Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Switch 2 review: Nintendo’s handheld console makes for one ofthe best ways to play FFVII
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Since I first played it on PS5 a few years ago, I’m sure Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is a gaming masterpiece – the indisputable best way to play the role-playing game (RPG) classic that is Final Fantasy VII. But now that it’s coming to Nintendo Switch 2, is the game still great?
TL;DR, yes, but I feel like the Switch 2 edition is only the second best way to play, the best way to play Final Fantasy VII.
I’m not the only person to love Final Fantasy VII Remake. Former TechRadar Computing Hardware expert Jackie Thomas gave it five out of five stars when it released on PS4 almost six years ago, and the game’s story, music, and overall beauty haven’t changed with this port.
But as you’d expect, going from a home console to a handheld hybrid, some technical downgrades are to be expected – with drops in texture quality, framerate and fidelity noticeable, although playing in Docked mode gives it a noticeable visual improvement.
That said, are you playing on the Switch 2 for the graphical superiority? If so, you might want to rethink your choice of console, because the true beauty of the Nintendo hybrid lies in its ability to play on the go, and for a multi-tens of hour RPG – one that will hold your attention for anywhere from 30 to 90 hours depending on whether you want to focus on the story, complete a few side quests along the way, or seriously devour every piece of additional content from the main campaign and bonuses. Intermission Downloadable Content (DLC) Episode – is essential for the most time-pressed gamers.
Finding time to play all of this at home can be difficult, especially if you share your TV. Socket Final Fantasy 7 Remake on the go as part of your morning commute, while traveling if you travel regularly, or simply enjoying them in portable mode on the couch while someone else uses the main screen of your home entertainment setup makes finding time much more manageable – meaning you can actually start enjoying the games you buy, not just watching them in your ever-growing digital library.
If this convenience is what you crave, you will love it Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on the Nintendo Switch 2. For everyone else, this game remains required reading, but you would be better served by its PlayStation 5 edition (provided you have access to the console).
Final Fantasy 7 Remake part of Square Enix’s recreation of the 1997 RPG, Final Fantasy 7. Although it is, in some ways, only a third of a game, the care and attention put into every inch of this title doesn’t leave you feeling shortchanged.
As I mentioned in the introduction, you can easily spend almost 90 hours playing Remake if you throw yourself into every challenge the game has to offer, including completing every side mission, getting the highest score in every mini-game, completing the game on Hard mode (which requires a full replay), and defeating the biggest enemies in Shinra’s virtual battle zone.
I can say that as someone who has done just that, you won’t regret the time you spend in Midgar, but even if you just focus on the main quest-driven story (including the Intermission story featuring Yuffie), then you will always savor Final Fantasy VII for approximately 30 to 40 hours.
Even if you’ve played the 1997 version, there’s plenty to enjoy here too.
THE Remake develops the story in a way that better fleshes out each character, the relationships between key players and (if I’m honest) makes the experience much more engaging rather than what could sometimes feel like a chore.
There are also a few new twists to discover, but each of them feels like a worthy addition to the mythos and main story. FFVII is revealing – rather than fluff that would detract from its message.
Ready for battle!
The gameplay has also been fine-tuned.
I like turn-based combat, but Final Fantasy VII’s approach to combat is undeniably more active and accessible to a wider audience. At the same time, I appreciate the “Classic” difficulty mode introduced by the game, which allows you to restore some of the accessibility offered by turn-based combat if you wish.
If you play regularly, you need to actively attack and block with your character to charge the ATB so you can perform more powerful skills and spells. In Classic mode, characters fight and guard automatically, allowing you to simply focus on which enemy to target and when you want to use those most powerful moves.
It doesn’t replace the slower pace of turn-based combat, but it comes close if you need a slightly calmer pace.
In any case, this more active approach to combat comes with a complexity where a lot can happen at once – especially in the larger fights in which Cloud, Tifa and Barrett slash, punch and shoot at a small army of Shinra guards and robots fighting back – but the Switch 2 did its best to keep things running smoothly.
There’s no in-system way to track the framerate, but gameplay appears to stay stable at 30fps as Square promised. If you’re used to higher framerates, you’ll notice some framerate in the game in handheld mode, but honestly it doesn’t take away from the experience – especially since this isn’t a game like a shooter where 60fps accuracy is essential.
There are also some notable texture and model downgrades compared to the PlayStation version, which are even more obvious if, like me, you’re used to the PS5 rendering rather than the PS4 edition of Remake. However, when you dock your Switch 2 things start to improve a lot, and even in handheld mode there’s an undeniable beauty to Final Fantasy VII Remake this persists even if the overall quality has taken a hit.
Again, as I mentioned in my introduction, it’s not like you’re choosing the Switch 2 for its graphical fidelity either. Quality is the price we pay for handheld convenience, and I maintain that this port is superb, even if it’s not as good as the PlayStation edition. It just depends on what you value most.
The only other point I’ll make on the Switch 2 vs PlayStation comparisons is cost.
At launch the Switch 2 Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade will cost you $39.99 / £39.99 / AU$69.95. It’s a reasonable entry price in my opinion, but you should know that a double pack of Remake and its part 2 Renaissance on PS5 will cost you $59.99 / £59.99 / AU$159.95 (it’s not such a good deal based in Australia at full price, although I’ve seen it on sale for much less in each of those regions, which means it’s a better deal than those numbers would suggest).
Two games for effectively the price of one and a half (or even the price of one if you get the double pack at a discount) is clearly a good deal. So if you have access to both consoles and don’t value the convenience of handheld mode, or would appreciate the better value proposition, you may want to consider your options to find out Final Fantasy VII.
Should you play Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade on Switch 2?
Play it if…
Don’t play it if…
Accessibility
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has several difficulty controls to aid accessibility.
There is Classic mode if you prefer a simpler combat system, but also the ability to always have maximum HP, a full ATB gauge and constantly deal maximum damage (among other effects) which can make the game more accessible.
Beyond that, there are subtitles for all cutscenes, but there’s no built-in colorblind mode which can unfortunately make some fights and minigames a little more difficult if you’re colorblind.
How I reviewed Final Fantasy VII Remake (Nintendo Switch 2)
I have already devoted more than 80 hours to Final Fantasy VII Remake and its DLC episode on my PS5 – as I mentioned in my review, I enjoyed it so much that I went out of my way to get every trophy – so I already knew my thoughts on its mechanics and story before starting this title.
My goal for this review was to test how well the Nintendo Switch 2 can handle the gaming I love. To test this, I played the title for many hours in docked and handheld mode, making sure to explore both the main story, side quests, and mini-games, and taking notes on its technical capabilities.
