Final Fantasy VII Remake: Why Everyone Is Talking About This Reborn Classic
11.01.2026 - 11:23:53
You know that weird disappointment when you revisit a game you adored as a kid and realize… it never actually looked or felt the way you remember? The epic city is smaller, the big moments feel flatter, and the characters you loved are mostly stiff polygons and text boxes.
For years, that was the curse hanging over Final Fantasy VII. The legend was larger than the game itself. Nostalgia did the heavy lifting. Every fan secretly asked: what if this story could exist the way it always looked in our heads?
That's exactly the promise — and the gamble — behind Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Final Fantasy VII Remake takes one of the most beloved RPGs of all time and rebuilds it with modern graphics, fully voiced characters, real-time combat, and expanded storylines — without simply erasing what made the original special. It aims to solve the core problem of nostalgia: giving you back the magic, without exposing the seams.
Why this specific model?
There are plenty of remasters and remakes out there, but Final Fantasy VII Remake is not a simple resolution bump. It's a ground-up reimagining of the Midgar section of the original Final Fantasy VII, stretched and deepened into a full-length, big-budget RPG. Instead of sprinting through Midgar in a few hours, you now live in it.
According to Square Enix, the game is built in high-end modern engines for PlayStation platforms and PC, with cinematic cutscenes, richly detailed environments, and a hybrid combat system that blends real-time action with the series' classic tactical menu commands. On the official Square Enix pages, the focus is clear: character-driven storytelling, explosive combat, and a fully realized Midgar that finally matches your memories — or surpasses them.
Here's what that actually means for you when you pick up the controller:
- Modern, dynamic combat: You're not waiting for turns anymore. You're dodging, blocking, switching characters on the fly, while still freezing time briefly to select magic, abilities, and items. It feels like an action game without losing the brainy, strategic heart of an RPG.
- Cinematic storytelling: Every major story beat is now a fully voiced, fully animated scene. Characters like Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Barret don't just exist in menus and text bubbles. They act, react, banter, and breathe.
- Bigger, deeper Midgar: Side quests, expanded character moments, new story threads, and fleshed-out neighborhoods make the city feel like a place you're inhabiting, not just running through.
- Multiple difficulty options: You can tailor the challenge, from a story-focused mode to combat that demands careful strategy and timing.
In other words, it's not just for people who grew up with the original. It's designed to stand on its own as a modern blockbuster RPG — whether you've played Final Fantasy before or not.
At a Glance: The Facts
| Feature | User Benefit |
|---|---|
| Reimagined Midgar storyline from the original Final Fantasy VII | Lets you dive deep into one of gaming's most iconic settings with expanded scenes, new dialogue, and added character development. |
| Hybrid real-time and command-based combat system | Gives you fast, action-heavy battles while preserving the tactical planning and ability management long-time fans love. |
| Fully voiced characters and cinematic cutscenes | Makes emotional moments hit harder, turning classic scenes into big, modern story beats that feel like a prestige TV series. |
| High-fidelity graphics and detailed environments | Transforms blocky memories into a living, breathing cyberpunk city, with expressive character models and highly atmospheric lighting. |
| Multiple difficulty and "Classic" style options | Lets newcomers and veterans alike tailor the experience, whether they want a challenge or a more story-focused playthrough. |
| Expanded side quests and optional activities | Adds replay value and world-building, giving you more reasons to explore neighborhoods, meet minor characters, and experiment with builds. |
| Part of a larger multi-game project | Sets the stage for future entries, so your investment in characters and stories will carry forward. |
What Users Are Saying
Look at Reddit threads, Steam user reviews, and fan forums, and a clear pattern emerges: people are passionate about Final Fantasy VII Remake — in both directions, but largely positive.
The praise focuses on a few recurring themes:
- Story and characters: Many players say this is the first time the cast has felt "real" to them. Aerith's personality, Cloud's awkwardness, Tifa's warmth, and Barret's intensity are all brought forward by strong voice acting and expanded scenes.
