Final Fantasy VII is one of the most iconic games of all time, even spawning an entire subfranchise within the Final Fantasy series. When the remake was released, it felt like a revelation for how it adapted the original game for the modern era, and stood as a technical marvel. When it was announced to come to Switch 2, I was surprised but excited to see what the game would actually be like and I have to say I am surprised.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a game that should not be on the Switch 2, but somehow manages to be one of the absolutely best ports on the system so far. This is not just a port of the PS4 version of the game, as it includes the content from the upgraded release for PS5 and PC. Yes, it has been scaled back a bit and runs at 30 FPS instead of 60 FPS, but everything still manages to look great and run perfectly, aside from some softer screen resolution and fuzzy textures.
For those unfamiliar, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a “metatextual” reimagining of the original game’s opening section in Midgar, with you playing as Cloud Strife, an ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary who joins the eco terrorist group Avalanche to take down the planet draining Shinra Electric Power Company. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade starts off as a faithful recreation, but soon becomes something much more ambitious, bringing in themes of destiny and defiance. The result is a remake that pushes the boundaries of what remakes are, by taking the game and story in a new direction.
Remake shifts the gameplay format of the original game into something a little different, with a blend of styles, by mixing real time combat action with the tactical DNA of the original’s Active Time Battle (ATB) system. This sees you hack and slash to build your gauges, and then pause time to unleash spells, abilities, or Limit Breaks. This may be a bit too much of a change for some, but it works extremely well. In addition, Intergrade features “Streamlined Progression”, which are optional toggles for those who want to breeze through the story with maxed out stats or infinite ATB, while a “Hard Mode”turns the boss fights into high-stakes puzzles of elemental weaknesses and resource management.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade features a score by a team that includes Masashi Hamauzu and Mitsuto Suzuki, and is a brilliant take on Nobuo Uematsu’s original music. What we have here is dynamic, shifting from ambient exploration tracks to high octane orchestral arrangements the moment a battle begins. The voice acting is well done with Briana White’s Aerith and Cody Christian’s Cloud bringing real emotional depth that helps sell the game’s more eccentric “Final Fantasy” moments.
The inclusion of the Episode INTERMission DLC was welcome as well. This expansion, focuses on Yuffie and has gameplay that feels faster and more vertical than the base game, with Yuffie being a hybrid fighter who can throw her massive shuriken for long-range Ninjutsu or engage in acrobatic melee. Episode INTERMission adds the Synergy System, where Yuffie and Sonon can link their attacks to perform devastating dual-moves that works exceptionally well to provide a preview of the “Synergy Abilities” that was included in Rebirth. It also includes the Fort Condor minigame, which is a surprisingly addictive tower defense strategy game that provides a great break from the action.
Back to performance on the Switch 2, everything ran at a stable and consistent frame rate in docked mode, even at moments of intense action or in very busy areas. In fact, the game ran amazing in the motorbike sections even with the lighting and particle effects flashing about, and nothing felt like it was slowing own although there were a few hiccups in handheld mode, but even this was not a big deal as it was mostly just during cutscenes and intense closeups and only lasted a second or two. One thing that really makes Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade work so well on Switch 2 is the lighting that helps the Switch 2 version look far closer to the PS5 version, specifically the performance mode, which is a testament to how the lighting was used well.
Just going through various sections of the game, you really get a chance to appreciate not only how amazing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is as a game, but also how capable the Switch 2 is with regards to handling major titles. Cyberpunk 2077 and Star Wars Outlaws already did a lot to show the capabilities of Switch 2, but Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade takes it a step further with not only how great the game looks, but how well it runs. Some may feel the move to 30 FPS from 60 FPS on PS5 is a deal breaker, but the truth is that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is simply a game that should not work this well,
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a great way to experience the story of Final Fantasy VII, even for a newcomer, and those wanting to check out the original experience can do so thanks to the game being on the eShop and bundled with some versions of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. Even when it does something different, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade manages to do something special for Final Fantasy fans and has deep respect for the original work.
If you have never played Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade before, then the Switch 2 version is a fantastic way to go. Even with the reduction to 30 FPS, the game stands as a technical marvel, and the inclusion of everything from the PS5 version with few compromises is a major accomplishment. Square Enix did a great job here and showed that the Switch 2 is far more capable than people gave it credit for.
Disclaimer A review key was provided