The review embargo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was lifted today and, at the time of writing, is sitting at a very impressive 93 rating on Metacritic.
To put this in perspective, the game’s predecessor, Final Fantasy VII Remake–a critically acclaimed game in its own right–ended up with a Metacritic score of 87. Two of last year’s biggest titles, Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, both ended up with a score of 96.
This is an exceptional feat for a game like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth that’s carrying such massive weight in terms of pressure and expectations. Not only is it the most anticipated game of the year–literally–but the shadow of the original Final Fantasy VII and one of the most beloved games of all time still looms over. And with Rebirth having the unenviable job of breathing new life into key story points that aren’t just famous in Final Fantasy circles, but have grown to become renowned moments in gaming history, Square Enix had very little wiggle room for failure. Based on this early showing, the Final Fantasy VII Rebirth team seems to have risen to the occasion and then some.
So, in the spirit of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, here are seven reviews from some prominent publications.
“This is Game of the Year material and an exceptional follow-up to a revered first entry. It handles the beloved material with care while still establishing its own new voice, making for a stellar sequel.” - Dextero, Score 100
“Nothing can wreck a life quite like a good Final Fantasy game. Here, then, is the best Final Fantasy of the century, the greatest Square Enix title published since Final Fantasy X in 2001.” - Washington Post, Score 100
“Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is, for all intents and purposes, a phenomenal second act in the Remake series. Though its open-world design isn't perfect, the game is finely honed in every other area and provides as luxurious of an experience as FFVII Remake did.” - Twinfinite, Score 100
“Minigames, sidequests, and other enticing diversions fill the spaces of its vast and sprawling regions, painting a new and more vivid picture of these familiar locations. But more than just being filled with things to do, Rebirth is often a powerful representation of Final Fantasy VII's most memorable qualities.” - IGN, Score 90
“The best of Remake exists in Rebirth, but the various open-world areas surrounding it – the parts that make Rebirth unique from its predecessor – sometimes miss the mark.” - Game Informer, Score 85
“Thankfully, what Final Fantasy Rebirth succeeds at eclipses what it fumbles. It's a superbly designed gameplay experience that instills a sense of freedom while also making exploration rewarding in a meaningful way.” - GameSpot, Score 80
“...the technical issues and wonkiness really didn’t stop me from emotionally investing myself in this game. Sure, some narrative changes are weird, but I gave this game and these characters my attention and my heart, and I was rewarded for it with a globe-spanning RPG with a depth of emotion, activity, and characters I love.” - Kotaku, No score at the time of writing.
We’re officially one week away from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s launch on February 29.