Verdict
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the Nintendo Switch 2 is a deeply ambitious port, and while it looks great most of the time, you're going to encounter the occasional framerate drop and a little pop-in. However, as a primarily portable gamer, I will exclusively replay Rebirth on Switch 2 going forward, as it's great to be able to explore Gaia on the go or grind levels with Netflix playing in the background.
To know if this review is for you, there are two things you need to understand about me. The first is that the original Final Fantasy 7 is my favorite game of all time, and the second is that I play games almost exclusively on whatever portable device they arrive on. So I honestly can't say I'm not a little biased to FF7 Rebirth on Nintendo Switch 2; however, I promise to dive in and give you my genuine thoughts on this port and whether or not it's worth picking up.
So if you think you may be on the same wavelength as me, let's get into the nitty-gritty of this game. As Rebirth has been out since early 2024, my review is mostly going to focus on the Nintendo Switch 2 performance, but for those of you who're jumping in blind, here's a quick rundown on the points you need to know.
Rebirth is a direct sequel to one of 2020's best RPGs, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and takes place mere moments after that game ends. That means you start with Cloud Strife narrating over a playable flashback in which he and Sephiroth are sent off to Cloud's hometown to inspect a damaged mako reactor. While there, it's not an understatement to say that Sephiroth goes a little mad, burning down the entire town and killing the villagers, essentially instigating the events that play out during the rest of the game. This is an effective prologue that lasts a few hours, before you get to lightly explore the present-day city of Kalm, and then finally step out into a vast open world.
It follows the story beats of the original pretty closely. You pick up a chocobo, head over to Junon, then take in the sunshine of Costa Del Sol, and so on. It's worth noting that Rebirth is the second part of a trilogy, and ends at the same time as the original's disc 1. I won't say more than that on the ending, but it's a little more ambiguous and cryptic than some may like. However, part three is sure to shed some light on things when it finally arrives.
The main deviations you encounter feature scenes where the star of FF7 Crisis Core, Zack Fair, seems to be living in an alternate universe where Cloud and the others have run into some trouble trying to escape Midgar. Then there are a few very quick appearances from Glenn Lodbrok, who you may recognize from The First Soldier and Ever Crisis. As a lover of all things FF7, I quite like these additions. I think they help set Rebirth apart from the original and allow me to view it as a separate piece of media.
Now, let's touch on the battle system. As I'm over 30, I generally prefer turn-based combat, but in Rebirth's case, I actually really enjoy the real-time action style. To begin, you equip each member of your team with different weapons, accessories, and materia (this game's magic), and when you hop into battle, you have full control over one character, while also being able to slow time down and give your two teammates commands as well.
It's a very fluid system, and even though you'd think pausing time would make things feel a little stop-start, I like having a moment to think about how to utilize my team best; it's a little more palatable as a turn-based lover. The combat is essentially the same system as FF7 Remake, but you get a few extra bells and whistles, such as synergy attacks, which allow two party members to team up to dish out damage and provide buffs.
Moving on from combat, another thing that separates Rebirth from Remake is the open-world exploration. You start in the massive Grasslands area, which houses Kalm, Bill's Chocobo Ranch, and the terrifying Midgardsormr. In this locale, much like the ones that follow, you can pick up a chocobo to make traversal easier, then head off to find numerous side quests, moogle houses, and pieces of world intel as you explore.
If you're a completionist, 100% exploring each area can get a little monotonous, but I think the Nintendo Switch 2 is a great console to play this on to mindlessly roam the plains while you watch Netflix or have something else going on in the background.
I appreciate that Square Enix tried to make each area different with colorful chocobos that have unique exploration techniques, such as wall climbers, swimmers, and sky drifters. So despite a little monotony, I can't complain all that much, and seeing each area look so gorgeous after being a fan of the original is a real treat.
Okay, I'm sorry we're almost 800 words in after I said earlier I was going to be brief before getting into the Nintendo Switch 2 performance, so let's do this. In my Final Fantasy 7 Remake Nintendo Switch 2 review, I gave the game a perfect 10/10 and gushed over how well it performs on the portable console. Unfortunately, Rebirth doesn't quite hit the perfect score mark, but I'd describe it as more than passable.
What does that mean exactly? Well, the cutscenes are absolutely gorgeous; my jaw was on the floor during the opening of the game, and I was truly shocked at how good a start it was off to. However, while playing, everyone's hair looks a little dry and crunchy, and the framerate can drop heavily during battles with multiple enemies in the open world. I also noticed whenever I got low on health, and the screen had a red wash, this would affect the framerate quite heavily, too.
However, in saying all this, I've played Rebirth on the Steam Deck as well, and I think the Switch 2 is actually the superior way to play portably, with Deck graphics being the same (if not worse) and the weight of the device making it pretty unpleasant to play for long periods of time. As I mentioned at the start of this review, I'm primarily a portable gamer, meaning I'm much more forgiving of ropey graphics and framerate drops, so I happily completed Rebirth, and if I ever choose to do another replay, it will definitely be on the Switch 2.
The last issue that bothers me much more than any graphical issues is the ability shortcuts in battle. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty good at FF7R. I've got the platinum trophy on PS5, meaning I've defeated the superbosses - including that bastard Weiss - and I've never encountered any issues in selecting shortcuts. However, in Rebirth on Switch 2, when I hold the shoulder button and mash A to use Triple Slash, there seems to be a delay, and it will choose whichever option is bound to X - the same button you use for normal attacks.
Now, if this were any other game, I'd attribute it to a skill issue, but I'm deeply confident in my FF7 skills, and as I said, I've never experienced this phenomenon before. Once again, not a game-breaking bug, but still worth noting in case you notice the same issue I've faced. One thing that isn't Square's fault is the lack of achievements on Switch. I sorely missed them during my playthrough, and would love it if they could perhaps integrate an achievement menu into the game, but I'm well aware this isn't at all common on Nintendo's hybrid console.
Playing Rebirth on Switch 2 made me seriously consider which console I will purchase part three of the game on, and in the end, for my first playthrough, I'll be sticking with PS5. That isn't to say the Switch 2 is a bad way to play. In fact, I'm a big enough FF7 fan to pick up a PS5 and Switch 2 copy, as I can imagine any replay will take place on a portable console.
To round this all out, should you buy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for Nintendo Switch 2? If you love portable gaming and don't mind the occasional framerate drop, absolutely. If you love Final Fantasy and the Switch 2 is your only console, absolutely. If you're a graphics purist and think this game will live up to the PS5 version, this isn't for you.