The other half of the Remake experience, the part where you actually run around and play it, is a bit of a two-sided affair.
Frustratingly, these visions never become clearer even by the end of the game Sephiroth feels otherworldly and imposing, I suppose, but the mystery started to feel a bit tedious by the twelfth occurrence. Slightly less compelling is the visions he experiences periodically of Sephiroth, who only really exists to haunt him in these moments. Cody Christian’s performance really sells the cold disconnect that Cloud feels as a mercenary with no particular attachment to Avalanche’s cause, and seeing those barriers melt away as he begins to find a purpose is just one of the story’s compelling arcs. I haven’t mentioned Cloud, though it’s not out of disregard. But I also really enjoyed the animations Barret bracing himself as he fires his massive machine gun, Tifa unleashing rapid fire combos of kicks and punches, Aerith’s long ponytail and dress fluttering as she wields the forces of nature with her staff-all of these details compliment the characters beautifully. Combat is a joy to witness as well, most notably with its abundant particle effects and flashy explosions. This extends to the game’s backdrops too-I was always in awe at the scale of Midgar any time I stared up at the plates, or down at the slums as they case may be. Part of why these moments are successful is because of how elegantly shot the cutscenes are nearly two dozen times I paused these to take a screenshot, but there were just as many times where I wasn’t nearly fast enough to get the capture I wanted. Chapter 9 in particular includes a sequence of events so sensational that if I were to rank my favorite moments in games in the last ten years, it’s likely that it would earn a spot on that list. Seeing these characters navigate their world is a treat, whether its finding comfort in friends and family amidst the slums they call home, or infiltrating a high-end Shinra HQ far above on the upper plates where life is significantly less destitute. Three other members of the Avalanche resistance group- Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge-get a lot less screen time than the main cast but still feel important to the story because of how much of an impact their presence has. There are some great folks on the periphery too. For me the centerpiece of Remake is probably Aerith, whose grace and heartwarming interactions with everyone-particularly with protagonist Cloud Strife-made her an instant favorite. An unshakable devotion to the planet forms the core of his being, whether he’s shouting about the world’s suffering or coming to terms with someone’s death-they haven’t died, they’ve “returned to the planet.” There’s Tifa, the more grounded member of the team, who is often disturbed by the ramifications of their rebellion and the brutal retaliation from Shinra that follows, but will nonetheless deliver some of the most devastating punches and kicks you’re likely to see outside of Persona 4’s Chie Satonaka. The physical prowess of resistance leader Barret is matched by his boisterous commitment to the cause. The city of Midgar is effectively the domain of Shinra, and the class divide within its borders is made awfully explicit by a tiered city layout that sees the well-to-dos living on massive plates suspended above a ring of slums.Įveryone involved brings so much to the adventure. They’re a diverse group of fighters trying to dismantle Shinra, a sort of corpo-government which has built its success on the completely unrestrained exploitation of the planet’s energy. These story beats are frequently great in large part because of the strength of the main cast. It’s outside of the main narrative that things slip a bit the combat is frequently dazzling, but the game’s lack of interesting side quests and some dull level design often had me wishing I could skip to the next major story beat. Over the course of the 33 hours it took to complete the main game and the post-game episode INTERmission, Remake served up a decent story made all the better by some beautiful cutscene direction and wonderfully charming characters. Remake, therefore, is less a complete story and more of a fully-fledged kickstart to what will likely be quite a spectacular adventure, if the high points of this game are any indication. Quick note: I've never played the original Final Fantasy VII, so this review is of my experience as a newcomer.Īmong the many remakes that have graced the video game industry in recent years, Final Fantasy VII Remake stands as the most ambitious, a dramatic undertaking to reimagine the original 1997 title as an entire trilogy.
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