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[Sweetloaf]

but they aren't really lying about the enormity of the project.

I'm sure they're not and I suppose they've added relatively cheap content to make the product financially viable (extended over multiple purchases). Great for profits and shareholders but not that great for the quality of the game. I'm not even having a dig at them really, can't blame them for wanting to make money as a business, it's just not what I wanted. Surely there must have been a better way!

Believe what you want, it doesn't make you right.

Believing I'm not right doesn't make me wrong....or something

 

[sid2vicious]

Believing I'm not right doesn't make me wrong....or something

If you're not right, then you're most certainly are wrong!

 

[RokkanStoned]

Believing I'm not right doesn't make me wrong....or something

 

[vpance]

From watching a couple streams, the game looks way more fun than I thought it’d be. The demo just didn’t grab me for whatever reason. Great cutscenes too of course. Still like to see what they fix in the first patch though.

 

[LordKasual]

in Chapter 9, and unlocked the thing from the research kid.....holy shit dude.

Yeah this is the best battle system they've ever done for a mainline FF game.

The design of this bossfight reminds me of some of the best aspects of optional fights from Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, you can absolutely tell that this game had a GOOD battle director this time around.

Spoiler: Early side content spoiler

the VR Shiva's AI is very interestingly designed. The first time i fought her, only Cloud was in my party and i figured VR fights were solo only.

I managed to get her to about half health before she started going ham with the attacks, and decided to come back a bit later.

I tried the fight after i got Aerith back in my party, and to my surprise, she's allowed to fight with me......was expecting to easily roflstomp her since Aerith has that Doublecast Rune ability.....but her AI actually adapts to the fight.

She started using Blizzaga before i even reached the halfway mark phase, and did a variant of Heavenly Strike that i'd never seen before after countless runs up until that point.

Furthermore, i noticed that having Aerith and being able to rapidfire Fira spells at her causes her to use the Ice Familiar ability way more frequently to prevent you from cheesing her out with magic.

It's pretty exciting

suppppppper excited for optional endgame fights this time around.

 

[ethomaz]

Yes, it takes 40 hrs by design, I'm not in a position to say that all of those are 40 critical plot related hours but the original 8 or so hours was always enough Midgar for me and got the story points across just fine. They've engineered it to take longer and claimed it was too big of a game to release in one go. have they really added 32 game critical worthwhile hours? If they have, great I'm in but until I hear that, I'll wait to see how the next installments play out. If every 8 hours is stretched to 40hrs it'll end up a damn sight more than £150.

It didn't have to be like that. My point is, If they'd stuck to the original story without filler, is there a reason that technically they couldn't have released one game?

It was really a weird decision.
I like Midgar but FFVI really start after you left Midgar... you are a “criminal” after all.

It is a journey.

They now made it a shore.

 

[Foamy]

Why would anyone pay full price for a remake that 1/5 of the story?
Ludicrous.

 

[Andodalf]

Why would anyone pay full price for a remake that 1/5 of the story?
Ludicrous.

Less than that even! There a apparently 15!!!! FF games, and this is only 1/5 of one! So clearly this is only 1/75 worthy of my money

 

[wzy]

Why would anyone pay full price for a remake that 1/5 of the story?
Ludicrous.

To be fair, the game features hours upon hours of new content added on top of that 1/5th of the original story. It's just that all the new content is dogshit and the game is miserably bad whenever it isn't directly copying the original.

 

[chitzy]

Why would anyone pay full price for a remake that 1/5 of the story?
Ludicrous.

This is a horrible take. The game has plenty of legitimate shortcomings to gripe about, but this isn't one.

 

[chitzy]

in Chapter 9, and unlocked the thing from the research kid.....holy shit dude.

Yeah this is the best battle system they've ever done for a mainline FF game.

The design of this bossfight reminds me of some of the best aspects of optional fights from Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, you can absolutely tell that this game had a GOOD battle director this time around.

