By the point I spent about an hour with Ultimate Fantasy 7: Ever Disaster, I used to be hit with an amazing wave of familiarity. Not due to nostalgia for Ultimate Fantasy 7, although I’ve fond recollections of that recreation. Fairly, it was as a result of I’ve seen nearly this very same recreation on cellular gadgets for the previous seven years now.

Regardless of what Sq. Enix’s frankly complicated advertising and marketing would possibly depart you to imagine, Ultimate Fantasy 7: Ever Disaster is simply a gacha recreation. Calling it “one other risk for a remake” perhaps isn’t unfaithful, however it’s a bit deceptive. Video games like Genshin Influence and even Sq. Enix’s personal Octopath Traveler: Champions of the Continent have actually raised the bar for cellular video games, so I don’t blame anybody for pondering Ever Disaster can be greater than it’s. However fairly than reaching for these loftier heights of high quality on the again of the Ultimate Fantasy model, Ever Disaster is a firmly complacent title. It’s as gacha as any gacha that you simply’ve ever performed, and we have to set up that earlier than we proceed.

So in brief, Ever Disaster might be not the sport that I think about many hoped it might be. However what if we set all of that apart and simply judged the sport by itself deserves? Does it, on the very least, perform properly as a easy time killer to place in your telephone?

Nicely, now’s pretty much as good a time as any to disclose myself as a gacha recreation sicko to you all.

Disclaimer: All screenshots have been cropped to suit on the web page. Some photographs might not be absolutely reflective of the sport.

Ultimate Fantasy 7: Ever Disaster (iOS [reviewed], Android)
Developer: Sq. Enix, Applibot
Writer: Sq. Enix
Launched: September 7, 2023
MSRP: Free-to-play with microtransactions

Reroll for initiative

My relationship with gacha video games is very similar to my relationship with quick meals. I’m by no means happy with having a Massive Mac, however it’s an itch I must scratch right here and there. In periods of my life after I had extra time than cash, I dipped into nearly each notable gacha recreation I noticed simply to see how meta I may make my account free of charge in every recreation. I’ve performed all the things from Dragalia Misplaced (RIP) to Arknights to Sdorica to Langrisser to BanG Dream! Ladies Band Occasion! to… I feel you get the image.

Ever Disaster particularly involves us by way of Applibot, whose bread and butter veers extra in the direction of the “put recreation on auto battle and watch numbers get greater” model of gacha video games. Their most notable work these days is Sq. Enix’s NieR Reincarnation, which I did usually like. Nevertheless, that one was carried by its writing and authentic story, which makes Ever Disaster an attention-grabbing case. Certain, jamming what seems to be the the entire “Compilation of Ultimate Fantasy 7” into one recreation is an attention-grabbing hook. However Applibot is completely working inside their ordinary wheelhouse right here, which makes Ever Disaster really feel as unusual as it’s unremarkable.

Study the battle system, or not, it doesn’t matter

At first blush, I did assume Applibot would possibly do one thing totally different right here. The tutorial sequence takes you thru Ultimate Fantasy 7’s iconic opening, as a result of why wouldn’t it. You may have free reign to maneuver round and discover, plus the battle system initially seems to have some technique. Gamers need to handle their ATB and choose assaults that always must counter particular enemy mechanics. For instance, boss monsters will sometimes put up shields that require sure elemental assaults to dispel.

Additionally, you may change between offensive and defensive stances so you may put together for stronger assaults. I first thought this would possibly set the stage for a fight system that would, theoretically, develop in complexity as the sport progresses.

Then you definitely see the principle menu correct, the place the sport shortly turns into, once more, a gacha. These free-roaming dungeons turn out to be rarities as the sport takes you thru the identical menu-based motions you’ve seen a thousand instances. Choose a stage, watch a cutscene, play a battle (usually involving three waves of enemies), acquire rewards. Moreover, you quickly unlock auto battle and X2 battle velocity, each of which I’ve but to show off since. Fight is so fundamental that auto battle doesn’t ever do a lot that I wouldn’t usually do. It even stance dances completely and targets these enemy shields so long as you’ve got the suitable elemental assaults.

The excellent news is that the sport doesn’t use a Stamina system to progress by the story. The “dangerous” information is that it does use a Stamina system for all of the supplemental phases you’ll must run to strengthen your workforce. Character improve gadgets, tools improve gadgets, gadgets to extend stage caps, it’s all right here in full pressure. I put “dangerous” in citation marks as a result of I do favor Stamina programs over the hours-long grinds that gacha video games with out them are likely to devolve into. It’s nonetheless all dancing round a time-gated system, and I’m certain you recognize the place your tolerance lies relating to that by now.

Ultimate Fantasy 7 The Abridged Sequence

As for the story itself, I actually dread the thought of anybody first experiencing Ultimate Fantasy 7 like this. Whereas the PlayStation-style graphics are charming, the construction of the sport shortly devolves into Ultimate Fantasy 7 Cliffs Notes. Certain, that intro stays devoted to the unique. Then you definitely meet Aerith on the road, get some textual content summaries, combat some battles, and subsequent factor you recognize you’re at Seventh Heaven speaking to Tifa.

All the recreation appears to focus totally on the key scenes, letting all of the in-between fall to the wayside. In the event you’re the kind of individual that’s nonetheless mad that Tom Bombadil wasn’t in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings, you’ll have a tough time right here.

