Final Fantasy 7 Remake Xbox Series X|S/Nintendo Switch 2 Review – Classic Tale, New Platforms

By now, everyone and their grandmother probably knows about Cloud’s adventures through Midgar and beyond, especially since this legendary tale got the remake treatment. However, while many might have experienced this adventure more than once, there were a few platforms that didn’t feature Final Fantasy 7 Remake until now. Finally, one of the best remakes Square Enix has launched has arrived on Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, and it’s superb.

One Of Final Fantasy’s Best Stories Is Back

Even if Final Fantasy 7 Remake originally launched a few years ago, this might be some people’s first rodeo in Midgar. For that reason, I’ll just go over the story quickly because many of you want to know the details about how it performs on the new platforms.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake brings one of the best Final Fantasy stories into a more modern and accessible fray. You take the role of Cloud Strife, an edgy mercenary who takes a job alongside the eco-terrorist group known as Avalanche. This group’s objective is to take down Shinra, a corporation draining the planet’s resources.

Naturally, the story takes many turns in line with several JRPG staples, culminating in one of the best Final Fantasy plots out there that, well, we’ll eventually see how it plays out, as this game is just the first of three games. Still, FF7 Remake blew minds and dropped jaws after becoming one of the most memorable games of 2020.

After five years of its original release, I’m just glad to see this entry making the jump to all modern platforms because if there’s a list of “must play” games out there, Final Fantasy 7 Remake belongs there, and almost at the top.

Two Different Experiences

As I said before, I had the opportunity to experience Final Fantasy 7 Remake on both my Xbox Series S and my Nintendo Switch 2. In terms of content, Final Fantasy 7 Remake brings everything we saw in the original release, as well as Episode INTERmission. Yet, it also has a few new additions, such as a more streamlined start that you can pick as soon as you fire up a new game. You get a bunch of goodies, gil, and other things to kickstart your adventure. In my case, I didn’t pick, as I feel that trivializes the game a bit. Still, it is a good option for those looking for a new playthrough on a new platform or even for those who feel a bit overwhelmed by some JRPG systems.

Now, onto performance matters. Since I played most of the game on my Xbox Series S, I was blown away at just how smooth the performance was. I was hitting 60 FPS easily, even in the busiest areas around Midgar and during some of the most visually demanding encounters. In truth, I was expecting a few drops here and there, especially since the Series S tends to fall a bit behind in some games, but it never happened here. My only issue is that a few textures look a bit blurry, but never in a way that pops out too much or ruins the visual cohesion the game has created.

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On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch 2 version hit 30 FPS at all times, which might be a downside for a few players, but the truth is that the port is amazing. Aside from that framerate, which stays at 30 at all times without any drops, the textures look great both on handheld and docked modes. Also, I prefer the framerate stays at 30 FPS because reaching 60 might have compromised the game’s visuals, and I’d rather see Midgar and all the places in this remake look right instead of having a better framerate with everything looking blurry.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to pick where to play it, but I’d say you can’t go wrong with any. The benefit of trying it on Nintendo Switch 2 is the handheld mode, and since I’m one who enjoys playing RPGs on the go, experiencing Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Nintendo’s latest console just feels right.

No More Boundaries

In the end, I’m just glad that Final Fantasy 7 Remake has broken all boundaries and launched on all existing platforms. It is one of the games that you must play at least once in your life, and one that makes one for an excellent sequel, and hopefully, an even better final title.

While I would have loved to see Final Fantasy 7 Remake hit 60 FPS on both of these platforms, the truth is that both ports perform greatly and just show that this remake is truly becoming a timeless gem we can enjoy on any platform. Plus, let’s face it: once the story hooks you, you won’t care about the framerate, as the gameplay and plot are amazing, and more than enough to make you forget which platform you’re playing on.