Final Fantasy VII Remake: Old Friends, New Memories
This game was logged in for roughly 55 hours on Playstation 5.
Review:
What does it mean to revisit the past? See old friends once more? Experience a promised land while going on an adventure of a lifetime? To many, you might have played Final Fantasy VII Remake, the 2020 remake of the iconic namesake game which came out in 1997. From what we've seen, it is only the first part of a remake trilogy, and for this review, we will only go through the base game, not the INTERgrade upgrade from 2021, which means no INTERmission DLC for this review.
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The gameplay of this game is a lot different from the original. While showcasing the slender graphics of modern PlayStation games, the combat has evolved to a level I've only dreamed about, down to what could be considered the perfection of the square enix battle system, swapping between Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Barret on the fly, depending on whos in the party at the time. While added super late into the game, Red XIII is not a playable character but will assist you during combat and story progression, which saved my ass in gameplay near the end multiple times.
The soundtrack has been faithfully recreated from top to bottom while giving it its iconic feel to the atmosphere. Classic tracks have been rebuilt with the sole intention of making you feel like you're playing the definitive version of the story, from “Opening/Bombing Mission” to “One Winged Angel”. From the bat, we've seen the iconic opening animation with added elements, mysterious awe, and the perfect remake of the OST showcased. While the soundtrack blasts in the background, you can also hear the noises you make, seemingly breathing life into the world you either once explored before, or a new world you wish to discover for the first time.
The story is the classic tale from the start of the story to escape from Shinra HQ and out of Midgar, which is disk 1 of the original game. From the various reactor bombings to meeting Aerith, to the motorcycle chase scenes and even the rescue of Aerith from the Shinra Electric Company, this game recreated iconic moments perfectly. While there have been a few alterations to the story, like the additions of the mysterious fate-following whispers to the surprise showcase at the end of the game, a lot of players, including myself, can’t wait to see what happens next with arguably the most ironic RPG group in gaming. There will be a review for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, which are both coming soon, so stay tuned.
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9.5/10