot points near ending
- Some repetitive traversal activities
