https://www.eurogamer.net/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-is-underperforming-says-industry-analyst
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has reportedly sold "about half" the sales of its predecessor Remake in the same timeframe.That…
Sales tend to be lower when you only release on one console.
People die when they are killed.
Water is a liquid.
Etc.
Release it on PC then. Enough with the console exclusivity just to bitch that the game isn’t selling well.
This is where I'm at. I played remake on my steam deck and I won't buy a console to play it our any other exclusives.
I really appreciated that they started releasing games on PC too but waiting a couple years is annoying. I greatly enjoyed zero dawn, and am finally enjoying forbidden west but having to wait years was annoying (not enough to get a ps5 though, and if they choose to never release it on PC I would just never play it ever).
Right now I'm also waiting for Ragnarok since God of war was great. But again I'm not buying a ps5 so I'll be waiting until it comes to PC if it does at all.
Furthermore, when it lands on PC it will likely be an Epic exclusive. I'm not buying at that point either because I really disapprove of timed exclusivity. I would rather pirate at that point, TBH.
I’d have played it day one had it come out on PC. They’re the ones deciding to cripple sales.
Since I’ve got to wait at least a year - possibly two if they decide to do a timed Epic exclusivity - there’s no way I’m paying full price and will wait for a sale once it’s on Steam.
I was kind of interested in the remakes until they split it into multiple games.
Is it a retelling of FF7? I don't know.
Should I play the original first? No clue.
Which order should I play them in? No idea.
What is an integrade? Intergrade?
They've done a terrible job at onboarding potential new fans compared to say, Resident Evil.
It isn’t complicated if you try to use your brain. The one that came out first is literally called Remake so yeah it’s a remake of the original. Thus, playing the original is optional. As for what order to play them in, you play the one that came out first, then you play the one that came out second, how is that so puzzling? I’ll grant that the “Intergrade” thing isn’t obvious from the name, but a glance at the product description would tell you that it’s Remake with some additional, optional content.
I apologize for the aggressive tone of this reply. I wasn't personally confused by the remake games, speaking as someone who didn't really pay attention to them at all when they came out because I had played the original and didn't see the appeal in revisiting it. However, I shouldn't have been so rude in expressing that.
This is a really weird and unnecessarily aggressive take. I think that the other person is saying is that the communication about the games has been pretty poor, and it really isn't clear what the right move is. Other games make a lot more sense in both continuity and playing order. I'm not sure why that's such a difficult concept to grasp.
For example , FF7 remake isn't actually a remake. It's only the first act of ff7. Rebirth is somehow act 2? I don't understand why. Some people seem to think rebirth is DLC instead of part 2 and a standalone game at that.
I'm personally an og ff7 purist, and I'm rather annoyed that they split this up into multiple games. I'll just wait until all 3 are released and then... admittedly probably not play them unless they go on sale
You're right, my reply was rude and unhelpful. I don't really understand the confusion because I wasn't confused and I didn't pay attention to the remakes until I decided to try Remake specifically after being immensely disappointed by XVI. Apparently this confusion is wider spread than I thought and at any rate I could've been nicer about it.
Totally understand, and that makes sense, and i can appreciate the clarification and sentiment. I'm just starting XVI and the story is interesting, though the combat is not what i typically look for in a final fantasy game. I guess we'll see how it progresses..
I preordered XVI after playing the demo, but the story started to drag IMO and the combat never really evolves much. I quit soon after a fight where I beat down a gang of raggedy refugees with all my Eikon abilities, then after I won they all got back up as if they just got hit with a Nerf bat.
Oof I'll be on the lookout for that, thanks for the explanation without too much spoiler. I really haven't been fond of combat for the last several final fantasy iterations, but i have some hope that XVI at least delivers on story.
Its a shame because they are really fun games. Lots of nostaloc references as well as twists on the original story, which keep this game fresh. Fun characters, voice acting has high and lows, the new take on old key scenes is great.
