Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review, So I'm Envy Because It's Already Over!

Reviving a legendary game in a remake format is something that is a challenge in itself. Apart from the pressure to be able to answer fans’ expectations, every developer must also be able to bring new improvements to surpass the quality of the old games. Although not easy, Square Enix has successfully answered this challenge through Final Fantasy VII Remake, which comes with top-notch quality. While waiting for the sequel which is still in the development stage, they have recently released definitive version re-titled Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade.

Featuring a new story DLC content that focuses on Yuffie Kisaragi, this game also brings a lot of changes that make Final Fantasy VII Remake even more worthy to play, especially for those who already have a PlayStation 5. We happened to have finished the game some time ago and got quite the impression to be summarized in the review. So instead of lingering, just take a look at our review below!

Free PS5 Version Upgrade and File Transfer Save

Ok, before going into the review, we first want to provide information about the process of upgrading to the PS5 version and transferring save files which are so complicated, this is especially important for those of you who have the PS4 version. So to be able to play Intergrade, you’ll have to download the PS5 version of the game from the free upgrade option on the PSN Store, but things get tricky when you want to move old save files. The first step you have to take is to download the PS4 version of the game on the PS5 console and then move the save file from the in-game menu. But in this case you can only move 1 save file, so if you want to move a new file again, the game assumes that the previous file wants to be replaced with a new one.

After the process is complete, then you can delete the PS4 version and then download the new version for PS5. The fact that they even force players to download the game more than once just to move the save file is really inconvenient, especially knowing that the size of the game is so large. It doesn’t stop there, you also can’t move save files from PS Plus cloud storage and have to do it via the in-game menu which only limits one file slot. Because of this complicated process, we even ended up downloading the game three times which wasn’t a problem

Incredible INTERmission Episodes!

Let’s start with the main dish that many fans have been waiting for, namely the exclusive DLC “EPISODE INTERmission”. This DLC offers a new adventure from the perspective of Yuffie Kisaragi, a member of the ninja corps from Wutai who is given a mission to steal the strongest Materia belonging to the Shinra Electric Power Company. There are several characters from Avalanche HQ who will help Yuffie in her mission such as Zhijie, Nayo, Billy, Polk and his partner Sonon Kusakabe who is also an elite ninja from Wutai. This DLC is packaged in 2 new story chapters that we managed to finish in just 4 hours, and this does not include completing all the side content that might make playing time go up to 6 hours.

Gameplay with New Thrills

Entering the gameplay, EPISODE INTERmission basically has the same gameplay as the main game. You will explore linear and open areas, fighting many enemies you meet along the way, doing platforming actions here and there, before finally continuing the story. Not much has changed in the concept offered, but one new element that we really like about INTERmission’s gameplay is the presence of Yuffie as the most exciting playable character so far. Yes, in the main game we used to almost always use Cloud because he is the most fun character to play. While Tifa, Barret, and Aerith have a play style that is not according to taste, so we only use them to spend his ATB or divert the enemy’s attention to other characters when Cloud is dying. But for Yuffie, she is a very flexible character and can adapt to any situation.

This is thanks to his skills in close combat and ranged attacks, where Yuffie can throw large shuriken and launch ninjutsu attacks of various elements. So in addition to using certain characters that are more efficient when dealing with various types of enemies, Yuffie has a balanced play style and even feels like he can finish off all types of enemies. Fast, clever, and much more fun to play. You can even perform attack combos in the air and throw shuriken at flying enemies to then continue with other combos. In short, Yuffie is the most exciting playable character in Final Fantasy VII Remake so far. While outside of combat, he can also interact with his surroundings in ways that other characters can’t. For example, he can destroy wooden boxes and activate hard-to-reach mech switches, or perform some parkour moves such as wallruns, climbs, and swings.

But even though we really like playing as Yuffie, unfortunately Sonon is not playable and only acts as a side partner in the party. Actually we are confused why the development team didn’t add him as a playable character, especially since Sonon already has movesets, skills, weapon options, and even Limit Breaks that can be used by giving orders. Even with these limitations, the gameplay still brings a new mechanism that makes every battle feel fresher, namely Synergized Attack. You can use this feature by pressing the L2 button to unite Yuffie and Sonon in a synergy, allowing them to work together to launch special attacks while making enemies more susceptible to Staggers. If both of them have at least one ATB available, then you can launch special attacks as usual but in a much stronger version of Synergy.

