Final Fantasy VII Remake: Why Everyone Is Talking About This Bold Reimagining of a Legend

Final Fantasy VII Remake doesn’t just polish a PlayStation classic; it reimagines it from the ground up for modern players. If you’ve ever bounced off old-school JRPGs but still crave big emotions, cinematic combat, and rich world-building, this might be the game that finally hooks you.

You know that feeling when you boot up a beloved classic and realize nostalgia has been doing a lot of heavy lifting? Clunky controls, flat characters, and combat that feels more chore than challenge. You want epic storytelling and emotional gut punches, but you don't want to wrestle with 90s design.

Or maybe you never played the original at all. You've heard for years that Final Fantasy VII is "one of the greatest games of all time," but one look at blocky polygons and turn-based menus and you bounce off. You live in a world of Elden Ring, God of War, and Cyberpunk. You expect combat that feels cinematic and responsive, worlds that feel alive, and characters that can actually show emotion on their faces.

This is the modern gamer's dilemma: you want the legendary story, but without the friction of retro design. You want something that respects the original, but isn't trapped by it.

That's where Final Fantasy VII Remake comes in.

Final Fantasy VII Remake takes one of gaming's most iconic stories and rebuilds it with modern action combat, film-quality presentation, and expanded character arcs. Developed and published by Square Enix Holdings (ISIN: JP3967200001), it's not just a remaster with sharper textures; it's a full-scale reimagining of the Midgar arc that turns a 5–6 hour section of the 1997 original into a 30–40 hour, fully fleshed-out RPG.

Why this specific model?

There are other JRPGs, and even other Final Fantasy entries, but Final Fantasy VII Remake hits a very specific sweet spot in the market right now: it bridges the gap between nostalgic fans and action-focused newcomers.

Here's what makes it stand out in real-world terms, based on current reviews, community discussions, and Reddit sentiment threads:

• Hybrid combat that actually feels good. You get real-time, responsive action – dodges, blocks, combos – layered with tactical pause-and-plan decisions using the ATB (Active Time Battle) system. On Reddit, many players say this is the first Final Fantasy combat that "clicked" for them after bouncing off pure turn-based systems.
• Midgar finally feels like a place, not a backdrop. The remake turns the industrial city of Midgar into a dense, living world. Slums feel crowded and human; upper-plate sectors ooze corporate oppression. Environmental storytelling is a major win that reviewers consistently highlight.
• Characters are no longer just 'cool art' – they're people. Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Barret, and even secondary characters get voice acting, facial animation, and expanded scenes. Players on forums frequently mention they didn't realize how attached they'd become to Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge until the remake slowed down and gave them space.
• Modern production values that rival top-tier action games. Visuals, soundtrack, and cutscene direction feel closer to a prestige TV show or movie than a traditional JRPG. The orchestrated rearrangements of Nobuo Uematsu's original score are widely praised as some of the best in the series.

In a market where live-service grind and open-world bloat are everywhere, Final Fantasy VII Remake feels focused. It's linear by design – which, for many, is a strength. The game pulls you through a curated experience rather than dumping icons on a map.

At a Glance: The Facts

What Users Are Saying

Looking at user reviews, forums, and Reddit threads (searches like "Reddit Final Fantasy VII Remake review"), a few clear themes emerge.

The praise:

• Story & characters hit harder. Even long-time fans say they were surprised at how emotionally invested they became. New scenes and character moments feel additive rather than filler.
• Combat is a highlight. Many players call it one of the best systems in the series – especially once you master switching between characters mid-fight and leveraging stagger mechanics.
• Music and atmosphere are universally lauded. From the revamped battle themes to the haunting slums music, the soundtrack is a top-tier experience frequently mentioned in "favorite part of the game" threads.
• Technical performance on newer hardware is strong. On PS5 and well-specced PCs, players report smooth performance and impressive visuals, especially in key story sequences and boss fights.

The criticisms:

• Pacing can drag in the middle. Some chapters feel padded with corridor segments or repetitive side quests, which a portion of the community feels were added just to extend playtime.
• Linear structure isn't for everyone. If you're expecting a vast open world, this is very much a guided, chapter-based experience focused entirely on Midgar.
• Story changes are divisive for purists. Long-time fans are split on some of the more meta, "remake about a remake" elements and added twists. Many love the boldness; some wish it were closer to a 1:1 retelling.
• PC port requires decent hardware. Players on lower-end PCs report needing to tweak settings to avoid stuttering, though patches have improved performance over time.

Overall sentiment, especially on Reddit and gaming forums, skews strongly positive. Even many skeptics who initially disliked the "multi-part remake" concept came away impressed by how polished and emotionally resonant this first installment is.

Notably, the credibility of the project benefits from the fact that it comes from Square Enix Holdings, the long-time steward of the Final Fantasy brand and IP, traded under ISIN: JP3967200001 – this isn't an outsourced nostalgia grab, but a flagship internal effort.

Alternatives vs. Final Fantasy VII Remake

You might be wondering how Final Fantasy VII Remake stacks up against other options if you're craving a big, story-driven RPG.

• Final Fantasy XVI: Purely action-focused, darker, and more Western-influenced in tone. If you want Devil May Cry-style combat and a self-contained story, XVI might be a better fit. But it lacks the party dynamics and layered RPG systems that VII Remake leans into.
• Final Fantasy XV: More open-world road trip with a looser structure. Great for exploration and bromance vibes, but widely regarded as less cohesive narrative-wise than VII Remake's tight, chapter-based storytelling.
• Persona 5 Royal: If you don't mind traditional turn-based combat and want deep social sim elements on top of dungeon crawling, Persona 5 is a phenomenal alternative. However, its modern Tokyo high-school setting is very different from the industrial, eco-punk world of Midgar.
• Action RPGs like God of War (2018) or Horizon Forbidden West: These deliver similarly high production values and emotional storytelling, but they don't offer the party-based combat and JRPG-style character building that define Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Where Final Fantasy VII Remake really differentiates itself is in its blend: you get big-budget cinematic direction, a battle system that rewards mechanical skill and tactical thinking, and a story that's simultaneously familiar (for veterans) and surprising (for both new and returning players).

Final Verdict

If you've ever looked at Final Fantasy from a distance and thought, "I wish I could get into this, but it feels too old-school," Final Fantasy VII Remake is the on-ramp you've been waiting for.

It solves the fundamental problem of nostalgia-heavy classics: it respects what made the original beloved while refusing to be handcuffed by it. Instead of a museum piece, you get a living, breathing, modern action RPG that stands on its own merits.

You'll come for the legacy name, but you'll stay for the characters debating philosophy over instant noodles in a cramped Midgar apartment; for the boss fights that force you to think, not just react; for the way a familiar melody swells at exactly the right moment and makes a 25-year-old story feel suddenly, painfully current.

No, it isn't perfect. Some chapters run long, some changes will spark debates for years, and the fact that this is only part one of a larger project means you won't see the whole original story here. But as a complete, self-contained experience, it's one of the most confident and emotionally resonant JRPGs you can play today.

If you care about story, character, and combat that asks a bit more of you than mindless button-mashing, Final Fantasy VII Remake isn't just worth your time—it's essential.