Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second highest rated Final Fantasy game of all time on Metacritic

In one more week, Square Enix will release Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the highly-anticipated second installment in its Final Fantasy VII remake project. The first game reimagined the story of Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockheart and the rest of the gang as they fought against the nefarious Shinra Electric Power Company in the distopian metropolis of Midgar. With Rebirth, they'll be hitting the road to explore the wide world beyond Midgar's borders.

The review embargo for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lifted this week, and critics are pretty much unanimous in their agreement that the game is a new Final Fantasy masterpiece. As of this writing, it's sitting at a 93 out of 100 on review aggregate site Metacritic. Only six Final Fantasy games have ever cracked 90. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is currently the second highest rated Final Fantasy game of all time on the site, behind only Final Fantasy IX.

In general, critics seem to agree that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a huge success for Square Enix. Here's a sampling of reviews:

• Resident WinterIsComing nerd aficionado Camila Domingues, writing for App Trigger: "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth rekindled my love for Final Fantasy with a refreshing twist in a classic story and additions to the gameplay experience."

• Comicbook.com: "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth improves on nearly every aspect of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, pushing the PlayStation 5 to the limit and creating a jaw-dropping experience in the process. Improving on both the Remake and the original version of the game seemed like a nigh impossible task, but somehow, Square Enix was able to do just that."

• IGN: "Final Fantasy VII Rebirth impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion as both a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenge and depth, and as an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long."

• Gamespot: "Thankfully, what Final Fantasy Rebirth succeeds at eclipses what it fumbles. It's a superbly designed gameplay experience that instills a sense of freedom while also making exploration rewarding in a meaningful way. Refined gameplay that makes character synergy a focal point breathes new life into the slick and satisfying combat, and all the while it reinforces the underlying themes of the story. As a game that has the unenviable task of living up to one of the strongest legacies in the medium, it is a worthy second chapter. Whether Square Enix can bring it all together in the third and final part will be the subject of much discussion from here on out. Just like at Destiny's Crossroads, an unknown future beckons once again, and anything is still possible."

Despite the near universal acclaim the game is getting, there are a few criticisms floating around. The main one's I've seen are that the game's numerous diversions and minigames feel a little excessive at times, and that the ending is somewhat divisive. This review from GHLF sums them up pretty neatly:

"In almost every way you can look at it, Rebirth is a huge improvement over Remake. It constantly surprises you with how far it’s willing to go to recreate the moments you love, and even a poor ending can’t undermine the incredible 100 hours it took me to get there. Some of the open-world stuff starts to drag toward the end – especially in regions where the topography is more complex and hoofing it around is like trying to find your way out of the backrooms – but most of that’s optional anyway. I did it because I felt rewarded with special character moments that expanded upon the original game’s relationships in meaningful ways. I don’t know where Square Enix will take things from here, but I’ll be ready to mosey."

Only one more week until we can all play for ourselves and make up our own minds! Final Fantasy VII Rebirth lands on PlayStation 5 on February 29. In the meantime, Square Enix released the Junon portion of the game's demo this week to tide us over.

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