Although this feature is very helpful and provides an advantage for extra large damage, we do not recommend that you activate it all the time. The reason is because you will be limiting Sonon’s movement by doing this. Because he can be said to be one with Yuffie in Synergy mode, his movements as long as the mode is active will also follow Yuffie. For example, if you do a ranged attack, Sonon will also do the same, if you run away from the enemy, he will follow you, and most importantly, the enemy’s attention will be more focused on you which can be dangerous especially when fighting bosses.

Then when is the best time to use this mode? The answer is anytime as long as you don’t activate it constantly. If possible, we recommend only using this mode when the enemy is in a Stagger position to get a much higher extra damage. To be honest we were also surprised when we saw the customization options offered especially considering the short duration of the DLC. But at least you are given the option to strengthen the character with different weapons and accessories, including rare Materia that are worth getting like Ninja Cannonball.

Another big change that we like the most about INTERmission is the pacing. If in the main game there are so many gameplay portions that are intentionally extended and end up boring to increase the duration of the game, this time in Episode INTERmission the pacing offered is really very neat. The point is that every level challenge that you pass in INTERmission is packaged very well while providing distraction in the form of side content that is ready to grab your attention. It’s so good, we’re pretty sure we can finish this DLC again in just one go and still have an exciting gaming experience.

Side Content and Mini-Games

The release of this new version also adds some side content to keep you busy even when you’re not on the main mission. Some of the activities that you can do are pretty much the same as the main game, such as completing the VR Mission challenge from Chadley which this time brings a very strong Summon Materia, so make sure to get it because it will be very helpful in fighting difficult bosses. There are also special side missions that require you to collect Happy Turtle posters and exchange them for various prizes. This is a fairly easy mission to complete because the posters scattered around the Slums Sector 7 area are marked with music that can be easily heard while exploring.

Another far more interesting side content is Fort Condor. This is a new mini-game with strategy gameplay where two players deploy units to conquer the opponent’s base and defend their own base. The concept is similar to most Tower Defense games, where you can deploy various troops or use special skills with ATB and Materia. At first we were a bit confused about how the game works, but in the end it’s just a matter of how much you can deploy your troops and position them to protect your base from enemy attacks. This mini-game is further expanded with side missions that require you to fight several NPCs in the Slums area for extra rewards.

Overhaul For Main Game

Returning to playing the main game again after a year since its release still makes us really amazed by the graphics. The game does bring an overhaul on the visual side, but when playing we almost didn’t notice any difference apart from the cutscenes which did look more polished. At least until we enter Slums and can see the Midgar pillars or their outer areas which no longer look like pre-rendered backgrounds. This then made us realize that the most significant overhaul from a visual perspective lies in the quality of the textures of the many objects that have been repaired.

Apart from visuals, we think another advantage that makes this game shine is 60fps support. Now the game can be played very smoothly without any fps drop even in intense combat situations. Don’t miss it now there is an additional Photo Mode feature that gives you the freedom to capture the best moments in the gameplay, including when you are in battle. We really like the filter options it offers and how the effects adapt to different areas of the main game, although unfortunately there aren’t many other options that stand out to create unique image results.

Conclusion

More special graphics, perfect performance, and additional DLC that is very fun to play from start to finish, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is the definitive version worth getting (especially for new players). This new version even makes us jealous because we already finished the game first and didn’t feel the best playing experience from the start. Even our biggest issue regarding the gameplay portion being too extended was fixed in Episode INTERmission which had perfect pacing. We were indeed confused by the upgrade process and moving old save files, but as far as the gaming experience is concerned, this game really hardly disappoints.

Excess

Solid pacing for INTERmission Episodes
Yuffie is the most fun playable character so far
A new story that is quite memorable with a cool boss challenge
A fresher combat system thanks to Synergized Attack
Graphics and performance overhaul

Deficiency

The process of upgrading the PS5 version and moving old save files is not practical
Some side content isn’t that inviting to complete

Final Score:

9/10

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

Publisher: Square Enix

Developer: Square Enix

Release Date: 2020-04-10

PS4, PS5

Final Fantasy VII Remake is an ambitious reimagining of Square Enix’s most historic JRPG game. Telling the story of Cloud Strife’s adventure as a freelance mercenary in collaboration with a terrorist group defending justice named Avalanche, players will be presented with a classy RPG sensation with fantastic graphics to evocative action gameplay.