So, after sinking more hours into “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,” with my initial 10/10 review glowing in the back of my mind, I’ve had to do a 180. Now, we’re sitting at a 6/10, and honestly, it stings a bit to say that. Let me spill on why this game went from hero to… well, not quite zero, but it took a hit.
This game, man, it was poised to be the next big chapter, right? A blend of nostalgia with a sprinkle of the new-age gaming magic. But as I kept playing, the excitement started to fizzle out. The story’s there, and it’s got its moments that pull you right back in, characters that feel like old friends with new stories to tell. And the combat? It’s a neat twist, trying to balance the old turn-based strategy with something a bit more hands-on.
However, the deeper I got, the more it felt like trudging through mud. The minigames, which first seemed like a quirky break from the main path, started to feel more like roadblocks. They were everywhere, disrupting the flow, turning what should’ve been a thrilling journey into a bit of a slog.
And don’t get me started on the open-world bits. What could’ve been an epic exploration turned into a checklist of fetch quests and filler missions. It’s like being promised a treasure map but ending up with a grocery list.
The game’s still a looker, don’t get me wrong. The visuals and music? Chef’s kiss. But even with all that eye candy, it couldn’t quite distract from the fact that the game’s structure felt… off. Like, getting caught up in the details and losing sight of the bigger picture.
Combat’s innovative, I’ll give it that, with some really cool ideas about how characters can work together. But just as you start getting into the groove, bam, you’re sidetracked by another minigame or some errand that feels totally out of place.
Then there’s the whole character progression thing. It’s got depth, offering loads of ways to customize your crew, which is pretty cool. But again, the game’s pacing issues and those endless distractions keep you from really diving deep.
They tried to flesh out the world, give it more life with side activities and lore. Noble effort, but most of it felt disconnected, like it was just there to pad out the runtime rather than enrich the story.
At its heart, there are glimmers of the “Final Fantasy” magic – moments that remind you why you fell in love with the series. But they’re scattered, buried under layers of, well, fluff.
So, yeah, dialing it back to a 6/10.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially after being so stoked initially. “Rebirth” had the potential to be something special, but it kinda lost its way, bogged down by too much of… everything. It’s a classic case of more not always being better, leaving us with a game that’s more filler than killer.