This is an excellent remaster. I'm shocked I enjoyed it as much as I did. I enjoyed the PSP game, but honestly I thought it had shockingly bad pacing, that the final dungeon was a travesty, and that the strength of Zack and Sephiroth's voice performances were the best parts of the game. So, a remaster that keeps all those problems and removes the best part of the game could only be worse, right? Not at all.

Playing this made me see that I really rushed through my initial playthrough. I really wanted to see that (rightfully) famous ending, and anything that wasn't in service of that felt like it was in my way. I didn't engage with the missions, which meant I was woefully underlevelled for that final dungeon, and random encounters felt much more frustrating than they should have. The newly added ability to dash also really improved this aspect of the game; I could swear that it effectively halves the number of random encounters in the game - a welcome change. Finally, the new voice cast does a great job making the characters their own, and they still shine in their own way. Sure, there are specific lines that don't hit the same, but there's an equal number of new takes that I prefer to the original voicework. The updated visuals far exceeded my expectations of a remaster; it's very easy to forget this is running on the original game's logic though you will notice it at times. Still, It looks magnificent now. The missions, in particular, are significantly improved, while still fairly repetitive in their overall design.

The combat is significantly improved :the new lock-on system is snappy and responsive, and the camera is very good at staying on target. The new way to use actions is reminiscent of FF7 remake and much better for it. The toning down of the DMW, by reducing the size of often repeated 'memories', only serves to improve its impact. Now, when you get a fullscreen cutscene, it really pulls you in; it's Square Enix saying, "sit up, this is worth seeing," and considering how funny or interesting they often are, they're absolutely right. And If you've seen them far too many times, skipping them is easy, quick and seamless. The best change may be that Limit Breaks, Actions or Summons you roll from it are stocked and you can use them whenever you choose now.

This remaster elevates the game by a whole point for me. It still has additions to the FF7 lore that are... questionable, but what is actually essential here is so worth seeing. I really recommend it to any fan of the world of FF7.