Remaster of a remake of part of a game featuring DLC
It is hard to believe, but it has been over a year since the first part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake was released. In that time, we have had new consoles hit the market which is a perfect opportunity to release a newer version of part of a game alongside some DLC to tie fans over until the next chapter drops. FF7 Remake feels like it will never finish at this rate but jumping back into this updated version reminded me of its potential. Underneath its plodding pacing and expanded storylines is a game that is extremely fun to play, looks gorgeous, and hits all those nostalgic moments I have of the original. Plus, it brings in a short story to progress the main plot as we continue to wait on the next entry.
Let’s kick off with the updates. The game has a new lighting system, updated textures, and runs at a blistering frame rate now. This sadly feels like how the game was meant to be played. It makes me wonder if future versions will be released on PS4 at all, as I honestly wouldn’t want to go back and play them without these updates. This is still one of the most impressive-looking games available and these new upgrades accentuate that even more. The loading time is also much more tolerable thanks to the speed of the PS5’s SSD.
MSRP: $69.99
Platforms: PS5
Price I’d Pay: $69.99
Upgrades to the existing game are nice (and free if you paid for FF7 Remake, worth noting the free PS Plus version is NOT eligible for these updates) but the real meat of Intergrade is the new mission featuring everyone’s favorite ninja Yuffie. This new expansion is entitled INTERmission because Square-Enix loves their awkward subtitles. This side campaign runs about four hours if you blaze through it with just enough added story and some interesting side missions and mini-games that pad out the experience.
The tale of Yuffie Kisaragi feels like it was left on the cutting room floor of the original game. After blasting through it I felt like it really fleshed out the character’s actions while the main game was occurring, even if she didn’t appear in Remake until after Midgar. It breaks down the Wutai/Midgar conflict in more detail and explains some obscure references in the core game. It is a nice addition to the overall story and one that feels missed now from the original. Sadly PlayStation 4 players will NOT get to experience this story until they upgrade to the PS5 console as this DLC is exclusive to PlayStation 5, again making me wonder if new entries in the Remake will also be exclusive to the console.
INTERmission adds two new chapters and as I mentioned they are very brief. The story can be played in less than five hours if I skipped the side missions and quests. If you opt to complete them it is still less than 10 hours total, which is ample for a side piece of DLC. I just do not understand the segmenting of the game though. Why make it only for PS5 and miss out on the millions of players who enjoyed it on PS4, but have not been able to obtain a new console? It feels like a miss.
The combat has been tweaked to more fit Yuffie’s play style. Yuffie is much more mobile in her approach. Her shuriken adds a new dynamic to the combat by allowing faster attacks and some interesting ranged combat. The shuriken can be used as a standard melee weapon or if you press triangle it can be tossed out and used to combo more enemies and even dash to them wherever the shuriken is. It makes the combat feel even more action-oriented than the original game. I enjoyed the combat quite a bit and it made encounters feel fresh to the character.
Yuffie is also a self-proclaimed materia master. This means there are plenty of options when it comes to decking out her abilities. She comes equipped with basic pieces, but finding more is fun and exciting. There is a plethora to find and she can even use them to equip her partner Sonon who fights alongside her through most of the DLC. You can only control Yuffie though as this is truly a truncated campaign compared to the original title.
The side quests and mini-games are actually quite interesting. The biggest is Fight of the Condors which is a defense mini-game using tower defense tactics. Units are summoned via cards and they are placed on the battlefield as they attack and advance towards the enemies’ base. It can get pretty deep as the game goes on as I collected new units and challenged new characters around the world. I wouldn’t call it enough to make a game on its own, but it was a nice diversion from the main quest. There is also a box breaking mini-game, battle simulators, and even a new summon to obtain. The game is filled with enough content to make it worth its asking price.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a massive endeavor that I fear we may never see the end of, but the ride so far has been fun. I really hope the next chapters don’t span years in development as the original is still one of my favorite RPGs of all-time. I would love to see this end before the end of the PS5-era, but I somehow feel like that is asking a lot. Still this free update for owners is a nice tie-over and the DLC is meaty enough to keep me enamored in the world.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
