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| Cloud looks out over Midgar in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2. |
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2 is one of those games that makes you stop for a second. This is a big, modern RPG that always felt tied to PlayStation 5 and PCs. Now it’s running on Nintendo hardware, and the surprising part is that you don’t have to make excuses for it. You just play it, and it feels right.
The big win is that you’re getting the full package. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade includes the main game and Episode INTERmission. You can jump in, stick with the story, and then roll right into the extra content when you’re ready.
After playing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2, what really comes through is how well it holds up. Midgar still feels huge and full of personality, combat clicks once you stop trying to muscle through fights, and the port never gets in the way of just sitting down and playing.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Details
Platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC
Reviewed on: Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: Square Enix (Creative Business Unit I)
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: Role-playing
Game Mode: Single-player
Back in Midgar, This Time With Room to Breathe
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade covers the opening chapter of Cloud Strife’s story, starting in Midgar with Avalanche taking aim at the Shinra Electric Power Company. What begins as a handful of jobs spirals fast, and the game does a great job pulling you along even if you already know where the bigger story eventually goes.
If you played the original Final Fantasy VII, the core beats are still here, but the way they land is different. Midgar is no longer a quick prologue you sprint through. It’s the whole focus, and the game gives you time to sit in the setting and understand what people are dealing with under Shinra’s control. You spend more time in neighbourhoods, you hear more of the background chatter, and you get a stronger sense of why Avalanche’s fight matters beyond the headline version of it.
The Cast Finally Gets the Space It Deserves
The characters are what make this version work as well as it does. Cloud comes across awkward and guarded in a way that feels believable. Barret is loud and intense, but there’s real heart under that volume. Tifa feels grounded and conflicted, and Aerith has this way of cutting through the heavier moments without making them feel smaller. The banter does a lot to keep slower stretches moving, and it also helps the cast feel like people instead of quest markers.
There are changes from the original game, and some are hard to miss. A few moments push in directions longtime fans won’t expect, and it’s clear this is building toward something bigger across the remake trilogy. Not every addition will hit the same way for everyone, but the game commits to its ideas and doesn’t back away from them.
Episode INTERmission fits in nicely as well. Playing as Yuffie gives you a new angle on Midgar and a tone that’s a bit lighter, but it still feels connected to everything going on. It also works as a strong “next step” once you finish the main story, instead of feeling like bonus content that lives off to the side.
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| Cloud during one of the story-driven moments that gives Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade its emotional weight. |
Once the Combat Opens Up, It Really Works
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade mixes real-time action with the Active Time Battle system, and it hits a great balance once you stop playing it like a straight action game. Regular attacks build your ATB, and then you’re spending that meter on abilities, spells, and smart choices that actually change how fights play out. It keeps things moving, but it still gives you that classic Final Fantasy feeling of planning your next move.
Combat really comes together once you start rotating between party members instead of sticking to just one. Cloud is the flexible all-rounder, Tifa thrives when you’re pressuring enemies up close, Barret controls space and handles airborne threats, and Aerith brings big magic support when you give her the room to work. Switching mid-fight feels natural, and the game rewards you for actually using everyone instead of forcing one character to do all the work.
Fights are at their best when you’re watching enemy behaviour, building stagger, and saving your biggest moves for the right moment. On Normal difficulty, the challenge feels fair. You’ll still need to heal, manage resources, and sometimes slow down and think, but it rarely turns into a brick wall.
A Comfortable Flow From Start to Finish
Exploration is mostly straightforward, with a clear path forward and side routes that usually pay off with items or materia. Some level design elements feel older, especially tighter corridors and slower transitions between areas, but it doesn’t derail the overall pace. The mix of story beats, combat, and quieter moments works well, especially if you like making progress in shorter chunks.
The Nintendo Switch 2 version includes the same difficulty and accessibility options as other releases. Classic mode is here if you want basic attacks handled for you while you focus on commands and abilities. There are also optional progression settings that can speed things up for returning players. They can be handy if you’re coming back for a replay, but they can also flatten the challenge if you use them on a first run.
Episode INTERmission is a nice change of pace. Yuffie feels quicker and more agile than the main cast, and the extra content slots neatly into the package without dragging on.
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| Cloud clashes with an enemy during combat, showing off the fast-paced action in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade. |
A Surprisingly Strong Showing on Nintendo Switch 2
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade looks better on Nintendo Switch 2 than most people probably expect. Midgar still feels dense and alive, and the game keeps its atmosphere intact while you’re moving through the world and watching story moments play out.
For me, handheld play is where this version feels most at home. The smaller screen helps smooth out rougher edges, and the lighting and mood still come through clearly in places like the slums, reactors, and nightlife-heavy areas. Docked mode looks cleaner overall, but the lower resolution is easier to notice on a larger display.
The game runs at 30 frames per second and, for the most part, sticks to it. I noticed a few brief dips during busier moments or when a lot of effects were on screen, but combat stayed smooth the whole time, which is what really matters. Some textures look a bit soft up close, and there are a few visual shortcuts if you go looking for them, but none of it pulled me out of the experience. Once I was moving through Midgar and getting into fights, everything felt solid.
The sound work holds up really well. The music still does a great job setting the mood, and the voice acting never feels phoned in. Whether I was playing handheld or on the TV, everything sounded clean and balanced.
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| Boss fights in Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade highlight the game’s scale, effects, and sense of impact during combat. |
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Feels Like a Natural Fit on Nintendo Switch 2
After playing Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2, it feels way more natural than I expected. It doesn’t feel like something squeezed onto the system just to say it runs. Once you’re in a few chapters deep, it stops feeling like a “Nintendo Switch 2 version” entirely and just feels like you’re playing Final Fantasy VII Remake, only in a form that’s easier to pick up and play whenever you want.
There are trade-offs. The 30fps cap is noticeable at times, and some visual details are softer than what you’ll see on PS5 or PC. But once you’re actually in Midgar, those things fade pretty quickly. Combat still feels great, the story still lands, and the overall mood is still there.
Having Episode INTERmission included helps a lot too. It adds a nice change of pace, gives Yuffie time in the spotlight, and makes the package feel complete rather than stitched together. Being able to play the whole thing either docked or handheld only adds to the appeal, especially if you like chipping away at a long RPG over time.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade Review Summary
Liked
- Combat feels better the more you swap party members and use what each character does best
- Midgar still has that scale and mood that makes it easy to get pulled in
- Episode INTERmission fits naturally and feels worth playing
- Handheld play on Nintendo Switch 2 feels surprisingly comfortable
- The soundtrack and voice work are fantastic
Didn’t Like
- Some textures and background details look softer, especially in busier areas
- The 30fps cap is noticeable at times if you’re used to PS5 or PC version.
- If you already finished the game elsewhere, there isn’t much that feels new outside of Episode INTERmission
Overall Assessment of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Nintendo Switch 2
Gameplay: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 / 5)
Presentation: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.0 / 5)
Performance: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.0 / 5)
Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 / 5)
Fun Factor: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 / 5)
Overall Value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5 / 5)
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