Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: The Steam Deck Experience
Summary: Amazing on the PC and amazing on the Steam Deck!
4.3
A Fantastic Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is Square Enix’s second and penultimate installment in its Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. Almost a year after its initial release, a PC version is finally available, including the Steam Deck. Despite its flaws, the game remains one of the best titles from last year, and the PC features further elevate the gameplay experience. But how does this ambitious RPG fare on the Steam Deck? Read on!
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues Cloud and his friends’ journey across the world. While the Remake focused on Midgar, Rebirth opens up a vast, branching open world where players meet and interact with many more characters and embark on numerous adventures. The narrative is much more engaging as each arc sees Cloud and his group interact with well-written and endearing characters. Many story arcs feature touching stories and hilarious moments, all enjoyable in their own ways. Although some narrative moments, especially earlier on, feel slow and drawn out, their peak moments are worth the wait.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth offers several new gameplay and combat features not present in the Remake and enhances many existing elements. Like the previous installment, players can take advantage of combat features like Materia crafting and upgrades. Additionally, new weapons, Materia, and upgrade options provide mesmerizing and powerful moves, some of which combine several elements for greater MP consumption.
Players can also upgrade their arsenal of spells through the Foolio system, which, like traditional skill trees, allows Cloud and the gang to unlock more skills and increase their stats in various ways. While the system works well, it is noticeably more limited compared to other Final Fantasy games and offers fewer generally useful skills. However, learning which Materia does what and creating the best combinations is key to succeeding in combat. Overall, Rebirth provides players with many customizable and accessible options.
Combat in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is fast, fun, smooth, and feels weighty. Performing charged and quick attacks, combos, linked abilities, special abilities, spells, and finishing moves is quick and satisfying, with seamless transitions when swapping between moves and characters. One of the game’s highlights is its many great bosses. Each boss fight differs from the last and offers unique, satisfying, and fun challenges for players. There is also a “classic” mode for purists.
Steam Deck Performance
The game runs perfectly on a PC provided you meet and excel the minimum requirements, and more importantly, it runs well on the Steam Deck even with lower texture details. The frame rate is set to 30fps, which is a must for an open-world game with impressive graphics on this handheld console. While there are occasional pop-ups and minor stuttering, they do not significantly impact gameplay. Kudos to Square Enix for acquiring the elusive Steam Deck “verified” tick. However, text can be a little on the tiny side. Controls are well-mapped on the Steam Deck, and with the gameplay, graphics, and audio, it becomes a pure handheld experience that cannot be faulted. On battery with default settings, you can expect around 2.5 hours of gameplay.
Final Thoughts?
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth features a great soundtrack—one of the best the franchise has ever seen. It includes both high-octane and beautifully melodic tunes that enhance their respective moments in the game. Overall, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is still an amazing JRPG, and being able to play it on the Steam Deck makes the experience truly portable.
About the Author
Abdul Saad Abdul Saad is a seasoned entertainment journalist and critic, and has been writing for five years on multiple gaming sites. When he isn't writing or playing the latest JRPG, he can be found coding games of his own or tinkering with something electrical.
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