Spoiler: Early side content spoiler

the VR Shiva's AI is very interestingly designed. The first time i fought her, only Cloud was in my party and i figured VR fights were solo only.

I managed to get her to about half health before she started going ham with the attacks, and decided to come back a bit later.

I tried the fight after i got Aerith back in my party, and to my surprise, she's allowed to fight with me......was expecting to easily roflstomp her since Aerith has that Doublecast Rune ability.....but her AI actually adapts to the fight.

She started using Blizzaga before i even reached the halfway mark phase, and did a variant of Heavenly Strike that i'd never seen before after countless runs up until that point.

Furthermore, i noticed that having Aerith and being able to rapidfire Fira spells at her causes her to use the Ice Familiar ability way more frequently to prevent you from cheesing her out with magic.

It's pretty exciting

suppppppper excited for optional endgame fights this time around.

The battle system is great in one on one situations (such as when you fight Shiva initially). The more party members and enemies you pile on though, the shittier it performs.

 

[xrnzaaas]

As a bystander I'm curious where Square Enix is going to take it from here. Are they going to offer VII-2 with a heavily stretched story again or are they going to respond to the complains. It will also be interesting how FF7-2 sells. Some 30/40yo+ fans already went in blind expecting the whole story from this remake and surely they're going to be pissed.

 

[mcjmetroid]

I'm a bystander as well but I will say this is absolutely one of those games I wouldn't trust reviews for. Critics be terrified of getting spammed by people hating on their review.

Reviews are looking very good but some of the smaller things wrong with it seem to be showing making me doubt its a 10/10 game.

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

Too much button pressing in chapter 7.

 

[Nitty_Grimes]

I'm also spending too much time looking at computer generated ass and boobies on Tifa...

 

[chitzy]

I'm a bystander as well but I will say this is absolutely one of those games I wouldn't trust reviews for. Critics be terrified of getting spammed by people hating on their review.

Reviews are looking very good but some of the smaller things wrong with it seem to be showing making me doubt its a 10/10 game.

If you take nostalgia out of the equation, I think it's hard to make the case this is any more than 8/10.

 

[Ixion]

Here are the latest reviews since my last round-up:


10/10 - Noisy Pixel

9.5/10 - LaPS4

9.5/10 - COGConnected

9.5/10 - GameOver.gr

9/10 - CGMagazine

9/10 - Worth Playing

7.5/10 - GamePlanet

7/10 - Washington Post

 

[ethomaz]

Here are the latest reviews since my last round-up:


10/10 - Noisy Pixel

9.5/10 - LaPS4

9.5/10 - COGConnected

9.5/10 - GameOver.gr

9/10 - CGMagazine

9/10 - Worth Playing

7.5/10 - GamePlanet

7/10 - Washington Post

It will probably drop a point with these or at least will be near to drop.

 

[Ixion]

It will probably drop a point with these.

Those eight reviews average out to an 89, so not sure what you mean.

 

[Ixion]

FYI, I can't play this game for another 1-2 weeks, so in the mean time I've avoiding the OT and just gonna post the latest reviews here to feed ma hype:


Today's reviews:

9.8 - Gamer's Temple

"Final Fantasy VII Remake is an astounding achievement. It is an unprecedented gathering of the creative minds behind the original, for which they succeeded in every way in their goal to bring their vision to gamers of today. This remake has ushered in a new era - a saga that will change the gaming landscape as we know it. For now, though, Final Fantasy VII Remake alone stands as one of the greatest modern RPGs ever made, remake or not."


9.5 - GamingTrend

"Final Fantasy VII Remake is more than just a remake. It stays true to the core elements of the original game, while also exploring, expanding, and breathing new life, depth, imagination, and personality into an already outstanding world and cast of characters. While it is a little light on playtime, settling in at around 30-35 hours for a playthrough, it is bursting with quality and feels like a complete game, a full experience that is just waiting to be continued. It weaves together the familiar with the new, and adds entirely new elements, personalities, and modern storytelling flare to a beloved classic. Remake is a beautiful game, and a must-play for those who lived the original, who have always wanted to experience the world of FFVII, and just about any JRPG fan out there."


