I've loved FFVII since I first played it in 2014. Fortunately, I didn't have to wait as long as most for what was advertised as a remake. It seemed like it was in development forever, the first trailer was 5 long years before the game actually hit the shelves. How is it? It's good! Flawed, but good.
I mentioned that it's advertised as a remake. It's a bit disingenuous of their marketing to say that's the case. While the game is an authentic expansion/remake of about 90% of the Midgar section in the original, it does do some things quite differently (especially at the end). This will be a better experience if you have played the original. The game is designed with this in mind. Going through Crisis Core and watching Advent Children is probably recommended too.
I don't want to gate-keep though; this can be a good entry point into the universe. It's just my recommendation that playing the OG first is best if you can handle older graphics (mods help!).
The creators didn't want to remake everything 1:1, because that's boring to them. I can respect that.
Half the parts it expands upon are pretty fantastic. Many fans did not expect them to include some of the goofier stuff. Turns out, they didn't just include them. They went 500% in. Highlighted them in bright yellow ink. It's glorious.
Characters maintain their core while feeling more grounded and fleshed out. It certainly helps that they don't look like cursed Legos anymore. Not just the main characters are better though; side characters like Jessie, Biggs and Wedge come alive here in a way they never were before. The game also introduces new characters, most of which feel at home in FFVII, though only a few are memorable.
Where the game falters is its incessant padding. Sections that were a screen or two in the original are stretched to literal hours. If you enjoy the gameplay and characters (as I did), it helps these sections a fair bit, but not enough to make them good. A lot of the changes come at the cost of momentum. Midgar in the original is a roaring romp with quick ups and downs before you get out and finally breathe as the world is revealed. Here, the pacing can be rather jarring.
As for the story decisions in particular, I think I'm mostly ok with them. People are afraid that it'll become Kingdom Hearts level of convolution, but I think they need 20 games to even get to that level. I've played Kingdom Hearts, unfortunately. I know how bad it can get...
I think what they're doing with the villain is actually quite interesting, but the introduction of him is worse in this entry (another reason to play the original!). It's hard to fully judge these changes. This is only part one of a giant story, and I can't really evaluate it until all three games are out. For now, I'm along for the ride.
Thankfully the rest of the game is fantastic. The music takes motifs and experiments with them more, mixing in more original and memorable tracks. A certain underground section that's really not that compelling overall is joyous to go back to just for the soundtrack. The hubs filled with people are incredibly lively; Midgar still feels huge and varied. The gameplay is a smart hybrid of old Final Fantasy battles and new.
They really just went all out with certain parts. I just wish I could experience it all in less time.
I initially played it during Covid on my PS4. It was a very strange time, driving through empty traffic lights midday to get to a workplace that was deathly quiet. I just wanted to get home and play this. It helped.
This time round, I played the DLC as well with Yuffie's introduction (it wasn't released on PS4). I liked it overall; the gameplay was slick, the narrative was great in the first half but a bit repetitive in the second. And the music was crazy. They did 6 songs for a turtle club side quest - again, that's 6 songs for a turtle club side quest - that you'll only hear about 30 seconds of each if you even decide to do the quest in the first place. All different genres. All turtley.
The DLC is a must play for anyone who likes the series, and clearly a core part of the story.
So the game is great. It does succumb to more anime tropes than the original, whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you. It does make plenty of changes. But its core, its foundation, its heart, is the same. This is the original 5 hours expanded upon and fleshed out. It mostly works. Give it a go.
