Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

When Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second game in Square Enix’s remake trilogy, hits, it is incredible. Because Rebirth tells a drawn-out version (30 to 80 hours) of the middle of the original FF7 story, you spend so much time with Cloud and his friends just bonding. That means it’s home to the most well-realized version of these beloved characters. The action-oriented take on the crew’s journey to stop Sephiroth is one of the best battle systems Square has ever put to a disc, and Rebirth’s additions fill out its team-based combat into something with momentum, style, and strategy without ever compromising on any of those ideas.

But it’s also divisive. Its mini-game-heavy padding and thin plot means it sits in an awkward space for the Remake project as a whole. By the time it reaches its conclusion, it feels like Rebirth has to quickly pivot into something that will lead to a finale, and it doesn’t stick the landing as it takes us into (allegedly) new waters. Maybe when the third game is out, those shortcomings will feel less egregious in context. But even with them,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth makes the most of its extended run time with some truly memorable and heartfelt moments. It’s a Final Fantasy 7 fan’s dream, and for those of us just passing through, it’s a fascinating project to watch unfold. — Kenneth Shepard