Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launched yesterday on PlayStation 5 and the response from critics is about as strong as Square Enix could have hoped. Metacritic scores are sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, with reviewers consistently praising the scope of the world, the quality of combat development from Remake, and the emotional weight of the story’s second act.
The game covers the section of the original Final Fantasy VII from the escape from Midgar through to the end of disc one, a stretch that encompasses some of the most famous story beats in JRPG history. How Square Enix handles certain key moments without spoiling them for a new generation is the major point of discussion, and the consensus appears to be: carefully, respectfully, and effectively.
“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a triumph,” wrote one major outlet. “Square Enix has taken the source material and expanded it into something that stands on its own terms while honouring what made the original irreplaceable.”
The open world is the structural change from Remake. Rebirth moves outside Midgar into the broader world of Gaia, with large explorable regions replacing the linear corridor design of the first game. Early reports suggest the approach works, though some reviewers noted that the volume of optional content can occasionally dilute the pacing.
Combat builds on the Intergrade system, adding new party members and mechanics while keeping the real-time tactical hybrid that defined Remake’s moment-to-moment feel.
The PS5 exclusive window runs for three months, consistent with the Remake to Intergrade timeline. A PC version has not been officially announced, but Square Enix’s recent pattern (both Remake and Intergrade came to PC) makes it a reasonable expectation.
We are working through the full game for our review. Given the reported 80-plus hour runtime, that will take some time to do properly.
