FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE

"Not only improving on the visuals and giving players a much requested Photo Mode, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade also adds the stellar Yuffie focused Intermission DLC that is an absolute must play for fans of the original and new game alike."

87%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

optimization, grinding

94% User Score Based on 124,314 reviews

Critic Score 89%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $34.51

Buy NowGet on Steam$39.99

Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

Buy NowGet on PS Store$39.99

About

"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade" is a retelling of the 1997 classic, focusing on the story up to the escape from Midgar. The game features Cloud, an ex-soldier turned mercenary in a ragtag group of rebels called Avalanche, fighting against the Shinra Electric Power Company's control over the world by exploiting mako, the planet's life-blood. The new Intergrade edition includes an additional episode with new elements and characters, promising an enhanced experience for players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE screenshot

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 15,175 reviews

story2k positive mentions

optimization442 negative mentions

story
6,921 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
65%
6%
The story of *Final Fantasy VII Remake* has garnered mixed reviews, with many praising its emotional depth and character development while others criticize its pacing and deviations from the original narrative. Players appreciate the expanded lore and new plot elements that enrich the characters, particularly those from Avalanche, but feel that the game often drags due to excessive side quests and filler content that detracts from the main storyline. The introduction of "whispers" as a plot device to maintain the original story's trajectory has been polarizing, with some finding it clever while others see it as convoluted and unnecessary. Overall, the remake is seen as a visually stunning reimagining that offers a fresh take on a beloved classic, though it may not fully satisfy purists of the original *Final Fantasy VII*.
- “You can feel the passion and care in every detail, from the story, music, the visuals, everything.”
- “The story was expanded, giving characters even more depth and nuance.”
- “The story, characters, graphics, gameplay, everything is amazing.”
- “The story is a complete mess, too much filler content and cartoonish characters, the original was more serious and had a darker tone, even some horror elements that have been removed.”
- “The game is full of atrocious filler - a good 50% of the game is pure fetch quest garbage.”
- “The pacing of the original story is ruined for the sake of saying its a 60 hour game.”
graphics
2,391 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The graphics of Final Fantasy VII Remake have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, detailed character models, and vibrant environments that bring the world of Midgar to life. Players have noted the impressive art direction and cinematic quality, although some have criticized the limited graphical options and occasional performance issues, such as stuttering and frame drops. Overall, the game is celebrated for its breathtaking graphics that enhance the nostalgic experience of the original title.
- “You can feel the passion and care in every detail, from the story, music, the visuals, everything.”
- “The game's visuals are stunning, with beautifully rendered characters and environments that transport you back to the world of Midgar.”
- “The graphics are phenomenal, the world seems massive and has incredible scale, the soundtrack is amazing, and there is a lot to learn/master/customize including weapons, materia, and armor.”
- “The second (larger) issue is this port is just terrible; there are barely any graphical options in the menus (basically as if we were playing on console) and performance is just bad with micro stutters and frame drops.”
- “In the beginning it runs great, no issues, then suddenly for me in chapter 5 it starts lagging out of nowhere really badly even if graphics are lowered to the lowest settings.”
- “The graphics are mid at best; the combat is awful and the (classic) combat isn't 'classic.' The rest of the gameplay is just drawn out and extremely boring.”
gameplay
1,903 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The gameplay of Final Fantasy VII Remake has received mixed reviews, with many praising its innovative combat mechanics that blend real-time action with strategic elements reminiscent of the original's turn-based system. Players appreciate the unique playstyles of each character and the engaging stagger mechanic, although some find the combat can become repetitive and the pacing hindered by excessive cutscenes and slow traversal mechanics. Overall, while the gameplay is often described as fun and visually stunning, it is also criticized for its linearity and occasional frustrating mechanics, leading to a varied reception among fans of the series.
- “The gameplay is great, each character's playstyle is unique and interesting, the soundtrack is fantastic, graphics are pretty, voice acting is very good, and the difficulty feels fair.”
- “The combat system is an impressive evolution of the classic turn-based mechanics, combining real-time action with strategic command-based elements.”
- “The gameplay is a perfect mix of challenge and fun, and the visuals and sound elevate the experience to legendary status.”
- “Most enemy mechanics are just tedious and not fun.”
- “The gameplay is a 0/10; they tried too hard to bring the turn-based aspects of the original into this, and it wound up being sloppy and chaotic.”
- “The gameplay is garbage; the pacing is way off, the characters and story are all ruined - this isn't a remaster/remake - it's as if a necromancer has animated the corpse of someone beloved making a mockery of what was once beautiful and cherished.”
music
1,452 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
47%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its ability to evoke nostalgia while also introducing polished, modern arrangements of iconic tracks from the original *Final Fantasy VII*. The soundtrack is described as a masterpiece, enhancing emotional moments and complementing gameplay, with standout pieces that resonate deeply with players. However, some critiques mention that certain new tracks feel out of place or lack the impact of the originals, leading to mixed feelings about the overall musical experience.
