Final Fantasy 7 Remake is the most anticipated game by JRPG fans all over the world. Amid the corona pandemic that forces all companies to delay its product’s release date or production, Square Enix releases Final Fantasy 7 Remake as scheduled. Although there’s a slight problem during its release, most gamers are satisfied with the game developed by Square Enix.

Since its announcement on last E3 2015, the trailer of Final Fantasy 7 Remake stuns the fans of PlayStation all over the world. And the long wait is finally answered with the release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake on 10 April 2020.

If Resident Evil 3 Remake has successfully made horror game fans tremble in comparison to the originals. Final Fantasy 7 Remake brings more than nostalgia. The game is not just a remake but carefully rearranged. Square Enix understand that Final Fantasy 7 is the series that left a deep impression for gamers, especially the 90s gamers that played the game on PlayStation 1.

The original Final Fantasy 7 offers a strong storyline, so Square Enix has to think hard about repackaging the game with a strong foundation to make it even better. As a result, Square Enix remodel all of its aspects, starting with the graphics, characters, and the in-game world, Midgar.

The writer has the chance to play Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PlayStation 4 Slim. And after playing the game for more than 40 hours, this is the review of Final Fantasy 7 Remake that you should know.

Storyline

Final Fantasy 7 has a strong plot as its foundation. So Square Enix doesn’t change the plot of the franchise that has existed for more than 23 years. But the company packs the foundation in a better fashion. Final Fantasy 7 offers a high-level imagination, that is complex and inserted with a moral message about greed, friendship, the value of kindness.

The story of Final Fantasy 7 Remake is set on Midgar, a futuristic city divided by several sectors. The city is ruled by Shinra, a massive company. With its cunning method, Shinra acts like a god and arrange life in Midgar. Shinra stated that its goal is to provide well-being to its citizens with all of its technology. But the giant corporate reaps profit by absorbing the planet’s core to get energy called Mako.

A group called AVALANCHE consisting of Barret, Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs sets up a plan to destroy one of the Mako reactors. Cloud Strife appears as a mercenary, helping the group in their effort to blow up the Mako reactor tightly guarded by Shinra.

Before joining Barret and friends, Cloud is an ex-SOLDIER under Shinra. As a mercenary, Cloud gets into action in return for money from Barret and the others. Cloud’s presence gives a massive contribution to every mission. But the group is unable to pay the mercenary because of their financial situation. Fortunately, the group has Tifa, the childhood friend of Cloud, so Tifa asks Cloud to take a pay cut for his service.

As time passes, Cloud is getting more involved with the group. He starts to understand the goal of AVALANCHE under the leadership of Barret and willing to help wholeheartedly without getting paid. Cloud also starts to realize the sly method of Shinra that made Midgar citizens suffer.

But the plan of Cloud and friends doesn’t run as smoothly. He has to face challenges such as military soldiers, monsters and Shinra technology. Cloud is also faced with the shadow of Sephiroth that always gives with a mysterious message.

Besides Tifa, Cloud also gets into an adventure with Aerith. He also understands that Aerith’s jolly personality is what makes him happy when he helps her. But behind her upgoing personality, Aerith keeps a secret that makes Shinra target her for a while. When everything goes upside down, Cloud has to try his best to save everyone.

Extraordinary Graphics

After spending hours in the game, the writer feels like living in the world of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The visual offered really please the eye. Through the technology used by Square Enix, players can understand better every character in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The writer also sees how Tifa Lockhart that previously appeared in a blocky graphics now appears with beautiful facial expressions.

Not just Jessie, but all of the main characters of Final Fantasy 7 Remake has a perfect facial expression for all condition. The costume’s design and animation are smooth, and it makes the writer feel like watching a film with CGI effects.

Besides the main character, the quality of every supporting character is great. The nook and cranny, accessory placement, and hairstyle are paid attention to. The smallest details are often missed but not with Square Enix. The details of animals in the game are great. Players can even see the furs of Wedge’s cute cats.

The city of Midgar that was shown in a 3D graphic in the classic Final Fantasy 7 is represented well in the Remake version. Every building, NPC, and corner in the Remake version is well designed. With a different visualization for every location, the player can easily know every area. The lighting also takes part in Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The change in lighting offers a different feel depending on the player’s location.

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Immersive Gameplay

The long wait is paid off with the gameplay quality of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. If in the classic version players can only play a turn-based RPG gameplay, in the Remake version players will experience immersive gameplay. Here the player will truly experience hack and slash RPG action with a hint of strategy.

Compared to other Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy 7 Remake has intriguing gameplay. The gameplay is intriguing since the game lets the player choose how to attack and beat an enemy. The player can play as Cloud and cut down all the enemies. But the player can also innovate and create bigger damage by combining physical or magical attacks.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake requires expertise in playing the game, or players will die quickly when faced with an opponent. The game requires you to be smart with your attack pattern. Looking at Cloud, Barret, and Tifa attacking the enemy is awesome, but a strategy is crucial in completing the game.

Players have to pay attention to the bars around the screen closely, every decision and target matters. Blocking attacks, dodging, and using items is a basic requirement in the game to ensure the survival of every character.

Besides launching attacks and attacks, players can also slow down the time for a few seconds to cook up a strategy for the next situation. It’s not easy, but this is the challenge for every Final Fantasy 7 Remake players. This aspect of the game is what makes the wirer addicted and pumps up the adrenaline, especially when facing a challenging boss.

Not an Open-World Game

Although the game has excellent graphics and gameplay that offers the freedom to its player, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is categorized as a “Semi Open-World” Game. Square Enix still focuses on the linear story to offer freedom for the players to explore several areas but not in a wider scope. Every area in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is specific to its own and easy to memorize, but some are still confused to differentiate the districts. The writer even has to look around to find the mission’s location because it’s not visible on the map. 

Limited Feature

Speaking of features, Final Fantasy 7 Remake doesn’t have a lot of features that players can get in-depth. The players are focused on weaponry, upgrade, and materia. These features contributed a lot to strategizing and decision making. Picking the right weapon and materia for Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith will help optimize the damage output.

The Audio Offers a Different Atmosphere

When your eyes are seeing the amazing visual, both hands are moving quickly because of the immersive gameplay, then your ears are also pleased with the audio of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The audio in this game offers a different atmosphere for every condition. When facing a boss, then the audio changes into an upbeat rhythm. When we are in a romantic scene or a sad scene, the audio changes into a soft and touching tune. Still providing a nostalgia, every song in Final Fantasy 7 Remake is reimagined.

Conclusion

After the long wait, finally, Final Fantasy 7 Remake greets all the RPG fans. Unlike the classic version, the Remake version offers something different and not yet applied in other Final Fantasy games. The game definitely needs a big budget, and also the hard work from the crews at Square Enix to create a game as good and as perfect as this.

Not just offering nostalgia, gamers that have tried Final Fanasty 7 in 1997 will agree that the Remake version is not just about the change in graphics. Square Enix also ensures that the game will be recorded in history and left a message for its players.

The adventure of Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith in Midgar has made the writer spend hours playing the game non-stop. Curiosity about what happens next keeps the players from putting down the controller and continue playing instead. Square Enix has successfully wrapped the chapters in a different way so the game is not boring. With this, Final Fantasy 7 Remake has made the fans curious about what will happen in the next episode. 

The quality of visualization, audio, gameplay mechanism and social elements in Final Fantasy 7 Remake deserve thumbs up!

That’s it for the review of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, are you interested in owning the game? Don’t forget to keep up with Dunia Games for more information about games.

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