my first 100% playthrough was 73 hours. So i guess if you're slow, or leave the game running afk you can hit 100+ hours.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Full Review (spoilers)
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Pfft don’t hate. I’d imagine most old enough to have played the original would’ve added 10-20 hours easily just simping Tifa in photo mode.
- Apr 1, 2009
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So it took me 100 hours because
I thought I would share my final thoughts on the game; It's a near perfection!
Especially in terms of open-world gameplay; I think I mentioned this several posts ago, but the gradual unlock of the regions was done really well. BOTW and Ubisoft games may have tricked people into thinking freedom to go everywhere is a good thing, but had FF7REB been designed that way, I think I would've been overwhelmed and would've discouraged me to explore.
Side activities were just the right amount! And none of those random radiant side activities either that constantly pops up. Not only that, they were all nicely spaced out, both in terms of their physical distance and how often I ran into them.
Chapter 11 was probably my favorite one in the game; Summarizing what I said before, I felt everything that Cloud and Tifa felt returning to their hometown. Experiencing how the town has changed, you not belonging in that neighborhood anymore, and old memories both good and bad resufacing... It was all too real. I think there was a lesson here where you could keep clinging onto the past,, or move on with your life and try to make the best of it. Nothing was wrong with this chapter. Well except for that god-awful double adjudicator fight as Cait alone.
Soundtrack was an absolute bomb. Something SE has been nailing in all of their games, really. Whether it's the chapter 1 grassland theme, the awesome remix of the chocobo theme during races, summon boss fights, or the one-winged angel during the final fight, it was amazing. From what I understand, GOAT Nobuo Uematsu composed No Promises to Keep, and acted as overseer on other scores? That was a wise choice!
Now combat, as I mentioned, did take me a while to get used to. I got so used to having Cloud as the party leader, the fights that didn't involve him was a struggle. Especially the likes of Aerith, who I built to be more of a glass canon. However, when everything finally clicked, exploiting enemy weakness and raising their pressure bar and eventually staggering them was a fun experience. Synergy moves were fun to explore, but I found out I am particularly drawn to ones that raise limit break levels and stagger meter. And oh boy, the way some of these moves chains so nicely with one another....
None of the characters bothered me too much.... WEELLLL EXCEPT FOR MAI. God, I hate this AI so much. Chadley was a smart ass, but bearable. MAI, however, had that annoying voice on top of being rather useless. Like, by the time she talks about the weakness of the enemies, I have already used access, read their info, and already pressured them. She then proceeds to yap on, while I am simply trying to focus. I can't remember which combat assignment, but at one point, she literally says, "Gah, I can't read this! It's too horrible! Good luck!"...WTF, you are an AI! You are supposed to assist the humans in tough situations. You aren't even fighting, so why do you care?
Dear SE, if she's coming back in the third game, at the very least have her do something in combat!
Zack sections. Kinda hard to comment on. On one hand, it is an integral part of the story, now that we know he's alive in this version. But on the other hand, he only fights like twice in the game. I love Zack as a character, but I wish we got to do more stuff with him... (Crisis Core is looking at me seductively)
Finally, the overall story; What can I say that already hasn't been said thousands of times by others? Reading through my own post in this thread again, I shouted "holy shit" more times than I care to remember. It made be laugh, cry, shocked, sometimes scared, and wholesome. I especially loved that everyone had some sort of character arc, even the side characters like Billy.
Now maybe it's because I never played the original to completion, but this game has made me appreciate Cloud as a character. In the original, by the time I reached Costa Del Sol I just remember being cold to everyone, unless I chose a specific dialog choices. Here, while he can still be cold, I saw him gradually warm up, as he is struggling with Sephiorth taunting him as well as the Mako poisoning. He begins to care more for his crew, especially for Tifa who never gave up on him and Aerith who helped him regain slowly regain empathy. Every time he became more like Sephiroth, it was heartbreaking to see both girls and the rest of the team trying to bring him back.
And I think that's the strongest part of the game; The story shows that we might convince ourselves it's better to be alone, perhaps to avoid hurting those we care about both physically and emotionally, but there is strength to be found in bonding with others, and taking the most of the time with them. And when it's time to say farewell, we can cherish those memories to help us move on, and we can make decisions to make a better future for their sake. And now I sound like Aerith and miss her already.... damn it.
