It’s hard to believe Final Fantasy VII Remake came out nearly six years ago, bringing the first part of the trilogy project to life. Since then, we’ve reviewed Remake, Intermission, and Rebirth, but it was about time for a refresher.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
Developer: Square Enix
Price: $39.99
Platform: Switch 2 (reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
MonsterVine was supplied with a Switch 2 code for review
The Switch 2 and Xbox release has finally arrived, bringing the new Streamlined Progression update, along with the base game and the Intermission expansion, as a complete package. I chose to review the Switch 2 version, which is my personal preference for playing Final Fantasy VII Remake.
My familiarity with the Final Fantasy series is all over the place, and I never played the original Final Fantasy VII. I started with Final Fantasy VIII and was thoroughly confused by its dreamy, surreal themes as a child. Thankfully, Final Fantasy VII is more straightforward in its approach, and Remake expands the original Midgar section into a full title with new story content sourced from throughout the FFVII compilation. That said, I already knew the major plot beats going into Remake. It’s hard not to be spoiled when these moments are regularly mentioned in passing, like Luke Skywalker being Darth Vader’s son.
As someone who didn’t play the original, Final Fantasy VII Remake felt like an expansive story that broadens characters who may not have had enough screen time, while also introducing new narrative twists like the dementors. I enjoyed learning more about Jessie’s backstory, which made me invested in her character and made later plot beats much more heartbreaking. Cloud himself struggles with the effects of mako poisoning, emphasizing the trauma and loss that permeate the game while also affecting his personality and masking his vulnerability. I initially thought he was a cold, stoic, and quiet protagonist, but the exploration of his psyche, both past and present, is a human touch that resonated with me. I don’t know what to make of the ghosts in Remake yet, but since the developers are clearly adding new elements to the original story, it’s evident these are narrative devices meant to keep players guessing about their true nature. Hopefully, the payoff comes together with the third title. I also found the story’s themes of authoritarian megacorporations, fighting oppression, and caring for the planet’s limited resources still poignant and relevant today.
The gameplay in Final Fantasy VII Remake is one of my favorite aspects. The original primarily focused on turn-based combat and has been updated here to real-time action with Active Time Battle commands. Combat encounters initiate instantly on the field map or transition seamlessly from cutscene to battle, removing the random encounters from the original. For me, it’s an effective blend of past and modern design, allowing players to stick closer to classic systems in Classic mode or embrace a format closer to newer mainline Final Fantasy games. The Stagger system creates opportunities to unleash all-out attacks and strategically manage battles so you can hold onto powerful Limit Breaks. I often found myself in a flow state against weaker enemies prone to physical damage, while tougher foes later in the game required careful loadout planning and tactical adjustments to exploit specific weaknesses.
This naturally led me to the Materia system, where I experimented with different weapons, equipment, and orbs to tailor my playstyle to each situation. Leveling up materia to unlock stronger spells and linking them with auto-cast materia across party members was satisfying to figure out and execute. Early on, I leaned heavily into physical damage builds, but later shifted toward magic-focused setups to exploit enemy weaknesses. As more materia options opened up, I found myself with an almost endless number of ways to effectively create my own auto-battle strategies.
There’s also the new Streamlined Progression update, which introduces a variety of options to make battles and exploration more accessible. These include modifiers like earning more XP or having unlimited MP. It’s not a feature I’d typically use in a standard playthrough, but it’s easy to understand the appeal if you’re stuck on a difficult fight and want to keep moving forward. For curiosity’s sake, I tried max HP during a boss encounter, and it significantly shortened the fight.
The soundtrack is fantastic, and it’s impressive how often I went off the beaten path to find new CDs to add to my inventory. The Prelude and Honeybee Inn tracks were among my favorites, alongside the sweeping orchestral score that underscores both the high and low moments throughout Remake. Even as ambient background music, the care put into matching tone and mood is clear.
Is Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Worth Playing on Switch 2?
Overall, the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake is visually impressive, with a strong presentation and seamless transitions between docked and handheld play. Most of my time was spent docked, which suited my couch-to-TV setup and delivered higher resolution visuals. In handheld mode, visual trade-offs become more noticeable, particularly with hair and environmental textures, but performance remained stable during combat encounters and cutscenes. The added flexibility of playing on the go, without being tethered to a TV, proved especially useful while traveling or commuting.
The Final Word
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a great entry point for newcomers to the Remake trilogy, and the Switch 2 version offers an accessible way to play without significantly compromising the storytelling, visual fidelity, or attention to detail that define this love letter to RPG fans.
MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
