'Final Fantasy VII Rebirth' Impressions
In case you missed it following the barrage of summer gaming news and events, Square Enix launched Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (FF7 Rebirth) on the Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support earlier this month. It’s not a new game, as it initially launched on PS5 in 2024 and Steam in 2025. But this launch marks Rebirth’s debut on the Switch 2 and Xbox Series consoles. I’ve had the opportunity to try the game on the Xbox Series S in advance of writing this article and will share my impressions here.
For a quick recap, FF7 Rebirth is the second instalment in the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. The first instalment, Final Fantasy VII Remake, is available on current-gen systems, while the third and final instalment, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, has just been announced for a Spring 2027 multi-platform launch,
FF7 Rebirth picks up after the events of Remake, with Cloud and company escaping Midgar for the wider world outside the city as they pursue their hunt for Sephiroth. Their eventful journey is met with quite a few twists and turns, especially if you’ve played the original Final Fantasy VII. While the plot follows the general events of the original, the narrative of the remake takes some notable detours and expands on certain aspects that alter the narrative in significant, but interesting, ways.
As part of the same trilogy, FF7 Rebirth shares a lot of FF7 Remake’s DNA. The presentation, controls and combat mechanics will be familiar if you’ve played the first instalment. In fact, it is highly recommended to play the first title before diving into Rebirth to get a better grasp of the story and acclimatise to the remake’s design directions.
Indeed, much like recent mainline Final Fantasy titles, FF7 Rebirth takes a more action/adventure-oriented approach. The open world that Rebirth offers beyond Midgar’s confines really helps showcase this, allowing Cloud and his party to roam the vast world, take on numerous side quests and engage in a variety of mini-games from card games to Chocobo races.
Combat isn’t turn-based, as in the original game, but is more dynamic and real-time. This can be alienating if you haven’t played recent Final Fantasy games. You still get to manage your party’s attributes, equipment and skills as with other JPRGs, but you also get to control them in real-time combat. The game does give you the choice between Active and Classic combat styles. In Active combat, you are fully in control of the character’s movement and combat action. In Classic combat, you have less direct input, and it recreates the original FF7’s Active Time Battle (ATB) system as your character moves and attacks automatically, allowing you to focus on selecting specific commands.
I would say that the Classic combat mode is a close approximation of the ATB system that doesn’t fully recreate the feeling of a turn-based experience. I think an actual turn-based option would be more welcome and encourage more fans of the original to try the remake. As it stands, the Active combat is more engaging and satisfying, but this is at the expense of a classic turn-based JRPG feel.
Despite being more action-oriented, there are layers to the combat mechanics. You can swap between party members, dodge attacks, unleash character-specific skills, perform Synergy combos with allies and, of course, call on Summons. At one point you might be slashing enemies with Cloud's Buster Sword and then chain with a ranged attack as Barret, and then finish off with a fire-elemental damage from Ifrit. These elements add more strategising and challenge to encounters than you might initially think, getting you to think fast while in the heat of the battle.
On the presentation front, FF7 Rebirth takes a cinematic approach, switching timelines and even perspectives. It is not lacking in badass cutscenes and gorgeous environments. Its open world design further lets you explore and take in the universe.
However, graphics options are limited on Series S, and I did notice some delayed pop-ins in open areas. Other than that, the game plays well on Xbox’s less powerful system, and it’s welcome to see that the game is available to more players.
If you’ve liked Final Fantasy VII Remake, you will definitely like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth as it expands on the first instalment of the trilogy. From the open world to the gameplay variety, it really showcases what the world of Final Fantasy VII has to offer beyond Midgar. The new take on the story further expands on the twists and character arcs. However, if you weren’t fond of FF7 Remake’s direction, with its liberties on the story and the move away from turn-based combat, Rebirth won’t do things much differently.
I’ve enjoyed my time with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and it comes at a great time to let fans get up to speed with Cloud and co.’s adventures ahead of the trilogy’s finale in Spring 2027.
