Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review

🎮 Overview

The second entry in Square Enix’s remake trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, pushes the boundaries of what the PlayStation 5 can deliver. Following the events of Remake, Cloud and his allies leave Midgar behind and embark on a sprawling adventure across a beautifully reimagined world. On Sony’s console, the experience is cinematic, fluid, and impressively polished, showcasing both the hardware’s power and the developer’s attention to detail.

Visuals and Presentation

Rebirth is one of the most visually stunning games on PS5. It offers two modes: Performance Mode, which runs at a smooth 60 frames per second, and Graphics Mode, which drops to 30 FPS but provides even sharper textures and lighting. Both are impressive, but Performance Mode feels ideal for the game’s fast-paced combat and large-scale exploration. The environments are breathtaking, from the sun-soaked Grasslands to the towering cityscape of Junon. Cutscenes seamlessly transition from gameplay to cinematic sequences, creating a presentation that rivals big-budget animated films.

The PlayStation 5’s hardware also helps eliminate frustrating load times. Fast travel is nearly instantaneous, and moving between regions feels seamless, keeping the adventure flowing naturally. Even with the occasional texture pop-in during rapid traversal, the overall visual quality is a huge step forward from its predecessor.

Sound and Music

The soundtrack is nothing short of exceptional. Nobuo Uematsu’s iconic compositions return in reimagined form, blending with new themes that elevate every story moment. The PS5’s 3D audio system allows players to truly appreciate the depth of the music and environmental sounds, from the roar of a chocobo sprinting through the fields to the ominous hum of Sephiroth’s presence. Voice acting is strong across the board, delivering performances that bring emotional weight to the game’s most important scenes. Haptic feedback and adaptive triggers further enhance immersion, making combat and exploration feel more tactile and responsive.

Gameplay and Combat

Combat in Rebirth is a natural evolution of the system introduced in Remake. The hybrid of real-time action and strategic ATB commands is more fluid than ever, and the PlayStation 5’s hardware ensures that battles are responsive and free from noticeable input delay. Each party member brings unique mechanics to the table, with characters like Yuffie and Red XIII adding new layers of tactical depth. Switching between allies during combat feels seamless, and the combination attacks add cinematic flair without sacrificing gameplay precision.

Exploration has been significantly expanded, offering an open-world structure packed with secrets, mini-games, and character-driven side quests. The scale of the world is impressive, and while the amount of optional content can be overwhelming, it’s hard to deny the level of craftsmanship that went into each activity. On PS5, everything loads quickly and runs smoothly, making the journey across the vast regions feel natural rather than cumbersome.

Performance and Technical Aspects

The PS5 version runs excellently, but it isn’t without minor flaws. Performance Mode occasionally sacrifices texture sharpness, while Graphics Mode, despite its improved visual fidelity, locks players to 30 FPS, which may feel restrictive during combat. There are also brief instances of texture pop-in, particularly when moving quickly through certain areas, but these issues never significantly detract from the experience. Overall, Rebirth is one of the best-optimized RPGs on the platform and a testament to how well the PS5 handles large-scale games.

Verdict

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PlayStation 5 is a triumph. It refines everything that worked in Remake while expanding the world and story in bold and exciting ways. The visuals are stunning, the combat is thrilling, and the sound design is nothing short of masterful. While there are minor technical trade-offs between performance and fidelity, the game runs so well that these issues are easy to overlook.

This is a must-play for JRPG fans and one of the PS5’s defining titles. Square Enix has delivered a second chapter that not only honors the legacy of the original but also sets a new benchmark for what this trilogy can achieve.

Score: 9/10 – A landmark RPG that belongs in every PS5 owner’s library.