Square Enix is facing significant criticism following the re-release of the original Final Fantasy 7 on Steam. Intended to provide quality-of-life improvements, the update has instead triggered a wave of negative feedback, pushing the game's user rating down to 'Mostly Negative' with only 36% positive reviews at the time of writing.
Released on February 24, the new version replaced the 2013 Steam edition entirely. While it introduced features such as a 3x speed mode, the ability to disable random encounters, and autosave functionality, technical issues have marred the experience. Players report that the increased speed does not sync correctly with battle animations and menus, making gameplay feel disjointed and 'wrong.' Additionally, users have noted blurry textures affecting both gameplay and cinematic sequences.
Resolution Restrictions and Backlash
A major point of contention is the removal of resolution options. The updated port forces a 4:3 aspect ratio, removing the ability to stretch the screen or select other resolutions that were available in the 2013 version. Because the new edition replaces the old one on the storefront, new buyers are stuck with these limitations, though previous owners can still access the legacy version.
Square Enix issued a patch shortly after launch to address speed issues in certain scenes and apply minor bug fixes. However, the studio has not yet addressed the resolution restrictions. Community members have expressed frustration that the older, functional version was delisted in favor of what many consider an inferior port, with one user mocking the visual fidelity by suggesting they would rather play the older version 'without glasses on' to replicate the experience.
In other franchise news, director Naoki Hamaguchi recently commented on the progress of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, confirming that the core game experience is nearly complete. He assured fans that the decision to expand to multiplatform releases, including Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox, would not compromise the quality of the upcoming third installment.
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