Getting a major mainline title like Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Nintendo Switch 2 was a surprise, but a welcome one. As a huge Final Fantasy fanatic, I had already owned the original Final Fantasy VII Remake on the Playstation 4, but had only played it a little bit before my PS4’s disc drive went kaput. I recently picked up a Playstation 5 and was just about to give the game another spin when the opportunity to dive into this beloved remake on Switch 2 came along. So I decided to try them both and compare, and found it easy to immerse myself into the mako-tinged metal-and-concrete jungle of Midgar once again.
It’s the same old story… or is it?
In case you’ve been asleep in a coffin in the basement of the Shinra Mansion for the past quarter-century and this is your first foray into the world of Final Fantasy VII, this experience sees you stepping into the boots of Cloud Strife, a spiky-haired mercenary with a comically-huge sword who’s soon caught up in an initial conflict between a rascally band of eco-terrorist freedom fighters and the all-encompassing keiretsu-like Shinra Corporation, but the real foe is the super-powered Sephiroth, who’s on a symphony of destruction.Â
While the narrative is fairly straightforward, the world and its characters are complex and interconnected in interesting ways. Whether or not the story warranted being stretched out into three whole games is another question, but given the quality and budget involved, one can’t blame Square-Enix for trying to recoup their massive investment in this project. Much like the Rebuild of Evangelion series, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade introduces new lore elements to shake up the story. For better or worse, this isn’t the same narrative we encountered in 1996.
This Intergrade release also includes INTERmission, a previously PS5-exclusive DLC focused on Yuffie Kisaragi. Regardless of how you feel about Yuffie as a character, this was a welcome change from the main campaign, due to hers (and Sonon’s) cool ninja playstyles. It doesn’t wear out its welcome at two chapters long, and the whole thing ends with a tease for the next game. You’ll also unlock the Fort Condor mini-game, a tower-defense timesink that I intend to delve into, since I do love that sub-genre.
The Switch 2 version runs surprisingly well
Right off the bat, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade stunned me on a technical level by boasting performance far closer to Performance Mode in the PS5 Intergrade version than the PS4 original. It isn’t a perfect match for the PS5 version, but it’s close, with a stable 30fps framerate that rarely ever drops, and keeping most of the PS5 version’s textures and models.
Most pertinent details look and move fantastically. Close-up shots fare especially well, and medium shots mostly have minimal loss of texture detail. Sometimes if you stop to look closely at certain faces or models, you’ll see the seams, but for the most part, it’s only in sequences with many models or crowds, huge backgrounds, and some freeze-frames in battles, where cut corners are immediately obvious. But these are minor details when you consider the fact that the game maintains a solid 30 frames per second that only dips in rare instances. In handheld mode, the game is upscaled from 720p with DLSS, but aside from the occasional dithering and some noise on, say, Cloud’s hair, you’d never know from playing it.
A scenic tour of Midgar
As for the game’s structure, it’s certainly quite linear in nature. While there are some labyrinthine sections, for the most part I felt like I was progressing a series of corridors. There’s plenty of chatter from both playable characters and NPCs, marking this as a very modern take on the game. While this allows for more unique character interactions and a more fleshed-out cast, it sometimes does feel like the game is slow-walking its story.
Final Fantasy VII and its main characters are near and dear to my heart, but I had heard that there was a lot of padding in the Remake and Rebuild games, which stretch out the story with tons of side content. While that’s definitely the case here, the opposite argument could also be made, that it’s quality content, filled with memorable character moments and punctuated by an incredible soundtrack.Â
Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle. There are a lot of aspects of this game that will not be fun on repeat playthroughs, but given that this is tailor-made for fans of the original with a focus on fan-service and delivering the kinds of dramatic character moments that fans of anime would be looking for, the focus really seems to be split between the storytelling and combat, with replayability a bit of a tertiary consideration. However, if you’re interested in tackling Hard mode, it’s well-worth it to try to be a Completionist and gather every last available upgrade, Summon, Materia, etc. For me, one playthrough is enough for now, and I look forward to doing it all again in Rebirth.
Arguably some of the best combat in the entire Final Fantasy series
Combat is where this game really shines for me, as it’s seamless and engaging. I loved the game’s combat so much that I was often itching for the next major fight. There’s a high skill ceiling that allows for players who try to min-max the battle system by correctly timing dodges, blocks, abilities, and spells. Most attacks can be carefully dodged or blocked, and switching between characters is seamless and accomplished with the press of a button.Â
In true Final Fantasy fashion, the bosses are designed to push the player to their limits and may take more than one go-through. With the addition of an option to restart battles from the start of the encounter, I found myself replaying boss battles even if I would win, in order to refine my skills and conserve items. This isn’t something that I can say I’d do with any other JRPG in recent memory, and is a testament to how refined the battle system truly is. Suffice to say, I’m going to have a tough time going back to turn-based battles after this. I can’t really compare with the PS5 version, but the smoothness of these conflicts and the visual flair via particle effects has raised the bar for me in what we can expect from the Switch 2 hardware.
There are many ways to progress and grow in the game, including learning new abilities from new weapons, assigning SP points gained upon level-up to upgrade your weapons, and leveling up Materia spheres. I enjoyed swapping between the characters to utilize their unique sets of skills. There wasn’t a bad fighter in the bunch, and I found enjoyment in using all of the party members.
The Rebirth of A Beautiful Friendship
While it still feels weird playing a modern, mainline Final Fantasy on Nintendo hardware (I kept on pressing “B” for “X” and wish there was a way to change the button layout), I am beyond grateful that I can finally play this game on the go, as it was often more convenient for me to get a few minutes in between other tasks. That this Nintendo Switch 2 version is so much closer to the PS5 edition of the game than the PS4 one in every aspect, and including the Yuffie DLC, is just the cherry on top.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a technical wonder on Nintendo Switch 2. It single-handedly raised the bar on what I thought could be possible on the system, delivering a beautifully realized, engaging, and lengthy quest in the most accessible format yet without sacrificing much on the presentation side. Whether you’re a diehard fan or taking your first dive into the wide world of Final Fantasy VII, this is a steal at the asking price of $40.
Verdict: 4.5 / 5 (Fantastic)
PROS
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Beautifully-realized, with graphics hewing much closer to the PS5 version of the game
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The timeless characters, soundtrack, and story are front and center
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Excellent combat system is a serious contender for one of the best in the series
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Almost completely stable 30fps
CONS
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Maybe a bit too drawn-out and with limited replay value
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A few cut corners, visually, in terms of certain textures and models
What I’ve PlayedÂ
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Beat the game at 42 hours
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Learned nearly all weapon abilities
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Completed 18/26 Odd Jobs
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Unlocked all Summons
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Completed the Yuffie INTERmission
*This review is based on a Switch 2 review copy provided to the reviewer.
About the Author – Joseph Choi
Filipino-American gamer, professional shepherd and farmer, author, and filmmaker/videographer living in Central California. First consoles were the Game Boy and Sega Genesis, and I’ve been gaming since then, with a focus on Nintendo and Sony consoles.
