FF7 Remake Intergrade (FF7R) was released last week on Steam and there have been many positive reviews and some negative. This review will share both aspects of the game released on the popular Steam platform and how it differs from its Epic counterpart. Similarities between the two games will also be covered.
FF7 Remake Intergrade (FF7R) has been a massive success for the Final Fantasy VII (7) franchise. FF7 Remake Intergrade is an expansion of FF7 Remake, which came out in 2020. This expansion set allows you to play an “INTERmission” which features Yuffie. You can play Yuffie as she infiltrates the Shinra corporation.
FF7 Remake Intergrade (FF7R) Plot and Gameplay Overview
FF7 Remake Intergrade takes place in the world of Midgar. Midgar is the world, unlike in the original game where Midgar was a portion of a greater world. That being said, the creators of FF7 Remake Integrade closed the location gaps and made Midgar much bigger and explorable.
The plot is very similar to the original but does take some unexpected turns. There are also a lot of side quests like the original and familiar elements like materia and limit breaks exist.
The battle system has also changed. There is an element of real-time battle as well as Active Time Based (ATB). This allows for elements of tactical prowess and strategic planning. It combines the best of both worlds. The combat system includes staggering, canceling attacks and parrying.
Steam vs Epic
Many were disappointed that FF7 Remake Intergrade (FF7R) was released first on PC when it was released several months ago. The price was listed at $69.99, a premium on comparative AAA PC game titles. This was an exclusivity agreement between Square Enix and Epic. Square Enix partly developed FF7 Remake on Epic’s Unreal Engine 4. It seems there are plans to continue that trend on future installments with Unreal Engine 5.
There seems to be relief at least in terms of pricing since this game was released on Steam earlier this week (June 17th, 2022). It is currently the number one selling game on Steam for the month of June. The price decreased from $69.99 to $49.69. That being said, there is still some grumbling in the gaming community.
Negative Reviews for FF7 Remake Intergrade
PC Gamers are disappointed due to poor graphics options according to several sources, including PCGamer. Resolution scaling, anti-alias options and framerate variability are very limited or non-existent. Support for ultra-wide is non-existent. There are performance issues, especially in cut-scenes where stuttering can be experienced. At an original $70 price tag, it left a bad taste in the mouth of many PC gamers. Why should a $70 AAA title have problems?
FF7 Remake is not the only AAA title that has had problems in recent history. Many have complained Elden Ring is a resource hog and has to cap gamers at 60 FPS. Those who have high-end graphics cards still experience stuttering during Elden Ring’s gameplay.
Another gripe gamers have with the remake is that it will be released in a three part trilogy series. If each game comes out at $70 per game, that will equate up to $210. That might be a hard pill to swallow for gamers who believe this should be consolidated to one game.
Positive Reviews for FF7 Remake Intergrade
FF7 Remake Intergrade scores an 89/100 on metacritic. If you can get past some of the negative reviews about graphics options not being there and some slight stuttering, you will be impressed. This game has a lot of momentum behind it which gives you the feel of the original. It also will leave you in suspense waiting for the next two installments which promise more. The next installments of FF7 Remake Intergrade are likely to be developed on Unreal Engine 5 (UE5).