Truly, a 10/10 experience. No game is without flaw, but this one gets pretty close to being flaw-less
Now I am excited for part 3! Will it be a ps5 (or maybe 6) exclusive initially? Probably. But I can always wait for the PC version.
- It took me mid-late game to finally have the combat system click for me, and I had to re-try several boss fights
- Also made worse by the fact that I didn't experiment with the party make-up enough
- Some mini-games also required many re-attempts
- Especially Queen's Blood, which I agonized on how to build the best deck
- I guess my skyrim-style exploration method has never left me, because there were times I struggled trying brute force my way through inaccessible paths, when there was an obvious path I could follow
- I am also pretty sure I left the game on pause to take care of house chores, eat something, or take a phone call.
I thought I would share my final thoughts on the game; It's a near perfection!
Especially in terms of open-world gameplay; I think I mentioned this several posts ago, but the gradual unlock of the regions was done really well. BOTW and Ubisoft games may have tricked people into thinking freedom to go everywhere is a good thing, but had FF7REB been designed that way, I think I would've been overwhelmed and would've discouraged me to explore.
Side activities were just the right amount! And none of those random radiant side activities either that constantly pops up. Not only that, they were all nicely spaced out, both in terms of their physical distance and how often I ran into them.
Chapter 11 was probably my favorite one in the game; Summarizing what I said before, I felt everything that Cloud and Tifa felt returning to their hometown. Experiencing how the town has changed, you not belonging in that neighborhood anymore, and old memories both good and bad resufacing... It was all too real. I think there was a lesson here where you could keep clinging onto the past,, or move on with your life and try to make the best of it. Nothing was wrong with this chapter. Well except for that god-awful double adjudicator fight as Cait alone.
Soundtrack was an absolute bomb. Something SE has been nailing in all of their games, really. Whether it's the chapter 1 grassland theme, the awesome remix of the chocobo theme during races, summon boss fights, or the one-winged angel during the final fight, it was amazing. From what I understand, GOAT Nobuo Uematsu composed No Promises to Keep, and acted as overseer on other scores? That was a wise choice!
Now combat, as I mentioned, did take me a while to get used to. I got so used to having Cloud as the party leader, the fights that didn't involve him was a struggle. Especially the likes of Aerith, who I built to be more of a glass canon. However, when everything finally clicked, exploiting enemy weakness and raising their pressure bar and eventually staggering them was a fun experience. Synergy moves were fun to explore, but I found out I am particularly drawn to ones that raise limit break levels and stagger meter. And oh boy, the way some of these moves chains so nicely with one another....
None of the characters bothered me too much.... WEELLLL EXCEPT FOR MAI. God, I hate this AI so much. Chadley was a smart ass, but bearable. MAI, however, had that annoying voice on top of being rather useless. Like, by the time she talks about the weakness of the enemies, I have already used access, read their info, and already pressured them. She then proceeds to yap on, while I am simply trying to focus. I can't remember which combat assignment, but at one point, she literally says, "Gah, I can't read this! It's too horrible! Good luck!"...WTF, you are an AI! You are supposed to assist the humans in tough situations. You aren't even fighting, so why do you care?
Dear SE, if she's coming back in the third game, at the very least have her do something in combat!
Zack sections. Kinda hard to comment on. On one hand, it is an integral part of the story, now that we know he's alive in this version. But on the other hand, he only fights like twice in the game. I love Zack as a character, but I wish we got to do more stuff with him... (Crisis Core is looking at me seductively)
Finally, the overall story; What can I say that already hasn't been said thousands of times by others? Reading through my own post in this thread again, I shouted "holy shit" more times than I care to remember. It made be laugh, cry, shocked, sometimes scared, and wholesome. I especially loved that everyone had some sort of character arc, even the side characters like Billy.
Now maybe it's because I never played the original to completion, but this game has made me appreciate Cloud as a character. In the original, by the time I reached Costa Del Sol I just remember being cold to everyone, unless I chose a specific dialog choices. Here, while he can still be cold, I saw him gradually warm up, as he is struggling with Sephiorth taunting him as well as the Mako poisoning. He begins to care more for his crew, especially for Tifa who never gave up on him and Aerith who helped him regain slowly regain empathy. Every time he became more like Sephiroth, it was heartbreaking to see both girls and the rest of the team trying to bring him back.
