Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth surpassed expectations in more ways than one when it launched a couple of years ago. Not only did it follow up on an excellent start to the FF7 Remake trilogy that was its spectacular 2020 predecessor, it also did a stellar job reimagining its legendary source material, all while charting out its own unique path in consistently subversive and delightful ways. A wonderful blend of addictive, mechanically deep gameplay and bombastic, entertaining storytelling, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was a true masterpiece. Now, following in the footsteps of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth arrives on the Nintendo Switch 2- and the results are impressive, even if they come with some expected technical cutbacks.
Getting a game as massive, ambitious, and demanding as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to work well on the hardware of the Nintendo Switch 2 – a console with decidedly more constrained specs than the PS5 – was always going to be a challenge for the developers, so it obviously is best to head into Rebirth’s Switch 2 version with lower technical and graphical expectations. What’s heartening, however, is that even with those compromises, the game doesn’t loose any of its charm and mastery.
What exactly are those compromises, however? Well, for the most part, they are exactly what you would expect from a lower spec release of a technically demanding game. The gap between Rebirth’s Switch 2 and base console versions on this front is (unsurprisingly, given the generation gap between the two games) more pronounced than it was for Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Switch 2 version. You see the biggest and most blatant hits with things such as texture pop in, the downgrade in the level of detail, foliage density, and the like, and other similar aspects such as shadows and draw distances (especially draw distances, in fact).
“What exactly are those compromises, however? Well, for the most part, they are exactly what you would expect from a lower spec release of a technically demanding game.”
More than a few times, including in the very early hours of the game (or most times you’re out in an open world section), I have seen textures and assets abruptly loading in right before my eyes, while there have also been a few instances of frame rate drops during both cutscenes and gameplay, all of which is certainly the sort of thing that can – at least momentarily – pull you out of the experience. On top of that, it’s also a shame that, just like Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Switch 2 release, Rebirth doesn’t offer a 60 FPS option on Nintendo’s platform. While the compromise is understandable given the Switch 2’s hardware constraints, it still feels like a notable omission, particularly given the fast paced and action heavy nature of Rebirth’s combat and general gameplay.
Personally, I tend to be the sort of player that can forgive a game’s technical deficiencies, especially if it’s pulling its weight in the gameplay and design departments (which is most definitely true for Rebirth), but those deficiencies are admittedly hard not to spot here. While they don’t take away from Rebirth’s inherent gameplay and narrative strengths, I certainly do hope the developer will be addressing those issues with post launch patches in the near future.
As much as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Switch 2 version comes with noticeable downgrades on its original release, at the same time, there’s no denying that, by and large, the game still looks really good. Environments look lush and enticingly massive and explorable, character models and animations boast impressive attention to detail and personality, and nearly every new map, town, and city you visit is brimming with its own unique visual hook and aesthetic. A constant sense of discovery, joy, and wonder was among the things that helped Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth stand out when it first launched in 2024, and thankfully, on the Nintendo Switch 2, even with the necessary cuts it makes in the technical department, it doesn’t lose that sense of awe and luster.
And of course, when it comes to the act of actually playing the game, this is still every bit the unmissable, spectacular designed experience that it was when it launched on the PS5 a couple years ago. When I reviewed Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth upon its original release, I described it as the long overdue and long awaited realization of the modern open world Final Fantasy formula that the series had been hinting at since the PS2 generation, and going back to it on the Switch 2, I find myself just as enamoured with the game.
That’s because Rebirth is and remains a genuine, unmissable masterpiece – and I don’t use any of those words lightly. It touts easily the best combat I have ever experienced in a Final Fantasy title, and arguably the best non-turn based combat I have seen in any game, period. Rebirth manages to build on Remake’s incredible combat in meaningful ways, delivering a blistering experience that, with an ingenious combination of tight mechanics, meaningful improvements, and consistently well-designed and varied enemy encounters and boss fights, ensures that it never runs out of ways to always keep you on your toes.
“Rebirth is and remains a genuine, unmissable masterpiece – and I don’t use any of those words lightly.”
Meanwhile, each character boasts ridiculous mechanical depth and variety, to the extent that each could be the star of their own game. On top of that, the progression and customization mechanics – between the different weapons, Materia builds, stat upgrades, and what have you – add an even greater level of depth and nuance, so that combat and everything surrounding it manage to feel consistently rewarding and addictive even after you have clocked multiple dozen hours into the game.
Outside of the combat, meanwhile, Rebirth continues to tout an equally impressive level of depth and variety. There’s multiple massive open world maps to explore, each boasting a plethora of things to do, their own unique design gimmicks and traversal mechanics and visual hooks, and more; there’s a multitude of different minigames and optional side activities to track down and explore, including, of course, the fan favourite card game Queen’s Blood (which you can and very well may sink an inordinate amount of hours into); and so, so much more. It’s not often that a game that demands a time investment as massive as Rebirth does can successfully hold on to the player’s attention without letting monotony set in, but this one manages to do that with surprising confidence.
The game also does so through solid storytelling- which is one area will mileage will probably vary more than most others. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doubles down on its predecessor’s decision to be as much of a sequel (or sidequel) to the original FF7 as a remake, and obviously, the decisions it makes in pursuit of that vision will ruffle some feathers, especially given how ambitious (and, often, bizarre) it can be with its ideas. Personally, I have been on board with the developer’s decision to chart a new path for this iconic story for a while now, and in my view, Rebirth does an excellent job of balancing those two conflicting sides. It’s a nonstop rollercoaster with its bombastic storytelling, high octane set pieces, wonderfully performed characters, and more, and from its first minute to its last, it never stops being a compelling experience, even if it isn’t necessarily one that always makes total logical sense.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was a breathtaking experience when it came out a couple years ago, and it still is now that it has released for the Nintendo Switch 2. Yes, it comes with some technical cutbacks that often are hard not to notice, and hopefully the developer will be ironing out these kinks with future updates. But even as it stands right now, Rebirth’s Switch 2 version is still a great way to experience one of Final Fantasy’s most spectacular and unforgettable outings of all time.
This game was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2.
