FF Rebirth Review - Spoilers Ahead

[Patriot]

So I just finished completing FF Rebirth and I have some strong opinions about it. I will say that if you are playing this series of "FF 7" games expecting a genuine FF 7 remake you will be VERY disappointed. There is little love shown to the original game, and this is pretty much some very bad fan fiction...or hater fiction as so much in this a fan would not do. That said if you don't expect this to be a genuine FF 7 remake it makes the games far more tolerable.

First I'll start with what I liked then with what I didn't.

1. The music is very good, with the exception of the jungle region. I pretty much enjoyed all of the music in the game.

2. The art is very well done, and there is a lot of attention to detail.

3. On the topic of attention to detail the background NPCs are well made and their lines are, for the most part as there are some exceptions of bad writing for ESG points, well made.

4. There are bits that have been added to the story that expand on the FF 7 lore in ways that I like. I like knowing more about Cait Sith for example I never really knew what he was in the original.

5. Kinda liked the card game. With the right cards it is possible to win just about every match. Unfortunately I think FF VIII did it better by giving you reasons to battle a person more than once.

That's about it. Now for what I don't like.

1. The characters.

The only character that really acts mostly like he should is Barrett. Cloud comes in at a close second. You will notice in this game all of the female companions are the "strong independent" types that have become ubiquitous across media today. There is little to like about them. First off Aerith is important...to Cloud. In the original you don't spend too much time with her, but the time you do spend with her she is endears herself to you the player, and as Cloud. In FF Rebirth.

She's important to everyone and she has some strong modern political points of view that she shoves at the player and isn't told to "Get bent" as she should be. She has no issue with swearing though a lot of people in the game have no problem with swearing. This is often a sign of unskilled writers, and I'd say that evidence is proven to still be true in this game.

Next lets go to Yuffie. She was originally an optional character and you had to go out of your way to recruit her, though she was an interesting character to recruit missing out on her would be something most people would regret. In this game she's completely insufferable. She "acts" like yuffie for the most part, but forces herself into so much screen time. She acts like a brat, and doesn't grow up. But her being a brat that doesn't grow up is treated like it's endearing. When she tries to force herself into your party you can tell her no everytime and then in the end you're forced to tell her yes. You will find your decisions never matter in this game.

Tifa was once a strong go-getter with feelings for cloud. However in this game she's treated as Uberstrong and kinda like a mother figure to cloud. She supposedly is meant to bring him back when he's going off the deep end, but when cloud is murdering people she won't say a word unless he's about to kill a woman.

Which brings us to another thing with "The characters" You will find a lot of "Strong Independent Women" types have been inserted all over the place. Replacing men in most cases. One is added to the turks while Reno takes a vacation. One replaces the commander during the imperial parade. One becomes the head of a town guard and was also apparently an Ex-turk.

On that note we have to talk about all of the "black" characters in the game. This was not originally the case. One could argue that's because they limited the number of NPCs in the game. I expected for example to see more "black" people in Barrett's hometown. The reason I say "black" in quotes is because I don't know what Ethnicity this is meant to be in game. Corelian? Maybe. We know that Yuffie is Wutian, but because of the now inserted mixing of all the people of the world I still don't know what ethnicity Barrett is, and it doesn't seem to matter to the ESG points for the game. Their direction was "Just add more black people" So they did. This is noticeable, and not at all well done.

2. Aerith and Aerith's "death" Skip if you don't want spoilers.
So Aerith was meant to die in the game. Now she is pretty much the main protagonist in this game with Cloud taking the back seat. You don't ever feel close with Aerith, and you sure as heck don't want to be in a relationship with her. Heck the only person I felt any inclination to romance would be Barrett. Which does get an interesting date scene for those who are interested. Well she does "die" in this game too, and as I've said this was originally VERY impactful to cloud and to the player, but not really to anyone else in the party. Well this game decided to reverse that it is ONLY impactful to the other people in the party. Doesn't bug cloud even a little. Or the player. Because she's pretty much just an omnipotent ghost. She can physically manifest too...if she wants. So she was kept alive long enough to dislike her, and then the one thing that added meaning to her life in the game was taken away. Also Cloud almost killed her himself. Really had he I would have appreciated it except that I know they only reason they'd do that is because he's just another big evil white man that needs to be erased and replaced. Instead they only took half-measure with it.

3. Cloud.

Cloud takes a backseat. He's really only in this game begrudgingly. Whenever they can get away with making you play anyone other than cloud they will. Also with just about every side-quest Cloud isn't the one who chooses to do it. It's always his party members.

Then when it comes to missions. There can be times where it is appropriate to separate the party when making a game. However, only rarely should you be forced to play that party. People do not like being taken away from the protagonist. Except in this game they want you to think EVERYONE is a protagonist and EVERYONE is important, but they aren't important to you. They are never really made important to you. Their only importance is to the devs. This takes away from cloud and makes you more annoyed with the rest of his party.

