Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Switch 2 Review

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has to be one of the most epic titles to grace the Nintendo Switch 2. It somehow managed to take the opening four hours of the original PlayStation classic, transform them into a sprawling 40-hour adventure, and flesh out an already incredible cast of characters to deliver what I consider one of the finest RPGs in recent years. Now, the second entry in this ambitious remake trilogy has arrived on the Switch 2, bringing with it an even grander spectacle, opening up the world beyond Midgar, and expanding its rich lore. It has me wondering, can it catch lightning in a bottle twice? What’s it like? Sharpen your Buster Sword, equip your Materia, and saddle up your Chocobo as we review Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Nintendo Switch 2.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth shifts the narrative outside of Midgar, starting with a flashback that sheds more light on Sephiroth’s past before setting you loose in the open world. In true Final Fantasy fashion, it’s a rather disorientating start that had me wondering whether I’d somehow missed a game between Remake and Rebirth, but as you progress, some answers begin to reveal themselves, while others are clearly being saved for the trilogy’s conclusion next year. Once the prologue is over, however, it really feels like the adventure is only just beginning, and I couldn’t help but feel excited by all the possibilities of where Rebirth was going to take me.

Take me on a journey it did, as Rebirth builds on the already strong foundations of Remake by exploring the pasts of its characters, developing their motivations, and not being afraid to embrace a more light-hearted approach when the moment calls for it. I do wish some of the heavier emotional moments were given a little more room to breathe instead of quickly moving you on to the next encounter, but overall, the weight and the growing stakes of the adventure are handled very well. Rebirth also does an excellent job of giving every party member screen time, with relationship-building becoming a gameplay mechanic, while occasionally locking your party composition to encourage you to learn how each character plays and appreciate their unique role within the team.

Giving you control of each team member at different moments throughout the story also forms the backbone of the tweaked combat system, which, while already great in Remake, has been refined in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. New Synergy Abilities can be learned and help keep battles flowing by unleashing powerful attacks capable of toppling even the toughest foes. These moves become available after spending enough ATB across participating characters, encouraging you to switch between party members far more often than I did in Remake (at least in my experience). They are wonderfully over the top, packed with style and flair, and alongside Summons and Limit Breaks, ensure the combat remains exciting for the duration.

Another gameplay element that never outstays its welcome, despite occasionally causing a bit of frustration, is the new card game, Queen’s Blood. This tactical, almost Gwent-like game will have you hunting down opponents across the world to expand your deck and take on increasingly difficult challengers. Some rivals are deviously clever, requiring careful strategy, smart use of effect cards, and sometimes a healthy dose of luck to overcome. Chadley also returns with new battle simulations, World Intel objectives, and towers to activate across each region, giving completionists plenty to sink their teeth into. Exploration itself also ties nicely into the narrative, showcasing areas under Shinra’s occupation and highlighting the contrast between ordinary people struggling to survive and the powerful corporation controlling the world around them. It also feeds into the relationship system, with optional conversations and side quests strengthening the bonds between party members and giving you another reason to explore every corner of the world.

Exploration is made even better thanks to the return of the fan favourite Chocobos, which make traversing the world much faster. Each region introduces its own Chocobo with unique abilities that play into exploration, side quests, and environmental puzzles, giving every area its own identity. To be honest, there are so many gameplay systems and activities packed into Rebirth that covering them all would take away some of the joy of discovering them for yourself, but needless to say, you’ll rarely find yourself bored while exploring the world of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

And what a world it is, gorgeously rendered on the Switch 2 with unique and interesting biomes accompanying each new chapter of the story. It’s a stunning and well-optimised engine, much like Remake, albeit with some compromises to bring such an ambitious title to Nintendo’s handheld. For starters, the handheld resolution is noticeably lower than when docked, resulting in some blurred details as the game works to maintain its 30fps target. It never detracts from the experience, but it is noticeable. I also encountered a handful of performance hiccups, strangely, mostly experienced in Chapter 4, including some lighting issues that made it feel as though our heroes had wandered onto the receiving end of a flashbang, along with the occasional Chocobo rubber banding as I assume the area finished loading.

These small blemishes do very little to diminish the overwhelming sense of scale, however, as the spectacle of wandering through a fishing village built beneath the shadow of a towering fortress is a sight to behold, while exploring the open grasslands or relaxing coastal setting of Costa del Sol provides a welcome contrast to the heavy industrial backdrop of the first game.  Combat remains a spectacular display of explosions, sword clashes, and magical effects, making even the smallest encounters a visual treat. Backing it all is a wonderful orchestral score that is playful when it needs to be, while effortlessly shifting into something far more foreboding during the game’s heavier moments, helping reinforce the scale of the adventure and the stakes facing its cast. The voice cast is equally impressive, delivering performances that give every character a distinct personality while adding plenty of depth to their relationships and motivations. It’s all incredibly well done.

For my Avalanche operatives looking into accessibility, there’s a plethora of options here, including graphics, audio, and gameplay settings to make your time in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth more comfortable. While there are far too many to mention individually, I do want to highlight the streamlined progression settings, which allow you to tailor the experience to suit the way you want to play. We’ve seen something very similar in No Man’s Sky, where most aspects of the game can be fine-tuned to match the player’s preferred level of challenge. Options in Rebirth include keeping your health or MP topped up, starting battles with charged ATB gauges, increasing experience gains, filling Limit gauges, and even maximising your weapon and Materia levels. These settings are entirely optional, allowing you to customise as much or as little of the experience as you like, and in my opinion, they help make Final Fantasy VII Rebirth approachable for players of all skill levels. It’s a fantastic inclusion that deserves recognition. As always, I recommend further research into finding out if Final Fantasy Rebirth suits your accessibility needs, and thankfully, there’s a free demo on the eShop that allows you to transfer your progress over to the full game.

At just under $85 AUD, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth offers plenty of value for money. Those looking to experience the story alone will have around 40 hours of adventure ahead of them, while completionists, or even those taking a more relaxed approach to exploration, can easily expect to spend well over 100 hours discovering everything the game has to offer.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth takes everything that made Remake Intergrade great and improves upon it. From a refined combat system that places an even greater emphasis on teamwork, to a sprawling open world packed with things to discover, and a story that continues to raise the stakes as it builds towards the trilogy’s conclusion, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an unmissable RPG and an essential addition to any fan’s library. Sure, there are some performance and technical compromises on the Switch 2, but they do little to diminish what Square Enix has done here. While the credits may roll with plenty still left to uncover, Rebirth proves that sometimes the journey is every bit as important as the destination.

So, What’s it like? Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is like Remake Intergrade, only bigger, bolder, and more ambitious in almost every way.

Final Fantasy Rebirth VII Switch 2 Review is a What’s it Like Certified Exceptional Game.

In the interest of full disclosure, a review copy was provided by the publisher, but this doesn’t influence my score.

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