There is a persistent amount of scepticism surrounding new AAA Nintendo Switch 2 ports. To date, there has been an array of examples to follow. Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut on Nintendo Switch 2 is smooth as butter, and loaded with detail. Sonic x Shadow Generations looks marvellous. But Hitman: World of Assassination wasn’t quite there on launch. And recent reports have flagged possible concerns about Star Wars Outlaws on the platform.
For every great port, there’s a misstep, and so new releases are eyed with a degree of caution. Heading into a preview for Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Nintendo Switch 2, I know I had my doubts. Which is really what made my experience so satisfying. There’s nothing better than being proved completely, wonderfully wrong. This game runs like a dream on Nintendo Switch 2.
My preview comprised the opening chapters of the game, from its dramatic, darkly-lit opening cutscenes to the explosion of Mako Reactor 1, and Cloud’s meeting with Aerith. The experience, for better or worse, brought me right back to the early days of 2020, playing through Final Fantasy 7 Remake on my dusty, wheezing PlayStation 4. I only say for better or worse, because the game’s release timing pretty much directly aligned with coronavirus-induced shutdowns and the worst few years of everyone’s lives – but that’s no fault of the game.
It remains a brilliant, snappy, and beautiful adventure – and not just because of Cloud’s pretty, brooding face. Replaying the game on Nintendo Switch 2, you can really see the capability of this console. Characters are rendered with every crisp detail shining – from sweat gathering along foreheads to muscles twitching on hearty arms.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake for Nintendo Switch 2 is packed with detail
If you were to look directly from the most dazzling PC or PlayStation 5 versions of this game, and then back at the Nintendo Switch 2 version, you would notice some difference. You might note that hair is slightly less detailed, with strands rendered with lower clarity. You might notice the same for clothing, and muscle tone. You might also note a very, very slight slowdown in combat.
But if you’re looking at Final Fantasy 7 Remake without that critical eye, and with an understandable that these minor sacrifices mean very little in the grand scheme, you’ll be entirely satisfied by the journey. There is ample detail packed in here, to the point where only the nitpicky would find issue with its quality.
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Controls are responsive and easy to manipulate, making combat a joyful whirl of swords and danger. And in cutscenes, you can sit back to admire each of the game’s heroes on show, with Cloud (naturally) being the most worthy of gazing, with his many layered armour textures, and expressive brooding.
You might also like to look beyond, to see the world of Midgar rendered lovingly, in all its dirt and metal surroundings – lights glow, metal shines, water glistens, and sparks fly.
In my time with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, I was glad to have my assumptions about its performance shattered. While it’s worth noting this was originally a PlayStation 4 game, and the Nintendo Switch 2 exceeds this console generation in horsepower, this port performs incredibly well for its station. The next-gen exclusive Intergrade chapter was not playable in my preview, but given the overall upgrades to textures and how well the base game performs, I don’t expect that will present any trouble, either.
This is, in my experience, an excellent port, all-round. With minimal fuss or fan protest, it simply kicks off, and invites you into a sweeping, magical world of drama and disaster (and lots of pouty-mouthed gloom). If you’ve never had a chance to check out Final Fantasy 7 Remake on any console, or you’re just looking to revisit this epic, the Nintendo Switch 2 version will more than serve your purposes.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade for Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch later in 2025.
