Man what a ride. Though I have many mixed feelings, but the game is filled with so much joy and fun that I can ignore its many faults. Worried that the game may fall into the current open world trends of endless checklists with no real substance, I was pleasently suprised by the great exploration that the world offers. Side quests, mini games and characters really flesh out the world and pushes the game back to its more fantastical and surreal roots. I completed every single thing the game offers so my engagement was clear and lasting.
Whilst the side content of 'Remake' felt conditional and dull, 'Rebirth' immediately grips you into its enviroment with a plethora of content that always kept me engaged. This is most evident with the characterisation and development of the main cast, as they are fully explored through many means of storytelling, to the point where they feel so much more fleshed out than their original counterparts. This is the most successful aspect of Rebirth as an adaptation.
Unfortunately, whilst I loved the story and characters, I honestly feel like there were many aspects that lacked development and conclusion. Though I am happy for Nomura to experiment with storytelling that subverts the original and includes the many potential worlds within this universe, I feel that none of this pays off and still leaves me wondering what was the point of this trilogy. The biggest victim is Zack, my favourite Final Fantasy character, who whilst gets his place in the spotlight, feels completely irrelevent and exists for the purpose of fanservice. I'm excited to his future potential role in the trilogy, though I was unsatisfied with his role within this game. Man was on the box cover and got no major involvement. Cringe. The conclusion to the story also felt very confusing and complicated, but I am hopeful that the final game recontextualises the entire trilogy. A lot of hope that may never pay off, but I am optimistic.
Overall, you can really feel the love that the developers imbued into the game, and I feel that Rebirth symbolises what video game remakes should strive to be, not a one-to-one adaptation, but to improve and enhance the original. I love this game and can't wait for part 3.
Also Queen's Blood is fucking based.
Whilst the side content of 'Remake' felt conditional and dull, 'Rebirth' immediately grips you into its enviroment with a plethora of content that always kept me engaged. This is most evident with the characterisation and development of the main cast, as they are fully explored through many means of storytelling, to the point where they feel so much more fleshed out than their original counterparts. This is the most successful aspect of Rebirth as an adaptation.
Unfortunately, whilst I loved the story and characters, I honestly feel like there were many aspects that lacked development and conclusion. Though I am happy for Nomura to experiment with storytelling that subverts the original and includes the many potential worlds within this universe, I feel that none of this pays off and still leaves me wondering what was the point of this trilogy. The biggest victim is Zack, my favourite Final Fantasy character, who whilst gets his place in the spotlight, feels completely irrelevent and exists for the purpose of fanservice. I'm excited to his future potential role in the trilogy, though I was unsatisfied with his role within this game. Man was on the box cover and got no major involvement. Cringe. The conclusion to the story also felt very confusing and complicated, but I am hopeful that the final game recontextualises the entire trilogy. A lot of hope that may never pay off, but I am optimistic.
Overall, you can really feel the love that the developers imbued into the game, and I feel that Rebirth symbolises what video game remakes should strive to be, not a one-to-one adaptation, but to improve and enhance the original. I love this game and can't wait for part 3.
Also Queen's Blood is fucking based.