Final Fantasy VII Remake

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8148 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6,327 out of 8148
  2. Mixed: 727 out of 8148
  3. Negative: 1,094 out of 8148
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  1. Elyts
    Jun 7, 2020
    9
    Final Fantasy Remake oscilates between good and great, overall.

    STRONG POINTS: - Story. Also, its funny (i had some laughs) and exciting; - Battle system. It's really creative, i loved it because they mixed turn based rpg and action rpg greatly. Also, it's fun; - Graphics (considering they will patch to polish it, probably); WEAK POINTS: - Exploration is a lot linear. Walking    Final Fantasy Remake oscilates between good and great, overall.

    STRONG POINTS:
    - Story. Also, its funny (i had some laughs) and exciting;
    - Battle system. It's really creative, i loved it because they mixed turn based rpg and action rpg greatly. Also, it's fun;
    - Graphics (considering they will patch to polish it, probably);

    WEAK POINTS:
    - Exploration is a lot linear. Walking between slums constantly feels like you are in a corridor;
    - Different slums feels like the same (they're kinda "cities");
    - Square Enix does not fully exploit the potential to explore new places. We could have the option to explore and know rich cities above the slums, but we barely touch these places. That was frustrating.
    - The IN GAME NPC walking animation is bad. It's a lot superficial, both in moviments and behavior. About behavior, for instance, it's common see NPC partners start running at the same time and, also, stop running at the same time when they're too distant from the player. Feels totally unnatural and robotic some times;
    - Side quests could've been a lot better and more meaningful, but they're kinda good enough i guess.
    - I feel like the extra content is small and that there isn't really nothing EPIC to conquer or to discover.

    NEUTRAL POINTS:
    - This is controversial: the game's ending. I think the game's ending is intriguing. But, if it is good or bad, it depends on how Square Enix will lead the next games.    … Expand
  2. ToolSnipeZ
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    first i wanna say that i have no nostalgia for the original game whatsoever. i didnt play it back then, i played it some years ago on steam. havent played all the way through but i know the part of the game that this first part is covering.

    lets get this straight: ppl who call this a sequel have no idea what a sequel is. its a reimagening. and so far i love it. the game looks    first i wanna say that i have no nostalgia for the original game whatsoever. i didnt play it back then, i played it some years ago on steam. havent played all the way through but i know the part of the game that this first part is covering.

    lets get this straight: ppl who call this a sequel have no idea what a sequel is. its a reimagening. and so far i love it.

    the game looks stunning, i love that the side characters get their time to shine. it makes the world more believable as everyone cloud meets on this adventure matters more and interacts with him and the world in a more natural way. the battle system people say is that of FF15. they have not played FF15 then. ff 15 feels a lot clunkier and has way less complex systems. it is a very good expansion or reboot of the ff 15 system, that much is true.

    lets get some things out of the way that bother me:

    1) the english voice acting is mixed extremely quiet. i have turned ingame music and sound effects down and now i finally can understand what they say during parts with loud music.

    also: when the party members talk to you when traversing areas with population, as soon as you pass some npcs the game uncontrolably spits chunks of dialogue at you. you can sometimes not understand a single word and have to resort to reading the subtitles as they storm in. feels clunky. could have been solved by sidechaining the npc talk whenever somebody more important talks.

    particulary in the slum area, there are a lot of textures that wont load in to full detail. really breaks the immersion, i hope they fix that soon in a patch. i first thought that they where sloppy in development, but this doesnt seem to be the case as sometimes textures reload afterwards and look fine, and sometimes they just dont for basically forever. especially ground textures and doors/signs are impacted by that.

    other than that i love the altered concepts which i wont spoil. i love the drawn out story. you can never really predict whats gonna happen next, is it gonna be something similiar or something that was never in the original.

    also i like that they kept the materia system and added summons very early into the game.

    the combat has a really nice flow to it where you are basically waiting for cooldowns while also planning the next move and at the same time that slight unpredicatability, especially in bossfights.

    i cannot understand for the life of me while people would call this cheap or a ripoff. people who where hyped for this game as a remake knew what the combat would be like. they knew they would only get part of the story. how did they think this was gonna be achieved other than adding tons of content in between the original plotpoints and setpieces. and it really doesnt feel out of place. it feels like a fanfiction that acts like its a book based on the original game.

    for me it achieves what i expected: its a modern stage for an amazing tesla/steampunk fantasy universe with timeless story. i couldnt have imagined an action jrpg to doing a better job at breathing life into this story.

    you could compare this to the hobbit, which was also an original story drawn out into 3 movies. but here it works, because there is thought and heart put into it and you can tell. i wouldnt have it any other way. this story works as a saga. probably some jrpgs could be a saga, as rich as the universe and plots often are.    … Expand
  3. Arikaen1984
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    My only real gripe with the game is some camera issues when in tight places and some low res textures. Aside from that this game is amazing. I look forward to part 2.
  4. GamergodsFail
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    FF7 Remake may be the best installment in the series over the last 20 years. It's an exceptionally well put together adventure that does its original Midgar segment justice. Here we have great writing, better fleshed out characters, addicting combat and a phenominal soundtrack. This is easily one of the best remakes of all time. I only wish it told the whole story, but I'll definitely beFF7 Remake may be the best installment in the series over the last 20 years. It's an exceptionally well put together adventure that does its original Midgar segment justice. Here we have great writing, better fleshed out characters, addicting combat and a phenominal soundtrack. This is easily one of the best remakes of all time. I only wish it told the whole story, but I'll definitely be back for the next act in this classic epic tale.… Expand
  5. Goalzzz
    Jun 4, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The orginal is one of the best games I ever played. This game is way different in terms of story and gameplay. It still has the same classic feeling. So far I played 5 hours in the game where I am enjoying my time so far because the game really keeps you engaged and wanting for more. The bad part is the game is linear and not open world which this I really liked the most about the original. I wish the continue the game outside Midgar with the PS5 that offer better specs to make that dream come true for all Final Fantasy fans.… Expand
  6. Linearskillz
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    This game is amazing from the beginning until the before-last chapter. It's clear, coherent, and beautiful. Unfortunately the ending goes completely bonkers at the last minute and I'm worried it might be heading in a weirdly convoluted Nomura-esque direction, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I am still very excited for future chapters.

    This would've been a 10/10 until the    This game is amazing from the beginning until the before-last chapter. It's clear, coherent, and beautiful. Unfortunately the ending goes completely bonkers at the last minute and I'm worried it might be heading in a weirdly convoluted Nomura-esque direction, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I am still very excited for future chapters.

    This would've been a 10/10 until the final chapter where it drops that point. It's unfortunate because the production values at the end are through the roof.

    I have no problems with the original story being altered I just don't want it to be become a stupid convoluted mess like Nomura's previous works (I'm looking at you KH).

    Took me 38 hours doing everything you can do in 1 playthrough while taking my time, talking to all NPCs, etc.    … Expand
  7. diegoleao
    Dec 2, 2020
    9
    This game is a true reimagining of the original game we all know and love. The music is insane, the story beats are all there and expanded, and they nailed the characters. I just hoped they had better side quests, they feel completely souless and the only reason to do them is to experience the great combat. There are some crazy people in the reviews here criticizing the battle system (akaThis game is a true reimagining of the original game we all know and love. The music is insane, the story beats are all there and expanded, and they nailed the characters. I just hoped they had better side quests, they feel completely souless and the only reason to do them is to experience the great combat. There are some crazy people in the reviews here criticizing the battle system (aka one of the best parts of the game), these people need to chill. This is the closest you can get to full turn based and it is glorious! You can't really ask for better bosses. Even a minor character shows up as a great boss. Just don't do all the side quests, just get a taste to how they feel in the first section (go ahead do them all), and you will know how bad they are (it never changes). I hate myself for doing almost all of the sidequests because it takes away from the game SO much. They are the worst mmo garbage quests in one horrible package. You get sick of it. So just do a third of them for each area and move on! The game would be a 10 without those, but remember, you don't have to do them (even the rewards are very bad). People are so childish, there is no gun to your head to make you do anything. The rest is just brilliant!… Expand
  8. Allyptic
    Feb 18, 2021
    9
    Great game with a huge focus on story, characters, and world-building. I don't remember the last time when the story absorbed me so much. Yes, there are few bugs here are there, but nothing game-breaking. Usually minor visual glitches.
  9. kingjohn94
    Apr 12, 2020
    9
    Amazing game! I have had high expectations form this game since been waiting a long time for it and it smash them,you can se they put a lot effort into it and wanted to make a special game only negative I've got is the side quest could f been more fulfilling and there are some small graphical problem other then that it is great.If you love final fantasy you will love this game.
  10. Juniorprice
    Apr 30, 2020
    9
    Jogo muito bom, apesar de alguns problemas de textura e ser em partes, poderia ter esperado um pouco mais para polir o jogo antes de lançar.
  11. SquallL
    Apr 25, 2021
    9
    7 points for Tifa, 1 point for Aerith, 1 point for Jessie, 0.5 points for the story and 0.5 points for the beautiful world. Minus 1 point for the combat system, because the original turn-based was better. Total 9 points.
  12. LatinCritic13
    Dec 10, 2020
    9
    Final Fantasy VII Remake is everything you expect from a remake and it is glorious. This isn’t the complete package that every diehard VII fans were expecting, but our time in Midgar will keep us waiting for more whenever Square Enix is ready for Parts 2 and 3 to be released. If you’re new to RPG gaming and love anime, you will indeed love this game.
  13. Amleida
    Apr 15, 2020
    9
    It’s not an absolutely perfect, flawless game, and I have some issues with the game’s general pacing, but Final Fantasy 7R as a whole is a great experience. I especially appreciate how they’ve modified the weapon and materia systems.

    Even typically assumed weaker weapons can be useful now, as it’s all a matter of play style, and weapons you may have left to collect dust sometimes become    It’s not an absolutely perfect, flawless game, and I have some issues with the game’s general pacing, but Final Fantasy 7R as a whole is a great experience. I especially appreciate how they’ve modified the weapon and materia systems.

    Even typically assumed weaker weapons can be useful now, as it’s all a matter of play style, and weapons you may have left to collect dust sometimes become useful again as your character levels up and all weapons receive new «weapon spheres» that sometimes add unique bonuses depending on the weapon it’s for. Good examples of this are one of Cloud’s later weapons and Tifa’s early weapon, Iron Fist, which has insane physical damage at any point in the game, but at the expense of magic damage.

    Cloud’s late game weapon, on the other hand, has low physical damage, but higher magic damage that somewhat allows him to overcome his general lack of magical proficiency - especially, considering it comes with an attached ability that I won’t spoil. Feom what I recall, the Materia system in the original game wasn’t this complex, as it sometimes matters whether you place them in the weapon or armor slots, and there are tons of combinations that allow for more strategy. Final Fantasy 7R is an excellent game that I didn’t accept imnediately. It doesn’t always quite capture the essence of the original game, in my opinion - not to the extent that I would’ve desired from a more purist point of view anyway, but it doesn’t seem like that was Nomura’s intention. It’s a re-imagination of the original game, and for what it is, they’ve done certain things well above expectations, and other things not so well. It does have a fair share of minor flaws, and I found the pacing a bit frustrating at times, but it also surprised me how polished the game feels. It’s definitely an ambitious game, and I’m really excited to find out what happens next, because when FF7R doesn’t beat around the bush with it’s often slow pacing and mostly underwhelming side-quests, it tells a story that becomes drastically more epic and immersive towards the last few hours of the experience.    … Expand
  14. McWidgets
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    Everything I hoped it would be. Can't stop thinking about how the next games will turn out, and if other FF's will get a remake and how those will be.

