This review contains spoilers
This game agaisnt all my expectations, is actually kinda good
and I say this despite the fact that this game is bascially Shadow the Hedgehog with a FFVII skin.
I went into this game expecting it to be horrible and that I wouldn't be able to finish it, and initally I didn't really like the game I'll admit but then after beating INTERmission DLC for FF7R I decided that I gotta come back to this, and I really don't regret that descision. Honestly after Chapter 1 the game starts to be pretty fun, I don't know if thats because I just got better at the game or what but I found that after I was halfway through chapter 3 I was actually really enjoying myself, the actual gameplau is not really good but like after a while it's actualyl super fun honestly, not amazing or anything but I liked it, and the gun customization is super cool if not a bit stale after a while due to a lack of customizations, honestly if they did like a Final Mix version of this game it ccould actualyl be kinda really fun. It's clearly not a game that would get it, it's not a chracter action game or anything but like honestly with a few tweaks I could find myself really enjoying the gameplay.
Anyway, this game is basically Shadow the Hedgehog, black and red protag, focus on a side characters backstory that takes place many years in the past from the rest of the story, main character uses guns as a main weapon etc and finished off with a final level that has a vocal song playing (Sure not the final boss but close enough) either way this game is basically Shadow the Hedgehog in like so many ways. Also I won't lie having Gackt blast in the background during the final level bumped up the games score by half a star, I was praying for a "I am... All of Me" moment to happen and I was rewarded, so beatiful.
Something that really surprised me is that the music in this game is actually pretty good, not every song is amazing but a good majority is really good, and it has some nice range. Plus it has Gackt and I mean it's Gackt... what a guy. However Lucrecia's theme has the same first four notes of Kairis theme from KH and every time it played I got kinda annoyed it wasn't because like that is Kairis theme playing there but ehh.
Story is weirdest part of the game, I don't hate it, and I kinda like it in a way, but overall it's just all over the place, all the stuff in the past is neat to see, but like I said its all over the place, the timeline with all those past cutscenes honestly just don't make much sense to me, I mean I get most of it since I've played OG FF7 but the stuff with Vincents father felt outa left field. Also did they change Lucrecias and Hojos relationship because in the OG it's just kinda said they were together or something idk, but like here what the hell happened I get she stayed away from Vincent because she blamed herself for his fathers death? or something like that anyway but like she clearly hated Hojo here, so what was with all this cucking stuff, like it was in the OG but here what the hell is that like I do not get it at all, just strange and kinda uncomfortable. I gotta say Hojo is kinda super funny, especialyl in the ending, carried mostly by Paul Eidings performance but he's really good there. I won't say I understand why he's there with the NEO Reunion and stuff but neat I suppose..? Also woah they said Rebirth Dirge of Cerberus prediticed FF7R no way!
I gotta say Vincent is actually likeable here, they give him way more personaltiy that I thought they would, defintley more than a super edgyfied version (well more than in the OG) but I mean he even has his phone !!! Game went up a whole star when I saw Vincent got his phone back, massive payoff from Advent Children. Also speaking of phone, I like that thhe rest of t he OGff7 cast are here , like sometimes I just forgot this was a FF7 game and then boom Cloud or Yuffie or Cid and a surprising amount of Reeves. This game utilises alot of characters not seen as much in the OG and thats neat, I like how Yuffie is a big focus here because shes the other optional character and that Reeve is seen alot as well, just super neat. Though the stuff with Reeve and Cait Sith I don't get here, like I know Cait Sith is a robot and stuff but how does Reeve control him?? how does he do that stuff ? idk wont question it but like huh? Either way returning characters be cool, and also actualyl new characters be kinda cool. The hot scientist lady who gets instantly killed (but not really) is cool I liked her and cool she had the arm and eye but then shes just gone and replaced with her sister, who while I don't get why she's 10 forever I actualyl grew to like her, goes through some neat developemet and stuff. cool. every other new character is kinda hollow though, the villains are nothing and I don't care for them other than it's actually the funniest thing that they're back in INTERmission. So very slightly I'm kinda hoping that they get a cameo or something in the Remake Trilogy.
I will say at times this game does not feel like FF at all in any way, I still like i alot more than I should honestly, I do gotta say the game has some surpinsgly humurous moments, like near the end of the game with enemies hiding inside a fake shop is actually really good, and also them being in the boxes. Plus it has stuff like the Potoin which is pretty funny honestly, I really thought it was just mispelt but nope intential.
I do gotta say I actually like this game more than Crisis Core, honestly I do. I've given this game the highest rating I feel I can, I adore this game more than I should though. I feel 4 stars is way too high, and I had to give it that extra half star for the ending with Gackt, though the Vincent fake out death was kinda stupid, though it was indeed hilarious when everyones like "oh no... Vincent Dead!!" and then Gackt just starts playing, amazing game. I can't tell how much of the humour in this game is intential and what's not this game is a mystery and I love it. A game that I don't think its anything super special but a great time as well, a nice length too. I honestly think it's worth playing. Either way I've rambled way too much about this game somehow and if I talk any more I might perish.
(Also I finished it exactly a day before Rebirth came out, so that's nice. And I better see Weiss and Nero return everyones favourite characters, bring Deepground back in full have Weiss kill Aerith or something idk it'd be the funniest thing they could do I just really want to see DoC in there somewhere)
and I say this despite the fact that this game is bascially Shadow the Hedgehog with a FFVII skin.
