The best thing I can say about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is that I frequently thought to myself “I can’t believe this game exists” during my 60 or so hours with it.

Following up on 2020’s  Final Fantasy VII Remake  was always going to be a tough task for two reasons: Remake itself was surprisingly great, and the original Final Fantasy VII is one of the most beloved RPGs of all time. Square Enix found itself in a situation where it had to please fans of two games with one, bound by one set of expectations created in 1997 and another created nearly 25 years later.

Unfathomably, Square did it. Rebirth is the kind of gigantic, expansive Japanese RPG that used to define summer vacations in the 90s, but with all of the modern luxuries of big-budget gaming in 2024. It’s lavishly produced from beginning to end, featuring capital-G Great side activities, a miraculous combat system, and a story that actually sticks the landing. 

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What I loved about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Warning: The following will feature spoilers for the end of Final Fantasy VII Remake

Everything is better with friends

The gang's all here. Credit: Square Enix

Rebirth unsurprisingly picks up right where Remake left off, as Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and the rest of the original game’s classic party leave the dystopian metropolis of Midgar to explore the wider world and stop the iconic villain Sephiroth from doing all the bad things he wants to do. In that sense, it’s a fairly straightforward retelling of the middle portion of the original game.