The embargo for reviews ends on Thursday Final Fantasy VII Rebirth fallen. Dream reviews and an OpenCritic average of 93 are in the books. The feud between Cloud and Sephiroth goes into the next round. But Tifa steals the show that day.
The Japanese Famitsu shared its review 26 second video of Tifa and Aerith in Costa del Sol. It has been shared nearly 18,000 times and viewed over 13 million times. Final Fantasy influencers like Genki or Audrey also shared the video and it was watched millions of times.
In the video you can see the two women and Cloud appropriately (and barely) dressed. Cloud is visibly moved and seems a little embarrassed. If you want to see it, watch the video, otherwise wait until February 29th and experience the scenes yourself if you don’t want spoilers.
Fan artwork for “Costa del Sol” Tifa
In any case, for many fans there was only one topic: Tifa. The obsession of many fans has even been discussed by major media outlets like IGN. Within a few hours there was even already first fan artwork by Tifa in the “Costa del Sol” outfit on social media.
At the same time, of course, it’s not as if Tifa is a topic of conversation for the first time. Just a few days ago, Tifa went viral when Tekken and Final Fantasy fans demanded her appearance as a DLC character in Tekken 8.
“We all know she’s attractive and I understand that,” commented Katsuhiro Harada. When asked, Yoshinori Kitase said they had seen the excitement on social media and were happy that the character was being received with such enthusiasm.
Regardless of the fact that there is of course nothing wrong with a bikini on a beach and that Final Fantasy VII wouldn’t be Final Fantasy VII without Costa del Sol, the excessive ___ualization of characters in video games is generally viewed critically.
Final Fantasy VII Remake also has a controversial history in this regard. In 2019, there was talk of an internal ethics department at Square Enix asking Nomura and his team to “limit” Tifa’s bust size. SamaGame has translated excerpts from the Famitsu interview at the time.
Square Enix surprised friend and foe with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The first title in a trilogy of remakes turned out not to simply retell the story of the 1997 game, but to supplement (and even continue) it. It was a bull’s eye, but will the sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, also surprise as much? Find out in our Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Review.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake managed to delight old fans again in 2020 with a retelling of the game that once appeared on the original PlayStation, while creating many new fans. One thing was certain: everyone was presented with a big cliffhanger. Four years later, it’s finally time for the sequel that continues the story of Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII.
Feast for the eye
This time that happens on the PlayStation 5. While Remake was developed exclusively for the PS4, the next part was developed specifically for Sony’s latest hardware and that is noticeable. The game looks stunning in 4K 30 fps, but plays even better at a tight 60 fps in Performance Mode.
It is clear that the PS5 has allowed Square Enix to make the game a lot more graphically impressive. Many of the vast locations in the open-world look stunning, while we encountered few or no bugs in our 50-hour adventure.
Combine it with lightning-fast loading times and it quickly becomes clear that the game runs like a charm. That’s a good thing, because Final Fantasy 7 Remake sometimes had some strange problems (such as the low texture door that quickly became a meme).
On the hunt for Sephiroth
Our heroes leave Midgar behind as they search for the big villain of the story: Sephiroth. It soon becomes clear why he must be stopped, after which the search begins. You are soon thrown into the open world, but the story sometimes gets a bit stuck here.
Here and there, just like in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the story deviates from the 1997 original. The changes are often pleasant, but that will ultimately depend on how much you stick to the story that was originally presented on the PS1 .
Fortunately, the core of that 1997 story is still present in Rebirth, including quite a few memorable moments that are sometimes completely crazy. Final Fantasy 7 Remake featured a much-discussed moment where Cloud was put in a dress. Without giving anything away, we can say that the second part also offers crazy antics.
Yet Rebirth especially shines when more depth is given to the cast surrounding Cloud. Barret and Aerith play a major role in this, as do newcomers Yuffie (who you could already play as in Intermission) and Cait Sith (who was briefly seen in Final Fantasy 7 Remake).
Get lost full of joy
New to the game is that there are large open areas to explore, which are seamlessly stitched together. This makes it an open world, but you can’t always go everywhere. Sometimes that’s not possible because of the story, but when that lock is off the door all those areas are full of things to do.
Each of the areas has large towers to discover, after which you unlock new interesting locations on the map with small activities to do. Think of defeating specific enemies, where you are encouraged to do this in a certain way.
By completing some of these monster challenges you’ll unlock challenges in Chadley’s fighting simulator (which is back in Rebirth). Beating those challenges in the simulator will yield useful rewards, such as new Materia that Cloud and the rest of his friends can use in future battles.
There are also various animals that lead you to interesting locations, like Ghost of Tsushima did with foxes that took you to hot springs. In Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, young Chocobos and owls act as guides during the moments when you are on a journey of discovery.
