Real-time third-person combat against both humans and monsters is fast-paced and sensationalized, with oversized swords, fantastical guns, and spectacular magic effects. Enemies and allies cry out in pain when struck, but there's generally no blood, except for a handful of non-interactive narrative sequences in which characters may be shot, stabbed, or shown wounded.
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Many people are shown drinking, and playable characters talk about and drink cocktails. Several scenes are set in pubs, and ads for fictional beers are visible in the environment. Non-playable characters are shown smoking hookahs and cigars.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Themes include sacrifice, loyalty, and care for the environment. There are also anti-authority, anti-capitalism messages, with key characters skeptical of almost anyone who has wealth or power. Combat and exploration reward players who show curiosity and strategic thinking.
Positive Role Models
some
Cloud and his friends fight for each other, to protect the planet's environment, and to help strangers they meet along the way. The male and female members of the party tend to fall into gender stereotypes—the men are generally large, brooding, and protective, while the women tend to be ebullient and a little less serious—but they respect each other and are equals on the battlefield.
Diverse Representations
some
The large, diverse cast includes characters with a variety of skin colors ranging from black and brown to olive and tan. Both women and men play key roles, and smaller roles include people who are nonbinary and part of the LGBTQ+ community, such as a charming dancer named Andrea.
Players can select from several difficulty levels and two combat play styles to tailor the experience to their liking. Some game systems and mechanics are complicated, but automated options can help less experienced players avoid frustration. Accessibility options are minimal but allow players to adjust settings for controller vibration, combat lock on, and quest guidance.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second part of a trilogy of games that retell the story of the classic role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. In this game you'll play as a group of characters branded as "eco terrorists" (who are really fighting to save their environment) who battle a powerful corporation that's sucking the magical life essence from the planet. This main party includes characters whose appearances and personalities sometimes play into gender stereotypes, but they respect each other and are equals in battle. The large and diverse cast includes people with a variety of skin tones, sexual identities, and genders. The third-person combat is frequent, featuring sensationalized weapons and magic attacks, but mostly bloodless, except for a handful of narrative scenes in which important characters are shown shot, stabbed, or wounded. Parents should also be aware that dialogue includes moderate profanity ("s--t," "badass", "asshole," "pr--k" ), and that several scenes show characters drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco.
Disclaimer: I am not an adult, I am a 14 year old, but I am writing this with my mother’s oversight. She watched the game as I played it, so keep that in mind. I highly enjoyed playing this game; it has an interesting story, a great soundtrack, and beautiful graphics.
It also has messages of self-sacrifice, forgiveness, love, loyalty, and friendship. The characters stick by each other even in the hardest times. There can also be moments of levity in the game’s overall serious story, especially with Yuffie.
The biggest issues with the game are violence, provocatively dressed characters, and language. Some scenes show small amounts of blood, and characters being stabbed/impaled, shot, etc.
Some of the women wear revealing clothing, including main protagonists: Tifa wears a midriff and miniskirt and Yuffie who wears a midriff and shorts that are unzipped in the front. Some women wear skimpy bathing suits in chapter six. Men are shown shirtless. There is an optional kiss scene between a man and a woman.
The obscenities in the game include
b**ch, b**tard, s**t, d**m, h*ll, p*ssed, and a**.
There is occasional innuendo, but nothing extreme. The game can be hard to watch at times, with some scenes of characters begging for their lives, people being murdered, and characters having traumatic memories come back. One NPC slaps someone in the face and calls her a “hussy”. (This is completely obscure, seeing as it is an NPC in a random area in Kalm, but I thought it worth mentioning.) characters occasionally get drunk, and some characters smoke.
Characters argue. To sum it up, the game has some disturbing moments and immodesty, but overall it is a great game for teenagers and up, but not for little kids.
but the quality of game presented here is high. The main cast are as enjoyable as ever (though some NPCs are as eccentric as ever) and the narrative benefits from the deep and thorough characterization. The combat is improved since the first. Playing as Cloud and parrying an enemy attack with perfect timing is immensely satisfying. Certainly sexualization of characters, moderate profanity, and some darker themes present that are best reserved for more mature youth.
What’s It About?
FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, the second installment in Square Enix's modern retelling of its 1997 role-playing classic, begins where Final Fantasy VII Remake left off, with Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith, and Red XIII venturing beyond the walls of the city of Midgard and ready to explore the rest of the world. Intent on doing battle with the evil mega corporation Shinra and hot on the trail of the human experiment known as Sephiroth, this band of eco crusaders travels from region to region exploring free-to-roam environments filled with fiendish monsters, meeting up with new friends and strangers in need of help. Expect plenty of side quests and mini-games along the way, as well as plenty of dramatic and comedic story sequences that progress the story in ways that those who played the original game will find both familiar and fresh. At the heart of it all is a steady stream of real-time combat scenarios that build off of the systems established in Final Fantasy VII Remake, allowing players to either take full control of every sword swipe and dodge, or play a more managerial role, where they watch the battles and pick and choose specific spells, abilities, and summons at key moments.
If the first part of this trilogy felt a little short and cramped, the second makes up for that. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth gives players a wide open world to run around and discover. Filled with secret treasure troves, one-of-a-kind monster battles, scenic viewpoints, and plenty of beautifully designed towns, it has loads to do and see. Some of the mini-games and tasks may not be favorites for all players, and several of the chores found in each region can become a little repetitive. But players are free to skip just about anything not marked as part of the main campaign. And not to worry: There are plenty of fun and unique side quests featuring colorful characters to keep players interested in learning what might be waiting over the next hill.
What's bound to please franchise fans most is the continuing care with which the designers have treated the original's iconic music, costumes, weapons, and locations. Though everything has been remade with the latest technologies, the angelic harp strums of the main theme are instantly recognizable, Cloud's spiky hair and giant sword remain key facets of his look and vibe, and towns like Junon and Kalm are so detailed and bustling that they feel alive in a way that game designers could only have dreamt about back in 1997. Rounding out the beauty of this game are it's very clear themes on protecting the environment and critical thinking of those who have access and control over it. It's a great game for families with tweens and teens to play together and is sure to spark some insightful conversation.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in media. When it comes to combat, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth goes heavy on the fantasy. Do you think making violence appear plainly unrealistic lessens or intensifies its impact on the player?
Talk about gender roles and stereotypes in video games. Do you think any of the main characters' personalities or appearances include gender stereotypes? Where do you think this could be improved in the game, and how would it change your experience?
Can you draw similarities between how Cloud and his friends are fighting the larger powers to save their environment and the magic that drives it, and what is happening in our world and our climate crisis today?
ESRB rating:
T for Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
Last updated:
August 23, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
