*Final Fantasy VII Rebirth* is a really fun game. The combat is basically everything that made *Remake* great, but with noticeable improvements that make it even more enjoyable. The soundtrack is fantastic, as expected, and the world is huge. Exploring all the different regions was easily one of my favorite parts of the game. I love open-world exploration, so I had a great time discovering new places and completing side content.
That said, I think the story was a step down from *Remake*. It has some really great moments—especially near the end—but overall it didn't grab me as much as the previous game.
Now for the biggest issue: the minigames.
There are WAY too many of them. It honestly feels like half the game is made up of minigames, and to make matters worse, some side quests for the characters are locked behind them. I couldn't care less about chocobo races, piano songs, card games, shooting galleries, or whatever else they decided to throw in. I play Final Fantasy for the characters, the story, and the RPG gameplay—not to spend hours playing what feels like a collection of cheap mobile games.
Normally, I like to 100% every game I play, so I forced myself through all the minigames. By the time I reached the final chapter, I was completely burned out. Instead of being excited for the story's climax, I was just thinking, "Please let this end already." That's a terrible feeling to have when you're reaching the emotional finale of such an anticipated game.
The worst part is that the ending is actually good, but I couldn't appreciate it as much because I was mentally exhausted. I even planned on doing a second playthrough, but after everything the minigames put me through, I have absolutely no desire to start over anytime soon.
I really hope Square Enix learns from this for Part 3. If I buy a Final Fantasy game, I want to play a Final Fantasy game—not a compilation of dozens of cheap minigames.
That said, if you ignore the ridiculous amount of minigames, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an excellent game. The combat is amazing, the music is incredible, the world is beautiful, and exploring it is a blast. Despite my frustration, I'd still recommend it. I just wish the developers had trusted the strength of their RPG instead of constantly interrupting it with minigames.
