The Polygon coverage of the Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 trailer made one thing clear: the trilogy has a finish line, but it is not close yet. Players who finished Rebirth want more of that exact action-RPG energy now, not in 2027. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade on PC is still the best place to relive the Midgar arc, and a fresh playthrough on Hard with the materia loadouts you missed the first time is one option, but there is a whole bench of comparable action JRPGs worth a run in the meantime.
We tested seven Final Fantasy VII Remake alternatives on Windows that share its core fundamentals: cinematic action combat, big-cast storytelling, and a long runtime that rewards investment. Genres span pure action RPG, turn-based JRPG, and modern hybrid takes.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Cost | Standout | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Fantasy VII Rebirth | Direct continuation | $69.99 | Open-region structure | Steam |
| Final Fantasy XVI | Cinematic action RPG | $49.99 | Eikon set pieces | Steam |
| Persona 5 Royal | Modern turn-based JRPG benchmark | $59.99 | Confidant system | Steam |
| Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth | Comedy turn-based RPG | $69.99 | Job system depth | Steam |
| Tales of Arise | Action JRPG with party-switching | $59.99 | Mystic Artes finishers | Steam |
| Star Ocean: The Second Story R | Remade classic action JRPG | $49.99 | 2D-HD aesthetic | Steam |
| Octopath Traveler II | Turn-based JRPG with eight stories | $59.99 | Break and Boost system | Steam |
Why “what should I play after Final Fantasy VII Remake” is the question
The community signal across r/FinalFantasy and Steam discussions is consistent:
- The hybrid action / ATB combat is the part players miss most, not just the materia builds
- Cloud’s party dynamics (Tifa’s high-mobility kit, Aerith’s spell loops, Barret’s ranged kit) set a high bar for character variety
- Story pacing in chunked chapters spoiled players on cinematic JRPG presentation
- Materia-style modular build systems are rare in non-FF games and players want a successor
- The wait for Part 3 means roughly a year of bench-warming — long enough to fit a major-budget RPG in between
Each pick below addresses one of those gaps. Picks one and two cover the direct lineage, then the list opens up to genre-adjacent JRPGs that scratch the same itch.
The 7 best Final Fantasy VII Remake alternatives
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — direct continuation
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the obvious first stop. It is the middle chapter of the remake trilogy, picking up the moment after Remake’s ending and adding the open-region exploration the original game built around the world map. The combat extends the Synergy system from Remake with paired character abilities, and the cast expansion (Yuffie, Cait Sith, Vincent) gives the party variety another step up.
For Remake players who want exactly the same combat with more breathing room between set pieces, Rebirth is the only direct option.
Where it falls short: Minigame density divides opinion. Some open-region content feels like checklist filler. The save-import bonuses from Remake are minor.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $69.99 on Steam (discounts visible by Q4)
- vs Remake: Pricier, longer, broader
Switching from Remake: Plan to use the Synergy abilities deliberately; they reward party composition planning rather than just hammering the highest-damage skill.
Download: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Rebirth when you want the direct sequel and accept that minigame breadth is the trade for the open-world step.
Final Fantasy XVI — best cinematic action RPG
Final Fantasy XVI ditches the party system and goes single-character action with DMC veteran Ryota Suzuki running combat. Clive Rosfield wields multiple Eikon abilities at once, swapping kits mid-combo for cinematic finishers. The Eikon-vs-Eikon set pieces are some of the most spectacular boss fights in the genre.
For Remake players who want Square Enix’s other modern action take, FFXVI is the more pure-action sibling.
Where it falls short: No party variety; one character only. Side quests can drag in the middle act. RPG progression is light by FF standards.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $49.99 (regular discounts to $29.99)
- vs Remake: Comparable, action-pure, lighter RPG layer
Switching from Remake: Cycle through Eikon loadouts mid-fight; staying on one Eikon is leaving most of the combat ceiling unused.
Download: Final Fantasy XVI on Steam
Bottom line: Pick FFXVI when set-piece spectacle is the priority and party-switching is fine to skip.
Persona 5 Royal — modern turn-based JRPG benchmark
Persona 5 Royal is the modern turn-based JRPG most players measure others against. Atlus paired a stylish Tokyo high-school setting with a dungeon-crawler combat system, then layered the Confidant relationship mechanic to make every social interaction a stat investment. The Royal expansion added a full extra term and the strongest dungeon in the game.
For Remake players who want a turn-based palate-cleanser from a different studio doing modern JRPG at the top of its game, Royal is the pick.
Where it falls short: Runtime is enormous (100+ hours for a complete run). Setting will not click for every player. Combat depth peaks early and plateaus.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $59.99 (regular discounts to $19.79)
- vs Remake: Comparable, slower-paced, vastly longer
Switching from Remake: Commit to social-link planning early. Building Confidant relationships changes which Personas you can fuse later in the campaign.
Download: Persona 5 Royal on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Persona 5 Royal when you want the gold-standard modern turn-based JRPG and have 100 hours to commit.
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth — comedy turn-based RPG
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is RGG Studio at its turn-based peak. Ichiban Kasuga’s Hawaii arc layers a deep Job system (Aquanaut, Samurai, Linebacker, dozens more) onto party combat with positioning and elemental matchups, and the side content matches the main story in volume. The tone swings from absurd to genuinely earnest at a pace few games attempt.
