Summary
In the weeks leading up to the release ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, much of the discussion surrounding the game concerned the size and scale of its open world. After spending the entirety of theRemaketrilogy’s first installment within the relatively confined space of Midgar,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthwould allow players to branch out and explore the world of Gaia at large, necessitating the use of Chocobos and fast-travel in a way that would greatly differentiate the second installment fromFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. Not only isFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s open world absolutely massive, but it practically requires the player to engage with the game’s helpful map screen and navigation marker system.
After beating the Nibelheim flashback section contained in the first part ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s demo, players quickly come to grips with navigating smaller areas during their time in the city of Kalm. However, that relatively quaint setting gives way to Cloud and the party’s introduction to the game’s first open-world area, the Grasslands, and a quick tutorial of the map menu and its various functions. All ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s tutorials are important for acclimating players to the game’s new systems, but correctly utilizing the map menu and its helpful navigation tools can be a life-saver during the game’s initial hours.
Reliance on the Mini-Map Isn’t Enough in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Thanks to the smaller scale of most ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s interior spaces, players could largely rely on using the on-screen mini-map and tracker that were part of the game’s HUD. There was an option to press the touchpad at any point and bring up a full display of an entire area’s map, but thanks to the game’s sectioning of thedifferent parts of Midgarbetween Chapters of the main quest, players were never on the hook for navigating spaces that necessitated anything more than the elements that were already part of the HUD.
The same can’t be said ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which thrusts players into a massive open-world area that immediately dwarfs any of the single navigable spaces inRemake. Further,Rebirth’s open worldis almost as dense as some of the parts of Midgar but covers much more square footage, making careful navigation and getting one’s bearings a regular occurrence. Thankfully,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s new map menu covers all the bases to make getting around the game’s open world a relative breeze. In addition to placing a temporary pin indicating a point of interest, players can useRebirth’s map menu to accomplish the following:
Using Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Map Menu Often Can Expedite Progress
Thanks toRebirth’s multi-function map menu, it’s easier than ever to track side quest progress and work towards completing all of Chadley’s Intel requests, of which there are many. In theory, players could completely ignoreRebirth’s side content, but to do so would be a waste. Not only does completing side quests and gathering regional Intel for Chadley provide the party with valuable resources and experience, but it also impacts Cloud’s affinity with his teammates. Furthermore, gathering Intel opens up new Materia to collect from Chadley’s Materia Development and can even grant access to new summons. Every one of these things is made easier by correctly utilizing the game’s map.
Ultimately, the more players get comfortable withFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s mapmenu, navigating the game’s world and completing optional content becomes easier and more efficient. And completing more and more side content leads to a cumulative “snowball” effect of improving party strength and bonds, allowing players to tackle more intense challenges for greater rewards.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