I went into this game expecting it to be horrible and that I wouldn't be able to finish it, and initally I didn't really like the game I'll admit but then after beating INTERmission DLC for FF7R I decided that I gotta come back to this, and I really don't regret that descision. Honestly after Chapter 1 the game starts to be pretty fun, I don't know if thats because I just got better at the game or what but I found that after I was halfway through chapter 3 I was actually really enjoying myself, the actual gameplau is not really good but like after a while it's actualyl super fun honestly, not amazing or anything but I liked it, and the gun customization is super cool if not a bit stale after a while due to a lack of customizations, honestly if they did like a Final Mix version of this game it ccould actualyl be kinda really fun. It's clearly not a game that would get it, it's not a chracter action game or anything but like honestly with a few tweaks I could find myself really enjoying the gameplay.
Anyway, this game is basically Shadow the Hedgehog, black and red protag, focus on a side characters backstory that takes place many years in the past from the rest of the story, main character uses guns as a main weapon etc and finished off with a final level that has a vocal song playing (Sure not the final boss but close enough) either way this game is basically Shadow the Hedgehog in like so many ways. Also I won't lie having Gackt blast in the background during the final level bumped up the games score by half a star, I was praying for a "I am... All of Me" moment to happen and I was rewarded, so beatiful.
Something that really surprised me is that the music in this game is actually pretty good, not every song is amazing but a good majority is really good, and it has some nice range. Plus it has Gackt and I mean it's Gackt... what a guy. However Lucrecia's theme has the same first four notes of Kairis theme from KH and every time it played I got kinda annoyed it wasn't because like that is Kairis theme playing there but ehh.
Story is weirdest part of the game, I don't hate it, and I kinda like it in a way, but overall it's just all over the place, all the stuff in the past is neat to see, but like I said its all over the place, the timeline with all those past cutscenes honestly just don't make much sense to me, I mean I get most of it since I've played OG FF7 but the stuff with Vincents father felt outa left field. Also did they change Lucrecias and Hojos relationship because in the OG it's just kinda said they were together or something idk, but like here what the hell happened I get she stayed away from Vincent because she blamed herself for his fathers death? or something like that anyway but like she clearly hated Hojo here, so what was with all this cucking stuff, like it was in the OG but here what the hell is that like I do not get it at all, just strange and kinda uncomfortable. I gotta say Hojo is kinda super funny, especialyl in the ending, carried mostly by Paul Eidings performance but he's really good there. I won't say I understand why he's there with the NEO Reunion and stuff but neat I suppose..? Also woah they said Rebirth Dirge of Cerberus prediticed FF7R no way!
I gotta say Vincent is actually likeable here, they give him way more personaltiy that I thought they would, defintley more than a super edgyfied version (well more than in the OG) but I mean he even has his phone !!! Game went up a whole star when I saw Vincent got his phone back, massive payoff from Advent Children. Also speaking of phone, I like that thhe rest of t he OGff7 cast are here , like sometimes I just forgot this was a FF7 game and then boom Cloud or Yuffie or Cid and a surprising amount of Reeves. This game utilises alot of characters not seen as much in the OG and thats neat, I like how Yuffie is a big focus here because shes the other optional character and that Reeve is seen alot as well, just super neat. Though the stuff with Reeve and Cait Sith I don't get here, like I know Cait Sith is a robot and stuff but how does Reeve control him?? how does he do that stuff ? idk wont question it but like huh? Either way returning characters be cool, and also actualyl new characters be kinda cool. The hot scientist lady who gets instantly killed (but not really) is cool I liked her and cool she had the arm and eye but then shes just gone and replaced with her sister, who while I don't get why she's 10 forever I actualyl grew to like her, goes through some neat developemet and stuff. cool. every other new character is kinda hollow though, the villains are nothing and I don't care for them other than it's actually the funniest thing that they're back in INTERmission. So very slightly I'm kinda hoping that they get a cameo or something in the Remake Trilogy.
I will say at times this game does not feel like FF at all in any way, I still like i alot more than I should honestly, I do gotta say the game has some surpinsgly humurous moments, like near the end of the game with enemies hiding inside a fake shop is actually really good, and also them being in the boxes. Plus it has stuff like the Potoin which is pretty funny honestly, I really thought it was just mispelt but nope intential.
I do gotta say I actually like this game more than Crisis Core, honestly I do. I've given this game the highest rating I feel I can, I adore this game more than I should though. I feel 4 stars is way too high, and I had to give it that extra half star for the ending with Gackt, though the Vincent fake out death was kinda stupid, though it was indeed hilarious when everyones like "oh no... Vincent Dead!!" and then Gackt just starts playing, amazing game. I can't tell how much of the humour in this game is intential and what's not this game is a mystery and I love it. A game that I don't think its anything super special but a great time as well, a nice length too. I honestly think it's worth playing. Either way I've rambled way too much about this game somehow and if I talk any more I might perish.
(Also I finished it exactly a day before Rebirth came out, so that's nice. And I better see Weiss and Nero return everyones favourite characters, bring Deepground back in full have Weiss kill Aerith or something idk it'd be the funniest thing they could do I just really want to see DoC in there somewhere)