Top PlayStation Game 2024

Square Enix had already proved that it knew what it was doing with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but there was no denying that the first chapter in this reimagining of the 1997 PlayStation classic was overly-linear and stretched much too thin (it transformed just five or so hours of the original game into a 40-hour epic). The trilogy’s middle chapter, this year’s Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, tackles those issues head on, and the result is a grand, expansive RPG that feels like a thoroughly modern Final Fantasy as much as it does a homage to an old-school great.

As with many RPGs, Rebirth made the switch to an open world design, but did so in a fascinating way. Rather than a colossal map, its open world is made up of multiple hubs that represent not just varying environment biomes, but different methods of exploration. One area’s activities may be accessed through simple running or climbing, while another demands the use of an off-road vehicle or a flying Chocobo. All this means that while Rebirth’s open worlds may be filled with traditional genre fare like pick-ups, towers, optional bosses, and a genuinely excellent card game, actually accessing these activities requires you to rethink how you navigate and explore with every new location visited.

Of course, those open zones are also the stage for the grand adventure that is Final Fantasy 7. Freed of the dark city slums of Midgar, the story is able to hit the true highs of the original game, including a humorous stint at the Gold Saucer theme park. These are joined by Rebirth’s own original additions, such as a surprisingly dramatic card tournament aboard a ship and many more sequences we dare not spoil. All this, combined with what is undoubtedly the very best Final Fantasy battle system since the days of the ATB gauge, and you have Square’s most exciting RPG in a very, very long time.