Final Fantasy VII Remake in the Test
Almost 23 years has taken finally so, to the great JRPG classic shines now in new splendour. 2015, for the first time officially announced with the Final Fantasy VII Remake now, at least a part of the epic adventure to Restore or re-patterning into the house, because Square Enix has decided to pass on the story to several episodes split. Fertilized, this is a controversial decision and it manages the magic of that time again to capture? Let’s find out!
Someone cuts since the onion?
To be quite honest, it is an old hare, which is more or less grew up with the Original, is quite difficult to preserve throughout the new Intros dry eyes. Everything is exactly as then, only much, much nicer. The first look on Aerith evokes memories of an Emotional merry-go-round from younger days, the subsequent view of the Mega-City Midgar demands today, as then, awe. And then you stand there, at the train station in the vicinity of one of the Mako reactors in the city, to destroy the Plan of these.
But not only what to see, brings tears of joy to my eyes. The unforgettable sounds of the Intro Themes to bear their part in that veterans immediately in the world of Final Fantasy VII are trapped. But we’ll take it slow, and without the nostalgia glasses. After the more than just beautiful, but little descriptive Intro, you find yourself in the role of Cloud Strife again. The taciturn, former Elite warrior, a SOLDIER referred to a special force works now as a mercenary, and is now available on this platform at the beginning of his first real Mission.
His childhood friend Tifa, in turn, a member of the Eco-terrorist group Avalanche, hired him to help your friends to destroy the Mako reactors of the evil Shinra Corporation. Because the Mako is the life blood of the planet on which you all live, but that does not prevent Shinra from using every opportunity to resource to exploit. In the beginning, very distant, trying to Cloud the matter as to see nothing more than a Job, but after your first attack Tifa pull him and your friends, and above all a leader and a single father Barret, deeper and deeper into their lives, and thus Worries and Fears.
More and more taut, the seemingly emotionless Cloud, compared to his new colleagues. But most of all, however, is the unteachable positive, and for mysterious reasons also of Shinra hunted Aerith, the young man with a tragic past, is slowly but surely thawing. As the ruthless conglomerate finally comes out and the brutal retaliation attack, is the thing for Cloud final from the simple Job to the personal Mission of his life.
Just like before, but very different
So much for the first few minutes let us wallow in nostalgia, as soon as it is obtained at said station, the control of Cloud, it is Usual for the First over. The classic, turn-based battle system was replaced by a completely new, far action lastigeres. As a player you can now run around in the fight, gang up on his opponents with his Standard attacks, blocking enemy attacks, or dodges these by pike role. Everything manually at the push of a button. Those who accept now, however, shocked that the old version is left are completely wrong, because the Original well-known ATB-back bar.
The work here is a bit different: Depending on equipment, used Items, and the actions carried out, fills in the split bar in the course of a fight. When at least the first part of the area is full, you can perform actions that go beyond the simple Attack. So spells, items such as healing potions to use, or one of the various special abilities of each of the characters to run. One (or both) bar is full, paused it just happen the fight and ends up in the well-known action menu. Here, one chooses, then in peace, for example, the desired spell and its target, and lets the game continue to run. The process then teaches a “partial-bar” and begins to fill again. So a completely full ATB should be a bar available, it would be equal in the connection, a second action to perform, or even the the most devastating special attacks, which need a whole bar to execution.
Who now accepts, at any time, pause and peace of mind to be able to select a move would make the whole thing much too easy, you are totally mistaken. This is partly due to the variety of enemies, all with different Strengths, weaknesses, and attack tactics, therefore. Also, these take no consideration to the fact that the chosen by the player Special moves have a certain lead time before they are actually executed. A poorly-timed healing spells can be easily interrupted. In addition, you have to keep in the majority of the game, not only Cloud in the eye. Up to 4 characters in the Party and you want to employed as well as the life can be obtained. Rudimentary things, such as attack and block, make the associates self-employed, everything the player needs to take.
In the fight at any time enforceable exchange of the controlled character, not only provide for more room in the Boss-Fight for one or the other Stress-Moment, but also for other level of tactical possibilities. The Martial Arts specialist Tifa plays more like a Brawler, while Barret with his Arm-mounted cannon from a distance on all shoots, the moves. The whole thing is, after a short settling-in period very well and plays surprisingly entertaining and challenging. Even insignificant Trash groups to be so good as never, by simply spamming the attack button, and run a faster Game Over screen as one would like. Bosses killed in the first Moment, often with its sheer effect and attack variety, with a bit of Care and caution but it can also be the meanest adversary to defeat.
How much magic can fit into a bracelet?
Outside of the battles is surprisingly classic JRPG-wise. You met divere in addition to tasks, whiling away the time with entertaining mini-games and is pushing ahead with the main story. Incidentally acquires or finds new weapons and equipment for its advance up the former with the help of free on a variety of passive effects, redistributable Skill points, and spread its magic possible, practicable and expedient between the characters.
