The opening segment of the original Final Fantasy VII was one of my favorites of all time, and I do think it could have worked well as a stand-alone story. Midgar is certainly fascinating enough.

Sadly, we don't really see that potential reached here. Final Fantasy VII Remake spends far less time expanding on Midgar's lore and far more time fluffing out the game's length with filler. For every level that brought a sense of wonder at the world or helped develop the characters, there's two that felt like a complete waste of time.

The combat is a lot of fun, the graphics are gorgeous, and a lot of the side characters are more fleshed out - but that all wears out its welcome by the end. I really wish this game had gone for a short story with a ton of side-content, perhaps more of a free-roaming approach.

As stands, the story just drags on and on and on without really feeling like it goes anywhere. It's a real shame and a waste of potential.