Final Fantasy VII Remake reviews swept across the internet today, with almost every major gaming site having their say on the eagerly awaited reimagining.
Metacritic’s 87% average is currently formed from 75 critical reviews. It’s rare to see an RPG gain blanket coverage. Due to their size and scope, coverage tends to be staggered with reviews surfacing days – or even weeks – after launch.
Then again, Final Fantasy VII Remake isn’t your typical RPG – it’s one of the most anticipated games of the year. At around 40 hours, it isn’t the longest of role-playing games either. That’s a little longer than we were expecting – we had it pegged at around 20 hours.
The vast majority of reviews clock in at 9/10. It also received half-a-dozen 10/10s from such sites as PlayStation Lifestyle and Gamespot. Review scores lower than 8/10 are few – only The Telegraph, US Gamer and EGM were less than smitten. Disappointingly, it seems that the game’s problems aren’t anything to do with the direction of this more action-oriented take, but rather things Square-Enix could have easily fixed such as an occasionally wayward camera.Â
Generally, though, it left many critics on cloud nine. Here’s what reviewers are saying:
10/10 – PlayStation Lifestyle: Final Fantasy VII is one of the most defining games of all time, and Square Enix’s modern-gen treatment of Midgar lives up to the legacy of the original in every way imaginable. The worst part is leaving us off on the cliffhanger we all knew was coming, waiting for the rest of their journey, but as much effort as clearly went into Midgar alone, it’s bound to be worth the wait.
10/10- TSA: An utter joy to play from start to finish, packed with memorable scenes, moustache-twirling baddies, and epic battles. The first part of Final Fantasy VII Remake isn’t just polished, it’s opulent.
10/10 – GameSpot: For first-time players, it’s an opportunity to understand why Final Fantasy VII is held in such high regard. It’s the chance to experience a multifaceted story that grapples with complex subject matter, be in the company of memorable characters, and be moved by their plight. For returning fans, this isn’t the Final Fantasy VII your mind remembers, it’s the one your heart always knew it to beTop of Form
9/10 – PSU: Putting the few slight issues aside, Final Fantasy VII Remake stuns with how it expands on the original. At the same time, it takes its own risks and creates its own footsteps. Final Fantasy VII Remake is beautiful, engrossing, and hard to pass up. This game is meant for both fans and newcomers, no matter how learned, and the sheer level of time and effort put into this reimagining truly shows through and through.
9.0 – God is a Geek: Final Fantasy VII Remake is simply stunning, and a breath-taking masterclass in recreating something beloved for a new – and old – audience.
9/10 – Destructoid: I kind of agonized over rating Final Fantasy VII Remake. It’s going to garner a lot of discussion from people who are both blown away by the new treatment and disappointed by it, and those feelings are not mutually exclusive. In the end — after thinking on it for some time and removing nostalgia from the equation entirely — I came to the conclusion that this world is full of powerful characters and a setting that’s worth remembering: remake or not.
8/10 – The Metro: Fans will be arguing about it for decades to come but for now this is a surprisingly daring reinvention of the legendary original, although it’s a shame its biggest flaws were largely avoidable.
8.0 – IGN: Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s dull filler and convoluted additions can cause it to stumble, but it still breathes exciting new life into a classic while standing as a great RPG all its own.
3.5/5 – US Gamer: Final Fantasy 7 Remake sets out to fully re-imagine a classic RPG with improved combat and an expanded story. Unfortunately, it’s hurt by weak side quests and a surplus of padding, and its biggest change is bound to be controversial. It’s one of the most coherent and enjoyable Final Fantasy releases in years, but it’s also likely to be one of the most divisive.
3/5 – The Telegraph: Remake’s tight third-person camera angle and determination to do away with loading screens makes the going laborious. The compulsion to progress is strong but it’s often exhausting.
3/5- EGM: Final Fantasy VII Remake manages to balance the introduction of new concepts with faithfully recreations of the original game’s most memorable aspects, but it also unnecessarily pads out this first installment in a larger story with too much downtime between its most striking moments.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is out Friday on PSN. Physical copies are being shipped early due to COVID-19 – some lucky pups received copies as early as the middle of last week.