Real crush of the last year for me, Final Fantasy VII Remake had been able to occupy many hours of my time during my COVID recovery. Even today, I keep a precise memory of the adventure, so much the band of Cloud Strife marked me. However, I admit it, you have in front of you a player who did not play the game at the time of the PSOne. It was therefore with a totally new look that I was able to approach the work, and it was after many discussions and a lot of research on the web that I was able to understand the differences (having not yet taken the time to make the game bought back on Switch since). A little over a year after its release, FF7R offers itself a port on PS5 named integrate, accompanied by an extension highlighting Yuffie, a shinobi who makes wonderful use of the game's combat system.
We will go back to sector 7, for the main plot and some side quests
For those who did not read our preview of the title at the time, I refer you to the article by Talish, who seems to have had, like me, a real crush on this revisit of the title. For my part, I will look into the PS5 port of the game and its DLC INTERmission. As expected, this PS5 port magnifies the basic game, while reducing the loading times, which were rather substantial on PS4 at the time, to a trickle. No more missing or unsightly textures, everything is now displayed on the screen correctly. The JPEG of Midgar has been replaced by what appears to be a real 3D model, with light streaming through this huge building. The few technical defects of the game are therefore erased.
The Fort Condor mini-game is a real good surprise! When will there be an online mode?
Small regret, however, in terms of graphics modes: I thought I had a 4K / 60FPS mode, but in the end we will have to opt for a variable resolution at 60 frames / second, or a Resolution mode, which confines the game to 30FPS but ensures a 4K resolution. Here, no trace of aliasing, but we will have an unpleasant feeling of slow motion, especially during combat. Yes, Resolution mode is playable. However, if you opt for the latter, do not make the mistake of testing the Liquify mode in stride. Otherwise you will have a hard time going back. Especially since the 60FPS mode does not degrade the image as much as that. Yes, it's less fine, but in combat, the gain in fluidity is well worth this menu sacrifice.
What would a FF be without its gigantic bosses?
Side DualSense, small disappointment, the developers having not seen fit to exploit the latter. But basically, nothing embarrassing. The game is perfectly manageable, although we are starting to get used to the capabilities of the pad a little. This is noticeable when the latter is not used to full capacity. Finally, on the backup side, for PS4 players, you will be happy to learn that it is possible to recover your backup, via a small backup transfer utility added to version 1.02 of the game. installation of the PS4 game on its console, to upload the backup, in order to recover it later by launching the PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The time of a transfer, we therefore end up with 2 FF installed on his console, which represents not far from 180GB (still!).
Good ok, on the technique, we are good! But INTERmission, what is it worth? In a word: compelling. I confess to having had a lot of trouble with the character of Yuffie, who is far too enthusiastic and extravagant a heroine for me. Especially at the beginning of the adventure. I managed, as I progressed, to like him a little more, above all because I love his way of fighting. As said in the introduction, Yuffie is a Wutai ninja who fights using a giant shuriken, this hybrid combat system that allows you to fight in close combat, then to move away by throwing her boomerang and finally trigger elemental ninjutsu. The character is extremely jumpy, handles very well, and proves to be very powerful once mastered. After an hour alone, Sonon will join our team. Impossible to embody the latter, but the AI is good and the character obeys some commands quite well. We can perform synchronized attacks to "shock" the enemy quickly, which drastically increases the damage inflicted. Unsurprisingly, the DLC is a success in terms of combat.
Very annoying at first, Yuffie turns out to be quite a charming protagonist. Here with Sonon, our sidekick.
On the story side, don't expect a direct sequel to FF7R. The game takes place after a particular event separates Cloud from the rest of the group. Yuffie is on a mission to infiltrate Midgar in order to recover the most powerful Materia, and show that Wutai is not as ridiculous as people think. Most of the places visited are places already known from the original game, with a different perspective. In a straight line, INTERmission will occupy you a little less than 4 hours. If you decide to do the rare side missions, count on 6 hours, including a good hour just to practice Fort Condor, a mini-game that reminded me of Clash Royale and I really liked it!
Certainly, this Final Fantasy VII Intergrade Remake is the version to do if you have a PS5. The base game, already excellent, is magnified on the new Sony console and offers an unforgettable adventure. For owners of the PS4 game, the upgrade is free (but the DLC must be purchased alongside, for €19,99). If you got the game through the PS Plus program, you will have to go to checkout to play it in the next-gen version (recommended price of €79.99, on PSN).
All editions
Yuffie is undoubtedly the most energetic character in this FF VII Remake.