4. How men and women are treated.
The men are constantly insulted while the women are constantly praised. That's a minor exaggeration, but women are never insulted in this game. Barrett gives Yuffie a bit of a hard time in the beginning, because she is a brat, but then never a word is said against her. In any combat cutscene you will find the women fighting, and often finishing off whatever big bad there is again undercutting cloud. This includes the final boss (a battle that ought not be happening as Sephiroth is not meant to be this important this quickly in the story. It isn't until Aerith is killed that Cloud really focuses on him) In the end it isn't really Cloud that does anything it's all Aerith all the time.

5. Cait Sith
Cait Sith is a great character, however he is treated badly throughout the game. Then when he supposedly earned the teams friendship they throw him under the bus at the drop of a hat. Hear him out? No why would you do that. You've been journeying with him for a while and considered him a friend, but this is how you treat your friends isn't it?

6. The Railroading

The ENTIRE GAME. Is on railroad tracks. Now this is true to various degrees to any game with a linear story, but it's especially egregious here. If you see the railroad tracks plain as day that is boring. When you finally can travel a bit there is nothing "hidden" there are no "secrets" to find. There were all kinds of secrets in the original game (I'll not share them as I think people should actually play and enjoy the original as it still is a great game)

Take near the end you become a puppet to sephiroth. If you fight this compulsion (which you aren't meant to realize it is a compulsion they expect you to stay on the tracks) your "party" should be trying to help you, but no they just stand back allowing you to be compulsed. You find very very often the characters don't act as they "should" act, but only as the game needs them to in the moment.

7. Chocobo Breeding.

It doesn't exist...

8. Chocobo Racing
Original did it better, now it's just a cart racing game.

9. Golden Saucer Battle Arena.
Again the original did it better. Now It's just like Chadley's Combat simulations instead of its own thing.

10. Real Time Combat
Real Time Combat "can" be fun, but FF VII is meant to be turn based, and turn based works a lot better. Summons cost MP as they should instead of some random timer allowing you to summon. The way summons work in these games is boring. Phoenix was really nice to have in the original because if you had a party wipe there was a chance that the Phoenix would save you. That no longer happens. In the original the summons were unique and interesting. Here they feel less than they should. Instead of an almighty powerful force just a bit of a stronger than usual magic. In turn based you can have the enemies act in specific ways that don't make sense in real time. I beat a simulation combat hard mode encounter at level 50 that was recommend you be level 70. It was "hard" for sure, but with Red XIII it was easy enough to do.

11. Materia
When you find Materia in Rebirth it is NEVER exciting. It doesn't ever feel like you found something special in a special/secret place. However in the original you were always excited to find materia, and if you wanted more of that material you would max its level and it would duplicate. This was a great mechanic.

12. Cactuars.
Cactuars are meant to be hard to hit, but provide a lot of AP. They don't anymore.

I'll stop there as this is getting long. Might add more later.

[mdesaleah]

It’s a case of the big new parts being SO bad, that they overshadow the parts where they do actually copy the original well.


Why would an older fan play a version of the story they like, where all the biggest moments are ruined in favor of multiverse twists that weren’t there before?

And for newer fans who wanted an “unknown journey”, why would they play a game where around 80%+ is the original story. And the big implied change that could have happened, doesn’t because the story is trying to please everyone and is pleasing no one?

It’s a story for those who would be pleased seeing anything as long as it’s flashy enough to keep their attention

[nobalkain]

Weird that they are changing Cloud and Tifa's Relationship. Just also odd that Cloud doesnt seem to be the Focus. Honestly Squenix has always had a hard time with Relationships in their Games. Its always left a bit vague with who really likes who. Even in the Movie it was never really clear if they where "Together" or just very close Friends.

I wish they would stop trying to Force all the Women in their Games into this overused Trope of "Strong Independent Women". They used to do this naturally, like with Tifa, but they think the West want all Women like this, so they force almost all of them in this Role. Aerith used to be the more Motherly Role who tried to be the Emotional Center.

It would seem that the Infection that caused Forspoken is still alive in Squenix. Lets hope that by the next Game this gets better.

[mdesaleah]

Originally posted by nobalkain:

Weird that they are changing Cloud and Tifa's Relationship. Just also odd that Cloud doesnt seem to be the Focus. Honestly Squenix has always had a hard time with Relationships in their Games. Its always left a bit vague with who really likes who. Even in the Movie it was never really clear if they where "Together" or just very close Friends.

The original game is pretty clear about relationships. Everything else just muddies the intent.

Although media literacy and JRPG fans don't exactly mix well together honestly xD.

