The PS5 exclusive Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been one of the most anticipated PlayStation games ever since FF7 Remake graced our humble PS4s. Delivering a faithful yet innovative reimagining of the 1997 classic, FF7 Remake went down a treat. Thankfully, the second entry in the remake series was worth the wait, with FF7 Rebirth reviews piling praise on what is a definite Game of the Year contender – though it’s not without its shortcomings.
As the second entry in the remake series, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth not only has a lot to live up to but also an expectation to go beyond its predecessor – which was already one of the best RPG games on PS5. With reviews now out in the wild, FF7 Rebirth has opened with a mouth-watering 93 score on Metacritic – earning it ‘must-play’ status – compared to Remake’s (still remarkable) 87. In fact, it’s currently the second-highest Final Fantasy game of all time, second only to FF9 on the PS1. If you’ve fallen in love with the FF7 Rebirth demo like us, then the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth release date can’t come soon enough.
Firstly, FF7 Rebirth is ambitious – something that was immediately apparent just from the demo. Although it isn’t entirely open-world from the outset, Rebirth offers an exciting and frankly awe-inspiring adventure. Even pushing the twisting main story to the side for a second, you’re able to sink hours into various types of side quests and minigames as well. Push Square explains that this can at times feel like “an excessive amount” of content – reflective more of Ubisoft’s approach to open-world games. In fact, there are even towers to clamber up to reveal features on the map. While the expansive playground does offer up some fun side adventures and character moments, this aspect isn’t as jaw-dropping as the rest of the experience.
On that note, the iconic cast of characters and the epic story is certainly the highlight of the new PS5 game. “What Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth does so excellently is carve out huge chunks of time to just hang around with them”, VGC explains. Having exhausted everything the demo had to offer, the quality of the writing inevitably pulls you in; its characters are hard not to enjoy when they’re so incredibly well realized. If you’ve played the 1997 original, this should come as no surprise. FF7’s characters are iconic for a reason, and they’re still the beating heart of Rebirth – we’re just given a lot more time with them now. The beloved story is reimagined, having you in tears of laughter one minute and tears of sadness the next due to the deep bond you form with your allies.
The combat is another highlight of the anticipated sequel, having been deepened in every way. Following on from Remake, every character brings their own combat style to the party. With several new members joining the crew, including Red XIII, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. Stunning animations paired with surprisingly complex action-combat, including Limit Breaks, Synergy Abilities, and the Pressure and Stagger system, carving through groups of enemies or taking down unforgiving bosses is a blast – and one of our favorite parts of the expansive demo.
Although its lofty ambitions don’t always pay off, particularly when it comes to its open-world aspects, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will go down as one of the best PS5 games and best PS5 RPG games you can play. Such a stellar reception doesn’t make the wait any easier though. So, in the meantime, why don’t you dive back into the expansive FF7 Rebirth demo, which just got a massive update, to tide you over? Otherwise, check out the chaotic Kingmakers coming to PS5 and Xbox, which involves knights fighting attack helicopters.