    Square is one of the best game developers in history and is currently shining bright again, after a rocky period. Every game I've purchased from them has delivered a quality experience recently. So excited to see where things go!
  15. Ultima12
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    This is SquareEnix best showing since FFX on PS2 a game this shares a lot of world design with. They took the stagger system from FF 13 added it to FF 15 and created a rewarding combat system. The story beats are excellent. Wall Market was the most fun I have had gaming since Doom Eternal two weeks ago but same deal near perfect. Some texture issues stopped me from a 10. This game is pureThis is SquareEnix best showing since FFX on PS2 a game this shares a lot of world design with. They took the stagger system from FF 13 added it to FF 15 and created a rewarding combat system. The story beats are excellent. Wall Market was the most fun I have had gaming since Doom Eternal two weeks ago but same deal near perfect. Some texture issues stopped me from a 10. This game is pure on your seat fun strap in for a focused hard hitting opening to FF 7 remake.… Expand
  16. Alexandr2001
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    Magnificent game,best Final Fantasy since FF12!
    Graphics,music,gameplay are insane!
    And the story is still funny,epic and emotional ... don't miss this game,guys!
  17. BrandonTayt
    May 6, 2020
    9
    Its a good, beautiful game! Combat is interesting and some battles will require some strategy and skill, but some can be reduced to button mashing. I will say that some of the dialog can be cringy but hey, it's a jrpg so that is to be expected. Since each entry is its own contained story, this is a great way to introduce a noob to the FF franchise.
  18. Jamejarrs
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    FF7R learns from the mistakes of FF15 and creates a great blend of strategy and action RPG gameplay that really shines with a full party. Managing everyone's HP, MP, and ATB keeps you thinking instead of mindlessly mashing the attack button and each character feels truly unique. This is all wrapped in a visually beautiful package.

    If I had one gripe, I wish the game wasn't so    FF7R learns from the mistakes of FF15 and creates a great blend of strategy and action RPG gameplay that really shines with a full party. Managing everyone's HP, MP, and ATB keeps you thinking instead of mindlessly mashing the attack button and each character feels truly unique. This is all wrapped in a visually beautiful package.

    If I had one gripe, I wish the game wasn't so straightforward; for most of the game I feel like I'm constantly being pushed forward and not being encouraged to explore the world.

    I'm excited to see where they take this in part 2!    … Expand
  19. Weeeeee711
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Combat 6...targeting, camera and ai needs work
    Side missions 8..but stop guilt tripping me to do them RIGHT when the story REALLY picks up!
    Music 9...really good! Atmosphere 10...perfect..just needs a photo mode Voice acting/characters 10..everyone did great and all the characters (with a name, at least) have value! Story 10...Not sure where it's going..but love all the depth they put    Combat 6...targeting, camera and ai needs work
    Side missions 8..but stop guilt tripping me to do them RIGHT when the story REALLY picks up!
    Music 9...really good!
    Atmosphere 10...perfect..just needs a photo mode
    Voice acting/characters 10..everyone did great and all the characters (with a name, at least) have value!
    Story 10...Not sure where it's going..but love all the depth they put into it.

    it's hard to grade something that's 1/6 done and can be updated at random..but currently, a 9 sounds fair.

    For all that are new OR haven't seen it yet..go watch/play Crisis Core!    … Expand
  20. Rosapantern
    Jun 27, 2020
    9
    Amazing Remake, the music is top notch, story is really intresting, love watching the cutscences, Graphic is just WOW, Combat is alot of fun for me i love the way they implemented the combat, I finaly finnish the game i never finnished as a kid but as the remake, im so happy they did this! 10/10 Remake 9/10 game overhaul.
  21. IJL711
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Having just completed the game, I... ... ....... huh.

    It was a good game. You should play it.
  22. Lekhter
    Apr 27, 2020
    9
    Great remake of a great game. But I hope the ending will not break already existing plot and just provide us a possibility to play differently. Waiting for sequel (and Advent children please).
  23. Frosty1979
    Apr 18, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Always wanted to have the option to save Aerith. So I have no problem with where they are going with the story. I can understand that people, who care less about Aerith, are kinda pissed about the ending though. ;)… Expand
  24. Sherrdreamz
    Jul 8, 2020
    9
    Final Fantasy VII may be among the highest acclaim videogames of all time. To follow up on such a prized experience was always going to be a challenging and deeply scrutinized endeavor. The first part of this remake of this beloved tale provides greater focus on the characters and their interactions, aswell as life within and below the technological metropolis of Midgar.

    Square Enix in    Final Fantasy VII may be among the highest acclaim videogames of all time. To follow up on such a prized experience was always going to be a challenging and deeply scrutinized endeavor. The first part of this remake of this beloved tale provides greater focus on the characters and their interactions, aswell as life within and below the technological metropolis of Midgar.

    Square Enix in addition to expanding upon the abundant lore and world of FF VII has masterfully crafted a combat system that blends aspects of their previous games into what can only be described as a perfect marriage of a turn-based and action centric fighting system. The chapter based scenes devided by linear and non-linear setpieces was a smart choice to really get a sense of Midgar and its massive scope

    Any fan of JRPG's or the steampunk realm of modern Final Fantasy can't go wrong with FF7R. While many have been critical of the brave new direction that Square Enix has taken the story. What they have already managed to accomplish has many fans cautiously optimistic for the second part of this monumental game that may end up redefining the JRPG genre more than 20 years since the original took the world by storm and left a legacy that few pieces of media have ever come close to matching.    … Expand
  25. BigBossHayabusa
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Fantastic game overall, very disappointing ending to someone who holds the original in very high regard. Newcomers will be confused and old players will be unhappy with the ending. Hopefully in the second remake they fix the few camera problems and fix the story after this ending. After my 38 hour play through, this is an amazing experience you shouldn’t miss.

    9.3/10
  26. GameHunter
    May 4, 2020
    9
    This game is a marvel to look at. I can’t remember the last time I felt so part of a games word. Maybe the first Red Dead Redemption many years ago. Honestly this game has me under its spell. Before I started this game I took the original game for a walk. Just to get back into the club. And so far I can say they’ve improved the storytelling 100% since the original. They’ve also done theThis game is a marvel to look at. I can’t remember the last time I felt so part of a games word. Maybe the first Red Dead Redemption many years ago. Honestly this game has me under its spell. Before I started this game I took the original game for a walk. Just to get back into the club. And so far I can say they’ve improved the storytelling 100% since the original. They’ve also done the graphics and music justice by setting the bar for this generation of gaming, just as the original did so long ago in it’s time. The only very slight downside is the battles. I’m not feeling it 100%. But I am feeling it enough not to hate it. I should mention I’m playing on normal difficulty. There’s also easy and classic. I’m assuming Classic has a closer feel to the original and maybe would’ve been more up my alley. But overall this is a true masterpiece and it would be a crime against gaming to ignore it. Unless you absolutely despise RPG’s, you will love this.… Expand
  27. Leandro_MRE
    Apr 25, 2021
    9
    The Final Fantasy VII Remake is one of the best games i have played in the PS5, though it is a PS4 title. Its soundtrack, improved upon the original, is a masterpiece. The story is great except for the final act of Chapter 18, which, in my opinion, is a little bit disjuncted. Chapter 11 is unnecessary. The gameplay also improved upon previous FF titles and, in my opinion, is the best inThe Final Fantasy VII Remake is one of the best games i have played in the PS5, though it is a PS4 title. Its soundtrack, improved upon the original, is a masterpiece. The story is great except for the final act of Chapter 18, which, in my opinion, is a little bit disjuncted. Chapter 11 is unnecessary. The gameplay also improved upon previous FF titles and, in my opinion, is the best in the series. However, the HARD mode is too punishing to a point it is pointless. PS4 trophies are sometimes boring. For these reasons, i subtratected 1.0 from a possible 10, considering the the whole story is not there too. But the game is full of great moments, and they are more than one reason to play it.… Expand
  28. SuperDuck23
    Apr 11, 2021
    9
    As this is my first experience with the Final Fantasy series, I had zero expectations going in. I found this game to be an intriguing first part that is delightful when the all the pieces gel. The characters are great and for the most part the story is engaging - although I admit it lost me in the last chapter. I suppose the next instalment will answer some of my questions. While the gameAs this is my first experience with the Final Fantasy series, I had zero expectations going in. I found this game to be an intriguing first part that is delightful when the all the pieces gel. The characters are great and for the most part the story is engaging - although I admit it lost me in the last chapter. I suppose the next instalment will answer some of my questions. While the game is a slow burn and some of the side missions feel unnecessary, I was never bored and couldn't wait to see where the game was headed. My biggest criticism would be the repetitive nature of the combat and some of the checkpoints towards the later stages in the game. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy VII Remake and will surely be playing Part 2 when it comes out.… Expand
  29. Rockboss
    May 21, 2020
    9
    The fighting system was a little exhausting in the beginning but got better and better the more you get used to it. Hard mode was just fun. The characters are amazing. The story is awesome. Great Game.
  30. DoctorZack
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    This is a well developed EXPANSION of a SECTION of one game. The biggest problem with the game are the entitled fans who set the bar to some insane un-matchable level.

    Is this "remake" perfect? Heck no. But it is ridiculously smart about what it wants to TRY to achieve. Music crescendos and is incredibly crafted. Combat is intense, makes you actually think rather than bludgeoning    This is a well developed EXPANSION of a SECTION of one game. The biggest problem with the game are the entitled fans who set the bar to some insane un-matchable level.

    Is this "remake" perfect? Heck no. But it is ridiculously smart about what it wants to TRY to achieve.

    Music crescendos and is incredibly crafted.
    Combat is intense, makes you actually think rather than bludgeoning your X button, and actually drive the players toward becoming skilled rather than just stat buffing.
    Utilization of materia and gear is significantly more robust than a classic JRPG. No more just junking weak gear, and materia load-out has a significant impact on how fights can play out.
    Glow-ups of classic characters are remarkably well; realistically refined as opposed to the cartoonish style they were in the original. (Limitations of being developed in 1996)

    Honestly the only reason I don't give this game a 10 is because it suffers from a zealous degree of hand-holding (tutorials and fixed camera segments) and some awkward camera focus issues.    … Expand
  31. NWLH
    May 15, 2020
    9
    This is NOT FF7 Remastered, it's FF7 Remake. There is an unbelievably huge difference between the two words. Square Enix released FF8 Remastered last year so they clearly understand the difference. If this was to be a remaster, they would have called it a remaster. They didn't though, they called it a remake because they are remaking the game. Maybe one day we'll get FF7 Remastered, butThis is NOT FF7 Remastered, it's FF7 Remake. There is an unbelievably huge difference between the two words. Square Enix released FF8 Remastered last year so they clearly understand the difference. If this was to be a remaster, they would have called it a remaster. They didn't though, they called it a remake because they are remaking the game. Maybe one day we'll get FF7 Remastered, but until then we have FF7 Remake.

    With that out of the way, this game gave me all of the nostalgia I could ever want, a healthy dose of new lore and story revolving around side characters which lead to greater immersion in to the city of Midgar, and scenes with vistas that made the world seem immensely larger than the original. The combat system was somewhat difficult to get used to as it's different than the original, but that made the game feel new and modern.    … Expand
  32. karioth
    May 10, 2020
    9
    With this Remake, Square Enix embarked on a truly impossible task to remake one of the most beloved games in history in a way that pissed off the least number of people. Everything from the original game with simply updated graphics, to a completely new experience and opportunity to change certain story outcomes was hotly demanded by fans. Given this, I think SE did a masterful job tryingWith this Remake, Square Enix embarked on a truly impossible task to remake one of the most beloved games in history in a way that pissed off the least number of people. Everything from the original game with simply updated graphics, to a completely new experience and opportunity to change certain story outcomes was hotly demanded by fans. Given this, I think SE did a masterful job trying to balance all of this out, and the game was very polished and detailed right out of the gate, with no obvious corners cut.

