{"id":135742,"date":"2026-01-21T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/#article-196050"},"modified":"2026-01-21T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T11:00:00","slug":"review-final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade-switch-2-a-big-bold-reimagining-and-a-first-class-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/2026\/01\/21\/review-final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade-switch-2-a-big-bold-reimagining-and-a-first-class-port\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Switch 2) &#8211; A Big, Bold Reimagining, And A First-Class Port"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/65d66ab2b9a6d\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/65d66ab2b9a6d\/small.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div id>\n<aside class=\"object object-youtube\">\n<figure class=\"youtube\" data-videoid=\"UG0psxn_cWc\" data-start=\"0\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UG0psxn_cWc?rel=0&amp;hd=1&amp;showinfo=0&amp;modestbranding=0&amp;autohide=1\"><\/figure>\n<\/aside>\n<p>I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve gawked at the opening sequence to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pushsquare.com\/games\/ps1\/final_fantasy_vii\" class=\"external\">Final Fantasy VII<\/a> over the years. From a three-year-old, gazing up at the intro for the first time from the carpet of my living room, to watching the camera zoom out and pan across Midgar in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pushsquare.com\/games\/ps4\/final_fantasy_vii_remake\" class=\"external\">Final Fantasy VII Remake<\/a> back in 2020, I\u2019ve watched this cutscene in its various forms time and time again, and it never fails to amaze me.<\/p>\n<p>So it shouldn\u2019t surprise anyone that I\u2019m in awe once more with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/final-fantasy-vii-remake-intergrade\">Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade<\/a> on Nintendo Switch 2, except this time, I\u2019m watching the same bird fly over Midgar, the kids play in the slums, and Aerith walk through the city all on a 7.9-inch LCD screen. And I\u2019m not just in love with the wonderful music or the perfect set-up to one of the most incredible worlds in RPGs; I\u2019m actually amazed at how good the whole thing looks on my little Switch 2 screen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161491\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161491\/900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 1 of 5\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption generator nintendo-switch-2-handheld\">Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld\/Undocked)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Final Fantasy VII Remake is astonishing on Nintendo\u2019s console, and is easily one of the best Switch 2 ports so far. Yes, there are caveats like 30fps, softer screen resolution, and some fuzzy textures. But Square Enix has clearly put the time and effort in here to ensure the best possible result, and with the Episode INTERMission DLC included as standard too, this might be the definitive way to play Remake on the go.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s how I spent most of my time with it. Honestly, it\u2019s a bit of a revelation: in both handheld and docked, Remake looks spectacular, especially when you\u2019re exploring the iconic dieselpunk metropolis. It\u2019s packed full of people, scrapheaps of junk, vehicles, and flowers and dead grass attempting to break through the otherwise barren grounds. I had to pinch myself a few times as I reacquainted myself with the Sector 7 Slums or the narrow alleyways of Wall Market.<\/p>\n<p>Every single inch of Remake on Switch 2 is a real testament to the lighting, which director Hamaguchi-san <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/news\/2025\/10\/lighting-is-the-crucial-factor-how-square-enix-made-final-fantasy-vii-remake-look-great-on-switch-2\">has acknowledged as key<\/a>. It makes this version appear closer to the PS5 release\u2019s Performance Mode than the original PS4 one. I\u2019d say that playing it docked, other than the lower frame rate and the &#8216;dithering&#8217; around Cloud and other spiky-haired characters\u2019 hair (apparently something to do with the upscaler struggling to interpret subpixel information), I wouldn\u2019t be able to tell at first blush.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161499\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161499\/900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 2 of 5\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption generator nintendo-switch-2-docked\">Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Docked)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Areas like the aforementioned Slums are where those texture problems are most noticeable on flowers and scrap heaps in particular, but this is where most of the original&#8217;s texture problems were, too. NPC faces here are also a little odd-looking, but again, this is an existing problem with Remake on other platforms. Basically, you really have to be paying attention and looking for cracks, or have ludicrously high expectations.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of the frame rate, while docked, I didn\u2019t notice any significant dips at all \u2013 not in combat where I was punching and kicking my way through foes with Tifa or slicing and dicing as Cloud, nor in some of the busiest areas like Wall Market. Even the motorbike sections, where lighting and particle effects are flying around the place, nothing distracted me.<\/p>\n<p>Handheld was a little less consistent, but mostly just during cutscenes and transitions when there\u2019s fire, trains, or a <em>lot<\/em> of close-up movement. And it\u2019s never for more than a few seconds, which I can live with when playing on a small screen. The softer image quality might also take a bit of getting used to, but again, this isn\u2019t a high-powered PC or a PS5. And this is based on the PS5 Intergrade version anyway.