It is hard to overstate the sheer weight of expectation that comes with Final Fantasy 7. When the original PlayStation classic dropped in 1997, it didn't just sell copies; it basically redefined what a Japanese RPG could be for a global audience. Square Enix knew this. They sat on the idea of a remake for decades, teasing us with that 2005 PS3 tech demo until the internet practically burned down from the hype. But now that we’re deep into the "Remake Project" trilogy—spanning Remake, Rebirth, and the upcoming third entry—there is a lot of confusion. Is it a sequel? Is it a reboot? Honestly, it’s kinda both, and that’s why some old-school fans are still losing their minds over it.
The reality of Final Fantasy 7 today is that it’s no longer just a single game. It’s a meta-narrative. If you go into Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth expecting a beat-for-beat recreation of the 1997 script, you’re going to be frustrated. Square Enix, led by veterans like Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura, decided to play a very dangerous game with player memory. They aren't just remaking the game; they are remaking the experience of playing it for the first time, including the feeling of not knowing what happens next.
The Whispers and the Multi-Timeline Problem
Most people think the biggest change in the new Final Fantasy 7 is the combat. Switching from Turn-Based/ATB to a real-time hybrid was a massive shift, sure. But the real "Final Fantasy 7" controversy lies in the Whispers—those ghostly, hooded figures that keep appearing whenever the plot starts to veer off course.
Basically, these entities are the "arbiters of fate." They exist to ensure the timeline of the original 1997 game remains intact. When Cloud and the gang try to do something different, the Whispers pull them back. It’s a literal manifestation of the "purist" fanbase written into the game’s code. By the end of the first installment, you’ve essentially defeated "Fate" itself. This means the sequels are now "uncharted territory."
This isn't just a fan theory. Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura has been quite vocal in interviews, including those in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake Ultimania book, about wanting to surprise fans. He’s mentioned that while the locations—like the Gold Saucer or Cosmo Canyon—will feel familiar, the "order" and "outcome" of events are no longer set in stone. This is why Zack Fair is alive in some version of the story. It’s why Biggs survived (at least for a while) in the Remake timeline. It’s a bold move that risks alienating people who just wanted better graphics for the story they already knew.
Why the Combat System Actually Works
Let’s talk about the combat for a second because it’s a masterclass in modernizing a fossil. A lot of purists screamed for a classic turn-based mode. Square gave us "Classic Mode," but let’s be real: it’s not the same. However, the core hybrid system is arguably the best combat Final Fantasy has seen in twenty years.
You aren't just mashing buttons. If you play Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on Dynamic or Hard mode, you’ll realize very quickly that if you don’t engage with the Pressure and Stagger mechanics, you will die. Fast.
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The brilliance lies in the Materia system. It’s still there, and it’s still the heart of the game. Linking "Elemental" materia to your weapon or "Magnify" to your heals feels exactly like it did in 1997, just faster. The character-specific abilities—like Tifa’s Unbridled Strength or Barret’s Overcharge—give everyone a distinct role. It’s not just a group of people hitting a monster; it’s a coordinated tactical assault. You’ve got to swap characters constantly. You have to. If you sit on Cloud the whole time, the AI won't build ATB fast enough to heal you when the boss drops a mega-flare.
The Problem With Open World Bloat
Now, it’s not all perfect. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth introduced a massive open world. It’s beautiful. Seeing the Midgar Zolom (now just the "Midgardsormr") in high definition is a core memory for any gamer. But Square Enix fell into some classic "Ubisoft-style" traps.
Chadley. Oh, Chadley.
If you’ve played the game, you know the pain of having your momentum stopped by a cyborg teenager asking you to scan towers. It’s a bit much. The map is littered with icons:
- Combat assignments
- Lifesprings to scan
- Protorelic hunts
- Moogle houses (which are surprisingly polarizing)
While these activities provide the "Party Level" needed to unlock powerful synergy skills, they can make the game feel like a checklist. Some players love the 100-hour grind. Others just want to get to the City of the Ancients without having to play a card game (Queen’s Blood) for three hours. Speaking of Queen's Blood, it's actually fantastic. It’s probably the best mini-game since Triple Triad in FF8, and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on.