    All that being said, it truly deserves a 9 if not scaring a 10, and anyone rating substantially less is likely someone who wanted a very specific outcome and didn't get it, rather than someone evaluating the game on it's independent merits.    … Expand
  33. Sergio97costa
    Apr 15, 2020
    9
    Amazing game! It’s my favorite final fantasy game of all time! Waiting for part 2!
  34. adamtheclark
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    FF VII Remake takes everything you loved about the original and expands upon it, layers it on top of new events, and it all comes together like a delicious ice cream cake.

    GAMEPLAY: It's easy to find your niche when it comes to fighting and this works for the entire game on Easy/Classic and Normal (to an extent). It's not until you play Hard mode that creative and tactical thinking is    FF VII Remake takes everything you loved about the original and expands upon it, layers it on top of new events, and it all comes together like a delicious ice cream cake.

    GAMEPLAY: It's easy to find your niche when it comes to fighting and this works for the entire game on Easy/Classic and Normal (to an extent). It's not until you play Hard mode that creative and tactical thinking is essential. Inviting intense challenge while avoiding beating you over the head with it is one spot where FF VII R truly shines. My only complaint was the lack of usefully enemy skills but not even enough to take off a full point. 9.5/10

    ATMOSPHERE: It took me so long to finish this game because I would find myself soaking in the striking scenery until I eventually forced myself to move on. The aftermath of the assault on Mako reactor 1, the Sector 7 Slums, the Shinra building exterior, and so much more left me in awe. 10/10

    CHARACTERS: It's FF VII vastly expanded. You delve into the relationships between members of Avalanche, something the original sadly did not include. 99% of the voice actors feel natural as their character although Square has always had problems with awkward NPC dialogue and random anime grunting but that's not something I can hold the VAs accountable for. Characters hold true to their original personalities but then they do happen to move beyond that, it's done very well, especially with Aerith. 9/10

    PLOT: This was the most divisive element of the game. Some people wanted a true retelling of FF VII (up to the end of Midgar) and not many fans were expecting a pretty severe divergence towards the end. After giving it some thought, I am fine with either way. I would have enjoyed the original story by now I am extremely excited (but also a little concerned) to see where we go from here. 8/10    … Expand
  35. Blu9016
    May 1, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing story, amazing graphics, very well blended battle mechanics of new and old. Very linear with side questing here and there but within a focused map. Character feel real, event are covered in so much detail that you feel at times this actually happened. Biggest no good is the Camera and lock-on mechanics which can be cumbersome at times. So much so that it can be more frustrating that losing an important battle. Just trying to see the enemy and attack a specific component of a boss takes so much concentration, it’s half the battle. Everything else is perfect.… Expand
  36. JWalker117
    Aug 15, 2020
    9
    Just recently i played the original Final Fantasy 7 before diving into the remake, i was thoroughly impressed by how fun it was and how sympathetic and relatable these characters are, and then the Remake arrived, and i loved it, its expansion and differences made me appreciate the original even more because its clear just how much the people behind Remake care about its characters and itsJust recently i played the original Final Fantasy 7 before diving into the remake, i was thoroughly impressed by how fun it was and how sympathetic and relatable these characters are, and then the Remake arrived, and i loved it, its expansion and differences made me appreciate the original even more because its clear just how much the people behind Remake care about its characters and its story and they believe in them.
    I know there's people that dont like the ending and what it implies, but you know what, im ALL IN for something new and exciting.
    Let's **** mosey babyyyyyy    … Expand
  37. Youngmetro
    Apr 20, 2020
    9
    Truly amazing . Reimagines the original so well, the dialogue is so natural . The combat system is very easy to pick up but hard to master with how much you can micro manage . On top of that the added depth and length of midgar is excellent and I love how they are not making a 1:1 remake of the original.The game looks and runs great even on my original ps4. The original ff7 was an amazingTruly amazing . Reimagines the original so well, the dialogue is so natural . The combat system is very easy to pick up but hard to master with how much you can micro manage . On top of that the added depth and length of midgar is excellent and I love how they are not making a 1:1 remake of the original.The game looks and runs great even on my original ps4. The original ff7 was an amazing game and it didn’t need to be tampered with so they didn’t and did something else and I personally think it’s better . I love this game and really excited for the later parts. I recommend you go into this game without any expectations or outside opinions . I did that and it really helped me enjoy the game for what it is. An amazing achievement in show casing the classic ff7 story in a new and fresh light for a new generation. I wish the ending would have been closer to the og ff7 however they did such a job i have faith it will end well… Expand
  38. KayVen17
    Apr 30, 2020
    9
    Alleine der Soundtrack ist ein Meisterwerk. Ein wirklich FAST perfektes Spiel, ABER... es ist halt nicht das ganze Spiel. Mal schauen was bald kommt, wenn die Nachfolger in der Qualität kommen..
    Kann man sich wirklich auf etwas freuen.
  39. HTGamer
    May 3, 2020
    9
    Final Fantasy VII Remake is the 1st part of the biggest and most ambitious videogame remake project ever. This release surely isn't perfect, but sets the stage for something truly memorable down the line.

    Disclaimer: I have played a bit of FF7 in the past but I'm not a FF7 purist, so you won't find here any criticisms like "oh they changed that story bit and it's awful" etc. It's just    Final Fantasy VII Remake is the 1st part of the biggest and most ambitious videogame remake project ever. This release surely isn't perfect, but sets the stage for something truly memorable down the line.

    Disclaimer: I have played a bit of FF7 in the past but I'm not a FF7 purist, so you won't find here any criticisms like "oh they changed that story bit and it's awful" etc. It's just the opinion of a first-timer (kind of).

    This remake focuses on the Midgar portion of the original game, which originally lasted a few hours, thus Square Enix have largely expanded the content, the story, the character arcs, introduced tons of boss fights, etc. in order to make it last 40 hours.

    I warn fans that some story bits of the original have been changed a bit (ignoring the new content, the overall plot is 95% the same as the original up until the end of the Midgar portion) and Square Enix hint that the story will change even more in the sequels, for better or worse. Treat it like a parallel universe relative to the original 1997 game. This remake is not just the same game with modern graphics, and that's what I appreciate most in remakes of this kind. At least Square Enix take creative chances and don't play it safe. Had it been a straight retelling of the original's story, it'd have been boring for everyone who's read about FF7's story, and even hardcore FF7 fans would have yawned at it.

    The story is pretty straight-forward but also heavily cryptic (thanks to it having to be continued in the sequels), so there is no clear resolution, just a cliff-hanger. With the expanded scope, nearly every character is fleshed out and has the chance to shine a bit. Cloud is a seemingly emotionless man of few words with a mysterious past, Tifa is a childhood friend of Cloud's, Aerith is a carefree florist with plenty of mystery surrounding her, the trio of Jessie/Wedge/Biggs make for some nice chat, and Barret is a father genuinely concerned about the planet and his daughter Marlene. Of course there couldn't be a FF7 game without Sephiroth, but he's more of a guest star and isn't fleshed out at all. Red XIII is introduced very late into the game and has no real time to shine, but he should be fleshed out in the sequels.

    Gameplay is the most important feature of any game and I can say Final Fantasy VII Remake has one of the best battle systems I have played on any JRPG. Gone are the battle screen transitions, you simply engage any foe encountered on the environment. Battles flow like a mix of real-time action and turn-based specials. You can move, dodge, execute basic attacks and guard in real time, while items/spells/special moves can be used only after the ATB bar has been filled. Same for limit breaks or summons, whose respective bars are slowly filled during prolongued battles. I just wish the combat was more challenging, Normal Difficulty is just too easy for me. I never had to use de-buffs or status ailment curatives, and I only lost and continued 3 times.

    Graphics are great overall. The use of Unreal Engine 4 brings about weird artefacts in some places later in the game (particularly inside the Shinra building with all their reflective surfaces), but main characters are rendered and animated beautifully. While there are a few CGI videos every now and then, at least 90% of the cinematics are rendered in real-time and are the most impressive of the generation so far. Performance is rock-solid 30 fps both during battle and real-time cinematics, even when the screen is filled with plenty of special effects.

    The soundtrack is mostly the same as the original score (obviously re-recorded) with a few new tracks or songs. The sound effects are great, as is most of the voice acting. Unfortunately Barret's growling voice tone is annoying, while voice actor James Horan (Skull Face in MGSV) is not the right choice for voicing President Shinra.

    But not everything is perfect with Final Fantasy VII Remake. There are some technical issues which detract from the game's overall high quality. As of posting, there is no patch for the game fixing any of the following issues (which are minor complaints, nothing major). 1st, quite often textures either pop-in right in front of the camera, or fail to load the high-res version and remain in a low-res, jagged mess. 2nd, the overabundance of narrow corridors and "hold Triangle button" sections, which are invisible loading screens actually. 3rd, the level design is linear and almost on-rails, reminding me of the dreadful FF13.

    All in all, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a virtually flawless game in what it attempts to do. It's not easy for Square Enix to develop this remake while also meeting and exceeding fans' expectations. I definitely had a good time playing through the game and wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.    … Expand
  40. arostislavna
    Apr 17, 2021
    9
    This game is fantastic, however I am not a fan of it only being part 1 of FF7, so it does not deserve full marks.

    I will commend Square Enix for the realization of Cloud's PTSD/Dissociation/"Soldier programming".
    My partner is diagnosed with both PTSD, and Dissociation disorder and we declare this game has handled the condition well.
  41. pieguard
    Apr 25, 2020
    9
    An amazing retelling of one of the best games of all time. The combat feels fresh but was a bit frustrating at times. I played through 75% of the game on normal then switched to easy because the difficulty and some specific mechanics were hindering my ability to enjoy the story. The music is insanely well done and visuals are as good as they come for 2020. This first part of ff7 is a lotAn amazing retelling of one of the best games of all time. The combat feels fresh but was a bit frustrating at times. I played through 75% of the game on normal then switched to easy because the difficulty and some specific mechanics were hindering my ability to enjoy the story. The music is insanely well done and visuals are as good as they come for 2020. This first part of ff7 is a lot of plot setup, so I understand the linear style. I hope part two opens up and ends up being closer to what ff15 was.… Expand
  42. nmartins10
    May 24, 2020
    9
    This is my first FF game, so I can't compare it to the original. But for me this is an amazing game. The gameplay is fantastic, the combat is awesome and the story is very engaging. Can't wait to play the next part!
  43. jocariba
    Jul 5, 2020
    9
    No esperes que sea el mismo juego como el original, se toma muchísimas libertades tanto creativas, como en muchos otros temas, pero la verdad es que es un juego espectacular, cerca de ser perfecto, el sistema de combate es muy divertido, la historia es muy buena, gráficamente de lo mejor que existe, contenido bastante extenso, música increíble, no parece que fuera un juego "recortado" enNo esperes que sea el mismo juego como el original, se toma muchísimas libertades tanto creativas, como en muchos otros temas, pero la verdad es que es un juego espectacular, cerca de ser perfecto, el sistema de combate es muy divertido, la historia es muy buena, gráficamente de lo mejor que existe, contenido bastante extenso, música increíble, no parece que fuera un juego "recortado" en capítulos… Expand
  44. artificeprime
    Apr 16, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are so many things about this game that not only met my high expectations but went even beyond what I thought they could achieve. I am a big fan of Final Fantasy but for 15 years the series has disappointed me. In so many ways this game is a return to form, a return to the core of what I consider the elements that make the Final Fantasy series so special. The world building, the story telling, the characters and the spectacle. I would say that at least 90% of this game was exactly what I wanted it to be. It provides a truly current gen recreation of an amazing experience that could never fully be expressed when it was created over 20 years ago. For the 10% that wasn't exactly what I was hoping for, it isn't bad necessarily but it is a departure that left me somewhat disappointed and fearful of what may or may not come next.

