Current Events > Rebirth arrvied last night, 5 days and 1.5 hours late

(+) Yeah! (+)

At least the UPS guy got some OT for his trouble.

Avoiding spoilers has been hard. Now this means I need to take a half day today to line up with my off day tomorrow to make up for lost time. Goodbye for now world, I hardly knew yee.

I played 15 hours since getting my copy. The weekend snowstorm was great timing for me. Sequestered myself all day Sunday.

Alucard188 posted...

I played 15 hours since getting my copy. The weekend snowstorm was great timing for me. Sequestered myself all day Sunday.

Early impressions?

I had to restrain myself from getting the PS5 version since I really want the PC version.

Xenogears15 posted...

Early impressions?

Performance mode kicks the shit out of graphics mode. I can't play this game at 30 FPS, regardless of the graphic quality. Battles can feel a little busy at times, but it's easy to adjust. The button combinations to do things gets a little overwhelming at times, so I have to mentally unplug and plug back in to remember how to do things.

Mine even came 1 day early. But i couldnt play much on that day because of work and dune 2.

Alucard188 posted...

Performance mode kicks the shit out of graphics mode. I can't play this game at 30 FPS, regardless of the graphic quality. Battles can feel a little busy at times, but it's easy to adjust. The button combinations to do things gets a little overwhelming at times, so I have to mentally unplug and plug back in to remember how to do things.

I also experienced what I refer to as "control overload" when I played the demo. There just seems like there's so much to do now in combat that it feels very overwhelming. Does it get any better as the game goes on? As in it gets easeir to get used to? Also, are what people saying about there being hella minigames true?

Jupiter posted...

I had to restrain myself from getting the PS5 version since I really want the PC version.

ONE OF US

ONE OF US

A5modeu5 posted...

Mine even came 1 day early. But i couldnt play much on that day because of work and dune 2.

Have you had much time to play since? Also, Dune 2 ruled. Great way to spend time. Did you read the novels? How did you like/hate the deviations?

Xenogears15 posted...

I also experienced what I refer to as "control overload" when I played the demo. There just seems like there's so much to do now in combat that it feels very overwhelming. Does it get any better as the game goes on? As in it gets easeir to get used to? Also, are what people saying about there being hella minigames true?

Once I no longer have to think about the button presses, it's good. If I have to think about what I have to press, then I get locked up. It gets a lot easier once you gets used to the controls.

I've spent the last 12 hours in the Grasslands and I don't think I'm even halfway done. Jesus Christ this map is huge

Xenogears15 posted...

Have you had much time to play since? Also, Dune 2 ruled. Great way to spend time. Did you read the novels? How did you like/hate the deviations?

40hours in right now. Game is great.

Never read the books. I loved the games and the old movie.
Movie was fantastic.

A5modeu5 posted...

40hours in right now. Game is great.

Never read the books. I loved the games and the old movie.
Movie was fantastic.

I need to correct my previous post, as I misremembered the time: I am now just shy of 10 hours in, and I have 100%ed the Grasslands. Going through the swamp now. I spent an inordinate amount of time just mapping out the map because I love map painting so much. This game is huge, and I love everything about it so far. Cannot wait for what comes next, and knowing that at 40 hours the game isn't finished yet fills me with great joy. Are you at "that" scene yet? Or at least the Temple?

Re, Dune: Great to see that you can sit through them. I highly suggest trying the novels, specifically the first 4. Frank Herbert's writing style is incredibly dry, but the world he depicts is so amazing thst you kinda just overlook that.

I wish that books 5 and 6 were as good, though.

Xenogears15 posted...

I need to correct my previous post, as I misremembered the time: I am now just shy of 10 hours in, and I have 100%ed the Grasslands. Going through the swamp now. I spent an inordinate amount of time just mapping out the map because I love map painting so much. This game is huge, and I love everything about it so far. Cannot wait for what comes next, and knowing that at 40 hours the game isn't finished yet fills me with great joy. Are you at "that" scene yet? Or at least the Temple?

Re, Dune: Great to see that you can sit through them. I highly suggest trying the novels, specifically the first 4. Frank Herbert's writing style is incredibly dry, but the world he depicts is so amazing thst you kinda just overlook that.

I wish that books 5 and 6 were as good, though.

44 hours in now.
Just entered jungle.

Im 100% until now. So hours are inflated.

I had 3 pre-orders for the deluxe edition and only remembered about two of them. I had pre-ordered from Best Buy and then I did one at Target when they had a 30% off coupon for select accounts. I also apparently had a pre-order at Walmart and found out when it shipped. At that point since I was getting the Target one for 30% off my plan was to hold on to that until the Target one arrived and then return it. I would have done that with the Best Buy one but since Walmart shipped first I didn't want to have yet another $100 charge so I canceled it. Thursday comes and my Target order goes to "Backorder", Friday and Saturday still "backorder". Sunday and the status in the app switches to canceled for "technical reasons" (that's literally what it says). So while I still have the game, I paid full price and missed out on the extra SteelBook and pre-order bonus from Best Buy. Thanks Target.