Remake is quite linear but still allows for exploration and finding missable secrets. Rebirth has a more open world style mixed with some linear parts to keep the pacing up.
The main thing is it makes a lot of the scenes and story beats from the OG a lot more impactful and meaningful. The animation and acting are (mostly) really good, and I've really enjoyed it so far.
Its easy to think its bloated because they had an entire game for the first few hours of the OG, but its not telling the exact same story, and it really doesn't feel loated when you actually play.
It feels like a whole new game with a great combat system, and it's really worth a go, imho.
I appreciate that point of view, and I'll probably give it a go eventually. Interesting that it's more of a reimagining. To be fair, remake was free on my ps5, but I'll still wait until they're all available. I might try it when the final two are on sale
Well, get your sales numbers up by releasing it somewhere besides PS5. Gone are the days of holding a game or two hostage to create your walled garden for your shitty console.
I'm not gonna buy a PS5 for one game, but I'd probably have even pre-ordered for a steam release
Same. I really enjoyed Intergrade, but I've yet to find a good reason to spend on a PS5 when I have a PC.
Ragnarok was playable on my PS4, Rift Apart and Forbidden West got PC versions that are in many ways superior to the console releases...
Why would I get into Rebirth now when I can play it at 1440p 120FPS 21:9 later?
Maybe if they sold it as one game, instead of selling it in parts and charging $70 for each...
I'm not paying $70 for a single game, much less multiple $70 installments. If you want to choke on what they give you, be my guest, but I'll pass.
I think it's stupid as hell for Square to have not released this on PC at the same time as they did on PS5, locking to a single console is a poor choice especially when that console is as expensive as the PS5 is and has as few exclusives as the PS5 does.
With that in mind though, "a single game" is somewhat of a misnomer. The original FF7 took about 40 hours to play from start to finish, and about 80 hours if you wanted to really 100% everything. FF7 Remake took about 40 hours to play from start to finish, and about 80 hours if you want to really 100% everything.
Is the root of your concern that you're paying too much for too little gameplay? Considering rebirth takes about 50-60 hours to beat and ~80-100 hours to 100%, I don't understand the criticism.
If the answer is that you expected over 100 hours of base gameplay for $70, the problem isn't with Square-Enix, imo. That's before taking however long the 3rd game takes to beat into account, as well (which according to the devs is going to be at minimum the same length as rebirth -- bringing it to over 150 hours of base gameplay for the trilogy.) I think expecting 150 hours of base gameplay in a single purchase for a story-driven JRPG is unrealistic. The only JRPGs that come close would be Disgaea and Persona 5 Royal, and I'd argue that the production costs on both of those are significantly lower because of their art style and the way that story is presented in both.
That said, on flip side, the joy of these games eventually coming out on PC means if you wait long enough, you'll be able to get all 3 and DLC for like $50 total, so there are options for everyone.
To be fair, BG3 is very much the exception. It's a fantastic exception that others could learn from, but an exception nonetheless.
Be that as it may, the only interest I have in this newest iteration of FF7 is as a retelling (or whatever) of the original. If it's going to cost $210+tax for that experience (in full), I'll pass. It's not about the hours, it's about getting the full experience in one package (and the associated price tag).
It's not a single game. It's a whole new piece of software. They decided to make three games on the same Engine to streamline production but it's not an hd remaster of an old game. They are brand new games.
I can understand the perception that it should be one game because it's the story from an old game that has been split up. However if you play it, you'll find out pretty quickly it's actually a whole new story.
There are plenty of cash grab titles out there but I don't think this is the cash grab I think you make it out to be.
It might be that due to so many games getting released, many confuse it for a rerelease or extra content rather than a full game.
It'd be great if we could come back to reasonable naming conventions. Why is "Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Part 2" so unappealing? What even IS an intergrade? I should not have to research or be a.... Biologist, apparently, to know what order I need to play your bloody game in.