9.5 - Game Over Online

"Overall, Final Fantasy VII Remake is a must-buy for fans of the original – but with some caveats attached. Those going into it expecting the complete FF VII experience from start to finish with a new gameplay setup and graphics will be disappointed, while those going in knowing that it is part of the overall package, just with a poor name choice, will wind up quite happy with it. Being able to go between a more classic gameplay approach or a modernized one offers up a lot of freedom to players, while the story itself remains my favorite in franchise history – and it’s now told with more depth and detail than ever before. The revamped graphics aren’t perfect – but do a better job on the whole of conveying the story, while the voice work helps it gain a new level of gravitas that wasn’t there before."


8.5 - Forbes

"Overall, this is an amazing game that works on its own and fleshes out the story and setting of Final Fantasy VII in a remarkably cogent way. Fans of the original game may have wanted something more faithful in a functional sense but this is still an excellent game and one you will be more than happy to pour your time into."


8 - Hardcore Gamer

"Unfortunately, not everything new works. Some of the new story elements feel out of place with the overarching story and tone, and quite a few of the many hours feel like padding. When the story, combat and characters come together, however, Final Fantasy VII Remake captures the magic that makes Final Fantasy special. Final Fantasy VII Remake is just the beginning of this new journey and it’s already off to a great start."

 

[Entroyp]

I totally agree with Hardcore Gamer.. This game works well when it adheres to the content in the original.. all else feels unnecessary.

 

[Fuz]

And yet they gave it 4/5. Cowards.

 

[Urprobablyright]

This is final fantasy guys.. ever played X? Ever played.. Any of them? It was never going to be a pitch perfect Cyberpunk future... It was going to be a series of free roams that felt like interactive cut scenes... It was never meant to be serious enough to satisfy anyone who came in expecting a game that would stack up to the blockbuster titles of the time~ it was meant to be a very pretty remake of a 90s hit game with some extra content.. i kinda think we should be grateful

 

[Ixion]

This game is now up to an 88 on Metacritic and an 89 on OpenCritic.


Here are the latest reviews that have come in since yesterday:

10 - ThisGenGaming

"Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a love-letter to the source material. It does a much better job at telling the gripping story and makes you truly feel for the inhabitants of Midgar. Lay to rest any worries you may have had over its length as well, as this first “episode” will provide you with a full game’s worth of content."


10 - DASHGamer.com

"With every square inch of its redesign, FF7R’s remaster takes what we know and love about its initial entry and overhauls its experience to fit the mold of the gamer of today. It’s faithful, yet fresh. It’s the same experience, redefined. It’s familiar, yet breathtaking. And most importantly, it’s one of the best game’s of our generation. Final Fantasy VII: Remake is in clear contention for Game of the Year, again… in 2020."


10 - The Digital Fix

"Cue the Victory Fanfare because Final Fantasy VII Remake is nothing short of a masterpiece."


9.1 - Bazimag

"The promise of the reunion has finally been fulfilled. Final Fantasy VII Remake is a great and powerful remake and as a lifetime fan I am so happy to live long enough to get a chance to play it. This should be the standard for anyone trying to attempt any sort of remake in any medium. Now, the waiting game begins for the rest of it."


9 - GameGrin

"Square Enix deserve another standing ovation for resurrecting this classic in the manner they have done so. Let's just hope we don't have decades of waiting before we get to play Part 2."


9 - Cheat Code Central

"Final Fantasy VII Remake is going to be weird in so many different ways for so many different people, and for that reason alone I have to give it an enthusiastic recommendation."


8.5 - Video Chums

"Final Fantasy VII Remake brilliantly recreates the events of Midgar in a breathtaking way. Even though there's no denying just how amazing of an experience it is, the adventure within will still leave fans wanting much more."

