I remember when this game came to PC, I picked it up immediately. It was a Final Fantasy game, and my wallet cannot really tell that series ‘no’. I was actually really happy to use this game to test out my Steam Deck, and I was not disappointed. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a Japanese Role Playing Game developed and published by Square Enix. I paid like $30 something dollars for this game, and my playthrough lasted about 42 hours, which is above HowLongToBeat’s 33 hours on average.
Midgar Is Cool, But You’re Stuck There
The game is set in the city of Midgar, a place that is powered by Mako and controlled by the Shinra Electric Power Company. Believed to be draining the world of it’s lifeforce, the “terrorist” group AVALANCHE seeks to stop them. The thing with REMAKE is that only so much of this world can be shown to you. You get to experience the slums in lower Midgar, and the Shinra building in the upper part of Midgar. Past that, you don’t really get the experience much past Red XIII, who is also a character you cannot play as. The story of Final Fantasy VII Remake takes you through the first tens of hours of the original Final Fantasy, up until you leave Midgar with the gang.
PC and Steam Deck – Both Passed the Test
I played this game on the go quite a bit, finally being able to see how much the Steam Deck would be able to handle. I did play Final Fantasy VII Remake on my PC, so I can talk about some of that as well. On PC, the game looked amazing, something I would expect from a game that spent five years in development hell. Everything looked so vibrant and flashy, especially while I was in combat. When it comes to the Steam Deck, I have no complaints on that system either. The graphics were great seeing as I was playing it on a system that I could use in the car. The game ran smoothly on it as well, with it having no stuttering that I can remember.
I Actually Really Liked the Music
This is may be an unpopular opinion, but I do really like the music in Remake Intergrade. Maybe it’s because I only got so far into the original Final Fantasy VII as a kid, compared to beating Remake as an adult, or maybe it’s because I’ve really only played somewhat more modern Final Fantasy games, but who knows. I can’t say I really have a favorite song in this game outside of the Prelude, which is in every Final Fantasy game, so here’s another one that I’d say was pretty good.
The Controls Were Great… Except That Motorcycle Part
When it comes to controls, I really don’t have too much to say. It plays like any other action JRPG. I know that doesn’t explain much, so let me try. The controls felt very responsive when I was in combat or just roaming around the map doing side quests. The only time I really hated, and I mean straight up despised, the controls was during the chase minigame on the motorcycle. Nothing really felt responsive during that minigame the two times I played it because I messed up the first run.
The Characters Are the Reason This Game Work
The characters are what hold the game together, well, that and the story and everything else. Cloud Strife is your calm and collected poster boy for the entirety of the Final Fantasy franchise. He doesn’t really seem to care at all, or at least does his best to hide it, and I do kinda like him for that. I feel like it hides more of him from the player, just as we only know so much about his past.
Tifa Lockheart is another main character that you get to see at the beginning of the game. She is one of Cloud’s love interests and is the local bar owner. She was a pretty decent character to me, but that was about it. Barret Wallace on the other hand, was a great character to me. He added a good chunk of humor to the game that I ended up enjoying. Besides being witty, Barret is also the leader of AVALANCHE and a pretty good tank for your party. Aerith Gainsborough is a wanted healer and the other main love interest for Cloud. I really did like her as a character, especially the way she alluded that she knew more than she showed. The only thing I wished to see from her was her iconic scene in modern graphics. The game came out in 1997, so I don’t feel bad for spoiling a 26-year-old game.
Materia, Limit Breaks, and Why Combat Feels So Good
I did like the idea of Materia, but that might be due to the fact that my dad keeps telling me how it’s his favorite Final Fantasy mechanic. I do have to agree with him though, it’s a cool system. Adding these little orbs to your weapons or armor can change how it responds. It can help you take or deal damage or can even add new spells to your roster. Limit Breaks are more my style though. Even from what I’ve played of the original Final Fantasy VII on Steam, I just like the idea of them. The fact that you are able to use the strongest move your character can muster to change the tides of battle is always a cool concept to me.
The combat was smooth compared to some other action JRPGs I’ve played like Tales of Berseria and God Eater 3. Something that really stood out to me while in combat was the slowdown that occurred when I was choosing a spell or ability. It made it feel like Cloud or any other character was actively thinking of what to do in the moment. I also enjoyed the switching of characters in battle on the fly. It really made my favorite desperate tactic much easier, which is Phoenix Down spamming.
I Did Every Side Quest and I Don’t Even Like Side Quests
I’ve talked a lot about this, whether it’s been online or you’ve been unfortunate enough to listen to me rant about this in person, I absolutely hate the idea of side quests. I am happy to say, I liked this game enough to the point where I did all of the available side quests.
Looking Back at Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a great game, and I do think that people should play it, even as just an entry to the Final Fantasy series. If you can get the game on any sort of sale, it is 100% worth the buy. Just don’t buy a game for $70 if you don’t have to.
Play Every Pixel 