Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Feels Like a Game From My Dreams | Bytesized

Second Wind [Intro Music] Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a lot of things. Right from the start, it exists simultaneously as a sequel, a remake, and a commentary on one of the most influential video games ever made. As a sequel, it breaks free from the claustrophobic confines of Midgar to deliver a vibrant and expansive quasi-open world that's teeming with life and unfolds like a genuine adventure. As a remake, it moses deep into our memories of its nearly 30-year-old source material and breathes n

ew life into the familiar music, characters, locations, and scenarios that RPG fans have dreamt about since the 90s. And as a commentary, it once again doubles down on the idea that there's really no way to be a sequel or remake to a game of this historical significance without taking a step back and viewing the whole project as a kind of meta-commentary on what it means to revisit a work of this magnitude in the first place. But while it is all those grand ideas and so, so much more, as I rolle

d credits after over 75 hours in this adventure, it became clear to me that the game is also something much cleaner than those things, something much more fundamental. Because at its core, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is simply a family drama, and an absolutely triumphant one at that. Rebirth picks up where 2020's remake left off, the gang escaping the sprawling megalopolis of Midgar and pressing on across the planet in search of Sephiroth. It follows the structure of the remainder of disc 1 of the

97 PS1 original, but injects every single beat with life, depth, and most importantly, heart. That thematic sense of family isn't just something found in its story, it's woven throughout every single system, mechanic, and quest structure throughout the game. Your entire crew is running alongside you as you explore the world, be it on foot, in the bed of a dusty buggy, or on chocobo back. Characters will banter with one another, comment on the history of a given location, and provide flavor to w

herever it is you're exploring. In the right light, you can see the influence of Final Fantasy XV's road trip vibes. This motley crew grows tighter as the journey continues, and Square does an excellent job of setting time aside for every combination of character pairings to help color in new shades of the various dynamics. Whether it was Aerith and Tifa finding sisterhood in their pasts, Cloud and Red bonding over the shadows they walk in, or Yuffie annoying the everliving hell out of Barret, t

hese moments provided fuel for the entirety of my playthrough. Countless RPGs deal with themes of found family. Case in point, in 2024 we've already seen Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth and Persona 3 reload. Rebirth leans into this during its side stories, which do a smart job of pulling in a member of your party, like Red using his nose to follow a trail, Aerith communing with the planet, or Tifa reminiscing on her life back in Midgar. While it's nice to help out random NPCs across the world and

get a little guill for doing so, deepening Cloud's relationship with the party is what made me want to tackle each and every new side quest I stumbled upon. It also helps that Rebirth still wears the original's crown as the king of the RPG mini-game, keeping things fresh at every turn. Familiar staples like Chocobo Racing are joined by newcomers like Queen's Blood, a world-spanning collectible card game that houses its own strange secrets and gives the iconic triple triad a run for its money. Th

is sense of camaraderie extends into battle as well. I found myself constantly shuffling my three active party members, relying on folks who make sense at any given moment in the story. The new synergy attacks don't just showcase the bombastic personality and fighting style of each character, but provide tangible evidence of the deepening bonds created within this family. These people truly love each other, which makes their heroic triumphs and heartbreaking tragedies all the more impactful. But

it's the journey that the crew goes on that really makes the whole thing sing. While we're experiencing the world through their eyes, I was also visiting locations that have existed within my dreams since the PS1. The Sunbaked Shores of Costa del Sol, the spiritual wonders of Cosmo Canyon, and the neon paradise that is the gold saucer. For decades, these places had existed in my mind as little more than a handful of pre-rendered backgrounds paired with iconic tunes and nostalgic vibe. But now,

they are fully realized spaces crammed with interesting characters, fascinating details, and stunning views. Visiting these places again reminds me of the first time I traveled to Tokyo back in 2013. It was a city I'd seen portrayed in so many movies, anime, and games beforehand, but actually being there in person and experiencing the energy of the city was something else entirely. Rebirth is filled with similar revelatory moments, providing a sensory overload that made me realize just how const

rained my imagination of these places had been since falling in love with the game back in the 90s. So is Final Fantasy VII Rebirth perfect? Well, no, of course not. No work of art is. The open world occasionally janks out like one of Cloud's Mako-induced headaches, the sphere grid-esque weapon upgrades feel overly cumbersome, and the story sags a bit whenever the focus shifts away from the main party. But these are just minor speed bumps on a long and winding road to the forgotten city. Like fa

mily, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth can ask a lot out of you. The "homework" that's required to understand every subtle nuance to its story stretches across decades and mediums. I'm not just talking about the PS1 original and the 2020 remake, but a 2005 animated movie a third-person shooter for the PS2, a PSP prequel, several mobile games that are now defunct, and a novel that wasn't translated into English until last year. Now, because I'm a weirdo, I've spent the past four months replaying, rewatc

hing, and rereading everything I could get my hands on, and was shocked to discover that there were callbacks in Rebirth to every single piece of FF7 anything. Is it daunting? Most definitely. Is it a messy way to tell a story? Absolutely. But did it hit me deeply every time I experienced the link to Crisis Core or Traces of Two Paths? Well, hell yeah it did. I can't tell you what it's like to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as a newcomer, or even casual fan of the original. I don't know what it

would be like to experience these events with completely fresh eyes, but as someone who has felt like part of this family for the better part of 30 years, Rebirth is nothing short of a revelation. It's written all over your face. Trust me, crying does wonders. You really oughta try it!