- “The soundtrack is nothing short of perfection, blending seamlessly with gameplay and story moments.”
- “The music is absolutely incredible, hearing those remastered tracks gave me chills.”
- “The soundtrack, featuring a mix of new and familiar themes, perfectly complements the on-screen action.”
- “The music in this game is also pretty damn mediocre.”
- “The music sounds weak and lacks the character the original soundtrack had.”
- “Main downsides of the game, some of the new characters were ridiculous but mostly ignorable and unfortunately the new music is very meh compared to the original, most of the remixes feel very muted and bland in comparison.”
optimization
823 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
32%
54%
The optimization of the PC port of Final Fantasy VII Remake has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant stuttering and performance issues, particularly in crowded areas and during cutscenes. While some users have found workarounds, such as switching to DirectX 11 or using mods, the lack of comprehensive graphical options and persistent performance problems have led to frustration among the player base. Overall, while the game boasts stunning visuals and engaging gameplay, its optimization remains a significant drawback, making it less accessible for those without high-end systems or technical expertise.
- “The game runs smoothly, even on mid-range systems, and offers a plethora of customizable graphics settings.”
- “I don't think I've ever seen such a well-optimized game; I literally set the fps to 120 and my system took it and ran.”
- “The game is beautiful, well optimized (constantly running at 140fps), excellent sound work and the music is rather good.”
- “The second (larger) issue is this port is just terrible (thanks unreal stay abysmally terrible) there is barely any graphical options in the menus (basically as if we were playing on console) and performance is just bad with micro stutters and frame drops.”
- “It's completely unacceptable that I should be having game-breaking performance issues.”
- “This game is poorly optimized and there is constant stuttering.”
grinding
270 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
8%
88%
The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is generally viewed as tedious and often unnecessary, with many players expressing frustration over long, drawn-out combat sequences and repetitive side quests. While some appreciate the lack of traditional grinding for levels, they still find certain gameplay elements, such as fetch quests and boss fights, to be overly tedious and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game is criticized for its pacing and filler content, which many feel makes the gameplay feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.
- “Unlike the original, no grinding is necessary here and there are no random encounters, which is a big plus for me.”
- “There is no grinding; every side quest is a story that gives nice details about the city.”
- “Here is little to no grinding needed in the game, except for the materia, but I managed to 100% the game without worrying about leveling them.”
- “The combat is tedious and boring, and there is a lot of it.”
- “The side missions consist of tedious busy work that doesn't add any meaning to the story nor the main characters.”
- “The boss fights are unnecessarily long and tedious.”
emotional
217 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its depth and impact, with many players expressing that it evokes a range of feelings from laughter to tears. The character development, enhanced by stunning visuals and a powerful soundtrack, creates a strong connection to the story and its characters, particularly for those familiar with the original. However, some critiques highlight that certain narrative choices and pacing issues can undermine the emotional weight of key moments, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience.
- “An intriguing world-building and story full of masterfully executed emotional arcs towers above all the other elements of this game.”
- “The Tifa and Cloud scene is very emotional, especially if you've played the original and understand what Tifa means when she says it's all been taken away again.”
- “This game captivated me in ways I didn't expect, blending stunning visuals, emotional storytelling, and groundbreaking gameplay into a rich experience that left me breathless.”
- “If you want to buy this game, make sure you have the patience to put up with the slow and boring story arcs that come and go throughout the whole game.”
- “Beautiful graphics, good soundtracks, but with a boring story development and gimmicky gameplay.”
- “Boring story, annoying supporting characters with bad voice acting, stiff gameplay.”
character development
202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
4%
Character development in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising the depth and complexity added to both main and supporting characters, particularly Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge. The remake enhances emotional connections through expanded backstories and interactions, making previously minor characters feel integral to the narrative. Overall, the character designs and voice acting are highlighted as stunning, contributing to a rich and immersive storytelling experience that honors the original while introducing new elements.
- “The character development is top-notch, as with the original, so there's no loss there either, and I actually found myself establishing new opinions on a few of the characters based on how they were presented in the dialogue scenes.”
- “The expanded character development for Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge is acceptable, if not exceptional, allowing players to care more about these previously minor characters.”
- “This reimagining of Final Fantasy 7 is much more forgiving for players new to this genre of gaming compared to its predecessor, the story is built on and shaken up in new and interesting ways, and the character development and story make this game easy to immerse yourself into.”
- “The crystarium was completely linear with very meaningless suggestions of choice in character development.”
- “The script and character development are practically non-existent, as this is a remake Square Enix relies on people's memories to fill in the gaps, but those who are experiencing this for the first time will get to the end without understanding what is going on.”
