As a long-time Final Fantasy fan, I went into Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis with cautious optimism, hoping for a nostalgic yet engaging experience. Unfortunately, what I found instead was one of the most blatant “pay to win” titles I’ve ever played, wrapped in a convoluted system that feels designed to frustrate rather than entertain.

First and foremost, there’s barely any gameplay to speak of. Most missions are short, shallow encounters with minimal strategy required, leaving the whole experience feeling more like a series of automated cutscenes than an actual RPG. Worse, the storyline is practically impossible to follow, since missions constantly jump around the timeline without explanation. Anyone coming in for a cohesive retelling of the Final Fantasy 7 saga will walk away confused and disappointed.

The constant stream of “rewards” is another glaring problem. Instead of feeling satisfying, they come across like the psychological bait of a slot machine. Everything in the game, from unlocking equipment to powering up characters, is tied to gacha pulls and random drops, creating the atmosphere of a gambling addict’s dream rather than a true RPG progression system.

Speaking of progression, the user interface is a nightmare. Overly complicated menus and poorly explained mechanics make it nearly impossible to engage with equipment upgrades in any meaningful way. Half the time you’re left wondering what you’re supposed to be doing, unless of course, you’re willing to spend money.

And that’s really the heart of it: this game is a cash grab through and through. You’re constantly encouraged (and in some cases practically forced) to purchase premium currency just to progress. There’s little explanation for how one is supposed to advance without spending money, leaving free-to-play players completely out of the loop.

In the end, Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis is a shallow, confusing, pay-to-win mess that relies on nostalgia and the Final Fantasy brand name to lure players into its monetization trap. For fans hoping to relive the magic of Final Fantasy 7, this isn’t it, it’s just another gacha treadmill dressed in familiar clothing.

Verdict: 2/10 – A hollow experience, more interested in your wallet than your enjoyment.

What is going on here... I really really reaaaally wanted to like this.. i spent 5 minutes straight on screens for what seem to be weapon skins and what not ... i thought i was going to replay the game that has a special place in my heart and i feel like im in a fort night lobby. these missions are broken up into 30 seconds things.. like , meeting the flower girl, that whole exchange was a mission , its like 4 minutes. its weird. I don't like it. im going to try to hack it out for a while and see if im just being wierd, but this isnt what i was hoping in the slightest.

Greed, greed, and more greed. There's so much greed and shade going into this game's design that I'd honestly bet it's banned in some countries. All gachas are predatory, but this one is setting records.

If you decide to play it, just focus on the story. You can get enough progression in to complete it without having to spend a dime, though it will probably take you a while in that case. Patience and diligence are key.

As for the story itself, you can expect to see some new stuff mixed in with the old. It contains a lot of content you'll probably never see in another game. So, if you're serious about knowing all you can about the Compilation of FF7, your choices are to play this or go buy the newest Ultimania.