Rebirth keeps its narrative focus on characters while bringing a new dimension to combat, but it stumbles in pivotal moments.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a game about a struggle between fate and freedom, but also the delicate balance between authorship and agency. Through gameplay systems that encourage exploration, Rebirth empowers players to discover the world around them and chart their path through it. And through its story, it presents a compelling narrative about the destructive impact of exploiting natural resources, as well as the human causes and consequences of radical environmentalism. But it’s a story that, ultimately, is defined and destined to end in very specific ways, for better or for worse. The equilibrium between contrasting ideologies is rarely perfect, and that’s evident in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, a game that is rewarding for the dozens of hours it gives agency, but is frustrating in the few hours that author the series’ future.
Thankfully, what Final Fantasy Rebirth succeeds at eclipses what it fumbles. It’s a superbly designed gameplay experience that instills a sense of freedom while also making exploration rewarding in a meaningful way. Refined gameplay that makes character synergy a focal point breathes new life into the slick and satisfying combat, and all the while it reinforces the underlying themes of the story. As a game that has the unenviable task of living up to one of the strongest legacies in the medium, it is a worthy second chapter. Whether Square Enix can bring it all together in the third and final part will be the subject of much discussion from here on out. Just like at Destiny’s Crossroads at the end of Remake, an unknown future beckons once again, and anything is still possible.
