Before Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Final Fantasy 7 is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic and influential games of all time. Its launch in 1997 was a revolution for the world of video games and marked a before and after in the RPG genre. Its characters, its story and its world captivated an entire generation of players, turning it into a cult title.
After years of waiting, in 2020 Final Fantasy 7 Remake made fans vibrate again with an impressive recreation of the original adventure that expanded and improved its story and gameplay in a masterful way. However, Remake focused solely on the events that occurred in the city of Midgar, so players were eagerly awaiting the continuation of the epic.
That moment has arrived with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second part of the trilogy that returns us to the essence of the original title to relive the memorable journey of Cloud and his friends in the most ambitious way possible. It is a love letter to fans that manages to live up to one of the most iconic RPGs ever created.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: An even richer and deeper history
Rebirth picks up the events right after the end of the first Remake. The group must leave Midgar and enter an open world full of possibilities. In narrative terms, it covers the journey from leaving the city to the shocking events of the Forgotten Capital.
The general structure of the journey has remained intact, but the script takes the opportunity to expand the plot, better explain the motivations of the characters, give more coherence to their actions and deeply enrich the lore of the game. Everything flows magnificently and the new content fits perfectly.
Furthermore, and unlike Remake where much of what was going to happen was known in advance, in Rebirth the uncertainty about whether the story will undergo important changes contributes to maintaining tension at all times. This allows you to relive the adventure with the excitement of the first time.
The characters shine like never before
One of the great successes of the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the characterization of the characters. All of them now have very elaborate story arcs where their motivations and relationships are delved into. The dynamics between the members of the group exude chemistry and their interactions manage to make us laugh more than once.
Special mention deserves Yuffie and Vincent, who go from being optional to forming an integral part of the story with a very relevant specific weight. Seeing them so integrated and with so much entity is a luxury for fans of the original title.
In short, it is very easy to become attached to these charismatic characters thanks to the care with which they have been treated. Its narrative evolutions are one of the great successes of the title.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: An open world that makes us dream
If there is something that many of us expected from a remake of FF7, it was to be able to explore its world on a full scale and feel all the greatness of Gaia. In that sense, Rebirth fulfills the fans’ dream by offering a very extensive open world full of activities and secrets.
Each region has radically different biomes that not only differ visually, but also in the movement possibilities they offer. An intricate jungle that forces us to look for paths through the treetops can give way to a plain that we can fly over with complete freedom. The variety is overwhelming.
The game constantly encourages us to explore with all kinds of secondary missions. Many of them expand the story and the characters, so doing them is very worthwhile. Others are used to obtain useful objects by synthesizing materials found in the world.
And of course, vertigo has given us soaring through the skies on the back of a chocobo or traveling through the desert in a buggy. Rebirth makes getting lost in this gigantic open world as fun as advancing the main plot. Quite an achievement.
Deeper, more challenging combat
The innovative fighting system that combines real-time action with strategic elements returns with important improvements. The possibility of performing aerial combos, new materials or synchronized skills between two characters expand the strategic possibilities. Also notable is the perfect block, which nullifies all damage if executed precisely.
Each enemy forces you to approach the battle in a completely different way depending on their weak points. This, together with the variety of the group’s skills, guarantees that the fights remain fresh, intense and full of nuances throughout the adventure.
Of course, the cherry on top is the fights against final bosses. Authentic epic displays where we will test everything we have learned in battles that have left us breathless. They are the master class of what this type of fight should be like.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth: Minigames everywhere
The original title already stood out for including a wide variety of mini-games, but Rebirth takes this aspect to a new level. The game is packed with optional activities throughout. Chocobo racing, an addictive collectible card game or entertaining challenges at amusement parks are just a few examples.
All of them are so well designed and full of nuances that they could perfectly be sold as stand-alone experiences. In fact, many have deep secondary plots that have kept us hooked for hours and that expand the lore in a masterful way.
Rebirth proves to be as ambitious with its minigames as with all the other sections. Its average quality is through the roof.
Soundtrack to frame
Although its playable innovations are many, if there is something that defines Final Fantasy it is its masterful sound section. In Rebirth the new compositions are on par with such iconic songs as One-Winged Angel. The updated arrangements of classic tunes sound spectacular.
But perhaps the most impressive thing is the enormous variety of musical styles it incorporates. From rock to pop, jazz or Latin music, the game dares with unexpected genres that have left us speechless. Without a doubt, this is one of the most extensive and memorable soundtracks ever composed.
The rebirth of a legend
After the notable Final Fantasy VII Remake, Square Enix once again raises the stakes with Rebirth, a love letter to the original that excites and surprises in equal measure. The recreation of the journey could not be more pampered and includes very ambitious improvements such as its open world or the greater depth of its characters and combat.
Few games manage to transport us to childhood like this remake, which has allowed us to reconnect with very special memories in the most vibrant way possible. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth not only does justice to one of the most important RPGs in history, but surpasses it to return the saga to its rightful Olympus. An indispensable masterpiece.
+ There are no comments
Add yours