GAMINGbible GOTY: Why Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is Dan’s Game Of The Year

There have been some truly amazing games this year, and a great deal of them ended up in the RPG genre. As the months flew by, and I played many stand-out titles from some terrific studios, some got close, but none overtook the sheer brilliance of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.

As I sit here reflecting on the game - it came out in February, so I’m putting my old brain to task - the things that instantly come to mind are not the obvious story beats or characters. Sure, if I close my eyes I can see Sephiroth stepping out of the flames, I imagine Tifa and Cloud having many a heart-to-heart, and my soul hurts for Cait Sith as he endangers the crew. However, what instantly springs to mind are the regions of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, places that were embedded in my identity back in 1997 when I first played the original game.

It was a shock to see how these iconic places were reimagined for the second part of the remake trilogy, and not in a bad way at all. Places like Costa Del Sol came alive with sun-kissed landscapes and busy crowds of tourists, Golden Saucer, while streamlined, was a cacophony of wonder; and the return to Cloud’s home of Nibelheim brought about an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

Square Enix

I’ll admit, that nostalgia is laced throughout this release - how could it not be? But my experience never felt overshadowed by this, as the game feels tremendously different to the PlayStation classic. Square Enix does a great job of nudging your ribs every time something familiar comes up, but they also inject a greater sense of ‘newness.’

It was going to be hard to disappoint me here, Final Fantasy VII is the reason I love RPGs as much as I do, and really, this remake was just what I loved previously with extra dollops of flavour. In my initial review, I called Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, “A triumphant evolution for one of the finest RPGs of all-time,” and I stand by that now.

I was fearful of how much I would enjoy and appreciate this part of the remake, but those fears were laid to rest when the time came to play, and it’s left me feeling confident for the next instalment because like this entry, I expect it to be a comforting return home.

That’s the overwhelming sense I get now, looking back at February. Exploring the world with Tifa, Aerith, Barrett, Red XII, etc, felt like a comfort blanket spread across my soul. I was seeing characters I’d loved for decades brought to life once again, using technology far advanced from the first time around, injecting a new element of beauty. My eyes were treated to some of the best visuals of this generation; the soundtrack is banger after banger played with wonderful talent, and the voice cast delivered every line of dialogue with emotion and weight.

Of course, this remake is just that, it’s remaking what came before and expanding upon it greatly. This comes via new moments in the story, a fleshing out of characters, and the inclusion of new places to see and minigames to play. As I cast my mind back, I remember the moments of joy while playing Queen’s Blood and becoming obsessed with this new card game; or there was the ridiculousness of scooting around on Segways; then there’s the cinematic battles with outlandish characters; and of course, bringing together a team of characters that feels more like a family by now.

Square Enix

While other games this year have perhaps scratched itches for new narratives, or given me short-lived adventures bursting with joy, I keep coming back to Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. Perhaps because every hour flew by, and it was a tremendous journey, but also maybe because the game allowed me to revisit my earlier years, rediscovering the spark that created decades of loving games.

Even discounting the nostalgia, this RPG is a triumph in storytelling, world building, and character development. Playing this brought about a pantheon of emotions for me, not just inspired by my love of the game. There was happiness in Cloud and Aerith’s relationship, anger in watching Sephiroth destroy Nibelheim, excitement is reaching Golden Saucer, love for Red XIII’s backstory, and surprise in seeing Vincent appear, finally.

I came away from the game then with even more love for one of my favourite games of all time, and I do so again now after revisiting Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth briefly here. It’s an outstanding achievement and one that shows with the right level of love and care, remakes can be a truly wonderful thing.