I just reached Chapter 5 today. This game is fantastic.

A5modeu5 posted...

44 hours in now.
Just entered jungle.

Im 100% until now. So hours are inflated.

The Gonzaga Jungle? Like right after Costa del Sol? Isn't that like, only the third zone in the game? That has me kinda hyped, not gonna lie.

PeteyParker posted...

I had 3 pre-orders for the deluxe edition and only remembered about two of them. I had pre-ordered from Best Buy and then I did one at Target when they had a 30% off coupon for select accounts. I also apparently had a pre-order at Walmart and found out when it shipped. At that point since I was getting the Target one for 30% off my plan was to hold on to that until the Target one arrived and then return it. I would have done that with the Best Buy one but since Walmart shipped first I didn't want to have yet another $100 charge so I canceled it. Thursday comes and my Target order goes to "Backorder", Friday and Saturday still "backorder". Sunday and the status in the app switches to canceled for "technical reasons" (that's literally what it says). So while I still have the game, I paid full price and missed out on the extra SteelBook and pre-order bonus from Best Buy. Thanks Target.

Just trying to make sure I understand here. How many steelbooks do you actually have now? Two?

KogaSteelfang posted...

I just reached Chapter 5 today. This game is fantastic.

I think I'm right behind you. I just started the Barret/Red XIII portion of the Mythril Mines last night. Spring break is next week, so I'm really looking forward to plowing through this game and Unicorn Overlord in the coming days.

I've played 60 hours since Thursday.

Help.

SilvosForever posted...

I've played 60 hours since Thursday.

Help.

Where are you actually at in the game?

Xenogears15 posted...

Just trying to make sure I understand here. How many steelbooks do you actually have now? Two?

Just the one that came with the Deluxe Edition. I would have had two if I kept the Best Buy order and hadn't canceled it because BB had a different SteelBook that came with pre-ordering either edition of the game.

I had mine preordered from Target since you could first preorder, it was canceled on release day.

Syrain posted...

I had mine preordered from Target since you could first preorder, it was canceled on release day.

The messed up thing is that they re-opened pre-orders several times before release too. I wonder if they even got any.

I put 22 hours in so far. I'm making it a slow burn. Most of my time is clearing the mini games which are all top notch for me.

dameon_reaper posted...

I put 22 hours in so far. I'm making it a slow burn. Most of my time is clearing the mini games which are all top notch for me.

I've been wondering this. Since one of my fondest memories of VII was the plethora of minigames. Are there really so many, and do they have a lot of replay value? Or are they just one offs with no real value to redo?

Only minigame I've encountered so far is the chocobo dash around the ranch. I'm told there are many more.

Xenogears15 posted...

I've been wondering this. Since one of my fondest memories of VII was the plethora of minigames. Are there really so many, and do they have a lot of replay value? Or are they just one offs with no real value to redo?

Only minigame I've encountered so far is the chocobo dash around the ranch. I'm told there are many more.

there's a lot of them and they're sorta one-offs. I don't want to spoil it but once you get the high score for most of them that's about it. Its cool to replay them but not really necessary to keep doing it except for the piano mini game and Queen's Blood which I really have fun doing.

There's a few mini games to play IN the main story too and they're technically all one offs also but still a bit of fun. Its better than just running in a straight line like say FFXIII. I like battling but I enjoy doing a lot of mini games too. One of the protorelics has a mini game and that was nice even if I expected something else.

I consider the stealth missions mini games too though. Its a nice little puzzle to get chocobos or the first protorelic.

Xenogears15 posted...

The Gonzaga Jungle? Like right after Costa del Sol? Isn't that like, only the third zone in the game? That has me kinda hyped, not gonna lie.

Gongaga yeah.

I just completed that region. 52 hours in.
I love the music in that region.

Chapter 10 now.

Couldnt play much. Was away on the weekend.

63 hours in. Just did everything in cosmo canyon except for the combat sim.

I just reached the gold saucer myself. Really loving the game but my desire to complete all the things are wearing me down on my will to continue. I'm trying to avoid spoilers still because it's such a big game and I have I think 6 or 7 more chapters.

i'm falling out of love with it the more i play it, sadly. queens blood is dope, tho.

pauIie posted...

i'm falling out of love with it the more i play it, sadly. queens blood is dope, tho.

I still like the game but it way way way way too overstuffed with side content that only get more unfun and frustrating the further in I get. I started out really wanting to 100% it, but now I just want it to be over. Like as good as the combat is, do we need 50 million different combat simulators. How many queen's blood puzzle challenges do we need? And why the fuck can't I invert controls for the minigames when the options feature camera inversion. And why can't I get a retry option on ALL the minigames?

I'd still overall give it an 8/10 because the core is so good. But it would have been 9.5 easy without all the bloat. The side content in the game is very much a case of quantity over quality.

pauIie posted...

i'm falling out of love with it the more i play it, sadly. queens blood is dope, tho.

