Square Enix has done it. They have made me excited to try the Final Fantasy VII Remake series on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
I don't consider myself a big Final Fantasy fan. I've played and enjoyed my fair share over the years. But there's something about Cloud's journey that immediately captivated me when I tried the original.
Even if I didn't immerse myself in the world of Midgar, Junon, Cosmo Canyon, and other fantastical landmarks you get to visit in VII during the peak of the game's popularity in the 90s, I still felt the pain of that PS3 tech demo teasing us with the promise of seeing such an iconic universe recreated in (then) cutting-edge graphics.
When the Final Fantasy VII Remake was officially announced, I rejoiced and, much to my surprise, was also a bit scared. Square Enix only had one shot to make it right after all. Knowing Square had all this pressure on their shoulders and still deciding to deliver a bold new spin on the story was commendable. Regardless of your thoughts on the story direction, both Remake and Rebirth are solid technical feats, with very addictive gameplay and side content that makes both good value for money, especially in a time in which game prices seem to be rising consistently.
What's more, I never imagined I'd want to play Remake on the go. It is, first and foremost, an RPG that is best experienced on what many would consider optimal settings: either a powerful PC rig to run it at a smooth framerate and high resolution or a PS5 Pro.
After seeing what the Switch 2 might be capable of, and game director Naoki Hamaguchi's passion for porting the project to a Nintendo console, I don't mind if the eventual port runs at 30FPS. It's looking like a port worthy of being supported.
In a recent interview uploaded to the Nintendo YouTube channel, Hamaguchi explained that, as he was growing up, playing games on Nintendo consoles made him want to become a game developer. Once he saw the Switch 2 specs, he knew it was the perfect time to make his dream come true, working on developing the Remake series for the upcoming handheld.
click to enlargeIt's as if the stars aligned for Hamaguchi. Not only it's a dream come true for him, but it's also rather iconic that he is doing it with Final Fantasy VII. The game that launched originally in 1997 for the PlayStation was the first time the series had abandoned Nintendo after the company's decision to use cartridges instead of CDs for the Nintendo 64 prevented Square from fully realizing their vision for VII.
The Remake series has been worked entirely on Unreal Engine 4. It's a solid decision as moving engines mid-way through development would have meant, more than likely, more delays and possible issues while basically rebuilding the entire project from the ground up. There have been hints at development switching to UE5, but nothing confirmed as of yet.
This also means that it is entirely possible to see all three games of the FFVII Remake series on the Switch 2. Both Remake and Rebirth are Steam Deck verified, so it shouldn't surprise you when Square Enix announces Rebirth. The real question is whether they'll be able to pull off a simultaneous release for the third part in, I'm assuming, 2027, during the 30th anniversary of the original game.
In any case, that passion is infectious from Hamaguchi. More so than technical performance or new gameplay updates, seeing a developer cherish a franchise that's so loved by many is how you sell fans on a new version of it.
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