Product Info

Platform

PlayStation 5

Publisher

Square Enix

Series

Final Fantasy VII

Genre

Action, RPG

Players

1

Release Date (NA)

Feb 29, 2024

Release Date (JP)

Feb 29, 2024

Purchase From

Amazon

Best Buy

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Steam

Official Store

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. After a successful launch of the first part on the Nintendo Switch 2, Rebirth looks to continue the success. If you enjoyed Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, like we did, you’ll be happy to know that Rebirth is just as much fun or more.

Continuing Onward

With the success of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2, Square Enix quickly brought Rebirth to the hybrid console to continue the momentum of the role-playing (RPG) series. Giving a good opportunity for newcomers to the remake series before the trilogy’s final chapter arrives, hopefully soon.

The game follows after the events of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, where Cloud Strife and his team leave Midgar and explore the world outside the giant metropolis. Their goal? Find the infamous villain Sephiroth and stop him before his plans take effect.

Cloud and his team face numerous challenges throughout their journey. You’ll meet Shinra’s elite operatives known as the Turks and maneuver around Shinra’s influence across the world. Unlike the original 1997 PlayStation game, Final Fantasy Rebirth adds additional content to its story and gameplay, giving it more depth and a rewarding experience for players. The game’s expanded scenes of Rufus, Shinra’s new president, along with additional character interactions, help strengthen the narrative and give key story moments greater impact.

Exploring a wider range of locations to explore, including Junon and the Gold Saucer, Rebirth feels much bigger and more rewarding to explore than Remake Intergrade, which was largely confined to Midgar. The adventure feels much closer to an open-world RPG and I’m here for it.

Loop Those Tracks

Rebirth’s soundtrack is pure entertainment that features contributions from 28 composers, including Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy VII), Mitsuto Suzuki (Final Fantasy VII Remake), and Masashi Hamauzu (Final Fantasy XIII). It adds emotion and heightens the experience from battles to card playing. Adding vocals to a few of these scores adds a more organic feel to the scenes such as the Junon parade. With more than 400 music tracks and numerous variations, Rebirth boasts one of the best soundtracks in gaming.

Place Your Bets

Like any RPG, there are side quests. These range from simple errands to lengthy quest chains. While optional, side quests reward players with EXP, money, and useful items. You’ll encounter familiar faces from the previous remake entry that’ll add some interesting moments.

One of Rebirth‘s biggest additions is its massive collection of mini games. While Remake Intergrade carries less than 10 games, Rebirth carries just under 30, though some are one-time events. Some are quite basic such as a piano simulator, some require stealth movements in Chocobo capturing, and then there’s the rhythmic button pressing gameplay in the Junon Parade. One-time events can only be playable if you replay the chapter after completing the game.

One mini game, Queen’s Blood, is an addictive card game. At first playing, I didn’t dive into it until the game drove me to play a tournament on the cruise ship before continuing the story. After a couple of rounds, I started to pick up the game’s rules and found myself enjoying the tactical card battle. The rules are simple enough to understand but challenging to master as it depends on the deck you and your opponent carry. Outside the tournament, you can play with other NPCs around the world. Now I’d like to own a physical copy of this game to play.

With so many mini games and side quests, it feels overwhelming compared to the story development. Players don’t have to play them and some are skippable to quickly get back to the game’s story. While there’s a variety of mini games, some get tedious to play such as the Cait Sith’s Box Throwing.

Getting a Head Start

Just like the first remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will have the “Head Start” and “Streamlined Progression” options. These options allow players to begin the adventure with high-level characters and maxed-out settings capable of dealing up to 9,999 damage. It gives players who want a different experience or are short on time to still enjoy the adventure without spending time on grinding levels and eating time on enemy encounters. Sure it takes some of the wind out of the full experience but it gives options for those who want to enjoy the story without constant stops that eat up your time.

The option to turn off the Streamlined Progression is there but won’t reset back to original; however the Head Start option can’t be turned off as characters will stay at the high-level.

Graphically Impressive to Go

Screenshot captured on the Nintendo Switch 2 in Handheld Mode

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s visuals are impressive on the Nintendo Switch 2. It surprises me on how well Square Enix can take a graphically impressive game from the PlayStation 5 and scale down to run on Nintendo’s hybrid console. Similar to the Switch 2 version of Remake Intergrade, the compression is noticeable on characters’ hair, particularly with long-haired styles that can look overly grainy. In some cutscenes, these issues are more ironed out and look marvelous.

Playing on a more powerful console like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC will cater to those detailed designs but what makes the Switch 2 an option to play Final Fantasy Rebirth is the ability to play on the go. While still visually impressive, it does play well on the Switch 2’s handheld mode. Additionally I prefer playing on handheld mode more as I feel I have more control when playing, especially with the mini games.

I spent hours playing without realizing how much time passed by until the console’s notification of a low battery. Players should bring an extra battery pack or a source to plug in for a recharge, you’ll need it.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth successfully brings in one of Square Enix’s most ambitious RPGs to Nintendo Switch 2. While some visuals are noticeable compared to more powerful hardware, the ability to experience this massive adventure on the go makes it an easy recommendation for RPG fans and returning Final Fantasy players alike.

The Final Objective

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for the Nintendo Switch 2 delivers a bigger world, memorable characters, some addictive mini games, and one of gaming’s best soundtracks. Despite minor visual trade-offs and a few tedious activities, this is an outstanding RPG that’s even more impressive on the go with Nintendo Switch 2.

A Nintendo Switch review code provided for this review. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is available on the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X on June 3, 2026. The game is available now for the PlayStation 5 and PC. Fans can visit the game’s official website for more information and purchasing options.