Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade
A Cloud with only silver linings
Just when you thought you could get out, AVALANCHE keeps dragging you back in. Once again we walk the streets of Midgar as Cloud and the gang attempt to stop Shinra from bleeding the planet dry of energy, only this time enhanced for PS5. Separate extra story DLC is exclusive to this version (see opposite), but this core package has enough upgrades to make it the definitive version.
Haptic feedback joins the party, used mostly in fights, but adds little (as is the norm with retrofitted DualSense features), and a photo mode is a nice touch, though limited in features compared to the competition. As we’ve come to expect, the biggest enhancement comes in the form of two visual modes: a Graphics mode that prioritises resolution, and a Performance mode that guns for a higher 60fps framerate.
SMOOTH CRIMINAL
Like Cloud Strife and Zack Fair, they’re both great, and which you prefer is a matter of personal taste. FFVII Remake is one of the best-looking games on PS4, and while it’s nice to see in native 4K, you can’t deny how satisfying it feels to hop quickly through the menus to boot up your save lightningfast, and then run around at a smooth 60fps. It feels almost like the way the game was meant to be played.
Exploration feels slicker, but the upgrade really shines in combat. FFVII Remake merges real-time action with elements of the original ATB system. Holding counters at the right moment or inputting the perfect combo feels even more responsive in Performance mode, especially handy in the tougher, Hard mode fights.
Graphical upgrades aren’t limited to the Graphics mode.
Enhanced lighting, backgrounds, and textures create a smoother and even more beautiful Midgar than before. The lighting, in particular, does a great job bringing the fantasy to life.
Enhanced lighting, backgrounds, and textures create a more beautiful Midgar than before.
Some attention has been paid to areas highlighted by fans, like the infamously bad door texture in the Sector 7 Slums. Though, now it’s been fixed, we almost miss it as previously it served as a reminder that we all have our limits. FFVII Remake has now limit-broken its own bounds.