Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Nintendo Switch 2 Review - A Little Gloss Taken Off
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was my 2024 Game of the Year. Let’s get that on the table to precede the remainder of the conversation, because the context is important. I adored this game, and when the announcement for Rebirth coming to Switch 2 and Xbox Series platforms was made, I was excited for multiple reasons. Firstly, much like when Remake arrived earlier in the year, there’s a brand new audience that can check the game out, and secondly, as a PS5 owner, I was excited to toggle all the accessibility options on and blitz through the game once again, hoovering up all the collectibles that I’d previously missed or challenges that I’d not taken on. Now that it’s almost here, and I’ve had the chance to play the game on Switch 2, I’m even more excited to play it again on PS5, because yes, those toggles make the game a breeze, and I’m stoked to smash the game out again, but also because the Switch 2 version just ain’t it.
There’s no denying the excellence of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The second chapter of the remake trilogy is a phenomenal title, filled to the brim with engaging activities to participate in, challenging golden path and side encounters to engage in, and of course, Queen’s Blood. The open-world environments that Cloud Strife and his team explore are vast, incredibly detailed, and mind-blowing expansions of what the team had achieved in development of the original Final Fantasy VII back in 1997. For those who haven’t yet experienced the majesty of Square-Enix’s 2024 gem, no matter what platform, PS5, PC, Xbox, or Switch 2, that you choose to jump in on, you’re going to have a fantastic time.
But any recommendation in 2026 must now come with a caveat, due to the release of the Switch 2 version specifically. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth looks absolutely sensational on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles.Final Fantasy VII Remake looked great on all platforms inclusive of the Switch 2, but that was an older game, Rebirth on the other hand is far from ideal on the Nintendo Switch 2. While the cutscenes look gorgeous, and I could stare at them all day, when in the act of gameplay, significant presentational compromises have needed to be made to keep the game running smoothly on the Switch 2. The combat is fluid, and I didn’t notice any stutters in any other element of the gameplay, but when navigating the world, the texture pop-in is quite significant. It was hard to believe how close I was to basic environmental assets such as shrubbery, fallen trees, or other items on the path ahead, before they would suddenly pop into view; it is extremely distracting. Meanwhile, outside of the game’s key players, characters’ faces are much lower in resolution, and when paired with the pop-in and other graphical restrictions, it makes Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Nintendo Switch 2 pale in comparison to any other platform running the game. In some ways, it’s a miracle that the game exists on the platform and that it runs as smoothly as it does, but the compromises made leave me anxious for just how poorly the upcoming third and final chapter will run, should it come to Nintendo’s latest hardware as well.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is an incredible game with a lacking Switch 2 port. Square-Enix has wrung everything out of the console to make the game run well, but compromises had to be made to get it going. If you’re willing to overlook the texture pop-in, and some other rough visual edges that the game possesses, then the Nintendo Switch 2 version is going to be a blast, take it on the go, and show the world the brilliance of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. As for me, I’m beyond excited to go back to play it with a bit more horsepower at my disposal.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was reviewed on Nintendo Switch 2 with a code kindly provided by Bandai Namco Australia, on behalf of Square-Enix.