Moreover, the best way the sport integrates the “Compilation of” content material isn’t significantly coherent. As you’re progressing by the Ultimate Fantasy 7 story, you’ll make your solution to crashing down into Aerith’s backyard within the church. You see Reno of the Turks chasing after you, after which… it’s Disaster Core time? I imply, I may perceive the sport taking pictures over that approach in the event that they at the very least completed this speedy arc. It’d make sense to play as Zack after Aerith mentions him on the playground. However right here it simply cuts off any momentum the story had constructed up.

I’m much less versed in Disaster Core and the remainder of the Ultimate Fantasy 7 prolonged universe, so I can’t particularly clarify how these plots measure up in comparison with the originals. However general, Ever Disaster appears extra intent on giving Ultimate Fantasy 7 followers some nostalgic feels than doing these tales justice. I feel there’s a spot for that sort of expertise, however I don’t assume Ever Disaster fairly pulls it off up to now.

Let’s discuss Gacha

In fact, I’m certain the large query right here is simply how dangerous the gacha is in Ever Disaster. It’s, properly, positively a weapon gacha. Truthfully, the best way the sport introduces its gacha is likely one of the most abrasive I’ve ever seen in a gacha recreation. And on this style, that’s saying one thing.

While you’re launched to the system, you’ll see a sequence of banners. There are the banners you may roll on with paid forex, which in fact present up first. Then there’s the Featured banner, which introduces a lot of guidelines. Right here’s the place you roll on weapons to your protagonists to make use of, however solely by doing 10-pulls are you able to acquire stamps. Each 10-pull can grant wherever from 1-12 stamps, which fills out your Stamp card. Acquire 12 stamps, and you’ll earn a particular costume.

That is the solely approach you may earn costumes, which do not seem within the gacha and do enhance stats. Nevertheless, this isn’t to be confused with getting weapons from the stamp card, which simply ensures a sure weapon will seem in your pull and isn’t an precise bonus. Additionally, don’t combine this up with Ticket pulls, which function on a unique banner and don’t grant stamps. So really it doesn’t matter in case you 10-pull or not right here, simply be sure to know what ticket you’re really utilizing, as a result of there are a number of totally different ones (together with many who price actual cash). Nonetheless with me?

I perceive all of this now, however getting there was a journey. Usually talking, if I want to check a monetization system like I’m deep in a Wiki studying tips on how to play a Souls recreation, it’s most likely too sophisticated. There’s additionally a component of FOMO to this too, since stamp playing cards expire with no indication that your stamps will carry over afterwards. Many gacha video games characteristic “pity” programs that work like this, however few lock distinctive gadgets like costumes to them. I’ve zero doubt this exists to get you to spend extra so that you don’t miss out on that cool Cloud outfit you’re so near getting.

Grind it out

Having mentioned that, though the sport coaxes you to spend cash, I’ve achieved simply fantastic as a free participant. As talked about above, I’ve stored the sport on auto battle and have progressed simply. I’ve to press my Restrict Break buttons so that they’re timed correctly, however that’s it. In the event you’re caught, you simply need to establish which useful resource that you must strengthen your character or weapon and go to the suitable stage to farm it. It will eat your Stamina, however the recreation offers Stamina restoration gadgets out like sweet. I’m actually farming issues as I sort this.

Ever Disaster automates a lot for gamers that the one technique actually comes from figuring out what that you must grind. Hitting the “really helpful social gathering” button does all of your workforce constructing for you, proper right down to outfitting your social gathering with the fundamental protection you want. And for probably the most half, the story content material has been a cakewalk. I’ll must see how the later phases of the sport play out, however you actually don’t want to pay-to-win. Don’t get me mistaken, you completely can pay-to-win, I simply haven’t hit a wall that mandates it. Somebody who simply desires to see the story ought to get by fantastic free of charge.

I’ll say that, for a recreation that just about utterly facilities round its grind, it actually must streamline its menuing. I usually discover myself tapping round for much too lengthy simply to, say, toss improve supplies right into a weapon. Even accessing your primary grind phases requires extra tapping and scrolling that the majority video games of this selection require. I’m used to it now, however for a 2023 gacha bearing the Ultimate Fantasy identify, it feels outdated.

It ain’t all dangerous, I suppose

It’s not like Ever Disaster utterly lacks redeeming qualities. It clearly seems and sounds nice, even when it does reuse a number of belongings from Ultimate Fantasy 7 Remake. And whereas the story takes many shortcuts, it’s charming to see the prolonged Ultimate Fantasy 7 world offered in that PlayStation-inspired graphical type. The cutscenes themselves don’t reduce corners, even when the general story does. It nonetheless seems downright quaint in comparison with, say, Genshin Influence, however the attraction is there.

Moreover, these extra passive gacha video games do sort of work. I imply, there’s a motive we see so lots of them on cellular gadgets. It’s a primal “watch numbers go up and really feel completely satisfied mind chemical compounds” sort of expertise, just like an idle recreation. For somebody who desires that, Ever Disaster does the trick. It’s one for individuals who wish to play one thing but in addition wish to rewatch The Workplace for the seventh time.

Nevertheless, the query for me turns into “why would I wish to play Ever Disaster as an alternative of different gacha video games that do the very same factor?” And actually, except for the Ultimate Fantasy fan service, I’m struggling to seek out the reply. It’s a fairly recreation, and it’s the most recent one on the block. However past that, I don’t know what to let you know. Ever Disaster is one other risk for a remake, however up to now, I’m good with the one we already bought.

I nonetheless wish to give Ultimate Fantasy 7: Ever Disaster a good shake earlier than declaring a verdict. Whereas I’m an honest methods into the sport, I haven’t seen how the sport would possibly evolve on the higher thresholds of its obtainable content material. Tune in subsequent week for my last ideas on Ever Disaster, and we’ll see if there’s any Mako to uncover beneath its floor.