Midgar in the palm of your hands
By Paul Hunter
I played Final Fantasy VII Remake back on PS4, then checked out Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on PS5 for the new Yuffie DLC and visual/performance enhancements, so I was really excited so how all this translates to the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
The Nintendo Switch 2 port finally brings this beloved game portable and includes all the Intergrade additional content, including Episode INTERmission, and quality-of-life options like fast-forwarding dialogue and streamlined progression, letting you move through the adventure at your own pace. It’s an easy recommendation if you’re itching to return to Midgar, and it’s a welcoming entry point if you’ve only heard the hype for years.
So, let's dive in to see what this Midgar trip on Nintendo Switch 2 has to offer!
It opens with the iconic AVALANCHE bombing run on a Shinra Mako reactor, bringing leader Barret Walace and his his hired hand Cloud Strife. Cloud’s is a former SOLDIER, Shinra's elite force, and you can feel that history through how he reacts to Shinra and how others react to him. From there, the story starts adding a bigger mystery layer, with visions of Sephiroth and the Whispers showing up to hint that this remake is willing to alter some of the original game's biggest moments.
What I love most is how much time each cast member gets to shine. Cloud, Tifa and Barret are such rice and layered characters, and Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie get enough room to stick with you long after their scenes end. The script also knows when to lighten up, with banter that breaks the tension at the right moments.
Episode INTERmission is included as well, following Yuffie and Sonon during a Wutai mission in Midgar centred on an “ultimate Materia.” I treated it like a post-game side story, and it fits perfectly there.
The real fun comes from party swapping and setting up enemy staggers. You can rotate between Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Aerith depending on the situation or what the enemy is doing. Cloud focuses on offense with his Operator and Punisher styles, Tifa is great for pressure and building up stagger, Barret handles ranged threats and airborne targets, and Aerith brings huge value with support and healing spells. Limit Breaks and summons are your team's biggest, flashiest attacks and they can swing boss fights in your favour quickly when timed right.
Your build is mainly centred around Material, which are gems you lot into Materia slots on weapons and bracelets to add spells and passive effects. Materia is coloured, with green used for Magic, blue used for Support, yellow for Commands, purple for stat boosts, and red for Summons. Using materia can you build out your characters in any way you choose, Cloud could be a magic user or Barrett could focus on summons and buffs, it's all for you to decide how best to develop your team. What's cool, too, is weapon abilities can be learned and kept even when you swap gear, so I found myself constantly tuning my team's setup as the chapters rolled on.
Sidequests and mini-games add a ton of variety, with stuff like darts, squats, and the Honeybee Inn dance being my favourites. The Nintendo Switch 2 build also supports a few difficulty options, including Classic Mode and Hard Mode after finishing, and the Intergrade streamlined progression toggles are back, which lets you toggle things like increasing XP gains or dealing the max 9,999 damage.
Overall, graphically it looks similar to the PS4 version, albeit with some of the PS5 visual improvements due to the Switch 2's DLSS upscaling. A handful of fuzzy textures and light shimmering is present, particularly around characters' hair, but all said it's an impressive port and certainly a showcase title for what the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of.
Turning our attention to audio, the voice acting is top notch, and the soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Mitsuto Suzuki is among the best the Final Fantasy series has ever seen with rearranged favourites and new tracks that amplify the intensity of scenes.
Finally, looking at performance, the game targets a locked 30fps and it held steady for me in docked play. Handheld had brief stutters during some cutscenes and transitions when lots was happening on screen, but for the most part it held firm.
Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
I played Final Fantasy VII Remake back on PS4, then checked out Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on PS5 for the new Yuffie DLC and visual/performance enhancements, so I was really excited so how all this translates to the Nintendo Switch 2 version.
The Nintendo Switch 2 port finally brings this beloved game portable and includes all the Intergrade additional content, including Episode INTERmission, and quality-of-life options like fast-forwarding dialogue and streamlined progression, letting you move through the adventure at your own pace. It’s an easy recommendation if you’re itching to return to Midgar, and it’s a welcoming entry point if you’ve only heard the hype for years.
So, let's dive in to see what this Midgar trip on Nintendo Switch 2 has to offer!