- “For some reason they decided to take the first 5 hours of a timeless classic and stretch it for 30 hours with very little in the way of additional character development.”
stability
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
1%
53%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report that it runs smoothly on high-end PCs and the Steam Deck, there are frequent mentions of bugs, stuttering, and audio glitches, particularly during cutscenes. Some users experienced significant performance issues, especially in later chapters, while others noted that minor graphical glitches could be resolved with troubleshooting. Despite these issues, many still find the game enjoyable and visually impressive, suggesting that it may be worth playing, albeit with some caution regarding its technical performance.
- “I know this game came out back in 2020, but I feel it really holds up to today's standards and it also runs great.”
- “The production quality in this title is absolutely fantastic - amazing graphics and it runs great on a mid/low-end rig (even on Steam Deck).”
- “Incredible, runs great at 120fps, the OST is amazing, fights are engaging.”
- “Freezes every 3-4 hours on Steam Deck.”
- “The game itself is great, but the PC port runs very badly with frequent frame drops and obvious second-long freezes interrupting combat and spoiling cinematic story scenes.”
- “I cannot get the display/performance issues fixed after hours of troubleshooting.”
humor
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty character interactions, particularly between Barret and Cloud, which often provide genuine laughs. While some found the humor to be charming and reminiscent of classic titles, others criticized it for being inconsistent or overly childish, with a noticeable reduction in the crude humor present in the original game. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with emotional depth, creating memorable moments that resonate with players.
- “The characters are so great and funny, and the story is even better than the original.”
- “Barret is such a funny dude, and he and Cloud make a particularly great duo with their back-and-forth dialogue.”
- “The writing is also fun; Barret and Cloud's banter is consistently hilarious, overall far more likable than it was in the original game.”
- “Acknowledging how bad the quests are is not funny.”
- “That's the problem with this game, so much 'meh' that it's not funny.”
- “Most of the dialogs seem to be oriented for little kids, with unfunny jokes, etc.”
replayability
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising the availability of hard mode, chapter selection, and collectible hunting, while others criticize its linearity and limited post-game content. Many agree that while there are opportunities for replay through different difficulty levels and challenges, the overall experience may not warrant multiple playthroughs for everyone, especially those who prefer a more open-ended gameplay style. Overall, the game offers decent replay value, particularly for completionists and those who enjoy combat mechanics, but may fall short for players seeking extensive replayability.
- “Always a great story with high replay value.”
- “The game definitely has replayability, not just for the story but overall gameplay.”
- “Great replay value along with a DLC side story.”
- “However, post-game content is limited to achievement hunting, so don’t expect extensive replay value.”
- “The only flaw I've found in this game is the lack of replayability.”
- “There is zero replay value in this game; no different ways to play it - it's all set in front of you.”
atmosphere
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich detail and immersive quality, effectively reimagining the iconic city of Midgar with vibrant visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Players appreciate the meticulous world-building and the emotional depth conveyed through the environments and character interactions, although some critique the pacing and occasional immersion-breaking moments. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of the original while enhancing it with modern graphics and sound design, creating a captivating experience that resonates with both new and returning fans.
- “The maps and environments are full of detail, and the atmosphere really draws you in.”
- “The streets of this dystopian city, once hinted at through simple polygons, are now recreated with remarkable detail and atmosphere, truly immersing you in a world plagued by corruption and environmental decay.”
- “The game's updated graphics, along with the superbly composed musical score, create an immersive atmosphere that captivates players from start to finish.”
- “But in the remake, these slow sections just break immersion and atmosphere, especially when it happens during a raid or when you are trying to save the beloved Tifa.”
- “The thick melancholy atmosphere of the original's Midgar has been discarded in favor of silly action cutscenes and various wackiness.”
- “They turned the entire atmosphere into one drab, dull, excruciating experience.”
monetization
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
7%
88%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, particularly due to its division into three parts, which many reviewers feel unnecessarily fragments the story and exploits nostalgia for profit. While some appreciate the effort put into the remake, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment, with players expressing frustration over the perceived lack of content relative to the price and the episodic format. Despite the absence of microtransactions, the game's pricing and structure have left many feeling that it prioritizes profit over a cohesive gaming experience.
- “This game is made for the fans 100% - no microtransactions, no online multiplayer.”
- “Over the years, I've lost the desire for modern games due to their long-drawn-out design for monetization purposes, and it makes you wonder how much better the game would be without pay-to-win and other aspects in place.”
- “I had mentioned that I do see a bit of predatory monetization in this game, as I don't think it's a coincidence they added intermission or are remaking Crisis Core before releasing the next part of this game.”
- “I still strongly feel this was a massive cash grab to break the game up into three parts rather than sell it as a whole.”
- “This game is nothing more than a shameless cash grab wrapped up in nostalgia.”
- “Instead of delivering a comprehensive and cohesive experience, the episodic format ultimately feels like a cash grab, unnecessarily fragmenting the story.”