    Despite any disappointment I had though, this is without question one of my favorite games of this generation and in many ways, one of the most impressive games ever made. I haven't been this immersed in a game since Breath of the Wild. Like Breath of the Wild, the ending was what I consider the low point of the experience, but in a very different way. The ending is not bad, it is just a departure from the original game whether or not that departure will turn out to be better or worse in the long run, I won't be able to say until the story has reached its conclusion.

    Gameplay is definitely a vast improvement over the original. Traversal is still pretty limited, compared to other action games, but there is a lot more interesting traversal than there was in the original, though it is all still scripted. The combat system is one of the best action RPG systems I have ever experienced. Each character has a very distinct move set, with wide array of unique abilities that are unlocked by obtaining new weapons. Materia returns and is pretty similar to the original game but the way it is used is well balanced and interesting. Customizing your abilities and character builds is very simple and intuitive, I never felt like I had to spend too much time in menus and when I did it was interesting enough. The only thing about combat that I really disliked compared to the original was how summoning works. I really didn't like that summoning is only available in specific battles and you have limited control of when it can be used. You can also only use 1 summoning per battle. I really liked summon rushing in some of the other games. Being able to use multiple summons in a battle was super fun for over killing enemies and creating massive spectacles.

    The Story is, for the most part, is a big step up over the original Midgar section. Each aspect of the plot is explained in greater detail with greater context. It shows so much more of what is going on it the world and plants the seeds of many things that are yet to come in a way that is more believable. For example, Shinra seems like a far bigger organization with far more complex plans. We get to see their propaganda machine in full swing and see how each department is operating. AVALANCHE is also fleshed out as a group as being far more than simply Barret's team. Each boss is also presented with far greater context and new ones are added which enrich the story more. For example, Air Buster is shown being assembled before you ever get to fight it. The story is full of moments that show the scale of Midgar the how it functions. Wutai is fleshed out more etc. There are only a couple complaints I have with the story. One big complaint I have with the story, is Sephiroth, the way he was handled was with far less subtly and far less dramatic payoff. In the original, you don't get to see Sephiroth until after leaving Midgar, and that is how I believe it should have been left. Sephiroth's reveal was so gradual, he was such a presence of terror. The first experience you get of Sephiroth is seeing his sword sticking out of a dead President Shinra on his desk. Up until that moment, President Shinra seemed like the biggest threat. That moment was far less interesting in the Remake. The other big problem I had was the overall ending, the breaking of the timeline and the resurrection of certain characters. The fact that so many characters live really weakened the sense of loss that the characters should all have experienced upon leaving Midgar.

    With the exception of the ending. The Characters are handled perfectly, they are iconic, but more than just iconic they have substance, and appeal. The Remake captures exactly what I loved about these characters in the original but also expands upon it in leaps and bounds. I felt like I got to know every single character in a far more meaningful way than I did in the original. I also felt that the characters got to know each other in more meaningful ways. All of the characters get moments to connect, grow and work together in combinations that I never expected.    … Expand
  45. Alvokun
    Dec 19, 2021
    9
    To me this is a perfect example of how a classic game ought to be rebooted. The 1997 original game is but an inspiration, as they have updated a large number of aspects: gameplay, graphics and even the story. Most of these changes are wise and foster the creation of a new series of game. I must admit I did not expect the Remake to be like this at the beginning, but on second thought, thisTo me this is a perfect example of how a classic game ought to be rebooted. The 1997 original game is but an inspiration, as they have updated a large number of aspects: gameplay, graphics and even the story. Most of these changes are wise and foster the creation of a new series of game. I must admit I did not expect the Remake to be like this at the beginning, but on second thought, this a much more sensible game nowadays.… Expand
  46. weskergamer
    Apr 21, 2020
    9
    Another GOTY contender for this year, i really enjoyed i never played the original so i didn't care much about the changes in the story but i didn't like the final chapter, it was a KH final battle completely unnecessary, i hope that even if i didn't play the original i would prefer to experience the original story and not a new one. But nonetheless i loved the gameplay, the music was oneAnother GOTY contender for this year, i really enjoyed i never played the original so i didn't care much about the changes in the story but i didn't like the final chapter, it was a KH final battle completely unnecessary, i hope that even if i didn't play the original i would prefer to experience the original story and not a new one. But nonetheless i loved the gameplay, the music was one of the best this generation, and the graphics were outstanding. I fell in love with Tifa's abs tbh… Expand
  47. calibur66
    Apr 16, 2020
    9
    This game is comes with a caveat, that is, if you are looking for a 1:1 recreation of the original game and hoping not a single thing will change, you are going to be disappointed, but I also think this is the wrong way to think about remakes, personally.

    Outside of that point, this game is an audible, visual and game-play delight. It has so many faithful and loving recreations of    This game is comes with a caveat, that is, if you are looking for a 1:1 recreation of the original game and hoping not a single thing will change, you are going to be disappointed, but I also think this is the wrong way to think about remakes, personally.

    Outside of that point, this game is an audible, visual and game-play delight.

    It has so many faithful and loving recreations of locations, enemies and characters with only a few characters having major changes to them, usually for the better. The combat is a great mixture of modern final fantasy and the original ATB system, that allows for some great combo-ing that results in some truly awesome "explosions" of damage when your whole team executes moves simultaneously.

    The only major point that people have legitimate feelings of contention towards is the changes in story, which mostly stem from personal opinions instead of genuinely factual improving or Damaging of the original story. For me personally, these changes were neither for the better or worse, they clearly were put there to specifically NOT destroy the original and instead offer a narrative that's both nostalgic for fans as well as giving them something that isn't note for note the same thing again, whilst also not spoiling story beats for the new people, though it will likely be slightly less impactful for newcomers as there is a definite focus on giving fans their service.

    I have to address the BIZARRE argument (From an admittedly small minority) that the game has no subtlety and that all emotional weight has been removed from 'ruined' moments such as Cloud and Aerith's first meeting:

    This is just wrong. While you may personally enjoy the original versions more for whatever reason, but between the cinematography, (mostly) great voice acting/dialogue and absolutely magical soundtrack, there is no way you can argue such a false notion as a lack of emotion or subtlety.

    Don't skip out on this game unless you genuinely have no interest in Final fantasy or RPGs. Whether you only care about the story, or only care about the combat, both are more than good enough to be worth the price and the amount of content available overall is far surpassing the price tag of the game, that's if something like game length is a key point for you.    … Expand
  48. Rstiles7
    Sep 20, 2020
    9
    Let me start off by sayin that I have never played Final Fantasy VII and know practically nothing about it either. This review is coming from the perspective of someone who is completely new to this game's world and characters, so I cannot say anything for the original game. But what I can say is that the remake is truly a fantastic game.

    The aspect of this game I enjoyed the most was    Let me start off by sayin that I have never played Final Fantasy VII and know practically nothing about it either. This review is coming from the perspective of someone who is completely new to this game's world and characters, so I cannot say anything for the original game. But what I can say is that the remake is truly a fantastic game.

    The aspect of this game I enjoyed the most was the combat, and man was it awesome. The game gives you four different characters to control, all of which not only are fun to play as but also feel completely different from each other. Also, switching between characters during combat is not only seamless but helps to add another layer of strategy to the battles. In terms of the boss battles, there is a huge variety with some being a great challenge and others providing a wonderful spectacle. I won't name any bosses to avoid spoilers, but just know that some of the endgame bosses are truly exhilarating. Finally, the wide variety of special moves and spells the characters could pull off was a great way to mix things up, as certain enemies encouraged the use of these in very strategic ways. All and all, the combat in this game is simply excellent.

    Now I will discuss the story, which is the area of the game I will have to be the most critical. I definitely don't think the story is bad but it's not good either, it's just ok. Most of what occurred felt pretty predictable, and when it wasn't predictable it made very little sense in all the wrong ways. That's not to say it doesn't have its great moments (Chapter 9 was an absolute banger), but they just felt too uncommon. However, I can say that I did like this game's main characters, as they were all likeable and had a strong purpose for being involved in the action. The side characters are a lot weaker, but this game definitely nails the most important ones. To address this game's ending, I don't want to spoil anything, but I am going to say that the everything that happens within it is poorly explained and makes no sense. I don't know what it means for the story of the next game, but I can say that right now it feels rather incoherent. Overall, not a bad story, but far from being one of the best stories I've seen in a JRPG.

    Now that I've discussed the two most important parts of this game, I'd like to address some of its smaller aspects. First off, the side quests, while rather simple, I found myself enjoying the loop of completing them. Maybe it was only because I felt a strong attachment to the world, but I had a great time with the side quests regardless. Speaking of the world, it definitely felt fleshed out within the character department, but I didn't like the way it was designed. It felt too compacted, as if everything was designed like a one-way tunnel, so I was really disappointed the game didn't balance this out with more open and expansive levels. Also, I really didn't appreciate how long it took to kill certain enemies, as they were given far more health than they had any right to which really made fights drag on for too long. Finally, some of the other smaller things I liked included the soundtrack, minigames, and entertaining dialogue.

    Final Fantasy VII Remake is not only a great game, but it's one that really surprised me. I feel like this game is probably more of an 8/10, but given that this is the first time a Final Fantasy game has really impressed me I decided to be generous and give it a 9/10. If you're looking for an enjoyable JRPG with a strong action combat system then this game is one you cannot miss out on. As long as the sequel has a more impressive story and a greater focus on expansive level design, then I think we could be in for a masterpiece. But for right now, I'm so glad I gave this game a try, as it was truly a wonderful experience.    … Expand
  49. GeorgeLets
    May 2, 2020
    9
    The game meets my expectations as an old final fantasy fan. The combat is not turned based but we can’t have it all.. the characters are great voice acting is very good for the main characters but I can’t say the same for the side characters. The music is very good too. The graphics are great except the muddy textures that exist (hope that it gets fixed) no other complaints the game runsThe game meets my expectations as an old final fantasy fan. The combat is not turned based but we can’t have it all.. the characters are great voice acting is very good for the main characters but I can’t say the same for the side characters. The music is very good too. The graphics are great except the muddy textures that exist (hope that it gets fixed) no other complaints the game runs great. Better play the game in normal mode because the easy has no challenge at all. The story is great and makes you care for the characters very much, in my opinion it is successfully realized storytelling. Love the game hope the next one comes soon!!!!… Expand
  50. dr0nzer
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    Definitely a re-imagined title, whilst the fundamentals are built around the original, it has expanded it's world far beyond the source material, Midgar's depth is familiar yet new, the soundtrack is a true remaster, the materia and item system is as I remember and one of the best, the summons I'm not sure I'm a fan of but like the updated combat system it grew on it and voice acting was aDefinitely a re-imagined title, whilst the fundamentals are built around the original, it has expanded it's world far beyond the source material, Midgar's depth is familiar yet new, the soundtrack is a true remaster, the materia and item system is as I remember and one of the best, the summons I'm not sure I'm a fan of but like the updated combat system it grew on it and voice acting was a welcomed addition.
    Square needs to be careful of how much it's changing/adding to this title, particularly as the source is an important title in video game history. Definitely worth a play and definitely was a fun experience.    … Expand
  51. Koodle0101
    Apr 22, 2020
    9
    A TON of extremely high highs! Some lows. Nearly perfect but not quite there.

    In short, this game is a wild experience and it's extremely fun to play! The game managed to combine great strategic elements with fast-paced, action-packed, elements to deliver something we've never seen before. At the end of the game you'll be left wanting more enemies and bosses to fight, more of the story,    A TON of extremely high highs! Some lows. Nearly perfect but not quite there.

