A new version of Final Fantasy 7, the 1997 original rather than a remake, has just been released on Steam. The updated version of the iconic RPG adds a few new quality-of-life features, but the game's story doesn't change at all. Square Enix has made this very clear. Despite very minor modifications, many early adopters of this new FF7 are claiming that it is broken and immediately plummets to mostly negative ratings.
The new version of Final Fantasy 7 has only been out for a few hours, but rumors of problems began spreading soon after it was released to replace its 2013 predecessor. Judging by most of the negative reviews left on Steam, the game's biggest problem appears to be the speeding up during combat.
Combat pacing and resolution issues are at the heart of Final Fantasy 7's negative reviews
One of the new features actually allows you to play the game at 3x speed, but it's not an issue with the intended functionality that players are having trouble with. The game runs at 30fps during combat, which is twice as fast as the original game. It sounds good on the surface, but it doesn't sound like Square is explaining such a change, as many people who have left reviews claim that the combat feels wrong and unnecessarily difficult.
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Conditioner will not solve this problem.
Square is thankfully paying attention, as it has corrected some reviews by pointing out that the increased combat speed issue has already been patched, despite the new version of the game being released only a few hours ago. But another issue rearing its head in FF7's negative reviews doesn't seem to have been resolved.
One problem has been resolved, but another persists.
There are complaints that the new version of Final Fantasy 7 requires you to play it in 4:3. This is understandable, as this was the resolution the game was originally intended to be played in, but players were upset because the 2013 version of the game, which is being replaced by the 2026 version, can still be played at wider resolutions without issues.
Reviews say that this is possible in the newly released version, but it results in screen tearing.
Other complaints include disappointment with the updated visuals, and claims Square forgot to include the actual game in the new download shortly after yesterday's launch. It's unclear whether it's a bug or a mistake on the part of people trying to purchase it or upgrade from an older version. All of this has left many FF7 fans wondering why an updated version of the game was needed, and questioning how a game release with such minor changes could be so poor.
- released
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January 31, 1997
- ESRB
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T for Teens: Blood, fantasy violence, language, mildly suggestive themes
- engine
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Unreal Engine 4
- cross platform play
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PS, P.C.
- cross save
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Players who have already started their adventure on iOS or Android can take advantage of the cross-save feature.
