I originally played this game back when it released, got most of the way to the end, got stuck on a boss and promptly put it down. I recently decided to start over from the beginning and see it through to the end, and I'm glad I did - this game was fantastic.
I think I appreciated this play-through more this time around since I've played the original since my first attempt. The references to the original game and where they deviated/expanded on the story was really cool to see, and I really loved how more fleshed out characters like Aerith, Tifa and Jessie were. The fact that this remake only covers the first few hours of the original and is this good is a testament to the care and attention Tetsuya Nomura and the team put into it. There were a few sections that felt fairly padded out to extend the run time, but overall I'm impressed with the story that was told here and how it sets up the next game.
I was a little weary of the hybrid real-time and menu-based combat, but once I got used to it I grew to really enjoy it. I started by just mashing the attack button with Cloud and not doing much else, but after I started switching characters and utilizing abilities/spells better the combat really opened up. Most of the bosses felt challenging yet fair, and I finished the final battle with a good sense of satisfaction as it was the most difficult battle in the game for me.
This game is gorgeous, and the PS5 version that I played this time around looked even better. The facial animations were a particular standout, and I often felt my gaze drawn to the character's faces during cutscenes which is a testament to how well animated this game is.
I had been kicking myself for the last few years that I had gotten so close to the end of this game and gave up on it, and I'm really glad I managed to come back and finish it this time around. I have a deeper appreciation for the remake after playing the original, and I think both are great experiences in their own right - they stand side by side as truly exceptional games.
I think I appreciated this play-through more this time around since I've played the original since my first attempt. The references to the original game and where they deviated/expanded on the story was really cool to see, and I really loved how more fleshed out characters like Aerith, Tifa and Jessie were. The fact that this remake only covers the first few hours of the original and is this good is a testament to the care and attention Tetsuya Nomura and the team put into it. There were a few sections that felt fairly padded out to extend the run time, but overall I'm impressed with the story that was told here and how it sets up the next game.
I was a little weary of the hybrid real-time and menu-based combat, but once I got used to it I grew to really enjoy it. I started by just mashing the attack button with Cloud and not doing much else, but after I started switching characters and utilizing abilities/spells better the combat really opened up. Most of the bosses felt challenging yet fair, and I finished the final battle with a good sense of satisfaction as it was the most difficult battle in the game for me.
This game is gorgeous, and the PS5 version that I played this time around looked even better. The facial animations were a particular standout, and I often felt my gaze drawn to the character's faces during cutscenes which is a testament to how well animated this game is.
I had been kicking myself for the last few years that I had gotten so close to the end of this game and gave up on it, and I'm really glad I managed to come back and finish it this time around. I have a deeper appreciation for the remake after playing the original, and I think both are great experiences in their own right - they stand side by side as truly exceptional games.