Summary
For fans ofFinal Fantasy 7, Square Enix’sFF7 Rebirthgot a lot of things right. The huge world packed full of things to see and do manages to successfully build on the foundations laid byFinal Fantasy 7 Remakein just about every possible way. Stopping just short of being a fully-fledged open-world game,FF7 Rebirthnevertheless gives players a huge degree of freedom to explore the world as they see fit. Chocobos are a huge part of this and will aid the player in traversing the game’s huge maps. They also possess several other useful attributes, such as gliding and the ability to sniff out treasure. CD Projekt Red’s upcomingThe Witcher 4, code-named Polaris, should adopt some of these features to enhance its own in-game mounts.
A sequel to the critically acclaimed action RPGThe Witcher 3has been a long time coming. The 2015 Game of the Year winner is widely considered to be among the best open-world action RPGs ever made, and its popularity even led to a successful Netflix show starring Henry Cavill as the titular Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Currently,The Witcher 4is shrouded in mystery, and it isn’t even known if the game will focus on Geralt or someone entirely new, althoughrecent interviews with the game’s directorsuggested he could well feature in some capacity. Regardless, the game will likely borrow some things from its peers, and the chocobos have something to teach theWitcher’s next horse.
FF7 Rebirth’s Chocobos Play a Big Part in the Game
FF7 Rebirththrows a plethora of traversal options at the player. Fast travel, a buggy, and evenCid Highwind’s Tiny Broncoseaplane are all introduced at different parts of the story to help Cloud and his party navigate the game’s huge maps. Chocobos are easily the most consistent of these traversal methods, though, with each region’s specific breed having different abilities. Some can climb vertical walls, some can glide across long distances, and others are powerful swimmers. All of these breeds share one common attribute that leads to some lucrative loot, however: the ability to sniff out treasure.
While riding across the varied terrain, a blue question mark will sometimes appear above the chocobo’s head. This signifies there is buried treasure somewhere in the area, and the chocobo will handily lead Cloud in the right direction to find it at the press of a button. This is even introduced as one ofFF7 Rebirth’s side activities, in the form of excavation sites that Cloud must clear out by finding all the buried goodies.
The Witcher 4 Should Enhance its Mount Capabilities
InThe Witcher 3, Geralt’s horse, Roach, was one of his most trusted companions. Roach can be enhanced to increase his speed, carry capacity, and ability to withstand enemy encounters without getting scared. Beyond these basic abilities, and of course, being the solitary option for Geralt to quickly traverse the map, Roach doesn’t serve any additional purpose, which leaves plenty of room forThe Witcher 4to be a little more creative in this respect. Allowing Roach, or whatever the new horse will be called, to sniff out treasure across the map will enhance the game’s exploration elements, which is something that CD Projekt Red does particularly well already.
The Witcher 3’s in-game worldis praised as one of its highlights, thanks to its immersive environments that really help to bring it to life. By having the sequel’s mount play more of an active role in exploration, pointing the player towards treasure or even some of the map’s other hidden spots, the Polish developer can double down on its strongest attribute. It remains to be seen exactly how farThe Witcher 4deviates from its predecessor, but fans can expect another exciting and memorable entry into this beloved franchise when the game eventually releases.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
