Including the demo, I have now put about six hours into FF7: Rebirth. This was my #2 most anticipated game of 2024. Early on, I’d say I may have even underrated how hyped I should have been for this game. Here are some quick takes and a bit of advice from my early hours with the game.
Performance Mode vs. Graphics Mode
When I first started up Rebirth, something seemed off with the combat. I was fresh off playing the first game, and there was no way the combat should feel worse, but it did. The animations felt jittery and did not look as fluid and crisp as I was used to.
I quickly realized that the game was set to graphics mode. I highly recommend switching to performance mode the second you can with Rebirth. If you didn’t just play FF7 Remake, maybe you can get by, but it’s considerably better at the higher frame rate that performance mode gives you. The frame rate has stayed very consistent for me in that mode as well. I’d rather have a consistent frame rate over the absolute highest possible, but performance mode checks both boxes for me. Check the videos below for a comparison.
I have switched to graphics mode during exploration a few times, and I personally don’t even notice a serious difference. Maybe if I was analyzing individual rocks and trees, I would, but as someone mostly taking in the scenery in a casual way, performance mode is a no-brainer and greatly enhances the game.
Loving my FF7ified Ubisoft Open World
The Rebirth open world lives up to the hype and then some. I am absolutely in awe of this world. The graphics in and of themselves aren’t that great in terms of raw visuals, but the scope and art direction are both breathtaking. This is the most time I’ve spent just taking in sights since Elden Ring two years ago.
They also pack the world with plenty of activities. Most of them are that sort of “check the box” type fluff that people complain about in Ubisoft games. There are even the classic Ubisoft towers that you need to reveal new activity locations. But it doesn’t even matter. I’m enjoying the world so much that I’m just happy for any excuse to take in every inch of it. They absolutely pulled this off so far. (Also, read more about why I like Ubisoftication here).
Aerith’s Voice Actress is Cooking
Time for a confession… I really didn’t care for the original Final Fantasy 7 cast at all. They were all a bit too generic for me outside of Red XIII. Their designs were cool and unique, but I found the characters themselves very boring and one-dimensional.
That all changed with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. They had way more time to flesh the characters out, and I think they were all written way better. But perhaps most importantly, having phenomenal voice actors instead of just text really brought them all to life. I talked about Barrett as a standout in particular in my thoughts on FF7 Remake here.
While I liked Aerith’s voice actress in FF7 Remake a lot, I think the amount of time you spend away from her in that game made me not realize just how good she is. I have been continuously blown away by the whole cast so far, but Briana White in particular, is absolutely wowing me with every line. A character I once found stale is so strong, sarcastic, and smart here. It’s really fantastic work. All the voice actors truly turn this cast of characters into something special.
Queen’s Blood is Top Tier
If you aren’t giving the minigames in Rebirth a shot, you are playing the game wrong. I have only been able to experience two minigames so far, and both are phenomenal.
The game that has everyone talking in particular is Queen’s Blood. This is Rebirth’s attempt at having their own Gwent style card game hit, and they look like they have actually pulled it off. Much like Gwent got a standalone release, Queen’s Blood also seems worthy of that honor.
You have some of the traditional card game elements here, with the big twist being the implementation of territory as well. Essentially, you can work on playing powerful cards, or you can play weaker cards that can quickly take up territory on the map, making it so your opponent can’t play as many cards. I’ve already seen a new type of card that damages opponents added to the mix as well, so I’m hopeful that more depth continues to be added as you go. But in the early going, I have loved every game that I have played of it, and I can’t wait for more.
I’ll have more Rebirth content in the coming weeks, and a full review eventually, but at this point, I feel strongly that this is a game everyone should play (after playing FF7 Remake first). This is a confident step up from the first game, and will likely win game of the year from many outlets, and rightfully so.
Big Nerd Gaming 
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