The first half of the original game clearly pairs Cloud and Aerith, but thats due to Zack's influence. Which is something Aerith catches on to if you get her during the Gold Saucer scene where she "wants to see the real you", instead of Cloud pretending to be someone else. At that point, its clear Aerith is much less interested as she notices that Cloud is hiding himself and that her initial attraction to him was due to resembling Zack.

The second half of the game pairs Cloud with Tifa. As she helps him find out the truth, and both connect with each other much more deeply during the memory scenes. They also have an actual romantic relationship by the end, and both of them clearly get intimate before the final day.

[2D神]

Remake trilogy is starting to feel alot like all the FF7 compilation. Weird and wacky and all over the places.

[mdesaleah]

Originally posted by 2D神:

Remake trilogy is starting to feel alot like all the FF7 compilation. Weird and wacky and all over the places.

Technically, it always has been.

Its the return of the compilation. But done much better at parts, but also equally bad when doing the big new twists/changes.

[nobalkain]

Originally posted by mdesaleah:

Originally posted by nobalkain:

Weird that they are changing Cloud and Tifa's Relationship. Just also odd that Cloud doesnt seem to be the Focus. Honestly Squenix has always had a hard time with Relationships in their Games. Its always left a bit vague with who really likes who. Even in the Movie it was never really clear if they where "Together" or just very close Friends.

The original game is pretty clear about relationships. Everything else just muddies the intent.

Although media literacy and JRPG fans don't exactly mix well together honestly xD.

The first half of the original game clearly pairs Cloud and Aerith, but thats due to Zack's influence. Which is something Aerith catches on to if you get her during the Gold Saucer scene where she "wants to see the real you", instead of Cloud pretending to be someone else. At that point, its clear Aerith is much less interested as she notices that Cloud is hiding himself and that her initial attraction to him was due to resembling Zack.

The second half of the game pairs Cloud with Tifa. As she helps him find out the truth, and both connect with each other much more deeply during the memory scenes. They also have an actual romantic relationship by the end, and both of them clearly get intimate before the final day.

As I said, its Vague. Japanese Media doesnt often like to set the Protag with a for sure Love Choice because Fans get upset (lets them sell more Figs). Your just using that Vagueness to decide what your Ship is, but its never set in stone. We dont get Weddings/Rings/Kids or anything that just says THIS is the Relationship.

[mdesaleah]

Originally posted by nobalkain:

Originally posted by mdesaleah:

The original game is pretty clear about relationships. Everything else just muddies the intent.

Although media literacy and JRPG fans don't exactly mix well together honestly xD.

The first half of the original game clearly pairs Cloud and Aerith, but thats due to Zack's influence. Which is something Aerith catches on to if you get her during the Gold Saucer scene where she "wants to see the real you", instead of Cloud pretending to be someone else. At that point, its clear Aerith is much less interested as she notices that Cloud is hiding himself and that her initial attraction to him was due to resembling Zack.

The second half of the game pairs Cloud with Tifa. As she helps him find out the truth, and both connect with each other much more deeply during the memory scenes. They also have an actual romantic relationship by the end, and both of them clearly get intimate before the final day.

As I said, its Vague.

Not to start a shipping war or anything, I think that whole thing is pointless and often devolves a story into "will they, won't they" nonsense.

But its not even subtext. Its just text. The characters don't have to get married in-game to see how the story is meant to progress.

Vague would be more something like Persona 3-5. Where there clearly isn't a set canon for relationships and you get to choose whatever you like more. Its not a direct part of the story and character development. In that scenario having some fun shipping competition makes a lot more sense.

But I'm here more to complain on the parts that matter the most and actually got messed up in the 7Remake/Rebirth/(Regret) series. So the story.

Like how much they ruined anything related to the big Aerith moment, and her character entirely in part 1 (by just knowing too much). Which they tried to backtrack in Part 2, and demonstrating that they had no plan and made it even messier.

[nobalkain]

Originally posted by mdesaleah:

Originally posted by nobalkain:

As I said, its Vague.

Not to start a shipping war or anything, I think that whole thing is pointless and often devolves a story into "will they, won't they" nonsense.

But its not even subtext. Its just text. The characters don't have to get married in-game to see how the story is meant to progress.

Vague would be more something like Persona 3-5. Where there clearly isn't a set canon for relationships and you get to choose whatever you like more. Its not a direct part of the story and character development. In that scenario having some fun shipping competition makes a lot more sense.

But I'm here more to complain on the parts that matter the most and actually got messed up in the 7Remake/Rebirth/(Regret) series. So the story.

Your idea of what is Vague and mine is just different. We will just have to Agree to Disagree, because like you said its not really worth fighting over.

[mdesaleah]

Originally posted by nobalkain:

Originally posted by mdesaleah:

Not to start a shipping war or anything, I think that whole thing is pointless and often devolves a story into "will they, won't they" nonsense.

But its not even subtext. Its just text. The characters don't have to get married in-game to see how the story is meant to progress.