And I think that's the strongest part of the game; The story shows that we might convince ourselves it's better to be alone, perhaps to avoid hurting those we care about both physically and emotionally, but there is strength to be found in bonding with others, and taking the most of the time with them. And when it's time to say farewell, we can cherish those memories to help us move on, and we can make decisions to make a better future for their sake. And now I sound like Aerith and miss her already.... damn it.
Truly, a 10/10 experience. No game is without flaw, but this one gets pretty close to being flaw-less
Now I am excited for part 3! Will it be a ps5 (or maybe 6) exclusive initially? Probably. But I can always wait for the PC version.
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- Apr 1, 2009
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Since I finally got a PS5 I could finally play rebirth. Some things stand out for better and worse
-The game is real bad at explaining things which can get grating because there's so many systems and minigames at play.
-Despite the many systems and poor explanations the core gameplay system is still fun. Its a good sign that every character got love and attention in their moves and no one feels similar to another.
-Characters are still great though Shinra being pushed to the background also means my fave Barret somewhat gets left behind too.
-The world seems a lot more healthier than it should. Seeing how Midgar was such a hellhole, and with it being a plotpoint that Shinra is polluting and killing the planet for cash I think its weird to depict the world as more or less a normal looking one. Red having a token line about it ''merely appearing that way'' but that the world is in fact barely hanging on doesn't make it any better
-The new towns are great. Gone are the slum vibes of Midgar and now we got beach resorts, giant shopping mall cities and an adorable medieval town.
-Chadley's mouth needs duct tape. I like Chadley but he just never stops talking. Mai is technically more annoying but you got to seek her stuff out while Chadley constantly interrupts.
-The robed men are stupid but in a good way. They're so awkward and weird that the game can have its fun mocking them, with even the tutorial text getting in on it.
-The game is real bad at explaining things which can get grating because there's so many systems and minigames at play.
-Despite the many systems and poor explanations the core gameplay system is still fun. Its a good sign that every character got love and attention in their moves and no one feels similar to another.
-Characters are still great though Shinra being pushed to the background also means my fave Barret somewhat gets left behind too.
-The world seems a lot more healthier than it should. Seeing how Midgar was such a hellhole, and with it being a plotpoint that Shinra is polluting and killing the planet for cash I think its weird to depict the world as more or less a normal looking one. Red having a token line about it ''merely appearing that way'' but that the world is in fact barely hanging on doesn't make it any better
-The new towns are great. Gone are the slum vibes of Midgar and now we got beach resorts, giant shopping mall cities and an adorable medieval town.
-Chadley's mouth needs duct tape. I like Chadley but he just never stops talking. Mai is technically more annoying but you got to seek her stuff out while Chadley constantly interrupts.
-The robed men are stupid but in a good way. They're so awkward and weird that the game can have its fun mocking them, with even the tutorial text getting in on it.
Midgar looks so drained and shitty because that is where Shrina has concentrated the extraction of Mako, even in the original game the immediately area is all fucked but life returns around Kalm and remains that way everywhere else in the game. You can see this in Rebirth in the area by the highway's leading from Midgar to Kalm too, then you reach a line where grass and shit is alive and well again.
I hope he dies in the next game ngl. It's fine and you need a catalyst for all the side shit so he works but there is just so fucking much of him. Chadley is entirely dependent on how you played the game though. If you spam all the side things the moment they unlock then you'll get bombarded by him, but if you split it up and focus more on the story he fades away. I think it's less of a Chadley sucks problem and more of a problem in how open world games come to together generally.
There is some noticeable bias in Rebirth that assumes you played Remake so there is a baseline understanding that the game kind of expects from you. Like it doesn't explain the characters from Remake at all, and doesn't really pull back on any story punches in case the player hadn't played Remake. And I think the way these games have clearly structured and advertised themselves it is pretty clear they're a giant 3-part story and you should play them in order. They even sell them as bundles and discount the shit out of Remake all the time to get people to play from the beginning.
I wonder if me having less patience with the minigames or more trouble adapting to their controls is a sign of getting older. I can't deny I find them a rather unwelcome interruption most of the time.
Despite being minigame central the golden Saucer's great though. I love the tacky ghost hotel.
