Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Pt. 2 Rebirth

[MeoTwister5]

Ok but WOW that is one hell of a demo, just like FFXVI. The demo covers almost the entire Nibelheim flashback scenario and ends in the famous Sephiroth in Flames scene as he turns to the camera.

[Kafriel]

I just got a PS5, right in time to play the FF7Rb demo. First off, performance mode is REALLY consistent, without missing any renders...although the demo doesn't cover any large expanse or high-speed travel, so I take it with a grain of salt. The voice acting is still top notch and the music is even better than Remake - I actually came to like Tifa's theme after playing it on the piano a few times, while it used to leave me indifferent in the OG. The story is being pieced together in a clever way, with not-so-subtle details but not really spelling it out for you.

The combat takes a bit of getting used to, I kept using team attacks when I wanted to change stance because I'm used to holding down guard, but I got it down after a few fights. Aerial combat has significantly improved, the stagger system still works wonders and actually controlling Sephiroth felt amazing.

The exploration is my least favourite part, a mixed bag of sorts; on one hand, there is a LOT of fun materia to pick up even in the demo, which seems to account for the larger character roster we'll be getting in the full game, as well as a bunch of healing items to legitimately sub healing materia for something else - a pretty smart move, at least for NG, assuming we get a hard mode in this game too. On the OTHER hand, the terrain button is automatically on when sprinting, with MANY platforms being very small or having many places to go to, which results in Cloud hopping non-stop with the slightest tilt in any direction. It's... not optimal, to say the least, though I suspect it can't get any worse, considering the demo covers a relatively small map. Finally, sprinting around town results in a cacophony of one-liners that you have to slow down and listen to one at a time, especially outside the mayor's manor.

Overall, I am thoroughly impressed and can't wait to play the Junon harbor part, I'm guessing it will become available in a week or so.

P.S: A question to all who played around in Nibelheim...

Spoiler for doing Cloud stuff:

Do you guys think that looking through Tifa's stuff reduces Tifa and Aerith's affection towards him? I'm pretty sure the game has relationship points, but I don't know if this one is going to count...

[MeoTwister5]

I suspect the weird arbitrary limitations to exploration might be just for the demo only to prevent the player from breaking typical open world conventions, because this is just a demo and they don't have the stuff outside the immediate confines of Nibelheim for the player to try and get access to.

Or it could also be because since this is a flashback, it's to maintain narrative control to prevent Cloud from going to areas he's not supposed to have gone to the past.

[Mad Pierrot]

The demo sure showed more of Cloud's trauma than the actual game. We actually got to see him search for his mother in the middle of Nibelheim's fire. Kinda reminded me of a 2B scene from Nier Automata where the gameplay started becoming slow due to plot reasons

[MeoTwister5]

93 on Metacritic

The biggest point of contention among most of the reviews is on the ending that they claim would be very controversial, with many reviewers likewise having very divided opinions on it. TBH the ending was always going to be controversial no matter what happens. It all really depends if you think Rebirth manages to justify its ending or not.

SE so confident on the product that they lifted embargo one whole week before release. Capcom did that with RE4R with obvious results.

[Mad Pierrot]

Wow. I've played lots of games with controversial endings (Sons of Liberty, Mass Effect, Danganronpa V3) so I wonder how divisive it is. A cliffhanger? A big change in the timeline?

[TnAdct1]

Originally Posted by Mad Pierrot

Wow. I've played lots of games with controversial endings (Sons of Liberty, Mass Effect, Danganronpa V3) so I wonder how divisive it is. A cliffhanger? A big change in the timeline?

If what I read is correct,

Spoiler for FF7:

the controversial ending is gonna involve THAT moment.

[JagdPanther]

Originally Posted by TnAdct1

If what I read is correct,

Spoiler for FF7:

the controversial ending is gonna involve THAT moment.

Getcha popcorn ready.

[Mad Pierrot]

Wow, what moment. I doubt they only reach the city of the Ancients considering that's only the end of Disk 1 in the original game.

Also, it would be cool if the Dirge of Cerberus and Advent Children designs could be used as DLC at least. Then again, Cloud's SOLDIER appearance is kinda a plotpoint.

[Kanon]

I came across a video on Youtube showing a cutscene from Costa del Sol. Oh sweet baby...

Going to have to stay off social media to avoid the actual spoilers, even if I'm pretty sure what the biggest spoiler is without being told.

[cyberdemon]

Replaying the first and I can almost guarantee the last game will be ff7 Reunion

[MeoTwister5]

Damn the Junon demo is hard. The boss was a cakewalk in the original but I got asswhooped 3 times here.

[MonkeyDude]

Originally Posted by cyberdemon

Replaying the first and I can almost guarantee the last game will be ff7 Reunion

So no FF7:Revengeance?

