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With Final Fantasy VII Remake, deciding on the Switch 2 version of the game isn’t as simple as it coming down to the best way to go portable with the JRPG. The PC version runs pretty well on a Steam Deck! Instead, other factors come together with that element to making this release feel valuable. The handheld option is a small part. There is it being a fully complete package, due to the Intergrade Intermission DLC inclusion and Streamlined Progression launching alongside it. It’s getting to play this updated version on a Nintendo console. So when everything is pulled together, FFVII Remake feels like an early showcase of what Square Enix can do on a Switch 2 with a game I absolutely loved. It feels worth playing on this system too.
As a quick refresher, Final Fantasy VII Remake acts as a retelling of a slice of the original FFVII, with the Switch 2 and other versions focusing on Cloud Strife’s return to Midgar after being away for five years, reuniting with childhood friend Tifa Lockheart, joining her in the revolutionary group Avalanche against Shinra, and dealing with the realization that Sephiroth, the SOLDIER who was his former commander that went rogue, is still alive. This also leads to him meeting the last Ancient, a Cetra named Aerith Gainsborough, and acting as her bodyguard. While in the original game this was probably about 1/6 of the overall adventure, it’s significantly more fleshed out here, and this being the Intergrade release means access to an additional DLC campaign following Wutai ninja and agent Yuffie Kisaragi and her ally Sonon Kusakabe working with another Avalanche branch during that same time period to strike Shinra.
One of the first reasons Final Fantasy VII Remake feels like such a success on the Switch 2 is the fact that it looks and runs well on the system. It is at a stable 30fps, which I felt worked really well in handheld mode and stayed consistent. Docked, it seemed to be at 1080p, which isn’t as impressive as the PS5 or PC releases, but I think it still looks good. I primarily chose the portable option when playing, and I didn’t notice any lag freezes, or issues running things. In fact, the battery life seemed comparable to other Switch 2 releases post-launch patches, so it seemed like I’d get a few hours before needing to recharge. Visually, I noticed the downgrade from higher-power platforms to here seems most noticeable when looking at certain textures or elements of character models. Like look at a character’s hair or their face when you’re outside an event scene and in photo mode, and you’ll see it. But in action, it seems more forgivable in action and when in handheld mode due to the resolution and movement.
In that respect, I actually think it performs better on the go than a Steam Deck version of the JRPG. I’d usually only get under two hours before needing to plug in and recharge. With the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it seemed like I’d be okay for about three hours. Perhaps it was just luck or the decisions I’d made on a system level with regard to brightness and installations (I installed on the console itself and not a microSD card), but it worked for me. So even though it might not be the sharpest and best looking version of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it looking and running as well as it does on the Switch 2 with this FFVII not being as terrible a battery-drainer does feel like it helps.
The Streamlined Progression also feels like a positive, though I suspect it might be so more for returning players like myself. These tend to fall into two categories, and each have their merits. As Square Enix mentioned ahead of launch, you can set constant max HP, constant max MP, Limit Gauge always full, ATB gauge always full, and constant max damage as options to speed through situations. I honestly used it both to test how it works and to get through a few sections that would normally take a bit longer so I could try out more of the game ahead of covering it. So, for example, all of Chapter 1, getting through the shortcut in Chapter 9, and heading through the sewers and train graveyard in Chapters 10-11 so I could get back into the more substantial areas.
Meanwhile, the other Streamlined Progression elements added in the Switch 2 version of FFVII Remake and showing up in the PS5 and PC the same date sort of feel like head-start or better position options. Constant max recovery items and constant max gil are both things I turned on as I started the game to ensure I had things, then turned off once I started. Why? So I didn’t need to scour for every chest and could focus on mainlining the story. I could see that being helpful for others too. 2x EXP and 3x AP gain could be good for newcomers or people who, again, want to not worry about any grinding. I found Max Materia Levels helpful once I got to Chapter 11, as by then I had a full party, a good selection of Materia, and wanted to be sure people had what they needed and it was in the best position for my movesets without grinding. Again, it felt like a nice option.
There are only a handful of things that do make me feel like Final Fantasy VII Remake isn’t as optimal on Switch as it is on the PS5 or PC. The first is an issue that I think could be fixed with a patch, and I’m hoping we see it adjusted. After I hopped into the game, the options already had the game at optimal brightness, 10 out of 10, no wiggle room for HDR Luminence, HDR Brightness, and UI Brightness, and… it all still looked pretty dark at times. I suspect this is something that was unintentional and we could see a post-launch patch address it. Because it did feel like I could have used a little more “brightness” rather than going even darker.
The file size issue on Switch 2 is also a big problem for Final Fantasy VII Remake. It’s starting out at needing a ton of space. Even ahead of launch, Square Enix said 95GB minimum is required. This is before any patches. Given this is also a game-key card and not a standard Switch 2 cartridge, it’s a bummer. I would love to leave this on my system for a while and really take my time revisiting and enjoying elements of it. I can’t, because it is huge. And there’s no way to fix this, barring Square Enix hopefully realizing that it needs to go with a regular cartridge when Rebirth‘s time comes.
Final Fantasy VII Remake is a take on FFVII that I really loved and, while the Switch 2 version isn’t the most powerful, it’s still impressive. It works so well on the handheld. The battery doesn’t drain as swiftly as I expected. It looks good in handheld mode. The Streamlined Progression options can make it a walk in the park, but can also offer just a bit of a boost to eliminate grind. It’s handled very well and leaves me feeling encouraged about what Square Enix is capable of when it comes to the Switch 2.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will appear on the Switch 2 and Xbox Series X on January 22, 2026, and it is already available on the PS4, PS5, and PC worldwide.
