Less than a month into Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s release, Square Enix has lived up to its earlier promise and released a patch addressing earlier concerns about the sequel.
The newest FF7 Rebirth patch, which came as a surprise on March 21, addressed certain issues with character abilities and accessibility of some mini-games. The new patch also includes new visual options designed to address the softness and blurriness observed in the performance mode, aiming for a balance without compromising aesthetic appeal. In addition to this, the patch has made general visual improvements and promises a more stable framerates overall.
Red XIII’s abilities, namely “Supernal Fervor” and “Watcher’s Spirit,” has received minor tweaks to make them less susceptible to being canceled by enemy attacks, enhancing the gameplay experience. Furthermore, the patch addresses issues where the enemies would occasionally become unresponsive, promising a more consistent and challenging engagement across the board.
FF7 Rebirth has been met with a mix of admiration and criticism since its release. The latter, in particular, aimed at Square Enix’s silence. The game’s release was much-hyped following two successful demos that showcased its potential. However, the glaring lack of updates regarding the game’s commercial success is concerning. The company had a relatively rough year despite the strong sales figures of Final Fantasy 16. It had hoped that the release of FF7 Rebirth would help them end the year on a strong financial note. Unfortunately, all signs point to the contrary.
We won’t feel the implications of FF7 Rebirth‘s low sales immediately. Square Enix has already rolled out Final Fantasy 14 for the Xbox, albeit with a controversial feature. On the other hand, the second DLC for Final Fantasy 16 is coming later this year, possibly in time for the game’s anniversary in June with a PC port likely following suit before the year ends. Finally, FF7 Rebirth is expected to get a PC port of its own.
However, with FF7 Rebirthrepresenting a strong effort to cater to hardcore fans of the franchise, Square Enix might no longer revisit previous entries. Already, executives have hinted that remakes are time-consuming ventures. These words could prove prophetic once the Japanese gaming giant no longer pushes through with its plans to re-release Final Fantasy 9 and Final Fantasy Tactics, both of which were included in the infamous Nvidia GeForce Now leak from years ago.
If FF16 and Final Fantasy 15 outsell FF7 Rebirth, the next mainline installment may follow a similar, more casual-oriented route. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but this would take Final Fantasy further away from the direction most fans would like to see it take – a return to turn-based battles.
With that said, we’ll have to wait for updates from Square Enix for further insights into the game’s commercial performance. For now, we might as well enjoy the sharper-looking in-game graphics of FF7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 is currently in development. It’s expected to feature the Highwind more prominently, perhaps taking things with Tifa a step further following her date with Cloud Strife in FF7 Rebirth.
