At this year’s PAX West I had the exciting opportunity to play Final Fantasy VII Remake on Switch 2, specifically its Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade version.
While my time with the remake of the beloved seventh entry in Square’s long-running RPG series was short, I was very curious how the port runs on Nintendo’s new and upgraded hybrid handheld. How does the remake perform on Switch 2? Find out in our Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on Switch 2 preview!
Previous reports for other big games being crammed onto Switch 2 like Elden Ring had some fans concerned, though I can say without a doubt Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade ran like a dream on Switch 2 during my entire time with it.
The demo for Final Fantasy VII Remake for Switch 2 naturally starts with the original opening, which still hits just as hard. The opening bombing mission, combined with the classic themes from Nobuo Uematsu’s score, all in glorious HD video and audio performed great on Switch 2.
Square Enix promised that the remake would run at 30 FPS with “smooth performance and crisp visuals” and it looked fantastic even in handheld mode. We actually demoed the game on both handheld and docked mode, and the Scorpion Sentinel boss battle never seemed to have issues with performance.
It’s honestly mind-boggling how the scientists at Square Enix managed to cram the absurdly pretty Final Fantasy VII Remake onto Switch 2, and without any noticeable downgrades or sacrifices.
For anyone that somehow lived under a rock and never played the original Final Fantasy VII or its remake, the game starts with an ex-corporate mercenary joining an anarcho-terrorist group to destroy a power planet. The same group says the power plant is killing the planet, and thus your adventure begins.
While the original Final Fantasy VII had turn-based combat, its remake shook things up a bit and introduced a hybrid form of turn-based and real-time combat. You can actively attack your enemies while also issuing out timed commands like special attacks. I honestly loved the game’s approach to combat.
Despite everyone talking about the second part of the game’s remake, Rebirth, and even the remake’s unreleased and third part, it’s always fun to go back to the epic classic’s origins. There’s something absurdly stylish and engaging to see Midgar in its full glory and the main characters thrust into a perilous struggle.
Since the demo starts from the very beginnings and leads into that first boss battle, I didn’t have time to get to the more dense slum areas you go to afterwards. It’s possible the more demanding areas might see Switch 2 struggle but after seeing how lock solid performance is, I think the game will have no issues.
The original Final Fantasy VII Remake was announced way back in 2015 and finally released in 2020, though it’s only been on PlayStation and more recently PC. While the game is essentially ten years old already, it still looks wonderful and plays effortlessly on Switch 2.
One lingering question for both myself and my fellow Switch maniacs is whether or not Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will get a physical release on Switch 2. While it seems like this isn’t happening, if it does, it will likely and sadly be a Game-Key Card, due to the remake’s absurd filesize.
Should fans of Final Fantasy VII and / or it’s remake pick up the game again on Switch 2? Only time will tell with pricing and if a proper physical release happens, though I can say Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade looks and plays excellently on Nintendo’s new console. For that alone, it’s worth a consideration.
Honestly I can’t wait to get my hands on the full version of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade again when it launches for Switch 2 sometime this winter. It’s also worth mentioning the remake is coming to Xbox, too, also sometime this winter.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade has been available since June 2021 on PlayStation 5 and the original Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on PlayStation 4. Read our review for the remake here and Intergrade here, and our port report on the PC version here.