Story and Narrative
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade focuses on the the first act of Final Fantasy VII set in Midgar, where the slums sit in the shadow of the upper class plates above. The Shinra Electric Power Company's control is everywhere, and the story builds a strong sense of contrast of the people scraping by below versus the upper elites who holds the power.It opens with the iconic AVALANCHE bombing run on a Shinra Mako reactor, bringing leader Barret Walace and his his hired hand Cloud Strife. Cloud’s is a former SOLDIER, Shinra's elite force, and you can feel that history through how he reacts to Shinra and how others react to him. From there, the story starts adding a bigger mystery layer, with visions of Sephiroth and the Whispers showing up to hint that this remake is willing to alter some of the original game's biggest moments.
What I love most is how much time each cast member gets to shine. Cloud, Tifa and Barret are such rice and layered characters, and Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie get enough room to stick with you long after their scenes end. The script also knows when to lighten up, with banter that breaks the tension at the right moments.
Episode INTERmission is included as well, following Yuffie and Sonon during a Wutai mission in Midgar centred on an “ultimate Materia.” I treated it like a post-game side story, and it fits perfectly there.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade nails that hybrid real-time and menu-based combat sweet spot. You move in real time, throwing out combos, dodging, and defending, while building the ATB gauge that powers your biggest moves. Once you build ATB up, you use menus to slow things down and pick abilities or spells, and the same system is used for items like potions and phoenix downs.The real fun comes from party swapping and setting up enemy staggers. You can rotate between Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Aerith depending on the situation or what the enemy is doing. Cloud focuses on offense with his Operator and Punisher styles, Tifa is great for pressure and building up stagger, Barret handles ranged threats and airborne targets, and Aerith brings huge value with support and healing spells. Limit Breaks and summons are your team's biggest, flashiest attacks and they can swing boss fights in your favour quickly when timed right.
Your build is mainly centred around Material, which are gems you lot into Materia slots on weapons and bracelets to add spells and passive effects. Materia is coloured, with green used for Magic, blue used for Support, yellow for Commands, purple for stat boosts, and red for Summons. Using materia can you build out your characters in any way you choose, Cloud could be a magic user or Barrett could focus on summons and buffs, it's all for you to decide how best to develop your team. What's cool, too, is weapon abilities can be learned and kept even when you swap gear, so I found myself constantly tuning my team's setup as the chapters rolled on.
Sidequests and mini-games add a ton of variety, with stuff like darts, squats, and the Honeybee Inn dance being my favourites. The Nintendo Switch 2 build also supports a few difficulty options, including Classic Mode and Hard Mode after finishing, and the Intergrade streamlined progression toggles are back, which lets you toggle things like increasing XP gains or dealing the max 9,999 damage.
Presentation and Audio
Presentation-wise, the Nintendo Switch 2 port is nothing short of impressive. Midgar still feels dense, busy, and full of personality, and I particularly details like this city's grime and industrial clutter that all adds to the mood. The lighting is similarly excellent, with the city signage and street light looking excellent on Nintendo's handheld.Overall, graphically it looks similar to the PS4 version, albeit with some of the PS5 visual improvements due to the Switch 2's DLSS upscaling. A handful of fuzzy textures and light shimmering is present, particularly around characters' hair, but all said it's an impressive port and certainly a showcase title for what the Nintendo Switch 2 is capable of.
Turning our attention to audio, the voice acting is top notch, and the soundtrack by Nobuo Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Mitsuto Suzuki is among the best the Final Fantasy series has ever seen with rearranged favourites and new tracks that amplify the intensity of scenes.
Finally, looking at performance, the game targets a locked 30fps and it held steady for me in docked play. Handheld had brief stutters during some cutscenes and transitions when lots was happening on screen, but for the most part it held firm.
The Verdict
Square Enix delivers an outstanding port of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade with beautiful graphics and a locked 30fps performance target. The Midgar story remains one of the best ever in an RPG and nicely sets up the rest of the trilogy, which is also expect to land on Nintendo Switch 2. Whether you’re revisiting this chapter after playing on PS5 or jumping in for the first time, this is an excellent way to experience one of the genre’s most celebrated remakes on Nintendo’s new system.Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS4Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.