After replaying Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I jumped into the DLC for the first time with the second game just around the corner. The DLC makes a strong first impression. Yuffie is an energetic, fun, and confident character that is a blast to play as. I was immediately impressed with how much different the combat felt. Yuffie helped me to see the potential the combat system had compared to what Cloud brought to the table in the main game.

Soon you reach the first main hub in Sector 5 where we are introduced to the other highlight of this DLC, Fort Condor. Similar to the tower defense game of the original, Fort Condor has been retooled to a competitive game similar to Clash Royale. It instantly became the highlight for me, finding people to battle, getting more units, unlocking new boards. The side quest featuring Fort Condor ended way too quickly but again, the potential is clear. Potential is really the focus of the DLC. You see time and time again how the developers are now toying with new ways to interact with this world and this DLC is a taste of what they have in store for the next game. This is true of the music too. Not all of it landed as well as Remake, but the Jazz tracks were an awesome inclusion with a lot of interactive moments that really made it shine. Also, SHOOTIE HG is back!

So what doesn’t land in this DLC? The whole last half. This DLC is around 4 hours long if you do everything, and the last 2 hours feel like wasted space. It’s a lot of battles over and over against enemies we’ve already seen without any real development of the story and characters. Top that off with a final boss that feels like it’s in the completely wrong game and I finished the DLC feeling disappointed. It felt like more of a showcase for things to come then a vital part of story telling and world building.

Would I recommend playing it? If you have the time before the next game comes out, then yes, this DLC will absolutely get you excited for what’s coming next. Once the next game is out though, I feel that this DLC won’t stand on its own, with so much of it being a showcase of what’s coming next. When we have what’s next, then why go back to a simplified preview of it?

Soundtrack/Audio
+ One of the strongest soundtracks of all time
+ Music is very interactive
- Audio mixing is inconsistent. Some voices to loud, others to quiet
- Voice acting

Graphics
+ Character models are very detailed
+ Lighting sets the mood perfectly
+ A lot of detail, bringing Midgar to life
- A lot of low quality textures (On PS5)
- Lack of depth to lighting during day time

Combat/Gameplay
+ Really engaging combat
+ Great implementation of Materia system
- The puzzles are not engaging
- Side missions felt like padding

Story/Characters
+ Characters are mostly fleshed out well
+ Really enjoyed learning more about the side characters
+ Amazing world building
+ Strong cast of villains
+ Nice balance of light-hearted and serious tones
- Pacing is inconsistent. Long portions of padding
- A lot of sexually charged dialogue does not land. Feels out of place
- Emotional moments don't land
- Ending bosses have no weight to them

This was my second playthrough of Final Fantasy VII, gearing up for the new chapter’s release this month. I found the experience just as exciting as my first playthrough. The game’s environments and set piece moments are show stoppers, and the soundtrack is one of the all time greats.

The transition of classic turn-based combat, with the abilities and materia we know so well, into more dynamic, action-driven gameplay was handled seamlessly. While the narrative changes are a point of contention for sure, they add a layer of anticipation that I really appreciate. And sure, though Tetsuya Nomura’s track record with cohesive storytelling may questionable (I'm looking at you Kingdom Heart), his creativity is apparent, and I’m keen to see where he takes us next.

The game isn’t without its flaws, and I hope a lot of these issues get worked out as they have more time to build on such a strong foundation for the next part. With that being said, I really enjoyed my time with this game. I can say with confidence though that I’m looking forward to experiencing the world of Final Fantasy 7 for the first time all over again.

GRAPHICS
+ Clean design, legible
+ Character and enemy design
+ Variety in world design

- Graphics to simple compared to artistry in later SNES games
- A lot of reused assets

SOUND
+ Sound effects. Clear, distinct
+ Creative use of stereo effects
+ Classic Koji Kondo Melodies
+ Music reacts to gameplay

- Slim variety in tracks
- Not the strongest Mario soundtrack

CONTROLS
+ Responsiveness of controls
+ Mechanics added at perfect pace

- Underwater too slow/limited compared to normal gameplay

STORY
Not a focus

DESIGN
+ New ideas introduce at right pace
+ Difficulty ramp up is perfect
+ Secret levels are harder without being too difficult
+ Multiple level exits

- Timer feels archaic and discourages players from exploring

FUN FACTOR
+ Game is pure fun to control and play
+ 1-Ups are plentiful to avoid frustration

- Few slower levels that bring down pace of game

The game is a classic for a reason. It's always a blast to come back to and play no matter how many years go by. It established a foundation that is still used to this day for 2D Mario games. Some of the games mechanics do feel dated today compared to what has been accomplished in later titles, but for being a launch game on the SNES, it's immensely impressive what they were able to build.