Vague would be more something like Persona 3-5. Where there clearly isn't a set canon for relationships and you get to choose whatever you like more. Its not a direct part of the story and character development. In that scenario having some fun shipping competition makes a lot more sense.

But I'm here more to complain on the parts that matter the most and actually got messed up in the 7Remake/Rebirth/(Regret) series. So the story.

Your idea of what is Vague and mine is just different. We will just have to Agree to Disagree, because like you said its not really worth fighting over.

Yeah.

Im more annoyed at the BIG things. The whole part in Rebirth where "we forgot everything the whispers showed us at the end of Remake" just screams a massive rewrite.

Its like they chickened out at the last minute. If you're gonna massively change and ruin FF7, then at least go all the way with it xD. Don't do some half-way story that makes older fans angry, and annoys new fans for being stringed along by theories that don't matter and havent been planned.

Its too late for them to really pick a side now. So its just going to end unsatisfying for both fans who wanted the original remade, and those who wanted to "Defy Fate Together"

[Patriot]

Honestly people should play FF VII. Download Satsuki Yatosh's mod for improving the graphics for the whole game. Lots of mods out there for this almost 30 year old game. Because the fans of it are still fans of it. The fans the the "remakes" have decided to disrespect with this fake remake.

[thorin.hannahs]

I enjoyed the game up until the end. Then I just kept asking ok who had explosive diarrhea in the pool? And why did they feel the need to let it all out?

The end just doesn't feel good and it throws up so many questions that it is just noise I am not particularly interested in sorting through.

Thankfully even if the story just keeps nose diving in the last game of the trilogy Rebirth was fun enough that I'll get FF7 Donnie Kingdom Darko Hearts Reunion.

Chadley is so omnipresent it is scary if Sephiroth doesn't end everything then Chadley will bring us all to heel.

Last note "dynamic difficulty" is a joke enjoy steam rolling through the game.

[Pack 4 Potatoes]

"The original did it better."

No explanation given for why the original is better. Only explaining how it is different from the original.

[2D神]

Originally posted by thorin.hannahs:

I enjoyed the game up until the end. Then I just kept asking ok who had explosive diarrhea in the pool? And why did they feel the need to let it all out?

The end just doesn't feel good and it throws up so many questions that it is just noise I am not particularly interested in sorting through.

Thankfully even if the story just keeps nose diving in the last game of the trilogy Rebirth was fun enough that I'll get FF7 Donnie Kingdom Darko Hearts Reunion.

Chadley is so omnipresent it is scary if Sephiroth doesn't end everything then Chadley will bring us all to heel.

Last note "dynamic difficulty" is a joke enjoy steam rolling through the game.

Hamaguchi I assume. He mention that he want fans to theorize the ending.

[kiteless 凧無し]

Rebirth is a travesty

They butchered the story. One of the most iconic scenes in gaming, aerith death, completely ruined in this hack job. Drawn out boring cutscenes that go on forever just for you to walk ten metres to get another one

Horrible pacing, game is filled with more pointless crap filler, cluttered world map full of icons of tedious time wasting garbage, none of which is worth doing. Ubisoft would be proud

Annoying characters. Too many side characters that weren’t In the original taking up way too much screen time. Yuffie is annoying, as is young red, why is Cid even there when you cutout the entire rocket town segment?

Garbage buttons mashing gameplay, turn based died for this action garbage. Like with remake doesn’t even feel like a rpg. Devs still don’t know how to make melee characters hit flying enemies properly yet, annoying jank, bullet sponge garbage returns. Can’t have a boss fight without it being interrupted by three non skippable cinematics.

Puzzles a two year old could figure out. Time wasting mandatory tasks, hey go take some pictures of cactuar to continue the story because we want to waste your time for twenty minutes to pad out the length.

Horrible new music, classic themes ruined. Mediocre voice acting, Japanese or English, they both suck

I’m done with this remake, zero interest in part 3 and after ff16 (interactive film) square can go suck one. Final fantasy just needs to end for good because whatever this garbage was, it’s not final fantasy

[SHINRA-CORP]

Just finished my playthrough today and its a pretty good game a solid 8/10. Some things that really let it down for me was the pacing.

I felt obligated to slowdown and do the open world activities to try and make sure I'm a decent level when I finished the game. Which can be very time consuming and just brings the moment of the story to a halt.

The voice acting from the NPC's felt really artificial also. And the side quests were obvious filler to lengthen the game out that felt stupid but had to be done for the XP.

Also navigating the jungle and cosmo canyon maps felt more like chore than anything.

The music was really good for the most part. It's amazing hearing old melodies from the original game imagined in more orchestral types of music.

I rented a Ps5 for a month just to play this game, all in all I dont regret it I might even buy this again when it's released on Ps5.

Would definitely recommend to any FF7 fan.