Edit: fuckin hell, intergrade isn't even the 2nd game. I give up.
Publishers dont want numbers in the title anymore because they think consumers will be scared away if they haven't played the ones that came before.
Literally reaching past dollars to pick up pennies instead. Everyone I have ever met that has interest in a series with numbered entries always buys the first game, plays it, then decides if they want to keep playing. Companies would be converting consumers to multiple purchases per consumer, but rather are focused only on short term profit and only want you to purchase the new one. Therefore, removal of numbers in game titles.
To be fair, you probably should stay away from a part 2, unless you've played a part 1. It also doesn't keep them from releasing final fantasy {insert number here} consistently. It's vastly short sighted. If I get part 2, which isn't labeled as a part 2, have no earthly idea what's happening, and then find out it's p2, you bet your ASS I'm not buying p1 now lol
Do people not read reviews before buying games? When I was a kid I'd want games based on the box art. Now I read what the game is about.
The naming conventions they're using are still bad, though.
The only reviews I trust these days are Steam, Steam Brigades, and Video Game Dunkey. I have to assume everyone else at this point is on payroll. How many 10/10 did Starfield get? Cyberpunk 2077? Wild Hearts? Wo Long? Dragons Dogma 2?
Side note: I went to metacritic to see what Starfield got from reviews. One of them gave it a 5/5 100% rating, but the opening sentence is "Starfield isn’t a perfect game." Come on guys what do you think 100% means?
But anyway, yeah, I mostly look at user reviews before buying.
I think it's definitely both. I sure as shit would not pick up God of War 18: Ragnarok as a first entry but plenty of people picked it up just fine not realizing.
Even just FF7 Remake: Interobang followed by FF7 Remake: Electric Boogaloo would've made more sense. They ditched the entire remake part.
Just to echo some of the others here, console exclusivity is literally the reason I didn't buy it. I enjoyed most of what they did for part 1, but I am not investing in a console I literally never will play. They also screwed me by releasing the first on ps4, then ps5, then only part 2 on ps5. Who does that? That's a two console investment if you bought in early.
I'll only buy it on PC when all three parts are in a bundle for 50 bucks. Sorry but I won't let them milk me.
But Square Enix were saying all the time that only its western studios were the underperforming ones.
So I will be playing an incomplete (and probably bloated) game on a console I may not have, a sequel to a first part I may have not liked (aren't you glad multiverses exists in fiction?)
I played the first one and while some of the filler was fun, I’d rather have had one single game than this piecemeal release.
Hopefully they do a big all-in-one release down the road where you can play the full story seamlessly. I’ll pick it up then.
Well this is kind of awkward since apparently none of you who have commented have actually played the game. I have played the game. It was actually really really good, surprisingly good. It was more than I thought I would get out of my money for it.
I ended up putting in about 100ish hours. Maybe 120. I felt like I got my money's worth. It had an entertaining premise to everything that happened. It fleshed out everything that was in the original game. I think it was worth the money. I usually can't say that about most games. I agree that it should be on PC as well but it is what it is. It'll be there eventually back on steam like it was the first time.
And for those of you who never even started the first of these part games. The first part, remake was also really good and it was a just solid solid game just by itself. The game alone was worth playing. Even though these games were separated out, they're basically full games by themselves. You could easily play part 1 for about 70 hours. The original final fantasy 7 was only about 50. If you liked final fantasy 7 then you should play these even if you have to wait another 4 years for the last part.
I know it's popular on lemmy to shit on big game companies for doing crap work. You really shouldn't be faulting square for delivering an actual product that was worth the money. This is one of those rare times where the fans asked for a game company to take its time to make a game and they responded by doing just that. That is so rare nowadays that it kind of deserves the money.
I just wanted a remake of the original game. Instead they split it into multiple games as a cash grab. I stopped caring after the first one.
I don't want to pay $70 to play part of a game, especially since nothing carries over from one game to the next. I'll play the third one since it will have an actual ending.