But yeah Reunion is 99% going to be the final installment. Cept Reunion will mean something completely different like Cloud, Sephiroth, and Zack teaming up to fight some plot contrived big bad with Sephiroth somehow being a misunderstood anti-hero all along cause why not.

If that sounds ridiculous, let's not forget we fought manifestations of....fate? destiny? and went full last boss battle IN SPAAAAAAAAAAACE in Remake so they've already jumped the shark so may as well go all-in on the nonsense.

I'm not going to buy a PS5 like I did a PS4:Pro for Remake so hoping the PC version doesn't take too long. Much as I'm dubious of where they're taking the plot given what they did, Remake was overall a fun game and worth the sticker price. Maybe Game Pass? Cmon Microsoft!

Also it's really been 4 years since Remake? Sheesh time certainly flew by...

[Tactics]

Originally Posted by MonkeyDude

If that sounds ridiculous, let's not forget we fought manifestations of....fate? destiny? and went full last boss battle IN SPAAAAAAAAAAACE in Remake so they've already jumped the shark so may as well go all-in on the nonsense.

Nothing truly ridiculous about Whisper though.

Whisper simply corrective force trying to set VII-R into it correct course (OG PS1).
They appeared because of Sephiroth (implied to be) tampering flow of time through Lifestream to ensure he win this time.

Not really coming out of nowhere since:
1) Bugenhagen theorized Lifestream might as well connected to flow of time in OG;
2) This is not Sephiroth first try. Creation of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz in Advent Children is his first try tampering Lifestream for his plan;
3) Crisis Core and Dirge pretty much reiterated Hojo's best (Sephiroth and Weiss) are genetically modified to be adept with Mako Energy in one way or another.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

Damn the Junon demo is hard. The boss was a cakewalk in the original but I got asswhooped 3 times here.

I know what you mean. Maybe I'm just incredibly rusty, but Juno felt like it got a huge difficulty spike. They really want you to make use of elemental weaknesses.

[cyberdemon]

Originally Posted by Wandering Soul

I know what you mean. Maybe I'm just incredibly rusty, but Juno felt like it got a huge difficulty spike. They really want you to make use of elemental weaknesses.

That’s why im replaying remake. Bit late sadly but gotta remember the combat

[MonkeyDude]

Originally Posted by Tactics

Nothing truly ridiculous about Whisper though.

Whisper simply corrective force trying to set VII-R into it correct course (OG PS1).
They appeared because of Sephiroth (implied to be) tampering flow of time through Lifestream to ensure he win this time.

Not really coming out of nowhere since:
1) Bugenhagen theorized Lifestream might as well connected to flow of time in OG;
2) This is not Sephiroth first try. Creation of Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz in Advent Children is his first try tampering Lifestream for his plan;
3) Crisis Core and Dirge pretty much reiterated Hojo's best (Sephiroth and Weiss) are genetically modified to be adept with Mako Energy in one way or another.

...so you didn't find that fight beyond ridiculous? Not even being remotely hyperbolic in what I said and yet it tracks for some reason? Like I get that the presentation was top notch and all, but come on now. Dunno if you're just being contrarian like in the P3 thread, but we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

Oh well still got at least 1 more game before we can judge the FF7R project in it's entirety. Maybe Square will finally drop this limited exclusivity bs and do a simultaneous PC launch. Hell ATLUS of all companies did it!

[Shadow5YA]

Originally Posted by MonkeyDude

Oh well still got at least 1 more game before we can judge the FF7R project in it's entirety. Maybe Square will finally drop this limited exclusivity bs and do a simultaneous PC launch. Hell ATLUS of all companies did it!

You should be complaining to Sony about that, not Square-Enix.

Atlus doesn't have exclusivity deals with Sony.

[Tactics]

Originally Posted by MonkeyDude

...so you didn't find that fight beyond ridiculous? Not even being remotely hyperbolic in what I said and yet it tracks for some reason? Like I get that the presentation was top notch and all, but come on now. Dunno if you're just being contrarian like in the P3 thread, but we're just gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.

Imagine complaining Sephiroth fight in VII-Remake ridiculous after:

>> Cloud vs. Sephiroth in VII AC
>> Chaos Vincent & Omega Weiss theoretical power level in Dirge.
>> Zack encounter with Genesis Avatar and Minerva in Crisis Core.

Going lower than that is a big no when Sephiroth implied to time travel through Lifestream.
Especially when VII-R flow of story put strong distinction between Rufus (closest evil), Sephiroth (farthest evil) and Hojo (the schemer).

Disliking overpriced remake from developer that felt high just by reworking Persona 3 Portable contents into Persona 5 layout now is contrarian? Glad to know.

[Mad Pierrot]

They patched Aerith's final line from Remake? Just "I don't like this sky"?