With so many new games releasing every passing second, it can be tough to find time to replay your favourites. I love when I get an excuse to go back to a game I adored, like when they get ported over to a new console. The Switch 2 has been fantastic for this, with so many of my all timers getting the portable treatment. Getting to replay Final Fantasy VII Remake was a highlight of 2026 for me, and left me excited to continue the series on my favourite handheld. I wanted to see if Square Enix could work their wizardry on another exceptional port, and I’ll take any excuse to hang with my favourite party of Materia lovers all over again. For the most part Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is another miracle, and is more than just playable on the Switch 2.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth starts immediately after the first part of this reimagined trilogy, after the gang leaves Midgar for an adventure in the big wide world. I won’t spoil any of the ins and outs of this tale if you’re experiencing it for the first time, but some new friends are met and there are some wild moments along the way. Even more so than Remake, Rebirth changes the classic FFVII story in some really meaningful ways. Not everyone will appreciate this I’m sure (this isn’t my first day on the internet) but it makes for an interesting story instead of just a standard retelling.
My favourite thing about this remake trilogy though is the combat, and in Rebirth it’s better than ever. Taking a system that was traditionally turn-based and making it work in an action setting is a gargantuan task, and if not done perfectly would piss off legions of fans. By making combat smooth as butter and just so satisfying though, it made me want to fight every monster on every open grassy plain I found.
You’ll spend a lot of time when you’re fighting foes slashing, dodging and blocking, but there’s so much more to it than that. An active time gauge fills up over time, with an extra boost as you hit enemies. You can use this to unleash special attacks that deal more damage and stagger enemies, or cast various spells. There are so many different ways to approach combat that the action doesn’t detract from the strategy, and it’s just a perfect balance.
To ensure you have the best abilities to use in battle, you’ll need to equip some Materia. These glowing balls provide you with skills and spells, and level up over time. Just like back in the PS1 games, there are different ways to link Materia to make them stronger or interact in different ways. Got some tough fire enemies coming up? Make all your attacks deal ice damage with Materia. It’s so intuitive, and a whole lot of fun to experiment when you find a new shiny orb.
It doesn’t take longer than the introductory mission to start seeing new Materia that wasn’t back in Midgar. While a direct continuation there’s a lot that has changed from the last game, with new gear to experiment with and even the addition of synergy attacks. When you make the combat and party management of a ten out of ten game evolve into something even better, you know you’ve done something right.
The other big difference with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the open world. Whereas Remake was a lean mean linear adventure (which I must admit I prefer somewhat) Rebirth is all about exploring massive areas and checking off icons on the map. Everywhere you look there’s something to do, be it gathering materials or a new side quest. The amount of side content in general is frankly ridiculous, so if you want a game to put hundreds of hours in then you’ve found it.
I could write for hours about all the ways that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a wonderful video game, but you’re probably here to find out about the Switch 2 port. Well much like the last game some technical magic has been performed here. Admittedly due to the scope of the game there are some limitations still, which you’ll have to deal with if you want a portable AAA experience. The resolution is a touch less crisp in this entry, and even more noticeable is the pop in of various little bushes and shrubs as you move about. The framerate is stable throughout though, which to me is easily the most important aspect. Some will likely prefer the shiny home console way to play this gorgeous game, but it is still a magical experience on the Switch 2.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a fantastic sequel to one of my all time favourite JRPGs, and getting to play it in my comfy bed at 2am was a waking dream. While it’s true some compromises had to be made for the Switch 2 version, I personally think they were more than worth it to play an all time classic on a handheld. Hopefully we don’t have to wait too long for the end of this trilogy to come along, because I’m more excited for it than ever now.
