Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Review

Publisher: Square Enix

Released: February 29, 2024

Updated: 5 months ago

#8 for world-building #9 for character development

4.3

Overall review score

346

Review insights

Scored features

Expert reviews

Bottom Line

Choose Final Fantasy VII Rebirth if you want a huge, emotional action RPG with excellent combat, characters, music, and minigames. Skip it if open-world checklists, uneven pacing, visual/performance tradeoffs, or convoluted ending choices will wear you down.

Best for

Best for players who want a huge, character-driven Final Fantasy RPG with tactical action combat, abundant side activities, and a lavish reimagining of Gaia. It especially suits fans ready to spend dozens of hours exploring rather than rushing.

Not for

Not for players who dislike open-world checklists, frequent minigames, long runtimes, or stories that remix familiar events with cryptic timeline choices. It may also frustrate those sensitive to performance-mode blur or navigation friction.

Verdict

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth earns strong praise as a massive, affectionate reimagining with standout combat, a beloved and better-developed cast, an exceptional soundtrack, and a world that often feels dazzlingly alive. The clearest tradeoff is scale: the same abundance that makes Gaia feel generous also creates bloat, repetitive world-intel loops, mandatory-feeling minigames, and pacing drops. Reviews are also split on the new narrative direction, especially the ending, which some find fascinating and others confusing or emotionally muddled. Even with visual-mode compromises and occasional navigation frustrations, the overall evidence points to a rich, memorable RPG whose highs outweigh its messiness for players ready to give it time.

Feature Scorecards

Very positive 4.5-5.0

28 (47%)
Positive 3.5-4.4

22 (37%)
Neutral 2.5-3.4

9 (15%)
Negative 1.5-2.4

1 (2%)

Pros highlights

combat system

4.7

32 reviews strong consensus
combat system: 4.7, 32 reviews, strong consensus

Combat is one of the strongest points: reviewers repeatedly praise the hybrid action/ATB foundation, Synergy additions, tactical depth, and character-specific playstyles, while only a few note occasional clumsy or frustrating encounters.
content variety

4.3

28 reviews strong consensus
content variety: 4.3, 28 reviews, strong consensus

The game is packed with minigames, card battles, side activities, races, and regional diversions; most reviewers praise the abundance, while a few feel it becomes too much.
open-world design

3.9

24 reviews moderate consensus
open-world design: 3.9, 24 reviews, moderate consensus

The open-world structure is the most divisive area: many reviewers admire its scale and reward loops, while others criticize bloat, repetition, and momentum-breaking busywork.
narrative quality

4.0

22 reviews moderate consensus
narrative quality: 4.0, 22 reviews, moderate consensus

Narrative response is divided: reviewers praise the character-driven journey and remixed story, but several criticize thin macro plotting, convolution, or the ending's execution.
soundtrack quality

5.0

19 reviews strong consensus
soundtrack quality: 5.0, 19 reviews, strong consensus

The soundtrack is an overwhelming consensus strength, repeatedly described as incredible, phenomenal, moving, and among the series' best.
character development

4.9

17 reviews strong consensus
character development: 4.9, 17 reviews, strong consensus

Character development is a standout consensus strength, with reviewers emphasizing deeper bonds, richer backstories, and more rounded portrayals across the party.

Cons highlights

pacing

3.2

15 reviews moderate consensus
pacing: 3.2, 15 reviews, moderate consensus

Pacing is mixed: some reviewers like the scenic, character-forward route, but many complain that open-world checklists, minigames, and late sections slow or derail the main story.
movement feel

2.9

5 reviews strong consensus
movement feel: 2.9, 5 reviews, strong consensus

Movement is mixed: broad traversal supports adventure, but dodging, climbing, chocobo handling, and uneven-ground movement drew complaints for feeling awkward or stiff.
mission variety

3.1

3 reviews strong consensus
mission variety: 3.1, 3 reviews, strong consensus

Mission variety is mixed because Chadley-style objectives and world intel can repeat across regions despite the game offering many different activities overall.
sound design

3.3

3 reviews moderate consensus
sound design: 3.3, 3 reviews, moderate consensus

Sound design is mixed: effects and environmental audio can impress, but multiple reviews mention poor mixing or music drowning out dialogue.

View all 60 feature scores

Compared With Category Average

Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in bug frequency, crash stability, character development, near average in open-world design, performance optimization, below average in mission design, movement feel, sound design.

Above average 0.4+ pts higher

37 (62%)
Same as average within 0.3 pts

17 (28%)
Below average 0.4+ pts lower

6 (10%)

Largest category differences

Attribute	This product	Category average	Difference
bug frequency	4.9	2.9	+2.0
crash stability	5.0	3.1	+1.9
character development	4.9	3.6	+1.2
facial animations	5.0	3.5	+1.5
writing quality	4.8	3.6	+1.3
companion AI	4.4	3.1	+1.3
dialogue quality	4.5	3.3	+1.2
load times	4.9	3.7	+1.2

Consider This Instead

If you want better graphics quality

Choose Onimusha: Way of the Sword. It scores 4.8 vs 4.2 for graphics quality, with a 4.1 overall score.

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If you want better movement feel

Choose Ghost of Yōtei. It scores 5.0 vs 2.9 for movement feel, with a 4.4 overall score.

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If you want better performance optimization

Choose Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. It scores 4.8 vs 3.6 for performance optimization, with a 4.1 overall score.

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If you want better open-world design

Choose Kingdom Come: Deliverance II. It scores 4.8 vs 3.9 for open-world design, with a 4.3 overall score.

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Gwent

Better: Queen's Blood card game appeal The reviewer says Queen's Blood is close to Gwent but not quite preferred over it.
Similar: Queen's Blood card game design The reviewer describes Queen's Blood as clearly inspired by Gwent.

Final Fantasy XVI

Worse: combat system preference The reviewer likes Final Fantasy XVI's action approach but frames Rebirth's hybrid combat as one of the series' best systems.

Remake

Worse: overall sequel improvements The reviewer says Rebirth eclipses Remake in nearly every way.

FAQ

Is Final Fantasy VII Rebirth good for newcomers?

Some reviews note a helpful recap, but others warn newcomers may be lost because Rebirth builds on Remake, the original story, and wider lore. Returning players are likely to get more from it.

How is the combat?

Combat is one of the strongest consensus positives. Reviewers praise the hybrid action/ATB system, Synergy abilities, party variety, and tactical depth, though a few mention frustrating enemy designs or spikes.

Is the open world worth exploring?

Many reviewers enjoy the regions, rewards, and sense of scale, but the open world is also the most common source of criticism. Completionist play can make the game feel bloated or repetitive.

Are the minigames good?

Most reviewers praise the sheer variety, and Queen's Blood is repeatedly singled out as excellent. The caveat is that the density of minigames can interrupt the main story's momentum.

How are the graphics and performance?

Reviews praise cutscenes, vistas, and environmental detail, but performance mode blur, texture pop-in, and mode tradeoffs appear repeatedly. Bugs and crashes were rarely reported.

Does the story stay faithful to Final Fantasy VII?

Reviewers generally say it respects the original while expanding and changing it. The character work is widely praised, but the revised ending and timeline elements are divisive.