    In short, this game is a wild experience and it's extremely fun to play! The game managed to combine great strategic elements with fast-paced, action-packed, elements to deliver something we've never seen before. At the end of the game you'll be left wanting more enemies and bosses to fight, more of the story, and more of the overall experience. People who gave this game a bad score is being unreasonable. The game does so many things better than all the other games: amazing characterization, fantastic combat, great lore and story.

    Now with the flaws (not major enough to really dock points) buy they are very evident cannot be ignored:

    - Marketing. Apparently many people thought this was a completed original FF7 game from head to toe. Although I knew this, I can admit that it can be slightly misleading since there are not "parts" or "episodes" on the box. Rather, it only says "Remake" with small captions on the back of the box that explained the game being episodic. I don't personally find this worthy of docking a ton of points since I got over 60 hours out of this game so the value is worth it.

    - Bad and/or slow texture bugs on day 1 launch. It's something that is noticeable and does take away immersion a little. Game still plays fine and I haven't experience crashes or anything serious.

    - Aerial combat is a annoying. Luckily you don't fight too many aerial enemies but when you do the battle always feel extremely drawn out because you cannot get to the enemy and when you do the can only hit them a few times before falling. Aerial combat also potentiates the camera issue.

    - Camera issues. It's not horrible per se, rather, it's somewhat inconvenient? Even with the lock-on system I've used skilled in the opposite direction or miss a combo entirely just because of the way the camera is. You sort of have to constantly move it yourself. Many areas are too cramped or small and the camera is literally at your character's head and can barely see anything. Overall this can easily be fixed and i's more of an inconvenience than a deal-breaker.

    - Lastly is the pacing. Trust me, you'll be able to tell which part is pure 100% filler or padding. Some parts feel inorganically drawn out and overly long or no reason.

    Overall these are all technical issues that can be fixed. The core of the game: the story, combat, graphics, and characters are ALL fkin amazing. I'm on to getting Platinum while waiting for the next chapters.    … Expand
  52. h0mez
    Apr 20, 2020
    9
    Find it funny how all these purist are trying to low vote this game, the ending is amazing. they can go in any directing with this, ( they still staying true to the original FF7 ) for me a perfect 9, the only thing that was a bit disturbing were the textures. but not enough to lower my vote. lol
    to all the purist out there, Suck it. just go back to fortnite.
  53. RowanBlack
    Apr 25, 2020
    9
    Extremely enjoyable 40 hours. Having played the original and still own the discs purchased on release day years ago, I can say I enjoyed this re-imagining. The game is linear (which I believe is perfect for the story telling), has a great cast and gives insights into the world not seen in the original. It has minor imperfections but it is a must play game of 2020.
  54. ChrisUK
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Before the review: I strongly recommend the following settings to enjoy the game most: Japanese audio / voice, and lower the Music and Sound Effects to about 6, and leave Voice at 10. Camera settings: Set both to the maximum distance away, I think it's number 3. The American voice acting is horrible, and the camera further from your characters lets you see more of the world, and enemiesBefore the review: I strongly recommend the following settings to enjoy the game most: Japanese audio / voice, and lower the Music and Sound Effects to about 6, and leave Voice at 10. Camera settings: Set both to the maximum distance away, I think it's number 3. The American voice acting is horrible, and the camera further from your characters lets you see more of the world, and enemies better in battles.

    I'm about 20 hours in, taking my time trying to explore every part of the world, and playing on the standard PS4. Just arrived at the church. This game was always going to struggle to live up to it's own hype and legacy, especially with the long development time and limitations of the current generations of consoles, when we are so close to the next ones being released.

    Having said that, it looks beautiful (with some texture issues that can be forgiven and will hopefully be addressed with a patch), the music is amazing, and the game has heart and humour in spades. The side missions can be a little simplistic, some areas are a bit repetitive (although nowhere near as bad as a game like Persona 5), some environments and characters look better than others (a lot of attention seems to have been paid to the main characters, with the NPCs looking quite basic), and the camera in battle can be a pain, but all of these things pale in comparison to just walking around and experiencing this world and this story. For me personally, Horizon Zero Dawn set the benchmark for visuals on the PS4 for these types of games (you could compare the combat systems too if you wanted - action with tactical elements), and I'm not sure this reaches that level, especially with the NPCs.

    The more action-focussed direction they have taken it in seems like a natural evolution, and has been handled respectfully while still allowing for a tactical side to combat and planning, especially with managing your Materia and upgrading the weapons. I still prefer the system of Final Fantasy XII, where you could really select what each team member would be doing in more detail, and with this game I am never exactly sure what the person I am not controlling is doing, so I end up constantly switching between characters. You also can't choose, without switching to them and moving them, if they are standing further away or closer to enemies (for example if you want someone to cast spells and heal from a distance), which is a bit of an issue. In the original FFVII you could select which characters were at the front and back, at least.

    No doubt in the next instalment of Remake on PS5 the small technical issues we see here will have been addressed fully. I hope and imagine that this one will even work on PS5, and maybe if we are lucky the save files will be transferable too. With this sort of game, come at it with an open mind, and I think you will be rewarded. It is far from perfect, but it still stands head and shoulders above most other games out there right now.    … Expand
  55. metachirrup
    Jul 5, 2020
    9
    As a huge fan of the series, and in particular of FF7, this is more or less the best remake I could have hoped for. The recreation of the original music is fantastic. Some of the new music is a bit too generic, but it's still high quality. The new fighting system is really fantastic. A wonderful synthesis of new and old that combines perfectly with both tactical elements from the originalAs a huge fan of the series, and in particular of FF7, this is more or less the best remake I could have hoped for. The recreation of the original music is fantastic. Some of the new music is a bit too generic, but it's still high quality. The new fighting system is really fantastic. A wonderful synthesis of new and old that combines perfectly with both tactical elements from the original with mechanical elements that keep you moving. I had lost faith in JRPG combat systems of late that just seemed to have become a slog but this system is just right. Boss variety keeps things fresh and requires genuine thought at times instead of just mindless button mashing. The graphics are really flawless for the most part... how on earth are the characters somehow just as I imagined them to be when I was just looking at fan fiction and low polygon models before? That opening sequences... wow. Unfortunately there are exceptions to this with some low quality textures like the slums from above or the plates from below. I mean really, why wasn't there care put into them? One thing that I'm not sure is really a flaw but might not be for everyone is the cheesy acting. It kind of makes it hard to engage with the story at times, but then again, its quite possilbe that its just a faithful realisation of the text. However... it doesn't really come across well with voice acting. They could have toned it down a little. There is a certain amount of padding in the game but it isn't over the top and it tends to teach you something about the world in general. However, somehow it can feel a bit generic at times. Oh and I loved the mini-games :). They are silly but a nice distraction. All in all, top quality stuff. You can see the genius of the original game shine through in (almost) all its glory.… Expand
  56. Method__Man
    Nov 1, 2021
    9
    Great game overall. Would be near perfect except for a few things:

    1. Too linear. Yes later games ideally are less, but still 2. FETCH QUESTS. Remove these. No one ever likes this garbage padding 3. Micro cutscenes. We don’t need a micro cutscene every few seconds. It’s annoying 4. Gear and weaponry seem pointless more or less Otherwise the voice acting is superb, visuals superb. Story…    Great game overall. Would be near perfect except for a few things:

    1. Too linear. Yes later games ideally are less, but still 2. FETCH QUESTS. Remove these. No one ever likes this garbage padding
    3. Micro cutscenes. We don’t need a micro cutscene every few seconds. It’s annoying
    4. Gear and weaponry seem pointless more or less Otherwise the voice acting is superb, visuals superb. Story… of course superb

    The best part is how it fills out a LOT of atmosphere and backstory to midgar and avalanche. Some may not like this, but as the most fascinating part of the whole original game, it really needed it.    … Expand
  57. Gohax
    Apr 23, 2020
    9
    FINAL FANTASY 7 REMAKE is one of the most enjoyable games i played this year but there are somethings that pissed me off such as

    cons: the weapon upgrade system if done manually is literal hell it took me so much time to upgrade a weapon i didn't want to do the rest so i did switch it to auto upgrade so that the game decides what upgrades you need between balanced more on attack or    FINAL FANTASY 7 REMAKE is one of the most enjoyable games i played this year but there are somethings that pissed me off such as

    cons:
    the weapon upgrade system if done manually is literal hell it took me so much time to upgrade a weapon i didn't want to do the rest so i did switch it to auto upgrade so that the game decides what upgrades you need between balanced more on attack or more on defense even when i really wanted to sit down and upgrade each weapon by my own means i didn't do it just because every weapon takes so much time to upgrade

    it really felt like a lot of moments in the game are deliberately prolonged just to make the game longer what i mean by prolonging is that cloud sometimes will walk really really slow just to talk or do stuff and you'll just sit there bashing the run button yelling at him to just run

    what really pissed my off right after i noticed the deliberated prolonging of the game is that the game is split into parts and that a year from now they'll just sell the second part for 60 bucks which is a real cash grab in my opinion they should've just released the full and complete edition and just charge more money because there are more than one disc but who cares right lets just buy everything separately

    the dialog sometimes is really cringy and goofy and sometimes feels out of place and there are moments where the goofy dialog completely ruins the moment

    performance issues such as frames not loading and when you start to interact with an NPC you gotta wait for the conversation to load so you'll just stand there doing nothing awkwardly so they gotta fix that

    but even after all those cons all i can remember is the good and awesome moments the beautiful graphics the astounding music the world building and just everything feels so alive i really fell in love with the game even with all its quirks its one of the most enjoyable beautiful and fun game i played this year which brings me to my final score which is a 9 out of 10 although i'm still mad at square enix about the whole episodic bought separately thing i still love the game and i cant wait for part 2    … Expand
  58. Syl20
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    There's Sooooo many different ways they could've screwd this up and I'm glad they didn't!

    They sure dared changing it a lot while still keeping the original essence, nostalgia remains while feeling an undeniable refresh! The dynamic combat is a blast! It steers far from the original ATB but after a couple of encounters, you get the hang of it! I tought Capcom were doing great with    There's Sooooo many different ways they could've screwd this up and I'm glad they didn't!

    They sure dared changing it a lot while still keeping the original essence, nostalgia remains while feeling an undeniable refresh!
    The dynamic combat is a blast!
    It steers far from the original ATB but after a couple of encounters, you get the hang of it!

    I tought Capcom were doing great with their RE remakes but to be honest, square just took the crown!
    Hail to the new Remake king!    … Expand
  59. UnknownMight
    Apr 28, 2020
    9
    Remaking a beloved game is a double edge sword. On one side the makers can spare the character and story design because people already love it so nothing can go wrong here, on the other hand, every one and their grandma plays this game with biased expectations.
    Most people expect this to be a Remaster, so I am here to tell you the game is titled a Remake with the express purpose of    Remaking a beloved game is a double edge sword. On one side the makers can spare the character and story design because people already love it so nothing can go wrong here, on the other hand, every one and their grandma plays this game with biased expectations.
    Most people expect this to be a Remaster, so I am here to tell you the game is titled a Remake with the express purpose of distinguishing itself from a Remaster. So in theories the game should be considered a standalone game "based" on FF7, however this practice is made difficult as well: Despite being a Remake it is highly recommended or at least spoiler yourself with FF7's story to fully enjoy this game. This is a glaring paradox, people are not supposed to think this is a FF7 Remaster but still people should have played FF7 to understand FF7R's plot. FF7R is reviewed bombed because of this but no one can really blame all these angry people for being put into such a difficult position.
    -------------------------------
    Story: 9/10
    + The story loosely follows FF7 then starts getting real interesting towards the end, almost mind boggling interesting.
    - One just need to ignore the existence of the final boss which was completely out of place and seemed to be blatant fan service.

