Summary
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthis first and foremost a character-oriented experience, and when the game is operating at its best, it drives that concept home in the most minute of ways. Grand spectacle might be one ofFF7 Rebirth’s biggest selling points, with a giant world, electrifying boss encounters, and cinematic presentation supporting the case to embrace the updated material. None of that would work without the small details that bring it to life, however, and some of those are what make the game stand out in a market crowded with huge adventures.
In traditional JRPG fashion,FF7 Rebirthis very much an ensemble story, juggling a stackedroster of party membersacross the twists and turns of a 14-chapter narrative. Although protagonist Cloud Strife is at the center of all the biggest events, the way he interacts with them isn’t the only response that matters, and it would be all too easy for the game to lose authenticity by letting other characters just sit idly by.FF7 Remakelargely solved this problem with constant party chatter, but although that isn’t quite as omnipresent acrossRebirth’s longer runtime, it finds its own fixes.
FF7 Rebirth Review: “A Beautiful Showcase Of A Timeless Story”
FF7 Rebirth is an exceptional return to the world of Gaia that leans heavily into its star-studded memorable cast and a classic-but-reimagined story,
Character Tweaks Show FF7 Rebirth’s Level Of Care
Even Party Movement Can Reveal A Lot
A Reddit post fromYaBoyKumarprovided a particularly great springboard for people to share some of their favorite minor details, and the one that they kick off the thread with is one of the best examples of the passion found throughout the game. When running around inFF7 Rebirth, Cloud is usually closely followed by whoever else is currently in the active party. Anyone sitting out combat encounters lags slightly behind, which is a nice enough detail in and of itself.
When the party reaches Nibelheim, however, Tifa is actually capable of breaking this basic rule. Returning to her hometown forces Tifa to confront some significant trauma from her past, and although Cloud’s perspective on the events is different, he’s the only one with something of a shared experience.In Nibelheim, Tifa asks Cloud to stay close, and she sticks to his side even when she’s not part of the active partyto show that those words weren’t idly meant.
One Tifa Change In FF7 Rebirth Sets Up Big Story Differences In FF7 Remake Part 3
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth diverges from the original game’s approach to Tifa, and it could end up having a major impact on FF7 Remake Part 3.
Commentervxsapphirepoints out a similar example in one gameplay sequence where Aerith is running to safety. Although Cloud isn’t fully in his right mind, he sticks to Aerith even if she runs in the wrong direction, something that other party members won’t do. It’s a nice way to showcase the divide between his innate nature and the war going on in his head, and the inclusion feels all the more thoughtful for how unlikely it is to be obvious in the averageFF7 Rebirthplaythrough.
Smart Character Details Are Everywhere In FF7 Rebirth
No Party Members Are Left Out
Another great instance of mechanics reflecting the experience ofFF7 Rebirth’s characters is noted in a comment fromAnimaLepton(which also mentions thebig classicFF7spoiler, by way of warning). Towards the end of the game, the party members all witness an incredibly emotional moment, but Cloud has a somewhat separate experience from everyone else. Going into the next combat sequence,everyone but Cloud starts with a full limit break gauge, showing just how charged their emotions are and how different Cloud’s state of mind isthrough a simple tweak.
A fantastic rundown of some details can be found in a comment fromfogfree, and although some of them deal more with the game’s general level of care than choices centered around party members, there are still several a couple of notable mentions. An especially charming inclusion comes after finishing a questline involving a lost bird, which will result in a whole avian family following Barret around. Although Cid never even gets to join in on combat, he still manages to nab some memorable interactions, like a refusal to dock at a Shinra port in Junon.
Two FF7 Rebirth Characters Deserve Their Own INTERmission DLC
FF7 Rebirth doesn’t manage to give every character what they deserve, but another side chapter or two could be the best way to fix things.
Not every minor detail that fleshes outFF7 Rebirth’s party members has to do with the game’s mechanics, buteven glorified Easter eggs can help build up the sense of characters with history and dimension. From the decorations found in characters' rooms to hidden pieces of lore, there’s a lot that references the past and future of the story in a way that feels reasonably intrinsic.FF7 Rebirthconsistently comes across as a celebration of everythingFF7without playing any painfully overt hands.
PlayingFF7 Remakeis the best way to catch mostFF7 Rebirthreferences, but other games likeCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7also receive plenty of nods.
Going Above & Beyond Makes FF7 Rebirth Special
Most Major Games Can’t Compete
It’s easy to imagine that the overall experience ofFF7 Rebirthwould be roughly similar without these kinds of details, but that willingness to go above and beyond is a huge part of why it’s been met with such a strong reception.Scale usually comes at a trade-off of actual bespoke content, and open-world adventures are prone to feeling more repetitive than inspired.FF7 Rebirthdefinitely still has its share of filler, but the care that it shows in so many other regards helps make its most mundane content more forgivable.
Easily Missed FF7 Rebirth Interaction Shows Square Enix Thought Of Everything
One background moment that you might never notice in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a testament to the game’s attention to detail as a whole.
AlthoughFF7 Rebirthis doing things on a grander stage than ever before, theFinal Fantasyseries has a history of nailing small moments in a way that consistently elevates the games. The originalFF7is a great example of that, but even less acclaimed titles likeFF15show important steps in how the franchise’s approach has evolved. While parts ofFF15are woefully incomplete in a way thatFF7 Rebirthnever is, a surplus of unique animations, memorable interactions, and minor quirks make the road trip with its protagonists feel alive.
The retelling ofFF7hasn’t yet concluded, andFF7 Remake Part 3will have to wrangle an even larger scale thanFF7 Rebirth’s challenging undertaking. IfFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s approach is anything to go by, however, there’s little reason to doubt that the game will be full of the details necessary to make its characters resonate.
