In some methods, returning to Remaining Fantasy VII Remake following my couple of hundred hours with its sequel seems like settling right into a small condo once more after residing in a mansion. The sport is purposefully cramped by comparability; it’s full of corridors, and its wider zones don’t have anything on the sheer scale seen in Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth.
This isn’t a critique – Midgar, for all its grandeur, is a steadily oppressive metropolis. What’s extra, it’s only a metropolis. Like 1997’s landmark authentic RPG’s first act, the Remake trilogy’s personal inaugural chapter is about completely inside its confines. FFVII Remake works as a result of it is aware of what it isn’t; its follow-up goes wider-lens. I do know all of this, however booting the sport up on my big-screen TV, weaving by way of mako reactors and slim slums and company headquarters, all of it feels smaller on replays with the good thing about Rebirth-related hindsight.
Considerably paradoxically, then, the Nintendo Change 2 model of Remaining Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade introduced me again to my authentic emotions towards the sport: that it’s nonetheless fairly massive in its personal proper, and fairly rattling good, as well. I performed Sq. Enix’s contemporary port primarily in handheld mode, however maybe you’ll know what I imply once I say that sure video games really feel all of the extra gorgeous in scope when given the transportable therapy.
There’s a way of mystique to it, proper? To have a contemporary Remaining Fantasy title, in all its flourish, within the palm of my fingers whereas I’m using a bus to my college – it nonetheless boggles my thoughts. Midgar shouldn’t slot in these fingers, but it surely does. And it does so impeccably properly.
Given the up-and-down port qualities we’ve seen all through Change 2’s first yr available on the market, it’s comprehensible that one would possibly fear Nintendo’s nascent {hardware} would visibly battle. As a substitute, Sq.’s confirmed its critical dedication to breaking into the Nintendo market by way of its largely profitable mission to convey Cloud Strife and his allies to a lower-spec hybrid-build machine.
The group tweaked Unreal Engine 4 considerably through the recreation’s PS4 improvement cycle, giving Midgar spectacular lighting and offering best-in-class character animations. PS5 and PC have, in fact, made Remake all of the prettier, and the Change 2 model unsurprisingly hews nearer to the last-gen authentic product. However the lighting stays incredible, and the animations don’t endure one bit. The Metropolis of Mako nonetheless shines by way of, as atmospherically grungy as ever, and one wants solely to have a look at the reflections in puddles, the detailed enemy designs, and the still-epic cutscene high quality to know that no expense was spared right here.
Which isn’t to say there aren’t sure drawbacks. They’re minor, however they do exist. FFVII Remake Intergrade’s dynamic decision largely retains issues on observe, however there might be occasions when Cloud’s luxurious hair goes to look blurrier than normal. The truth is, hair is the closest factor this port has to an Achilles’ heel; Tifa’s can get fairly fuzzy generally, too. The font’s a bit small in handheld, in order that’s price noting. Final however not least, in case you zoom in shut sufficient, you’ll spot middling textures on myriad fences, crates, and different such peripheral fare. These are minor points, and so they’re much less more likely to stand out in handheld mode, even when I did discover barely fewer situations when enjoying the sport in docked place.
However it’s price placing this into perspective. Many of those textures nonetheless handle to look higher on Change 2 than they did on PS4, even when sustaining parity with PS5 was at all times going to be out of the query. Again when Remake first launched, one explicit artwork asset nearly instantly went viral: the door to Cloud’s condo within the Sector 7 slums. Greater than as soon as, I’ve seen potential purchasers cite the Change 2’s swing at rendering that door as a number one purpose to both purchase, or keep away from, the port.
Excellent news: it seems tremendous. Nearly on-par with PS5’s Efficiency Mode, and a far cry from PS4’s blurry mess. The identical broadly holds true for different infamously low-res tidbits, like some signage (the “Welcome to Seventh Heaven” signal is legible, as an illustration) and a sure late-game skybox that received raked over the coals in 2020.
Remaining Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade runs properly on Nintendo Change 2. It’s 30 fps, sure; but it surely’s a silky-smooth 30 fps. I noticed just about zero body price drops all through my playthrough, however I’ll readily admit, I don’t possess the keenest eye for these items. What issues most, although, is that I didn’t really feel the sport enjoying tug-of-war with me at any time, regardless of Remake’s fast-paced and profoundly flashy battle system. Body pacing isn’t an issue right here. It’s about pretty much as good as 30 fps can get. And cargo occasions, whereas not fairly as lightning-quick as on PS5, aren’t far off in any respect – in case you’ve solely performed Remake on PS4, you’re in for a deal with.
Since that is the Intergrade model – which is what’s out there on PS5 and PC, however not PS4 – it contains Episode INTERmission, a two-chapter aspect story which introduces FFVII’s spunky ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi, from distant Wutai. It additionally comes with the Carbuncle, Cactuar, and Chocobo Chick summon materia. It’s also possible to rely on the acquisition of a trio of armors, plus three equipment and a single weapon. None of those perks are new to the 2026 re-release, however I’d say it was a minimal expectation to see them packed-in without spending a dime. Fortunately, Sq. met that expectation.
In the event you snag a digital copy of FFVII Remake on Change 2 earlier than the tip of January, you’ll get the unique Remaining Fantasy VII freed from cost. It’s a pleasant incentive, and admittedly, in case you’ve not but performed the OG, I’d suggest doing so earlier than diving into the Remake sequence. For all of the writer’s speak of this being a superb entry level, properly, let’s simply say I urge to vary.
FFVII Remake Intergrade is a triumph on the platform, however I wouldn’t essentially suggest the Change 2 route in case you’re planning on enjoying primarily on a much bigger display screen (and have entry to both a PlayStation 5 or a gaming PC). In case your path is mainly a transportable one, what Sq. has achieved right here is sort of sure to impress you.
Now, for the true check: whether or not they can repeat the trick later this yr for Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth, a behemoth of a online game with huge playable zones. After proving they’ve received the chops to place Remake on this platform, the stress’s going to be excessive to ship one heck of a hat trick with the sequel.
Remaining Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is accessible on Nintendo Change 2 and Xbox Sequence X|S on January 22, 2026.
Disclaimer: Code for the Nintendo Change 2 model of Remaining Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was supplied to Nova Crystallis by the sport’s writer Sq. Enix.
Remaining Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
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