Final Fantasy VII Remake is finally out, and it’s fantastic. Still, even the very best games have room for improvement. Fortunately, since there’s more to come with Final Fantasy VII in the future, Square Enix will have a chance to improve on this great foundation.
Just to be upfront, this is an incredible game and none of these issues are major or game-breaking. But with the benefit of hindsight, there are some aspects that dragged (especially in the back half of the game), and systems that were underutilized. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Spoiler Warning: This article will contain minor spoilers. If you’d like to remain completely blind, we suggest clicking off.
Materia Pacing
As in the original, the Materia system functions as Final Fantasy VII Remake’s magic system. It is from this system that much of the games tactical depth stems, and you can make some really cool builds by carefully combining abilities and spells.
The problem is that while you get some useful abilities that add additional mobility (like Deadly Dodge) or utility (like Prayer), you get the best stuff too early, and the back half of the game feels stingy in comparison.
You would think the best Materia in the city of Midgar would be found in the depths of Hojo’s laboratory, but you’re actually more likely to find it in the slums or a random Shinra vending machine.