The magic and Skill System was taken directly from the Original. Magic exists in the world of Final Fantasy VII in the Form of so-called Materia, glowing crystal balls, each of which can cast a specific spell, such as fire, healing or protection spells. Also, those that involve purely passive effects, such as bonuses to life or Mana, are available for selection. These balls, that is to say spells that you can equip in the pre-made Slots to weapons and Bracers. It is important to note that the Materia Slots are limited and on the other hand, used in the best possible want to be. Thus, for example, linked Slots, the, bring, depending on the equipped Spells, and special bonuses with. By diligent Use of Materia, this rise in Level, which gets you access to new and better versions of the spell.
The leveling up of the characters runs completely automatically and simply increases the values in a predetermined manner the reason. However, that can be earned with each new Level, 5 Skill points (SP), which, however, are not invested in the characters, but their weapons. Each of them comes with a unique Skill Tree, in which all sorts of passive abilities, but also a very important Upgrade, such as, for example, additional Materia Slots. Each weapon has its own SP Pool, which can be manually or, on request, to be distributed automatically by the game. Furthermore, each weapon brings it’s own special attack, because you can, however, learn through function Exercise and so on to the next weapon to take. The loss of the Original well-known random battles and the fact that the runs in this first Episode of the new edition part of the story is very straight forward, prevented by the way dissolute Überleveln, since there are hardly any ways to get extra XP-points. This can be, depending on your preference, a blessing or a curse, in any case, this makes for a really very good Balance in the Normal difficulty.
But this is now a complete game?
Taken together, we have, at first glance, massively revised and updated edition in your hands, but on closer inspection, the Original is surprisingly close. Sure, the combat system is despite the many known elements, a significant change, however, there has been at the Square the essence of Final Fantasy VII managed to capture. All the cornerstones are there, and even old men such as myself who have forgotten more about that game than you want to admit it, will feel immediately at home.
How is the experience from the point of view of someone who is not familiar with the original? Even without the nostalgia and experience, makes the game a lot of fun. The big question is: Can there be a Game that the entire Story is actually just from the first act (or even less), for taken? It can captivate, without the what Know to expect one? And it offers plenty of Material to Release as fully to justify the game? These issues can fortunately, with an almost unique answer “Yes”.
Almost clear, just because the last question is not very easy. On the one hand, you realize the whole level design and the story structure very well, that is trying to stretch out the relatively meager contents. Not necessarily what one would wish, however, brings this fact a very positive side-effect. By the always subtle and never exaggerated, distances, spend a lot more time with his companions, which in turn leads to a deeper commitment to this. As an example, Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were, as mentioned, the found at that time, after the opening Mission is little more to mention, here, but far celebrity enter enter appearance and therefore the player even more to the heart to grow. Much more is this true for our actual companions who accompany us as a party members through the whole Saga.
Oh Yes, beautiful, it is also
What the majority of Fans that have been hoping for many years on a Remake, especially looking forward, is the modern visualization of this beloved classic. And Yes, this Square is no slouch. Final Fantasy VII Remake just looks fantastic. Of the, despite the anime-y Design, almost photo-realistic faces in cutscenes, the details in the environments of Midgars Slums, to the bombastic combat and spell effects. A feast for the eyes from the first Minute to the last.
The come audio now top notch (the Original was completely text-based) and a much larger set of dialogs, as well as a Soundtrack that is today as in the past simply to die for. Many of the themes from master composer Nobuo Uematsu have earned since then, is right in the annals of video game history, a permanent place. The new versions of many of the Songs are arranged for something bombastic, and there are a lot of really weird Remixes, ranging from awesome to “What the…”.
From a technical point of view, there is, unfortunately, a little quirk, which may dull the pleasure, only to a very limited extent, but still very annoying reflected. The long waiting times after a reboot, or after Loading a storage stand will go just as fine, especially since the latter should not be too often required. But what is really the 2-3 seconds loading time, which is expected to be a every Time if you open the map, or an NPC addresses are striking. That doesn’t sound like much, but quickly becomes annoying, as both are things you must do in in practice very, very often. Otherwise, there is no cause for complaint. In my entire playtime, I noticed no Bugs and also in the largest effect of a Thunderstorm, the game remains comfortably liquid.
CONCLUSION
It’s about a lot of things here, and you can of course argue. Both the new combat system, as well as the decision of Final Fantasy post VII Remake in full-price episodes, are not hit with any love. But when you see how much care and love has been invested up to the developer to get as much as possible from the old game feeling, the quite get over. In addition, it has put a lot of work in the already excellent characters and their interactions, which makes the Wait for the Rest of the story a little bit easier. All in all, a first-class JRGP in modern dress and with modern game mechanics, but never its origin in the early days of the industry and the genre forget. A Must for Fans who can live with the new combat system and a great recommendation for all of you who don’t know the Original, Final Fantasy VII, it is still worth to be experienced to.
What Fantasy VII Remake is to Final? The Remake of a JRPG classic.Platforms: PS4,
Tested on: PS4
Developer / Publisher: Square Enix
Release: 10. April 2020
Link: Official Website