    Characters 10/10:
    The story fleshes out the main cast and the supporting cast is extremely charming as well.
    I don't need to talk about Cloud of Tifa, what I would mention is how supporting cast all have a different feel because Roberto Ferrari was in charge designing them, they ended up appearing much less anime cliche and are on par with top tier western RPG characters.

    Setting 10/10
    + so beautiful...no words needed. So many details it's like unreal
    + People often compare FF7R to FFXIII. That is no accurate. in XIII long linear corridors always connect a cutscene, and a boss, yet the whole world felt empty and dead. It would be more precise to compare FF7R to FFX. Linear path ways connect places brimming with LIFE. Every time you visit a new town you will end up being overwhelmed by the energy.

    Gameplay 8/10
    + The combat feels hectic at first, but once you get the hand of it it is pretty fluid.
    + Lots of streamlined quality of life services, you can feel the devs really wanted to avoid unnecessary chores
    - What troubled me a little is the lack of Materia sets. Party members go in and out a whole lot at times and you are forced to resetting the materia for the upcoming fights on your own.
    - Even for people who never played FF7 some episodes were obviously filler. The dumbest example was when the party was forced a detour because some dude stole the key to a generic metallic door, some episodes ago we hacked down a giant robot 10 times bigger and now the one thing that stops us is a locked door? There is really no shame in making a short game, a 10 hour game can still be 10/10, this is what Square Enix failed to realize

    Overall 9/10
    Haters should drop their expectations, Square did not promise a Remaster to anyone    … Expand
  60. TheHambro
    Apr 26, 2020
    9
    Final Fantasy VII Remake is literally my first game in the franchise ever. I have always known that the original Final Fantasy VII on the PS1 was one of the most beloved and celebrated games to date, so I could never really understand the appreciation that this is one of the best RPG’s ever made. Now, after sinking some 60 or so hours into this remake, I can truly understand why thisFinal Fantasy VII Remake is literally my first game in the franchise ever. I have always known that the original Final Fantasy VII on the PS1 was one of the most beloved and celebrated games to date, so I could never really understand the appreciation that this is one of the best RPG’s ever made. Now, after sinking some 60 or so hours into this remake, I can truly understand why this entry stands as the favorite amongst fans.

    I can sit here all day and talk about the gorgeous graphics and epic soundtrack. But, what really sold me was the story, character interactions, and gameplay. Like I said, I went into this game blind and unaware of the plot, and so I enjoyed how engaging and emotional it becomes throughout the journey. Gameplay wise, I understand this is vastly different from the turn based RPG the fans are expecting, but the change to an action RPG focus certainly makes it just as fun as ever. I certainly appreciate the amount of ways you can play with builds with each character; it’s never just one way or the highway. In short, the game just feels good, and I have almost little to no complaints with it.

    I really enjoyed Final Fantasy VII Remake. I am not someone who likes to delve into JRPGs; I guess you could say I can be easily turned off by the genre. But, I thoroughly had a blast with this and I cannot wait to see how to the story unfolds. Get it!    … Expand
  61. MadMax09392
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    16 hours in and all I can say is that it was worth waiting so many years for this they actually pulled it off. I laughed I cried and felt every emotion in between playing this and it took me back all those years playing this on my PS One in 1998.
  62. Orvar83
    Apr 12, 2020
    9
    It's everything I could've hoped for it to be, the expanded story, and characters, the mini games, the combat. The only issue with my playthrough was with the textures, at some parts it seems it doesn't load them properly, I'm thinking it can be fixed with a patch, but Square hasn't said anything about it yet.
  63. ybantwo
    Apr 28, 2020
    9
    Me ha encantado! De principio a fin. Los personajes transmiten muchísimo más que en el original y la narrativa y la jugabilidad es perfecta!!
  64. Xannie
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    I got finished with the main story a few days ago, and I'm having fun the some post-game features, but over all this was the best game (and best Final Fantasy entry) I've experienced in many years. I loved seeing all the old locales recreated with beautiful graphics, though the change from the old 'grunge' and fantasy-modern look to just modern of some of the scenery is a shame. I lovedI got finished with the main story a few days ago, and I'm having fun the some post-game features, but over all this was the best game (and best Final Fantasy entry) I've experienced in many years. I loved seeing all the old locales recreated with beautiful graphics, though the change from the old 'grunge' and fantasy-modern look to just modern of some of the scenery is a shame. I loved the music. I especially loved the fact that character interactions, and just time spent together, was heavily expanded from what was original a fairly brief period. I don't agree with complaints about what changes there are being bad or the story gripes; I loved all of it and I'm excited to see where the future adventures go.

    I will take a point off a perfect score; (because no game is perfect, and) many of the sidequests are forgettable and unimportant busywork that don't really show us anything new except XIII style hallways with a fight at the end. Also due to the fact that far too many areas that took five minutes in the classical game have been needlessly expanded into hour long slogs of fighting and running down linear halls, only enjoyable for any banter within the party, and only serving to pad out the game when the original claim was that they struggled to fit more than Midgar into the first entry. If you removed two thirds of the padding, only leaving the sidequests tied to the original game (such as those in Wall Street), you would have had a tighter experience that could have stretched to Kalm.

    All these things are knitpicks through. Overall I honestly feel the game was a masterpiece and I'm anticipating the next entry in a way I haven't looked forwards to something in years.    … Expand
  65. Nackzx
    Jul 24, 2020
    9
    FF7 Remake is a really good game that i liked alot.

    + Graphics
    + Gameplay
    + Storie
    + Sound
    + visual effects
    + 30 hours campaign

    My only problem was at the end of the game. Since the end of chapter 17 it was boss after boss. When i looked at the clock i noticed i was doing 3 hours of bosses after bosses and i didnt even die. Like that was just to much, but i liked the story.
  66. Kedanza
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    Almost Perfect Remake!

    The Ending may be a bit disappointing and different as some expected but the rest is really great.

    Do your thing Square! After this Game i can't wait to see how the next Game will be like!
  67. Hobobo
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    I love letter to the fans and welcoming take on FF7 for new comers. 2 hours into the game I had realized something... I had not stopped smiling since I first put in the disc. Square Enix did such a fantastic job at following the original while adding in more content to really flesh out Midgar. I'm a little ways in and it's been absolutely amazing thus far. Also, Marlene and Barrette'sI love letter to the fans and welcoming take on FF7 for new comers. 2 hours into the game I had realized something... I had not stopped smiling since I first put in the disc. Square Enix did such a fantastic job at following the original while adding in more content to really flesh out Midgar. I'm a little ways in and it's been absolutely amazing thus far. Also, Marlene and Barrette's relationship is SO adorable, yet there is a looming sadness there as I recall what we eventually learn regarding Barrette's backstory. I really don't want to spoil anything, so I'll stop the review at this...

    GET THIS GAME. If you're new to Final Fantasy and you don't care to ever try another Final Fantasy game again in your life. At least give Final Fantasy 7 a shot because it's considered the pinnacle of the series. I already snagged a copy for a buddy of mine who has been gaming forever, but hasn't tried Final Fantasy.

    Fans of the series... this one is a must. No question about it, it's that good. I'd ignore as much reviews as possible and experience this game for yourself!    … Expand
  68. Mcdaidde
    Apr 18, 2020
    9
    After about 25 hours of play, a good chunk of the game leisurely completed, I'm happy to report that the first installment in this multipart remake is on point. If you're one of the goombas rating this zero out of ten, your taste is bad and your expectations were horribly set in stone. The game is an action RPGs, with a healthy amount of strategy and thought during combat. The graphics areAfter about 25 hours of play, a good chunk of the game leisurely completed, I'm happy to report that the first installment in this multipart remake is on point. If you're one of the goombas rating this zero out of ten, your taste is bad and your expectations were horribly set in stone. The game is an action RPGs, with a healthy amount of strategy and thought during combat. The graphics are phenomenal, the music is stunning. I'm eagerly awaiting part 2 and cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.… Expand
  69. ArshiaGam1ng
    Sep 23, 2020
    9
    God damn this game was one big chunky beefy juicy boy and i thoroughly enjoyed platinuming it to squeeze it dry , took me 80 hours. Definitely worth the price , the graphics are some of the best this generation, the combat while janky in air is the perfect mix of old and new and very satisfying to engage in , the music is excellent with remixes of old songs that feel like a blessing toGod damn this game was one big chunky beefy juicy boy and i thoroughly enjoyed platinuming it to squeeze it dry , took me 80 hours. Definitely worth the price , the graphics are some of the best this generation, the combat while janky in air is the perfect mix of old and new and very satisfying to engage in , the music is excellent with remixes of old songs that feel like a blessing to your ears and the story...is fun to play through and watch unfold but a litte drawn out in some places and sephiroth is a little too involved for new players to feel anything about him . The voice acting can be a little awkward at places but there isn't any MAJOR problems with this game , give it a shot if you dont straight up hate jrpgs, i enjoyed it enough to platinum it… Expand
  70. DlorahSarrob
    Sep 7, 2020
    9
    I liked that they fleshed out the characters and expanded the events in midgar. While I enjoy turn based games, I also like the real time combat of this game. I’m not a fan of racing games, so I did not enjoy the motorbike parts of the game but I’m glad it can be skipped if you decide to replay the game. We already know the story of the original game and the remake’s open ended story givesI liked that they fleshed out the characters and expanded the events in midgar. While I enjoy turn based games, I also like the real time combat of this game. I’m not a fan of racing games, so I did not enjoy the motorbike parts of the game but I’m glad it can be skipped if you decide to replay the game. We already know the story of the original game and the remake’s open ended story gives it more potential both bad and good.… Expand
  71. RokkStar
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    This is a pretty decent game with an even better story than I remembered. The combat does take some getting used to, and the linearity was somewhat one of my main issues, but besides that, this the most fun I've had with a single player story since The Last of Us and Red Dead 2! All those giving this game a 0 score, are simply just butt hurt because of the changes, which to me were all forThis is a pretty decent game with an even better story than I remembered. The combat does take some getting used to, and the linearity was somewhat one of my main issues, but besides that, this the most fun I've had with a single player story since The Last of Us and Red Dead 2! All those giving this game a 0 score, are simply just butt hurt because of the changes, which to me were all for the better. This game is definitely worth getting at full price!… Expand
  72. Nick369
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Since it would take forever to list the positives, I will only list the things that could be improved.

    * Most of the controls are smooth, but not all the time. When you crawl through vents and hang on ceilings, it becomes dull gameplay. There was also a section with a giant robot arm, where apparently there is no button to quit controlling the arm. * I would love the option to    Since it would take forever to list the positives, I will only list the things that could be improved.

    * Most of the controls are smooth, but not all the time. When you crawl through vents and hang on ceilings, it becomes dull gameplay. There was also a section with a giant robot arm, where apparently there is no button to quit controlling the arm.

    * I would love the option to traverse FREELY as other members. A cool edition would be if everyone had special locations only they can reach, such as Red XIII showed.

    * It feels weird that only the main member rests on the benches, why doesn’t the whole team sit down?

    * I was happy how they choose to divide the game into different chapters. I was however a bit sad that I didn’t get to see all the sectors, both upper and lower plate. The city was huge and there is still so much to be discovered.