 

[lefty1117]

I'm enjoying the game the farther into it I get, as more party members are added. The depth of the combat system becomes apparent and it looks like, short of switching to classic mode, you'll have to understand the synergies between the party members (configuring one with Pressure skills, one with Stagger skills, etc) and you'll need to make good decisions about switching characters during combat. For example it appears that characters you don't control won't use their ATBs unless you switch to them and do it yourself, or use L2/R2 to "remotely" issue them commands. I suppose as it gets more hectic I can understand why some people might opt for Classic, because I can see already where just managing the use of items, spells and skills can take the majority of time.

My hope for part 2 is that it is mostly around the open world part of the original. It would make sense, much of the groundwork, art assets, etc, have been established in part 1 so it may enable them to put more focus on fleshing out the open world mechanics. If this is what they are after and they pull it off, we may look back at this multi part game release as a sort of model for others to follow, and not just in terms of telling a story, but in actually designing and rolling out a game in a cost effective manner.

 

[Ixion]

We've now hit the 100 review mark (sitting at 101 reviews logged on OpenCritic). Here are today's reviews:


10 - Gaming Age

"I really found myself loving Final Fantasy VII Remake, to a degree that I’m likely going to go back through it on Hard mode (which unlocks post-game) and try to platinum it if I can find the time. Even after 40 hours spent with it I’m finding it hard to pull myself away from the game, and I think there’s a good chance you’ll feel the same way too."


9.8 - GameCrate

"Final Fantasy VII Remake falls just short of perfection, but it's clearly one of the best RPGs to release so far and is definitely a contender for RPG of the year. I'll go as far to say that this is one of the most important RPG projects of our generation, and I do think everyone, fan of the original or no, should experience it."


9.5 - GotGame

"While Final Fantasy VII Remake isn’t a direct translation of the original, it does an astounding job recreating the experience from the ground up. The music, the characters, and the attention to detail just sucks you into Midgar like never before. Add on the additional story elements and fantastic combat, and you have a real winner here."


9 - Nexus

"For as much as it rewrites the rule books of what a video game remake can be, it also honors the original in ways that will certainly please fans. The combat is captivating and entertaining, the visuals are often jaw-dropping, and the world design is top-class from a developer who is no stranger to vibrant and detailed worlds."


9 - RPGamer

"Returning to Midgar has been a much more fulfilling experience than I expected going in. Seeing all of these characters, and the world, fully realized in 3D has given me a whole new appreciation for them and I’m very much looking forward to what’s next in store. Exactly how successful the full project is remains to be seen, but the first part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake has done everything it could in getting me incredibly excited for the second."


8 - GameZone

"Despite those disappointments and Square's lack of appropriate messaging that this is only Part 1 of a larger story, I still largely enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy VII Remake. The exciting combat system, the ridiculously amazing soundtrack and a Midgar that was a joy to look at and run through all combined to give me a fuzzy feeling inside I only ever got from playing the original."


7.5 - Culture of Gaming

"When FF7: Remake is firing on all cylinders it’s an amazing experience. I have my complaints, but I really did enjoy my time almost they entire way through the game. The story is deep and immersive, the battle system mechanically sound, and the sound and aesthetics are truly remarkable. However, I can’t help but feel like I spent 40 hours to get somewhere should’ve been in maybe 20. Square Enix took 5 hours of game play and stretched it out to a full game."



And here is where OpenCritic stands at:

It seems the critical reception for this game is nearly on par with the peak era of Final Fantasy games from the PS1/PS2 era, which scored in the low 90s.

 

[Pansy]

Not even 9 for IGN.
10 from GameSpot makes me surprise.

Trusting good quality game reviews from IGN is like expecting the Coronavirus to be done for by Easter.

 

[wzy]

Japanese games don't get gentleman's 9s anymore unless they're made by Nintendo.

 

[Ryu Kaiba]

If you take nostalgia out of the equation, I think it's hard to make the case this is any more than 8/10.

If you take nostalgia out of the equation its probably rated even higher most of the strict criticism comes from those that can't separate it from the original.

It's easily the best game Squares made in maybe 2 decades