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161493\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161493\/900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 3 of 5\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption generator nintendo-switch-2-handheld\">Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld\/Undocked)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>So, the <em>port<\/em> part of Remake is a huge success, and luckily, the game itself is, as well. It\u2019s a fantastic RPG with some of the best combat in the genre, and a complete reimagining of the iconic three-to-five hour sequence of the PlayStation\u2019s original release over 30 hours. And it works.<\/p>\n<p>The action is superbly tuned, focused on utilising your entire party to take down enemies and bosses by staggering them, then dealing a huge amount of damage by using ATB-consuming skills. Every character is very different to play as, too; Tifa is excellent at putting pressure on the enemy and then dealing the big numbers once staggered, while Barret\u2019s long-ranged gun arm can easily take down airborne enemies. You have to engage with every system in order to win, even in Normal Mode.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not turn-based, which I know some purists aren\u2019t happy with, but Remake still incorporates a little traditional RPG with a menu which allows you to briefly pause battles and select skills for you and your allies. I use a mix of menu-hopping and shortcuts, the latter of which doesn\u2019t break up the flow of combat \u2014 helpful for Cloud and Tifa, who are almost always in the heat of action \u2014 and I also constantly switch between characters depending on the situation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161496\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161496\/900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 4 of 5\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption generator nintendo-switch-2-handheld\">Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld\/Undocked)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Touching on the narrative, I want to stress that, while Final Fantasy VII Remake is pretty darn faithful to the 1997 original, it also tests the boundaries of what a \u2018remake\u2019 actually is, particularly towards the end. I don\u2019t like all of the changes, and a few of the new characters didn\u2019t click with me at first, but when Remake nails it, it <em>really<\/em> nails it. Particularly with its characters.<\/p>\n<p>If, like me, you grew up with Final Fantasy VII, it\u2019s incredible to see this world and these characters fully realised on modern hardware. Cloud is not the mopey fellow the Compilation will lead you to believe; he actually has some snark and silliness to his character. And Aerith is just a remarkable human who carries the story of both this and Rebirth on her back \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rpgfan.com\/feature\/more-than-just-a-flower-girl-a-personal-thank-you-to-aerith-gainsborough\/\">I\u2019ve sung her praises before<\/a>, and I\u2019ll keep doing it.<\/p>\n<p>And seriously, the dialogue and banter in this game can be hilarious, with Cloud\u2019s stoicism often challenged by Aerith\u2019s teasing, and Barret\u2019s over-enthusiastic pleas to save the planet batted down by Cloud\u2019s own bluntness. It knows when to balance the levity with serious moments, and that&#8217;s something I think most video games struggle with.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"picture\"><a class=\"scanlines\" title=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\" href=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161492\/large.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.nintendolife.com\/screenshots\/161492\/900x.jpg\" width=\"900\" height=\"506\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review - Screenshot 5 of 5\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption generator nintendo-switch-2-handheld\">Captured on Nintendo Switch 2 (Handheld\/Undocked)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>For those who haven\u2019t touched Final Fantasy VII before and are worried, don\u2019t fret \u2013 even with some of the additions, the Switch 2 port is still an amazing way to experience (part of) one of the most influential games of all time. The story beats are all the same, and the tone and outright weirdness of the original are also all intact, perhaps even better than ever. The new Honeybee Inn sequence alone is worth the price of admission.<\/p>\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nintendolife.com\/games\/nintendo-switch-2\/cyberpunk-2077-ultimate-edition\">Cyberpunk 2077<\/a> is still the best port on the system due to its sheer size and scope, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is close behind for its visual detail, incredible lighting, and largely consistent frame rate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"conclusion\">\n<h2 class=\"heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Even in its attempts to swing big and do something different, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade respects where it\u2019s come from. The classic&#8217;s pro-revolutionary heart is still intact, and it\u2019s never afraid to get a little weird and funny. The Switch 2 version makes impressively few compromises to get this gorgeous-looking game running on the system \u2013 even at 30fps, this looks and feels fantastic.<\/p>\n<p>The fact that everything from the PS5 release is preserved in such excellent fashion here is remarkable, and it makes me excited (and anxious) about Rebirth\u2019s incoming port.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I can\u2019t tell you how many times I\u2019ve gawked at the opening sequence to Final Fantasy VII over the years. From a three-year-old, gazing up at the intro for the first time from the carpet of my living room, to watching the camera zoom out and pan across Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake back [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nintendo-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135742","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135742"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135742\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135742"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135742"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sickgaming.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135742"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}