    Needless to say, I had a wonderful blast with this game and are truly satisfied as my first Final Fantasy game. It does so many things right, I just hope this game serie will continue to Advent Children and beyond.    … Expand
  73. Alvz9
    Jul 20, 2020
    9
    Estupendo gameplay, cómodo y fácil de aprender, muy adictivo superando a otras lógicas A-RPG (como las ya vista en la saga Kingdom Hearts). A nivel gráfico es una maravilla, y a nivel narrativo se arriesga a re-imaginar la primera historia contada en el PSX. Es un juego que no se queda sólo en el "remake", sino que arriesga y propone una nueva perspectiva para abordar esta hermosa historiaEstupendo gameplay, cómodo y fácil de aprender, muy adictivo superando a otras lógicas A-RPG (como las ya vista en la saga Kingdom Hearts). A nivel gráfico es una maravilla, y a nivel narrativo se arriesga a re-imaginar la primera historia contada en el PSX. Es un juego que no se queda sólo en el "remake", sino que arriesga y propone una nueva perspectiva para abordar esta hermosa historia sobre clases sociales, política y ecología. Muy ansioso de esperar su segunda parte en la siguiente generación de consolas.… Expand
  74. Jotaeriza
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    Excelente muestra de que cuando las cosas se hacen con amor se ven y se sienten por el jugador, excelente remake!!!!
  75. LoomBoom
    Apr 23, 2020
    9
    This game is fantastic. The story is very engaging and the characters are realistic and relatable in a lot of ways. Just hearing their conversations and interactions is truly a pleasure. Midgar feels alive and vibrant, the NPCs are all voiced with multiple lines and sometimes I would just walk around to hear what everyone had to say.

    Combat is very good, but it also can be a bit clunky.    This game is fantastic. The story is very engaging and the characters are realistic and relatable in a lot of ways. Just hearing their conversations and interactions is truly a pleasure. Midgar feels alive and vibrant, the NPCs are all voiced with multiple lines and sometimes I would just walk around to hear what everyone had to say.

    Combat is very good, but it also can be a bit clunky. It’s pretty fun though, it just takes some time getting used too. The defensive options in the game are limited and I hope that is something that they’ll fix in the next game. The graphics and character models are very well done and beautiful. This game has a lot for new and old fans. It carries the heart of the orginal and improves on it in a lot of ways. The ending is very bold in my opinion and I can’t wait to see where the rest of the games will go. This game is a “remake” in every sense of the word.    … Expand
  76. bersi84
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Straight of: rating this title must be one of the hardest for a lot of people so I kinda wanna say that for me this is a 8.5 and (as usual) following my gut to rounding up or down, so this time I ll go with 9 but it might deserve an 8 depending on how you look at it and with what emphasize. I ll try to thoroughly explain why. So if you are interested, then read on.

    Engine 9/10: First    Straight of: rating this title must be one of the hardest for a lot of people so I kinda wanna say that for me this is a 8.5 and (as usual) following my gut to rounding up or down, so this time I ll go with 9 but it might deserve an 8 depending on how you look at it and with what emphasize. I ll try to thoroughly explain why. So if you are interested, then read on.

    Engine 9/10:
    First of all I ran this on a PS4 Pro with SSD and had no issues at all. No bluescreens. No frame drops and no texture pop-ins. I know many have those issues and I can just advise everybody to upgrade their console to SSDs to prevent these pop-ins. Of course it could be still better optimized. Also loading times are okay-ish. Considerung I already have a SSD inside they are sometimes a little bit too much, which is frustrating especially in some mini-games you need to do for completionist. Still the game in total runs very smooth and I am really waiting to play this again on the PS5.

    Graphics and sound 9.5/10:
    I personally can only say that I loved both to an extend that it really immersed me into the game. The graphics are really good except that sometimes there seems to be an issue with very low-detailed texture tiles. I m not sure whether this is intended to save memory or not but SquareEnix should really try to enhance this a bit. Mostly those things occur outside of the normal game view so it is not bothering me too much but it reduces the overall really good quality of the game. Also I want to emphasize the very good HDR implementation.

    Sound is awesome as usual, there is not much to say. Rockets explode, swords cling in the air and spells occur nearby. For me the biggest let down here is, that they remixed many of the vanilla soundtracks which is truely cannot understand. Of course many and most of the iconic tunes are back again but then some remixes are (IMHO) bad or at least worse then the orginal ones. It d be cool to have an option for this. In addition I cannot understand why they touch things like these when they know that people consider these things as the most valuable.

    Now the probably hardest part: Story and game length 7/10:
    I finished this game with a guide nearby on normal in around 43hrs. Having this said I didnt rush too much and I was on completionist route (doing ground work for the 100% trophy). That said the game length seems okay BUT... (here it is) a lot seems really unnecessarily drawn out. There are many passages where you can only slow-walk (which I truely hate) and many passages where you have to climb under, over, around or squeeze. I dont mind these mechanics but they should not be over-used.

    In addition the concept of chapter slices is personally one of the biggest let downs. It does not feel very consistent. Also the slices vary from 1hr to 4hr parts which might be annoying for casual players. The side quests could ve done a lot but SquareEnix missed the opportunity to include enough of those and make them enjoyable. Most of these are very basics or next to pointless which is very sad.

    The Remake changes:
    So they changed stuff. Wont spoil it here. I m personally okay with those changes. It gives some new impressions and most of these are really OKAY. People are very upset of minor changes which feels unnecessary. You can enjoy the game, you learn a lot on the characters and discover more bit in detail which is amazing. The ending is very controversial and I m very torn about it. Whether this is good or bad will be decided by whats coming next.

    And this is the biggest issue with FF7R!
    Of course I knew it was released episodic but oh boy... this part is maybe 20% of the initial plotline. It misses the open world in general and it gives plot indication to the players that wont make any sense without the rest. This might be okay for classic players but is an absolute no-go for the new crowd. Also I hope they will be reasonable on the prices and release periods for the other parts because otherwise this could be considered a huge rip-off.

    I wont loose faith and I really enjoyed this part so far. If you are not sure, wait for a price drop. It is still a very good game with awesome characters and good action that is presented decently on current gen PS4.    … Expand
  77. joshbreviews
    May 12, 2020
    9
    A fun game. Easy to pick up, difficult to master. Graphics are great. Music is masterful. Voice acting is good. Sound design is good. Gameplay is great. Replayability is good.

    A bit about the story, but no spoilers. I only have a minor complaint - there is a very important, recurring element that is new to the story of FF7, and they do a very poor job of explaining it. They keep teasing    A fun game. Easy to pick up, difficult to master. Graphics are great. Music is masterful. Voice acting is good. Sound design is good. Gameplay is great. Replayability is good.

    A bit about the story, but no spoilers. I only have a minor complaint - there is a very important, recurring element that is new to the story of FF7, and they do a very poor job of explaining it. They keep teasing it and teasing it, to the point that it gets annoying. Ultimately, though, it is a very interesting new element that opens up a wealth of possibilities for the story.

    Hopefully in the next part, they add even more replayability - more arena battles, more boss battles, etc.

    I'm very excited for part 2, whenever it may come out.    … Expand
  78. VictorHugo2
    Aug 4, 2021
    9
    History (10)
    Gameplay (10)
    Rhythm (8)
    Graphics (9)
    Soundtrack (10)
    Difficulty (10)
    Atmosphere (9)
    Gender(9)
    Bugs (10)
    Final Score: 9.4
  79. Myto77680
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    An awesome trip to Midgar, and a fantastic legacy. THANK YOU SQUARE ENIX !!!
  80. Naedeslus
    Sep 22, 2020
    9
    Pros:
    Terrific graphics, most of the time.
    Incredible OST with great voice acting. Some of Square Enix’s best work. Great gameplay that combines elements of both ATB and action combat, yet with a classic mode for those that just can’t or don’t like action combat. A great retelling of the Midgar arc with great character development. 20+ hours for the main story. New game + and hard    Pros:
    Terrific graphics, most of the time.
    Incredible OST with great voice acting. Some of Square Enix’s best work.
    Great gameplay that combines elements of both ATB and action combat, yet with a classic mode for those that just can’t or don’t like action combat.
    A great retelling of the Midgar arc with great character development.
    20+ hours for the main story.
    New game + and hard mode unlocks. Gives replayability.

    Cons:
    Some graphical glitches and camera can be a pain in close quarters.
    Some of the plot twists will feel out of place and a very controversial ending.
    Most of the side quests feel like filler.
    Some pacing and padding issues. Not too bad but some of the dungeons go on longer then they should.

    FYI:
    The game feels more like a reboot rather than a remake. This is not a 1:1 retelling of Final Fantasy VII.
    This is the first part of a multi-game series. It only covers Midgar. Square Enix has no idea how long this series will go on for and how long it’ll be until part 2 comes out.
    Might not be for purists of the original. Keep that in mind.

    Do I recommend Final Fantasy VII Remake?

    Yes. Unless you’re a purist because some of the changes will irritate you. Regardless, if you’re a fan of FFVII and open to some changes, or never played it before but like action RPG’s, I fully recommend this game. There are some technical issues with low-quality textures, probably a glitch. Some of the NPC’s look a bit bland as well. The gameplay is very good, arguably their best combat system in years. The music is fantastic and while the story does take a few unexpected twists and turns and not all the new plot twists are as great as the original’s story, we’ll have to see how these new threads resolve themselves.    … Expand
  81. superpyro296
    Aug 24, 2022
    9
    Final Fantasy 7 remake is a true masterpiece and definitely one of the best ps4 games I played. I completed my playthrough in around 52 hours on normal difficulty and it involved just a little bit of farming. What I want to say is that there is a lot of content even though it's not the complete FF7 experience. The graphics, animations and voice acting are top notch and top tier if weFinal Fantasy 7 remake is a true masterpiece and definitely one of the best ps4 games I played. I completed my playthrough in around 52 hours on normal difficulty and it involved just a little bit of farming. What I want to say is that there is a lot of content even though it's not the complete FF7 experience. The graphics, animations and voice acting are top notch and top tier if we compare to other games. Sometimes, I had the impression I listened to a great movie during the cutscenes. I liked also the different characters and the Midgar environment. For me, this kind of setting is unique and is not generic (that's what I want to see in video games). Here is a list of the most importants pros and cons:

    +
    Graphics, animations, cutscenes are over the top and excellent
    Music is great
    Gameplay, combat and progession system are well designed
    Campaign length is good for a full-price game

    -
    Some boss combats are way too long and at one moment, I found myself frustrated because there was no autosave between 2 long boss fights (this may be challenging for players who play in a small time-window)

    Some parts of the game are really linear amd we are forced to go in specific directions

    End game is really confusing

    This is still a 9,2/10 game for me ! I never played FF7 before so I think it may be a great experience for newcomers !    … Expand
  82. HellraiserGames
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Great for fans of JRPGs Great for fans of Final Fantasy games and Amazing for the Fans of Final Fantasy 7 on ps1. Beautiful graphics with excellent voice acting and fast paced combat with plenty of surprises for old schoolers. Best game of 2020 so far
  83. gzarco
    Apr 15, 2020
    9
    Excellent remake. Graphics, music and battle system are top notch. I'll wait to see where the story changes lead before making a judgement about that part. There's a lot of FF7R to be played and unfolded yet.
  84. awokengenius
    Apr 22, 2020
    9
    *never played the original* the game was great the whole way through up until the last half of the final chapter. Then I was confused af. Though after playing through the entire game again on hard mode I began to appreciate the story more. The game is mostly carried by the combat and the great characters, story isn't bad but I don't think they did enough to explain some things to new*never played the original* the game was great the whole way through up until the last half of the final chapter. Then I was confused af. Though after playing through the entire game again on hard mode I began to appreciate the story more. The game is mostly carried by the combat and the great characters, story isn't bad but I don't think they did enough to explain some things to new players before the end. But! The final half of the last chapter still felt really epic and if that was what they were going for, then they nailed that. So despite me being confused it was fun and I was kinda blown away.

