Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s first discount takes $15 off

As legendary as Final Fantasy VII is, even its staunchest supporters have a hard time recommending newcomers to play the original PlayStation’s classic JRPG. The sharp polygonal graphics of the era don’t do the memorable story and characters justice today for many audiences, but Final Fantasy VII Remake was a refreshing first attempt at modernizing it.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — the second game in the planned trilogy — has been out on PlayStation 5 for a few months now, and it’s worth continuing the journey, especially with a $15 discount that brings it down to $54.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop.

Rebirth picks up right where the original left off, with Cloud Strife leading his comrades on a search for Sephiroth across an expansive open world. The latter proposes a selfish, humanity-threatening method of stopping the malevolent and careless Shinra corporation from stripping the planet of its natural energy, which obviously won’t fly for a band of wholesome protagonists.

Compared to the PS1 original, Square Enix expanded the cities surrounding Midgar (the megalopolis that’s the de facto lifeblood of the region) so broadly that many iconic locations are now represented with a richness and depth that wasn’t possible decades ago.

There’s a ton to do in the world, too, thanks to a healthy helping of side content and minigames including card battling, Chocobo racing, and your occasional puzzle. Some may find it a little too much, as Andrew Webster did in his run-through for The Verge’s review, but much of it is largely skippable if you’re only interested in running through the main plot. I have yet to sink my teeth into it since I’m still savoring the 2020 remake, but I’ve heard from quite a few enthusiasts whose taste I trust, and they swear Rebirth has a strong chance to contend for game of the year.