The embargo for Final Fantasy VII Remake reviews has officially lifted, and the general consensus so far is incredibly positive. That isn’t to say there aren’t complaints or detractors, but just one look at Metacritic will net you a number of 90 and up reviews. How does Final Fantasy VII Remake hold up against the nostalgia of the original? Do the changes help or hinder? If you’re looking for some more nuanced perspective and a variety of opinions, keep reading to see what folks are saying about the game.
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Notably, ComicBook.com’s own review should run closer to launch once we’ve had more time with Final Fantasy VII Remake, so if you’re still on the fence after reading these reviews, be sure to check back later this week prior to the official launch. (Despite only containing a portion of the original Final Fantasy VII, it is, unsurprisingly, still an expansive video game.)
What do you think of what we’ve seen of Final Fantasy VII Remake so far? Are you excited to check it out when it officially releases this Friday? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!
Here’s how Square Enix describes Final Fantasy VII Remake on its official website:
“The world has fallen under the control of the Shinra Electric Power Company, a shadowy corporation controlling the planet’s very life force as mako energy.
“In the sprawling city of Midgar, an anti-Shinra organization calling themselves Avalanche have stepped up their resistance. Cloud Strife, a former member of Shinra’s elite SOLDIER unit now turned mercenary, lends his aid to the group, unaware of the epic consequences that await him.”
Keep reading to see what critics think of Final Fantasy VII Remake! Final Fantasy VII Remake is currently scheduled to launch on April 10th for PlayStation 4. Retail copies of the game could potentially be delayed thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic,, though it would now appear that the opposite is also true in some areas with it having been delivered early in many areas. It’s currently unclear exactly how many games the Final Fantasy VII Remake will be comprised of, as it’s known that it will be releasing in distinct chunks. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the title right here.
GameSpot – Tamoor Hussain
“Final Fantasy VII Remake’s narrative and characterization achievements are facilitated by gameplay that feels modern but is crystallized around the classic’s role-playing fundamentals. In many ways, its gameplay model feels like the culmination of the franchise’s evolutions, with ideas from throughout the series brought together in a composite that is fresh but familiar. This is the first time that the action-focused style of modern-era Final Fantasy games doesn’t feel like it comes at the expense of the methodical nature of the series’ roots. The hybrid style lets you glide between characters at the touch of a button and assume direct control. At the same time, commands can be issued to characters that are otherwise acting independently, conjuring the spirit of that deliberate stand-in-place-and-fight format of old.”
You can check out GameSpot’s full review here.
IGN – Tom Marks
“The fact that remakes of both Resident Evil 3 and Final Fantasy 7 arrive just a week apart is pretty incredible, especially because they couldn’t be more different in their approaches as far as a ‘remake’ goes. While RE3 is a mostly faithful modernization of its original, Final Fantasy 7 is less a remake and more a complete reinvention. It swaps turn-based combat with exciting real-time action and expands the first leg of the original story by dozens of hours – including with a bit too much filler and some convoluted new plot points. The long wait for this revival may not be a perfect reunion, but with or without nostalgia in play, it’s still a great JRPG in its own right.”
You can check out IGN’s full review here.
Game Informer – Joe Juba
“The original Final Fantasy VII is one of the most influential and adored games of all time, representing the best storytelling, gameplay, and technology its era had to offer. Its monumental impact on the role-playing genre is hard to overstate – but even harder to replicate in today’s landscape. That struggle between history and innovation is the engine that drives Final Fantasy VII Remake; the legend of the original looms large over it like the metal plates above the slums of Midgar, but this new version refuses to simply exist under a shadow. With smart (and surprising) additions to a classic world and its inhabitants, Final Fantasy VII Remake artfully appeals to nostalgia without being bound by it.”
You can check out Game Informer’s full review here.
VGC – Jon Bailes
“After all the years of hopes, rumours and fan mods, this is it, the real deal. Final Fantasy 7 remade.
“Well, part of it, as the original’s opening act set in the huge city of Midgar is stretched to fit this full-length game, leaving none of us much the wiser what’s to come after. But what’s here, right now, is a partial re-formed classic, updated and expanded in every direction, at times to the point of over-inflation, but with extraordinary ambition and care that we can’t help but love it.”
You can check out VGC’s full review here.
GamesRadar+
“As Cloud disembarks from a train and arrives in the slums of Midgar early on in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I pan the camera up and see the mighty top plate looming up above. This diverse city made of metal that serves as the backdrop to the entire game already feels so much bigger than it ever did, and I have to take a moment to soak it all in. After admiring the impressive vista, I begin to walk through the slums’ streets, bustling with life. People are every which way you look, talking about the events that just transpired, and having run-of-the-mill conversations with one another. You gain a window into the residents’ lives immediately, and it makes your first proper introduction to Midgar feel like a living and breathing world from the get-go.”
You can check out GamesRadar+’s full review here.
Screen Rant – Cody Gravelle
“While Final Fantasy 7 Remake‘s story takes place in a much more condensed narrative – one that, like it or not, will be told across several different games rather than as a standalone – it’s the same tale returning fans know and love. Square Enix has done a remarkable job preserving the identity of the game while making it feel modern and fresh, updating circumstances to still offer some surprises while hinting more strongly at what’s to come for Cloud during some frenetic flashbacks. Given time to breathe, Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith are all much more likable and nuanced, to say nothing of the other members of Avalanche and even enemies like the Turks. New characters, too, don’t just feel like they’re being added to be different – they all serve interesting roles, make for some fun, new interactions, and drive the story forward.”
You can check out Screen Rant’s full review here.
Wccftech – Francesco De Meo
“It is hard to explain things properly without spoiling anything. My expectations were completely subverted by the final sequences of the game, and I’m sure no one will expect this turn of events. This unexpected twist is definitely the most controversial aspect of the game, and most purists will hate it, no doubt about it. Others will appreciate this development, even though it doesn’t make a lot of sense as of now. I did enjoy the surprise, but I am worried about how things will proceed in future installments.”
You can check out Wccftech’s full review here.
Trusted Reviews – Jade King
“Final Fantasy 7 Remake is one of the finest JRPGs in recent memory, setting a new benchmark for visuals and real-time combat in the series while managing to begin retelling one of gaming’s greatest tales in grandiose fashion. It’s just a crying shame we have to twiddle our thumbs and wait for the next chapter.”
You can check out Trusted Reviews’ full review here.
VG247 – Kirk McKeand
“Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a reflection of our times. The world is waking up to the realisation that it’s the people at the bottom who keep the gears turning on the machines that support our comfortable lives, while money still flows to the top. This reimagining keeps the fires of revolution burning bright like the tail on a magical lab rat/dog.”
You can check out VG247’s full review here.
USGamer – Kat Bailey
“Square Enix’s long-awaited return to the world of Midgar is both beautiful and oddly dated, an exhilarating blockbuster that can also be a dull slog. It has a lot of highs, but there are points where it really labors to stretch what feels like a 15 to 20 hour story into 30. It’ll hit you with a truly excellent setpiece or story sequence, only to allow the excitement to evaporate in the course of another interminable series of blank corridors and switch-pulling. It reminds me a little bit of The Hobbit, which is to say that it feels like a self-contained story, but also kind of has a case of trilogy creep.”
You can check out USGamer’s full review here.