- Combat: After a short learning curve, a lot of users call the hybrid combat system one of the best in modern JRPGs — weighty, flashy, and surprisingly deep once you start experimenting with materia and character synergies.
- Music and atmosphere: The re-orchestrated soundtrack gets constant shout-outs. Classic tracks are expanded, rearranged, and woven into the world, often cited as "goosebump-inducing."
- Emotional impact: Fans of the original talk about tearing up at moments that never hit them this hard before; newcomers mention being stunned that a "PS1 remake" could feel this modern and affecting.
The criticisms are just as important to call out:
- Linear structure: Some players find the game too corridor-like at times, especially compared to more open-world RPGs. Midgar is rich, but it's curated rather than sandbox.
- Padding and pacing: A few chapters are frequently mentioned as feeling stretched out, with fetch-questy side content that doesn't always match the quality of the main story.
- Story changes and ending: Without spoiling anything, the later twists diverge significantly from the original. Some long-time fans love the boldness; others feel anxious or frustrated about where the series is heading.
- Performance on PC (for some setups): User discussions mention inconsistent performance on certain hardware unless tuned correctly, though patches and settings tweaks help.
Overall sentiment? For most players, the highs easily outweigh the lows. Even many skeptics admit they were won over by the execution, especially in the character work and combat.
It's also worth noting that this massive project comes from Square Enix Holdings (ISIN: JP3967200001), a company that has built its identity around ambitious, cinematic RPGs — and isn't afraid to take creative risks with its legacy franchises.
Alternatives vs. Final Fantasy VII Remake
If you're shopping around the modern JRPG space, you have options — and it's helpful to understand where Final Fantasy VII Remake actually sits.
- Other Final Fantasy titles (like Final Fantasy XVI or Final Fantasy XV): These newer mainline entries push further into real-time action and different worlds, but none have the same emotional baggage or iconic status as VII. If you want expansive lore and a fully standalone story, those might appeal; if you want to see what made Final Fantasy a cultural event, Remake is the one.
- Persona series: Persona 5 Royal is often suggested as the other must-play modern JRPG. It offers turn-based combat, social-sim systems, and a different kind of stylish storytelling. It's a better fit if you like slower, more methodical gameplay and school-life drama rather than blockbuster-style cinematics.
- Action-RPGs like Tales of Arise or Kingdom Hearts: These scratch a similar itch for flashy combat and emotional anime-style storytelling. But Final Fantasy VII Remake has the advantage of a built-in, legendary narrative foundation that's being reinterpreted with blockbuster production values.
- The original Final Fantasy VII itself: Still playable on modern platforms, the 1997 game offers the full story in one package. It's a better choice if you care most about seeing the "complete" tale now. Remake, in contrast, offers a richer, more detailed slice of that world — with the promise of more games to come.
In simple terms: if you want a modern, high-gloss, emotionally driven experience that balances action and strategy and sits at the center of one of gaming's most important stories, Final Fantasy VII Remake is uniquely positioned. The alternatives compete on mechanics or style, but not many carry this much history and ambition in a single package.
Final Verdict
Final Fantasy VII Remake is not trying to be a museum piece. It's not asking you to quietly admire a classic through glass. It wants you to feel what people felt in 1997 — awe, shock, heartbreak — but in a language that modern players understand: fluid combat, cinematic storytelling, complex characters, and world-building that feels truly alive.
Does it take risks? Absolutely. The expanded story, the pacing decisions, and especially the bold narrative swings in the final chapters mean this is not a one-to-one recreation. And that's exactly why it works for so many players. It doesn't just preserve Final Fantasy VII; it argues with it, plays with it, and builds something new on top of its foundations.
If you're a long-time fan, this is the rare remake that justifies its existence — not by being faithful in every detail, but by being faithful to how the original made you feel. If you're completely new to the series, it stands on its own as one of the most lavish, emotionally charged JRPGs you can buy today.
So the real question isn't whether Final Fantasy VII Remake lives up to the legend. It's whether you're ready to let that legend be rewritten — and to step into Midgar again, not as you remember it, but as it always deserved to be.