    My other complaint is that there is nothing to do now, I've got the plat and every item etc. An extra dungeon or an endless wave challenge might have kept me busy for awhile. If anything the game told me to play the OG and I'm definitely here for the next installment, once again the characters are soo good I love them. The boss fights were top notch, music is a 10/10.    … Expand
  85. Faxthtax
    Dec 31, 2020
    9
    I would say it stayed true to the original. This is Part one that only takes place in Midgar. Square actually rewrote a more comprehensive Part 1 without straying away from the original story. There were scenes i knew the words to as it unfolded. That much it stays true without ruining it.
    The graphic is insanely good and beautiful. The combat is not as tactical as the classical turnbased    I would say it stayed true to the original. This is Part one that only takes place in Midgar. Square actually rewrote a more comprehensive Part 1 without straying away from the original story. There were scenes i knew the words to as it unfolded. That much it stays true without ruining it.
    The graphic is insanely good and beautiful. The combat is not as tactical as the classical turnbased combat as the original one, it sometime feels messy but it works well never the less.
    The original saga is long and this game covers only about 1/4 of it to roughly put it. There was much they could have done to break aside the main story path, they tossed in some mandatory sidequest that felt..useless.. But the core is the storyline, as the original was, purely story driven.
    All in all, a true to the vein of japanese story telling, character mannerism and (at times) corny episodes (The Honeybee Inn dance off was ultimately gay in every form)
    But it did not dissapoint. I still hold the original version at my #1 spot of all time. Always have, always will.
    I am just not so sure if i want to experience the next chapters and the emotional episode that will take place (players of the original game will know what i am talking about)    … Expand
  86. carlosjc_88
    May 10, 2020
    9
    Outstanding remake! As an FF7 fan since 1997, I have to say I'm proud of what SE did with this remake. Great gameplay, great music, great story and unpredictable additions.
  87. ElmiilloR
    Apr 10, 2020
    9
    The combat system is fun and deep. Character personalities have been boosted and improved. The only negative point is the textures of the game.
  88. SabreNic
    Jul 18, 2020
    9
    Excellent game, worth the wait. The score brought a smile to my face and the combat took a little getting used to. The graphics mostly looked incredible though some places looked a bit mediocre. My biggest complaint would be the summons only choosing to appear when they felt like it or when it was chosen they could be used, not when i needed them.
  89. Liamrnd
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    This game is a great remake go's to show what 5+ years of love and care can do to a 23 year old game there are a few texture problems none that really bother me too much but that all dosen't matter this is a very fun rpg that captured the original game but makes it 100X more better
  90. Fcubero
    Apr 26, 2020
    9
    Before I say anything, I want to let you know that I have played FF VII a lot. My brothers and I played it on the PS in 1997 multiple times, I bought it on steam and recently the switch. I got all the materias, reached lvl 99, got all weapons, limits and defeated both emerald and ruby weapons. I love this game and it is one of my to 3 games (Zelda OoT and MGS are the other 2)

    Well, I    Before I say anything, I want to let you know that I have played FF VII a lot. My brothers and I played it on the PS in 1997 multiple times, I bought it on steam and recently the switch. I got all the materias, reached lvl 99, got all weapons, limits and defeated both emerald and ruby weapons. I love this game and it is one of my to 3 games (Zelda OoT and MGS are the other 2)

    Well, I finished the remake today and I have to say that I love it. I loved how I recognized a lot of the enemies and places, and how they looked as if I told them how I saw them in my mind. I love how they expanded side characters (Jessie, Biggs and Wedge anyone?), Midgar/Sectors, and more. I can’t describe how amazed I am at this game and it truly is a good start!
    I will say that there were things that I wished they did differently due to how I imagined this game from years of playing this game. But these are few in comparison to the times i was amazed and impressed. Bottom line, if you never played ff vii, you will Love this game. If you did play the original, there will be a few minor thing that will bother you. But you will know that it was worth the wait. Let’s just hope that square can repeat this success again with part two!    … Expand
  91. Khnemu
    Jul 2, 2020
    9
    Sou grande fã da franquia, e esse game ficou excelente. Finalmente trouxeram de volta um combate mais estratégico, e combinaram muito bem com o combate de ação dos últimos games da série. História incrível, game atencioso com todos os detalhes do original, um excelente remake. O game tem fácil mais de 40 horas de duração. Peca apenas na qualidade das texturas de muitos cenários, mas nadaSou grande fã da franquia, e esse game ficou excelente. Finalmente trouxeram de volta um combate mais estratégico, e combinaram muito bem com o combate de ação dos últimos games da série. História incrível, game atencioso com todos os detalhes do original, um excelente remake. O game tem fácil mais de 40 horas de duração. Peca apenas na qualidade das texturas de muitos cenários, mas nada que estrague a experiência.… Expand
  92. WhiteEagle
    Apr 14, 2020
    9
    Sorry for my poor English, not a native speaker. FF8 is my favorite FF, but I must admit that FF7 remake just brought me more joy than FF8 did back in my childhood. The combat system is top-notch, if you like ACT then you can bind abilities and spells to hotkeys, making the combat a flashy and seamless real-time brawling just like DMC. If you prefer the classic turn-based Active TimeSorry for my poor English, not a native speaker. FF8 is my favorite FF, but I must admit that FF7 remake just brought me more joy than FF8 did back in my childhood. The combat system is top-notch, if you like ACT then you can bind abilities and spells to hotkeys, making the combat a flashy and seamless real-time brawling just like DMC. If you prefer the classic turn-based Active Time Battle then it'd also be satisfying to make tactical decisions using the command menu during which time is slowed so you can carefully choose your target and pick your abilities. What I don't like about it is the lock-on camera, sometimes it's just hard for you to see the target you're currently locking on, they should have made the locked-on target centered or something. Anyway, it's a great remake, and one even someone new to the FF series can enjoy.… Expand
  93. WildStrike
    Apr 17, 2020
    9
    Not the remake I hoped for, but I had a great time playing it regardless (way more than FFXV). This first game gets a 9/10 for its overall excellency.
  94. xTh-3-nDx
    Apr 16, 2020
    9
    I'm new to the series so when it comes to the ending i have no clue how it was in the original so i have no problem with it like the old fans of the game.

    I gave it 9/10 becouse the issues with some of the textures don't get me wrong the game graphics are amazing but some building and NPC texture are so low res. I finished it in 35 hours and going through my secound play through the game    I'm new to the series so when it comes to the ending i have no clue how it was in the original so i have no problem with it like the old fans of the game.

    I gave it 9/10 becouse the issues with some of the textures don't get me wrong the game graphics are amazing but some building and NPC texture are so low res.

    I finished it in 35 hours and going through my secound play through the game worth every dollar you pay for it.    … Expand
  95. VG_Alex
    May 2, 2020
    9
    A world with a huge background and great story,The part of gameplay is innovative and reasonable.'FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE' brings me so much surprise that I can't imagine,It's a fantasy for me and it so touching when I finished the game,Best 'Remake' game I ever play.

    Wonderful 9.5
  96. x3ch0x
    Oct 23, 2020
    9
    I loved the characters, story, music, graphics and combat! My favorite FF game is FF X story vise, and FFXII gameplay vise. This one sits in Between :)
  97. mcpuddingstain
    Jun 19, 2020
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Square Enix made a mistake making the game Midgar-only. There's only so much they could expand upon to make a truly unforgettable experience. With that being said, they made the absolute most out of what they were given without ruining it with filler content and unnecessary missions (excluding Chapter 14).
    Everything but that one chapter and the ending feels natural and unforced. As for the ending, this is what keeps the game from a 10 for me. THIS GAME DID NOT NEED ALTERNATE TIMELINES. IT DID NOT NEED A SEPHIROTH FIGHT. IT DID NOT NEED SEPHIROTH SHOWING UP EVERY OTHER CHAPTER. Part of what made him such a good villain in 1997 was his buildup. The entirety of the Midgar section portrayed him as nearly a God. A legend. This man shows up in the beginning of Chapter 2 in the Remake. Plus, you beat him. It takes away that fear and intimidation.
    Take the Midgar Zolom from the original. You're fresh out of Midgar, and immediately presented with this giant snake that you can NOT beat at that point in the game. Once you get passed the swamp, you see another one impaled on a tree by Sephiroth like it was nothing. That made the man scary. Whereas in Part 2 of the Remake, it will be a "oh, he did a thing, whatever" moment.
    I'm not even going to get into the Whispers and destiny being changed, that's all in the air. Square had a chance to remake their most beloved game of all time. They did a phenomenal job despite my criticism, and did everything they needed to do. They just tried to do a little too much.    … Expand
  98. JayLando22
    Jul 2, 2020
    9
    This will be wholly spoiler-free.

    I never finished the original FF7 but I have gotten to disc 3 probably twice back in the day. I watched my friend beat it when it originally came out. I did not particularly have any fondness for the series but I acknowledge its importance. I tell you that so you know what colours my experience with this remake. On the whole, I really liked this!    This will be wholly spoiler-free.

    I never finished the original FF7 but I have gotten to disc 3 probably twice back in the day. I watched my friend beat it when it originally came out. I did not particularly have any fondness for the series but I acknowledge its importance. I tell you that so you know what colours my experience with this remake.

    On the whole, I really liked this! There are pacing issues and story issues and remake issues but overall this improves my engagement with the story as a whole. I think one of its faults is you MUST know the original FF7 to really "engage with the text".

    I think the Kingdom Hearts-esque combat and the story will be enough for people new to the story to hold on to but to really appreciate what it is doing and where it is going an understanding of its subversion is needed.

    The fact that the original came out before 9/11 and this one is after that is truly reflected in the story even though this is a Japanese game it is impossible not to see certain parallels. I like that it has really leftist political talking points, even if it sometimes fumbles it, I think it does some good stuff. Unfortunately, it also seems like a Libertarian can also feel like their beliefs are being reflected.

    The give-and-take I feel is reflected in the final hours. I love the story, the lore, and where the narrative went... BUT, the combat suddenly flips you around in different party settings in a way that bogs you down with managing builds and materia. Like the fighting gets in the way of keeping the pace.

    All-in-all this has me more interested in the future of the series where before I was not interested or excited about this game at all.    … Expand
  99. darxiv
    Apr 16, 2020
    9
    If you are a purist of FFVII you can simply choose not to play this game. If you always wanted more from Final Fantasy VII and to experience more of the world, then your time has come. This is a fantastic remake that adds to the lore, world, and battle system.

    Loving every moment of this game.
  100. doctrodsk
    Apr 16, 2020
    9
    graphics: 10
    gameplay: 9.5
    sound: 9
    story: 9.5

    It is great in everything, the bad thing is that it only lasts between 30 and 50 hours and that it is only midgard, although the history of midgard has lengthened it quite a bit, as it should be in the original
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best PS4 Game of 2020
5
#5 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2020
4
#4 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 126 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 116 out of 126
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 126
  3. Negative: 0 out of 126
  1. GameMAG
    Sep 14, 2020
    90
    Final Fantasy VII Remake is the game we've been waiting for from Square Enix for so long. Atmospheric, interesting and exciting all your attention modern jRPG with an interesting story and spectacular battles. To achieve the ideal, the project only needs more even graphics and all the content from the original release. If you were waiting for a turn-based classic with new graphics you will most likely be disappointed, since the game has changed a lot. Everyone else is happy with the release of the first really powerful single-player release from the internal Square Enix studio for many years. Especially after the failure of Final Fantasy XV.
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  2. Riot Pixels
    Aug 20, 2020
    80
    A good remake of the introductory part of the cult-favorite Final Fantasy VII. It improves on the original game in almost all aspects, yet lacks in scale and drops the ball at the very end.
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  3. Finger Guns
    Aug 10, 2020
    90
    What matters is still intact, and that’s the heart and soul of one of the greatest stories in video game history. It’s a return to form that has felt a long time in coming, and what’s even better is that there’s still at least two more games of this quality to come...They can’t mess this up, can they?
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