Together you are strong
All these interesting locations also provide XP points for your Party Level, a new mechanic in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. This means you gradually unlock more skills and abilities in the skill tree, called Folios. This allows you to, among other things, unlock new attacks for each character.
Considering Rebirth continues the tactical edge that was on the combat in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, that is a great pleasure. This means you no longer have to rely solely on Materia for magical attacks that cause extra damage, because via the skill tree you can choose new attacks that have a magical edge.
You can also unlock new Synergy skills through the Folio system. These are new in Rebirth and provide new ways to unleash powerful attacks on bosses. During a battle, a meter builds up for each character and when it passes a certain point, two characters can perform a special Synergy attack together.
Fighting with all three characters within your party provides many more options. It’s a good evolution to let you switch more between Cloud and the rest of the crew. Sometimes it’s just more convenient to fight Barret or Aerith who do good damage from a distance, while Tifa, like Cloud, is good for close-quarters fistfights.
On foot or by bird?
You do enough fighting during the adventure that it can easily keep you busy for 40 hours. Especially if, like the undersigned, you want to explore every region. Then there is a greater chance that you will double the number of hours, although fortunately you do not have to cover everything on foot.
Chocobos are soon introduced as a method of transportation, including a mini-game where you can dig up treasure as an inspector gadget. While they are walking, you can also easily pick up materials lying around the world. You can use this for the game’s new crafting system, so you never have too little or.
Mini games galore
Other types of side activities come in the form of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s array of mini-games. Racing with Chocobos, Fort Condor and Queen’s Blood are the most notable three, but one beloved location from the original game serves up plenty of others.
Yet it is Queen’s Blood that will conquer hearts after just a few hours. The card game is introduced in a similar way to how Gwent was woven into The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt in 2015. Numerous characters you’ll encounter in each town are looking for new Queen’s Blood challengers.
By defeating them one by one, you collect new cards, which can also be purchased at stores. In the meantime, you make a name for yourself as a good Queen’s Blood player and unlock new challengers who want to play a game of tactical cards against you. The undersigned lost quite a few hours left and right playing this fun game.
The Chocobo racing is also a wonderful distraction between all the developments of the story, while Fort Condor has been further expanded. That mini-game was introduced during the Episode Intermission expansion of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This is only the tip of the veil, because that is far from all the mini-games (which can also be found here and there outside that beloved location of the PS1 game).
Choices full of character
Just like in the previous part, it is possible to make choices in the story. What’s different is that this time you influence the relationship you have with different characters in your party. Tifa, Aerith, Barret and Red XIII; everyone has a little emoticon above their head that changes based on the conversations you have with them.
At least that is the idea, but in practice this does not always work well. Although the game indicates that the bond you have with your team members is changing, you initially cannot keep up with this. While your relationship with the characters changes based on side missions you do with them and through mutual conversations between you and someone from your team.
Several times we tried every voice option that Cloud could choose from, but the story turned out the same. So there is sometimes an illusion of freedom, but fortunately that does not take away from the conversations you have.
The conversations between Cloud and Tifa about their shared history are always interesting and you feel the bond between Barret and Cloud growing stronger. The same goes for any conversation with Aerith, whose relationship with Cloud is especially interesting if you’ve played the 1997 original.
The fact that you have free choice in who is under the control is a great pleasure and gives more than ever the feeling that you are not simply going through Cloud’s story. This is just as much the story of Tifa, Aerith, Barret (and to a lesser extent Yuffie and Cait Sith).
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Review – Bigger than ever
Although the story of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a bit slow to get going, it cannot be denied that it is more than worth playing. With a more in-depth combat system that improves the interaction between Cloud and the rest in many areas, defeating the many bosses (and enemies via optional missions) feels even better than in Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
You will encounter more than enough of those bosses during the crazy story that takes some time to get going. Fortunately, the PS5 game manages to do that well and when the pace picks up, the story is both impressive and dizzying.
There is also plenty of room for extras, because the open world is full of valuable side missions and extras to look for. The fact that it further provides the bonds between Cloud and his friends is an extra icing on the cake, although we would have liked to be able to track the progression of these relationships more conveniently.
Order Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth here now!
8.8
The plus and minus points
Impressive (and dizzying) story
Improved combat system
Open world full of valuable extras
Tons of mini games
Runs like a charm
The story sometimes falls a bit short
Keeping track of relationships is sometimes confusing
Cloud and Tifa? Cloud and Aerith? Or Aerith and Tifa? Voice actor Cody Christian, who plays Cloud in the upcoming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth plays, is not very enthusiastic about “shipping”. He believes that “shippers” who “overtly ___ualize any relationship can ruin the development of a great story.”
Christian commented via Twitter, following the latest Rebirth trailer shared by Square Enix. Longtime fans of the original (as well as the remake) have many opinions about who should be Cloud’s love interest in the love triangle between Tifa and Aerith, which has sparked many heated debates online.
