![]() A small number of outdoor environments are literally just corridors that you run along. You'd hope not, anyway, as Final Fantasy VII Remake is unashamedly linear. Not all of these forced movements can be masking a load screen, surely? For example, the number of times that you have to squeeze through a gap in a wall, or crawl under some rubble, or slowly, slowly edge you way across a suspended plank of wood borders on parody. Mercifully, there aren't many tasks to undertake - there are only 20 or so throughout the whole game, and they generally don't take long to complete - but unless they feature a cool boss fight, they're rather vapid.Īnd this is where Final Fantasy VII Remake fumbles it features some truly baffling design. These optional objectives show up whenever Cloud and company arrive at a new settlement, and finishing them nets you some neat rewards, like rare materia or equipment. You're right Cloud, it does suck - so why are we even doing this? That's a question you'll ask yourself more than once as you go through Remake's largely uninspired side quests. "This sucks," says Cloud, as he's searching for lost cats in a Midgar slum. Sadly, it's not all over-the-top Shinra-busting goodness for our spiky-haired hero. The last third or so of the release is clearly a cut above, and it's relentlessly entertaining. We did find ourselves questioning the plot's pacing every now and then, but the game makes up for any drawn-out moments with its final few chapters. There are times when the narrative relies heavily on nostalgia, presenting characters, scenes, or concepts in ways that'll seem downright weird if you're coming into this completely blind. That said, the story probably won't resonate quite so well if you're new to Final Fantasy VII. Square Enix could have quite easily buggered the whole thing up, but as it stands, it feels like the plot has been given the respect that it deserves. The main playable cast - Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith - are all pretty much perfect, even if there are a few too many anime-style grunts and sighs for our liking.Īnyway, the storytelling throughout the main campaign is very enjoyable - bolstered by certain scenes that quite simply blew us away - and the additional beats only serve to enrich the experience. The quality of main story cutscenes is fantastic, and although the writing is undeniably cheesy, the dialogue is endearing, and delivered with charm. The result of all this is a retelling that's obviously familiar, but still manages to surprise. Changes have been made, and while we do think that, ultimately, it's more interesting to see Remake try something different, there are specific choices that will inevitably be at the centre of hardcore debate in the weeks to come. Many of these fresh ideas bring welcome nuance to what was once a pretty straightforward story, but without spoiling anything, this is not an exact replica of the 1997 classic. The overarching conflict between Avalanche and Shinra that fans will remember remains intact throughout, but certain plot points are explored in far greater detail, while other, entirely new scenarios have been slipped into the existing narrative. Cloud Strife, antisocial mercenary for hire, fights alongside eco-warrior organisation Avalanche, as the group attempts to bring down Shinra, the corrupt power company that rules with an iron fist. Things kick off exactly as they did in the original. 35 to 40 if you want to see and do everything that the release has to offer. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, and running through it will take you at least 25 to 30 hours or so. No, it doesn't cover the entire story of Final Fantasy VII - not even close - but Square Enix has managed to make it feel like its own thing. Right now we don't know when the next instalment is coming, but for what it's worth, we do think that Remake feels like a complete game. In that sense, this is just the first game in Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII Remake "series" - despite the fact that there's no indication of this in the name itself. ![]() It only covers the Midgar portion of the adventure - the opening eight hours or so of the original release - but the whole story arc is greatly expanded. Final Fantasy VII Remake is not a full remake of Final Fantasy VII. ![]() Much like Final Fantasy XV, bits of it feel somewhat confused or misguided - and it's these moments that hold back an otherwise rousing return to the world of Final Fantasy VII.īut let's start with the facts. It's easy to say that any game would crumble in the face of such pressure, but at times, Remake doesn't do itself any favours. However, Final Fantasy VII Remake struggles to live up to the gigantic expectations that have been placed upon it.
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