REVIEW: FINAL FANTASY 7 REBIRTH

Final Fantasy VII Remake was a fantastic title and was worth the wait. The journey ahead would clearly move away from what we knew about the original Final Fantasy 7 game, blending nostalgia with bold, new ideas. Rebirth answers that promise with confidence and sometimes a little too much ambition. It’s a sprawling, lovingly made continuation that reaches for greatness, and occasionally steps over the line. At its best, it’s a love letter to one of gaming’s most cherished titles. At worst, it’s a reminder that too much of a good thing can still be too much.

Combat is still a high point. The hybrid battle system blends real-time action with tactical, turn-based commands. Characters feel fluid, responsive, and enjoyable. The introduction of Synergy Abilities brings a new layer of depth (which isn’t appreciated by all), encouraging creative team-ups and satisfying combos. If Remake laid the groundwork, Rebirth builds a full playground on top of it. It’s not a new system but an expansion.

While combat shines, the systems around it don’t always hold up. The new upgrade system replaces Remake’s more intuitive trees and recognizable format, and while it offers flexibility at times, it often feels needlessly complex. The shift to a wider camera angle during combat sacrifices some of the cinematic moments from the first installment.

Narratively, Rebirth is rich with lore and character moments. The expansion is fantastic. The developers’ understanding and respect for the source material is clear, and the expanded story gives meaningful space to characters both old and new. Barret and Dyne’s storyline, in particular, is a standout. Voice direction across the board is strong. That said, some pivotal scenes, especially those involving Aerith, don’t quite land with the impact they should. The performances are strong, but presentation and pacing sometimes dull the emotional edge. Opinions seemed to be split on how the impact of “that” scene went down at the end of the game.

Where Rebirth stumbles is in its overindulgence. Mini-games have always been part of the Final Fantasy identity, from Triple Triad to the skipping rope challenge, but here they often derail the narrative. Just as tension builds, as you are ready to save the planet, the game whisks you away to push oversized balls, and coach Red XIII in goal scoring. It’s charming at first, until it isn’t. By the time you reach the Gold Saucer, the volume of side content becomes overwhelming, and it’s hard not to feel fatigue creeping in.

Visually, the game is absolutely stunning. The moment the world opens up after Kalm is utterly jaw-dropping, with environments that feel expansive and alive. Seeing Junon rise in the distance for the first time is a true “wow” factor.  We found ourselves just walking around and letting is all sink in. The art direction is strong across the regions, though not always consistent. Flat facial models and uneven lighting can occasionally break immersion. Some could argue that character models were better in Remake. While this has been improved on with the PS5 Pro upgrades, Remake’s Midgar had a cohesive visual identity, and Rebirth sometimes struggles to match that with its more vivid palette.

Unfortunately, exploration systems don’t live up to the weight of the world. World Intel objectives and odd bird-tracking mechanics feel more like padding than genuine discovery. These activities rarely encourage curiosity and instead rely on repetitive tasks that undercut the adventure. Chadley, once a goof side presence, becomes increasingly annoying His constant interruptions begin to wear thin pretty quickly.

Replayability exists in the form of New Game +, optional challenges, and extensive side content. But the incentive to return is a little underwhelming. That said. While you may not want to return to the game right away, the itch to return certainly comes back after a few months away from it. We certainly think a little DLC would have gone a long way. When Intermission launched for Remake, there was a strong urge to return to the game.

Tonally, Rebirth is unmistakably Final Fantasy. First, the incredibly reimagined soundtrack that whisks you back to the original. It has moogles, melodrama, oversized swords, heartfelt backstories, and a cast of oddball characters you can’t help but love. In that sense, it delivers exactly what longtime fans hoped for.

If Remake leaned too far into a linear experience, Rebirth swings a little heavy in the opposite direction. It’s a Goldilocks situation, and the third entry has a real chance to strike that perfect balance. Beneath the bloat, there’s a masterpiece in Rebirth. If the final chapter can tighten the focus while preserving the things we love, this trilogy could end as something truly monumental.