The Midgar Expansion: Padding or World Building?
One of the loudest complaints about the first part of the Final Fantasy 7 remake project was the length of Midgar. In the original, you’re out of Midgar in about 5 to 7 hours. In the remake, it’s a 40-hour game.
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Was it padded? Yes. Did we need to find three missing cats? Probably not.
But the expansion allowed for something the original couldn't do: it gave the members of Avalanche—Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge—actual personalities. In 1997, they were basically redshirts. You knew they died, and you felt a bit bad, but then you moved on to the next continent. In the remake, Jessie’s visit to her parents' house in Sector 7 is one of the most poignant moments in the series. It makes the eventual collapse of the Sector 7 plate feel like a genuine tragedy rather than just a plot point. That is the power of this "Final Fantasy 7" reimagining. It takes the low-poly ghosts of our childhood and turns them into people.
The Technical Reality
Technically, the games are a bit of a mixed bag on the PS5. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth looks stunning in "Graphics Mode," but the 30fps cap feels sluggish for such a fast action game. "Performance Mode," on the other hand, had some serious blurriness issues at launch. It’s gotten better with patches, but it’s a reminder that even Square Enix struggles to balance the sheer scale of Unreal Engine 4 when pushed to these limits.
The music, though? Flawless.
The way the soundtrack transitions from a lo-fi field theme to a high-octane orchestral battle version of the same melody is seamless. It’s the kind of detail that shows the developers actually care. They aren't just cashing a check. They are obsessed with this world.
What Really Matters: The Ending of the Second Part
We have to address the elephant in the room. The ending of the second game. Without getting into spoiler territory that would ruin it for a newcomer, the "Final Fantasy 7" narrative has officially fractured. We are dealing with a multiverse—or at least, overlapping realities.
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There are people who hate this. They feel it cheapens the stakes. If there’s a timeline where everyone is okay, does the tragedy in our timeline matter? It’s a valid question. But from a writing perspective, it’s the only way Square could keep the tension alive for a 30-year-old story. If we knew exactly what was going to happen, there would be no reason to play the third game other than to see the graphics. Now? We genuinely don’t know if "that" scene will stay the same or if someone can be saved.
Actionable Steps for the Best Experience
If you’re looking to dive into the Final Fantasy 7 ecosystem in 2026, don’t just jump in blindly. The order matters. The way you play matters.
1. Play Crisis Core Reunion first (maybe)
If you want the full emotional weight of Zack Fair’s role in the Remake project, you should play Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion. It’s a remaster of the PSP prequel. It’s a bit "anime" in its dialogue, but it’s essential for understanding who Cloud thinks he is versus who he actually is.
2. Don't Ignore the Side Quests in Rebirth
While some feel like filler, many of the side quests in the second game are tied to "Relationship Ranks." These ranks determine who Cloud goes on a date with at the Gold Saucer. If you want a specific outcome, you have to do the work for that specific character.
3. Master the "Synergy" System
In Rebirth, Synergy Skills (the ones you use while blocking) and Synergy Abilities (the big cinematic moves) are the key to winning. They don't cost ATB. Use them to build ATB faster. It’s a loop that many players ignore, making the game much harder than it needs to be.
4. Toggle the Navigation Map
The screen can get very cluttered. If you want to actually enjoy the world of Final Fantasy 7, turn off some of the HUD elements. The world is designed to be navigated by landmarks. The massive Shinra building or the Highwind in the sky are better guides than a yellow dot on a mini-map.
5. Manage Your Expectation of "The End"
Remember that this is a trilogy. The second game ends on a massive cliffhanger. If you go in expecting a resolution to the Sephiroth saga, you’re going to be disappointed. We’re still waiting for the final chapter to tie all these loose threads—Zack, the Whispers, and the White Materia—together.
Final Fantasy 7 is no longer just a game; it's a living project. It's messy, ambitious, and occasionally frustrating. But it is also a stunning example of how to treat a legacy. It respects the original enough to keep the spirit alive, but it’s brave enough to try something new. Whether that "something new" pays off won't be certain until the final credits roll on the third game. For now, it remains the most fascinating experiment in the history of the medium.