The story mostly seems a bit filler with it just being the chase for Sephiroth and finding interesting locations on the way. Though given its the middle portion of the original game that's to be expected. And I don't really mind either. I can imagine worse thing then going on a sight seeing road trip with Aerith and Barret.
Despite being minigame central the golden Saucer's great though. I love the tacky ghost hotel.
The story mostly seems a bit filler with it just being the chase for Sephiroth and finding interesting locations on the way. Though given its the middle portion of the original game that's to be expected. And I don't really mind either. I can imagine worse thing then going on a sight seeing road trip with Aerith and Barret.
Which minigame in particular? The 3D fighter one is just straight up trash, don't feel bad for struggling with that one.
A tip for that one is pressing the Options button to pause the game and figure out your opponents move at your leisure.
I think several changes of the remakeverse are for the better. Not the multiverse ghosts or the bigger role for Sephiroth. Gods no.
But I think Cosmo Canyon being turned from a valley of ancient wisdom into a tourist trap full of judgmental hippies was a great change. It helps sell the ultra capitalist hellhole that Shinra turned the world into. Even the environmentalists are shallow and vibes based.
Red going from old man to baby boy is kind of a new change. Kinda. Apparently the Japanese honorifics the character uses in the Japanese version does imply such a shift despite the lack of voice action in the original, but that wasn't able to get translated. In any case I like the change.
Standout change is Barret who's a richer character and less of a stereotype. He's best boy.
But I think Cosmo Canyon being turned from a valley of ancient wisdom into a tourist trap full of judgmental hippies was a great change. It helps sell the ultra capitalist hellhole that Shinra turned the world into. Even the environmentalists are shallow and vibes based.
Red going from old man to baby boy is kind of a new change. Kinda. Apparently the Japanese honorifics the character uses in the Japanese version does imply such a shift despite the lack of voice action in the original, but that wasn't able to get translated. In any case I like the change.
Standout change is Barret who's a richer character and less of a stereotype. He's best boy.
I've seen so much hate for Red's change and I don't understand how people seem to be unable to comprehend the story being told with him. Red is hiding his identity, trying to be wise and important to the group. Then when he finally gets home he drops his guard (as he does several times with Aerith because Aerith likely already knows the truth and she said so in the Remake when they first met "This child is a friend" is EXACTLY what Aerith says about Red when he first appears. Once Red's truth is revealed in Cosmo he no longer has any reason to hide his real voice and thus he continues like that for the rest of the game.
In the original this is kind of explained as well as he is labeled a teenager in the original game as well. But because there is no voice acting then obviously you wont really change his voice in your head.
Also people don't fucking remember shit about the original game and they shit talk the Remake for doing things when the original either does the same fucking thing or leaves the character completely blank.
In the original game Red has ZERO characterization outside of Cosmo Canyon. In fact most of the characters only have a little bit of story whenever you reach their hometown's and then nothing ever again. Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Sephiroth are the ONLY characters who have any development throughout the entire game. Everyone else has next to nothing and people forget that for whatever reason.
All the extra story and plot and setting things in the Remakes HAVE to be there because the original game has very little going on in 90% of the visited locations. Which is also why people who say the Remake should have been a 1-to-1 remake are fucking kidding themselves because the game would NOT hold up to a modern expectation.
You remember what you do in Costa Del Sol in the original game? Fucking NOTHING. Zero. You can talk to hojo on the beach who says he's on vacation and then you leave. That's it.
You know what happens in Corel Town? You go to the Gold Saucer tram. That's it.
You remember what happens at Nibelhiem? The party goes "I thought this burnt down, wow that's weird." And then you leave. That's IT!
So obviously the Remake had to do SOMETHING there.
I love the original game, but if it had only just gotten a modern graphics update and voice acting the game would have been boring as fuck.
That and it nicely compliments Cloud's own character. Baby boy acting way thoughter than he is to be taken seriously applies to both of them. Red is just better at it with the party really being caught by surprise, rather than the act quickly faltering as with Cloud.
I have deep philosophical objections to either versions. In both old and new we were robbed of Hojo wearing a speedo. Dude just keeps on his doctor's coat.
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It’s a beach episode and he’s not following the dress code. And as Vincent knows Hojo’s milk brings all the girls to the yard.