I'm the exact opposite. I'm loving the game the more I play it, but I absolutely fucking despite Queen's Blood. Only reason that I'm playing it now is because I heard I have to do it for story shit within the next few chapters, but once I'm done with that I will not touch it again.

Right now I just finished mapping out a lot of Junon. I got access to the Crow's Nest, and recently met Yuffie. I'm really wondering if I'm going to do dolphin jumping to get up to the airship platform in Junon like in the OG, or if they got something else in mind.

Also, they somehow managed to make Fort Condor more fun than in Intermission. I love it.

71 hours.
Chapter 12 now.

Did almost everything till now.

I think the queens blood might be my breaking point. I like it more then most card games but I never played the card games in FF8 or any of the others they have been in. I got through the Fort Condor stuff in chapter 4 pretty easily but I don't know if there's more of that. I hope whoever did the pull up and situp minigames gets fired.

85 hours.
Chapter 12 done.
This is where I dont care anymore about 100% stuff.
I dont want to get highscores at all the minigames.
I think Ive got a few combat sim fights left too.
Did all quests and markers on the map though.

A5modeu5 posted...

85 hours.
Chapter 12 done.
This is where I dont care anymore about 100% stuff.
I dont want to get highscores at all the minigames.
I think Ive got a few combat sim fights left too.
Did all quests and markers on the map though.

Pretty much where I said screw it myself. I pushed on to the final area. Once I'm done Maybe I'll go back and finish the combat simulators and chocobo races. But high scores on stuff like the Cactuar Smash and the flying chocobo shit, fuck that.

chris1001_the_sequel posted...

Pretty much where I said screw it myself. I pushed on to the final area. Once I'm done Maybe I'll go back and finish the combat simulators and chocobo races. But high scores on stuff like the Cactuar Smash and the flying chocobo shit, fuck that.

I'm about to get to Upper Junon (Unicorn Overlord has been stealing my playtime), and I'm already there lol. I think I' going to swear off any minigames until a second playthrough. I will still do all map markers, though. Far as I can tell, most areas look to be smaller and with fewer markers than the Grasslands, so that will most definitely work for me.

Beat the game last night.

The good:
-The same great combat from Remake, with some cool enhancements in the Synergy attacks

-The character interactions are great. One benefit of all the story expansion is better development and conversations across the main main cast. Feel the bond much more. Yuffie in particular benefits significantly now being non-optional.

-On the whole, the story is good

-The world design itself is fantastic

-When the game's visuals are at their best, it's quite a stunningly gorgeous game. Especially in cutscenes.

-Music is great

The bad

-Under utilization of the world by the main story

-Technical issues (ghosting, poor visuals in performance mode, etc)

-Extremely uneven visual presentation. while the game CAN look visually stunning, it's also not uncommon to come across an environmental texture that looks ripped from an early PS3 game or lighting that makes the characters look possessed.

-overabundance of minigames, many of which are unfun and feel a bit overtuned, especially with high scores

-some of the later areas are a bit of a chore to explore

-unable to invert controls for minigames despite having camera inversion as an option

-Too many damn combat simulator challenges to the point that it comes off as padding

Following are major spoilers or major spoiler adjacent

-Ultimately, the Zack stuff seemed pointless to the point that it could be excised entirely, and literally nothing would be lost

-Mega Mega Spoiler: Aerith's death was just not good. Like I get what they were going for with Cloud in denial/hallucinating, but between the non-stop faking out, the 45 minute KH2 final boss tier boss fight, and her being laid to rest not being shown, the scene just feels emotionally compromised.

-Just how on the rails it was. I guess this being negative or positive will depend on how you feel about Remake. I was fine either way, but given the final few hours of Remake, it's hard not to look at the story for this game as a whole and feel like they bailed on whatever plan they originally had. Which does hurt it a bit since the end of the last game pushed the idea (The unknown journey will continue), and they even leaned into it in the marketing for this one, and it just feels like a change that won't make anyone truly happy as the purists already left, and all this is going to do is annoy those who stuck around and found the ideas from the end of Rebirth interesting.

-This page from kotaku discussing the ending brings up a lot of my overall issues: https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-ending-aerith-black-materia-1851310221 .

Overall I'd still give the game an 8/10. I enjoyed it more than I didn't. It just feels like so much missed opportunity and padding for the sake of padding. I'm still getting the 3rd game, but I'm not going to be going into it with anywhere near the level of hype that I went into for this one.

-

Beat it right now.

95 hours.

83 hours in. Focusing on 100% completion now. Only 11 trophies left.

lol this topic. "most of the game is padding and not fun, and there are a ton of combat and minigames i just don't care about, and it's all they feed you towards the end and they rush everything. but hype and ff7 name lolz so 8/10, maybe even 9 why not"

I just finished the sequence where the gang revists the Golden Saucer. I'm officially at a point where I can comfortably say that I heavily dislike this game.

I'm sitting on a 6/10 rating for FF7R2 right now. Funny how the x/10 rating scale doesn't even use half the numbers; everything bell-curves around 8~ish.