Toxic fans threaten to ruin history
“’Shippers’ fails at the idea that one character can have meaningful relationships with MULTIPLE characters. That ensures comprehensive depth,” says Christian. “The need to overtly ___ualize any relationship can ruin the development of a great story.”
While the relationships between Cloud, Tifa and Aerith could be interpreted as platonic, the subtext of “who will he choose?” certainly appealed to many players – although the discourse around choices often veers into toxicity. However, Christian developed a thick skin after gaining fame on Teen Wolf, which prepared him for Final Fantasy VII Remake.
“The majority of people wanted me fired and replaced without ever hearing me speak,” he says. “To do what we did and make it successful and mean so much to the core audience, I’m not afraid of Rebirth.”
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is scheduled to release exclusively for PS5 on February 29th. Want to stay up to date on all things Final Fantasy VII Rebirth? Here you can find all articles from our detailed reporting.
Deluxe Edition at Amazon*
Steelbook Edition at Amazon*
via SamaGame, images: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Square Enix
If you want to play games, you need a good place to sit. Of course, lying on the couch is fine, but a good gaming chair is certainly not a bad idea. Can Trust make a contribution with the Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair? Find out in our Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair Review!
Chairs for gaming are always special. When you think of such a chair, you can almost already shape it in your mind. Flaps on the sides of the seat that curl up, a pillow at the height of your head and again flaps that pull in at the lower back. Add two armrests that are often adjustable and a lever to fold the backrest backwards and the picture is complete.
Sitting on clouds
Trust does not change this design, but that is not necessary for the chair that costs 199.99 euros. The design is there for a reason, namely that it provides a lot of comfort when you sit in the chair. That is certainly the case with the GXT 714 Ruya. It largely has to do with the material used.
The chair has thick foam under the leather upholstery, which ensures high-quality seating comfort. Even during long gaming sessions, there is no sore butt at all and the undersigned must admit that it can even happen that you fall asleep in the chair if you throw the backrest back.
Of course, the chair is also height adjustable, just like the armrests. What is striking is that the armrests cannot be adjusted forwards or backwards. That’s a shame, because when you move the backrest backwards, you suddenly miss the armrests.
Ease of construction
A nice addition comes in the form of the two cushions that you can easily attach to the chair. These are intended as additional back and head support. The larger pillow for the back is best. You can easily adjust the height via the elastic straps, allowing you to sit in the chair more ergonomically.
Attaching the cushions is indicative of the rest of the installation process. If you pick up the manual and follow the clear steps, you will have the chair ready within twenty minutes and you can start using it right away. Everything for installation is basically in the box, so no additional tools are required.
Important
Perhaps the least fun part of assembling the chair is the weight. When the chair is complete, it weighs 19 kilograms. You don’t want to lift it too often, so it is advisable to assemble the chair on the floor where you want to use it. It doesn’t really matter that it’s in another room.
The GXT 714 Ruya is equipped with wheels and rolls surprisingly smoothly over the floor. It makes it seem as if the chair is not as heavy as it actually is. The fact that the GXT 714 Ruya weighs 19 kilograms does have its advantages, because the gaming chair can carry up to 150 kilograms.
All in all, the Trust GXT 714 Ruya Gaming Chair is a wonderful chair that does many things very well. That all starts with building it, which is extremely easy and after which you can easily roll the chair anywhere.
The seating comfort is good, the design is convenient and adaptable in many ways. Only the fact that the armrests do not fully participate in this is quite a shame. Yet, for this price, that is a downside that we are happy to take for granted.
Witcher 3 has received a new update for the Switch
This should solve problems with the data transfer from and to Steam or GOG
There is also a new patch for Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has received the new update 3.7 for the Nintendo Switch.
The Complete Edition of The Witcher 3 for the hybrid console was released over a year ago. This should now be even better with another update. The patch notes show that problems with cloud saves from Steam or GOG in particular have been resolved.
A bug blocked the game progress when transferring saved games. Furthermore, the language and font for simplified Chinese in the game are said to have been improved. There are also numerous bug fixes and general stability improvements.
Switch update 1.0.2 for Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales improves data transfer
The spin-off RPG Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales also received the new update 1.0.2 for the Nintendo Switch version. This is also primarily intended to improve the data transfer of saved statuses between the PC and console version. With the update, Thronebreaker also gets bug fixes and an optimization of the stability, as the patch notes reveal.
Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales is based on the online trading card game Gwent, which was also released as a free-to-play title in 2016 as a spin-off of the Witcher series. In Thronebreaker, Gwent becomes an RPG: The combat mode consists entirely of card game duels.
With Thronebreaker, CD Projekt Red created not only a small franchise offshoot, but a surprisingly extensive, independent single player campaign. You can read whether the role-playing game was able to convince in the test of Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales.
