I'm sorry, but I have to hard disagree. The Whispers, and the changes made to the story are in no way cleverly implemented. They are ham-fisted convolution for the sake of convolution.

Easily half of this game's new content could be removed, and nothing of any actual substance would be lost. We'd just have a much better paced game, that didn't drag its feet just to hit a 30+ hour gameplay target. They could have easily spent that time taking the story beyond Midgar, and still have the same level of connection with the characters, if not more so, because we'd have time with them in broader circumstances.

The game does have some fantastic elements, and I agree that the characters mostly feel like they were nailed to a T, but things like "Aerith has been kidnapped. Welp, I guess we better mosey on over to a different story beat, before trying to rescue her..." absolutely disrespects the party in every way.

To me, they botched this game so badly, I have not bothered playing it a second time, and I still haven't touched Rebirth, because why in the world do I want to see a Zack show up to help fight Bizarro Sephiroth at the end of that game?
z

Damn bro good to see you making videos again, remember watching that lightning returns review and enjoying it so much! Can see the Mic Quality got a glow up too!

great essay my friend. You should have so many more subs for this, keep up the good work!

I'd love to know your opinion on Clair Obscur Expedition 33 so much... Anyway, it's 2025 and I still coming back to your videos every once in a while to get a good laugh. Saludos from fan from Mexico City!

The Simpsons I'm in danger clip made me laugh so hard xD

Really good review! Your points fits with my experience! And the alternate universe will save Aerith life I bet. :p

DON'T BUY THIS GAME PEOPLE
yeah, no one should be buying any sequel of this, the idea of "doing more with the characters" is just fanfic mindset, the story was done and complete, wanting more meant they did their job in story writing not that they needed to overhaul all of
and they ruined it, Aerith especially as her characterization is a lie now

old her may of been bubbly and innocent accepting her responsibility as the last ancient but this one isn't, she's putting on airs to act like her original self but not actually be her, its just a lie

and this ruins so much of the characterization throughout cause their arcs make no sense, Fate changing can cause so many issues in story and pacing and the pacing is egregious

3/4 of this game is side quest BS and barely any actual story and paced in a way to 1 combat - walk - cut-scene - walk - cutscene then combat its just bad

overall they wasted it, the chance, the memories, the opportunity to make this game and now can't for who knows how many years and for what, FF7 Milking of the brand

FF7R over and over now
FF7 Crisis Core
FF7 Dirge content
FF7 IOS Game
FF7 Battle Royale (dead now)

its just milking for merch and now its lost any good will it had for a weaker plot that will never end satisfactory due to all the changes

Good review as always the issues that you pointed out were almost exactly the issues i had with the game but there were alot of things i liked Biggs, Wedge and Jessie  were changed from Literal Red shirts or in this case Red Bandannas into fleshed out characters that i actually cared for especially Jessie she is straight up Waifu. and as for the Whispers which i interpretated as an Allegory for hardcore FF7 Fans that dont want changes to the story ( Square Enix thinks there so clever) as annoying. But i did like that they added in things from the compelation into this game in subtle ways like the  " New" character Leslie is actually a character from the FF7 Novel The Kids are All Right A Turks Story and  Cait Sith arriving at the sector 7 Plate collapse was actually something that did happen in the original that Reeve only mentioned doing as a means of trying to warn everyone but he arrived to late.

Edit: The Wall Market Dance off with Andrea alone made it worth the $60 for me

i haven't played the game but cloud is a soldier so can't his frequent visions of Sephiroth be chalked up to PTSD?

This was an awesome and enjoyable review

Great review!

Fantastic review. Ff7 is my favourite game and I loved this game but even my nostalgia goggles couldn't get past the padding , and slow ass  crawl sequences and how clunky the realism can make it . I am scared this is going kingdom hearts on us

Your review are really hilarious 😆😆

TIL complex means idiotic

I hated the Scooby-doo train graveyard section. It felt so out of place. Like, how do we have time for this now?

Nomura? More like 'no more ugh.'

47:40 haha this is amazing

good review...i honestly feel much the same...the last 2 chapters were so much to take in..it just became a blur..the whisper are a really bad plot device...with no real explination of who or what they are...just god llike figures that determin what destiny is ..

at first i thought the whispers were the spirits of the ancient which would set up the temple of ancients well..but no..

the game for me is great till it goes nuts

square trying to have their cake and eat it..

trying to have their fanal fanstasy 7 remake that fans want and have the freedom to do whatever...it kinda stinks of a cash grab too...it seems like a way they can keep telling stories in this universe that everyone loves and just print money..

really the game is Final Fantasy remake in name as its really an alternate game world universe..linked to the actual og game

i was on board with changws to the story ...i was even fine with Barrett dying...but after he was brought back..that left a bad taste with me....that essentially breaks the game ..if you can only die when youre supposed to die...its just an unnesscisary complicated

I like to think that Zack was a party dancing dude and Cloud just took that into his fucked up memories 😂

16:36 Vincent D'Onofrio lmao