For Remake players ready for a turn-based system with character variety, Infinite Wealth is the most modern take on classic FF combat structure.
Where it falls short: Series newcomers may bounce off the tonal whiplash. Side activities can pull focus from the main story. Some Job synergies require grinding.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $69.99 (regular discounts to $39.99)
- vs Remake: Comparable, turn-based, side-content heavy
Switching from Remake: The Job system rewards experimentation. Ichiban’s optimal Job is rarely his obvious one.
Download: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Infinite Wealth when a turn-based RPG with party-job depth and a comedy lean is the swap you want.
Tales of Arise — action JRPG with party-switching
Tales of Arise is the Tales series’ most successful reinvention. Bandai Namco modernized the linear-motion battle system into something that feels closer to Remake’s action-ATB blend, and the six-character party with on-the-fly switching brings the closest thing to Cloud’s swap-to-Tifa rhythm outside the FF7 trilogy itself.
For Remake players who want continuing action JRPG combat with a different cast, Arise is the closest party-switching alternative.
Where it falls short: The middle act loses some pacing. Side quests are filler-heavy. DLC pricing has drawn criticism.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $59.99 (regular discounts to $11.99)
- vs Remake: Cheaper on sale, comparable runtime, similar party rhythm
Switching from Remake: Each character’s Artes are tuned around specific enemy types. Plan your party for the chapter rather than running a default lineup.
Download: Tales of Arise on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Tales of Arise when party-switching action with Mystic Arte finishers is the part of Remake you want continued.
Star Ocean: The Second Story R — remade classic action JRPG
Star Ocean: The Second Story R is the 2D-HD remake of the 1998 PS1 classic. Square Enix and Gemdrops kept the original’s branching dual-protagonist structure (two completely separate playthroughs based on starting character) while modernizing the real-time battle system and visuals.
For Remake players curious about the PS1-era action JRPG genre that influenced FF’s evolution, Star Ocean 2R is the most polished modern entry into the lineage.
Where it falls short: Story tone is dated in places despite the remake polish. Some side activities have not aged as gracefully as the combat. Voice acting is divisive.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $49.99 (regular discounts to $24.49)
- vs Remake: Cheaper, shorter per route, two completely different playthroughs
Switching from Remake: The character recruitment branching closes off entire party combinations. Look up the recruitment rules before locking in your party.
Download: Star Ocean: The Second Story R on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Star Ocean 2R when you want a refined PS1-era action JRPG with two-route replay value.
Octopath Traveler II — turn-based JRPG with eight stories
Octopath Traveler II brings the 2D-HD style that defined Star Ocean 2R back to its origin, with eight protagonists each running their own four-chapter campaign that converge in the late game. The Break and Boost system is the cleanest turn-based combat mechanic Square Enix has shipped in years, rewarding planning around enemy weaknesses every turn.
For Remake players who want a turn-based throwback that respects their time and combat IQ, Octopath II is the strongest pure turn-based pick on this list.
Where it falls short: Eight separate stories means uneven character arcs. The shared late-game content can feel underbaked. Voice acting is partial.
Pricing:
- Free: No
- Base: $59.99 (regular discounts to $29.99)
- vs Remake: Cheaper on sale, turn-based, anthology structure
Switching from Remake: Pick a starting character whose chapter 1 hook grabs you; the early hours hinge on liking that opening arc.
Download: Octopath Traveler II on Steam
Bottom line: Pick Octopath II when turn-based combat with a sharp Break system is the genre throwback you want.
How to pick the right one
If you have not played it yet, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the only direct continuation and the obvious first stop. If you finished Rebirth and want Square Enix’s other modern action RPG, Final Fantasy XVI is the cinematic action-pure pick.
If you want a turn-based JRPG with the highest production values, Persona 5 Royal is the genre benchmark. If you want a turn-based system with comedy and a deep Job toolkit, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth trades Atlus’s gloss for RGG’s character work.
If you want action combat with party-switching that maps closest to Cloud-Tifa-Aerith juggling, Tales of Arise is the natural match. If you want PS1-era action JRPG history modernized, Star Ocean: The Second Story R is the cleanest remake.
If a sharp turn-based system with anthology storytelling is the trade you want, Octopath Traveler II rewards combat IQ every encounter.
Stay with the Remake trilogy when New Game+ Hard mode, the materia loadouts you skipped, or the Yuffie Intermission DLC still have hooks. Part 3 is on the way but is not close yet.
FAQ
What is the best free Final Fantasy VII Remake alternative?
There is no fully-free alternative in the same modern action JRPG bracket. Tales of Arise and Octopath Traveler II both drop heavily on Steam sales (under $15 has happened for both), which is the closest budget entry into the genre.
Is Final Fantasy XVI better than Final Fantasy VII Remake?
For pure cinematic action and Eikon-vs-Eikon spectacle, XVI is harder to beat. For party-based combat, character variety, and the materia build system, Remake stays ahead. They sit best as companion pieces.
Should I play FF7 Remake or Rebirth first?
Play Remake first. Rebirth assumes you know the Midgar cast and references events that landed differently across the two games. A save import from Remake also unlocks small Rebirth bonuses.
What is the cheapest Final Fantasy VII Remake alternative?
Tales of Arise regularly drops to around $11.99 in Steam sales. Persona 5 Royal drops to around $19.79. Both deliver 40+ hour campaigns at a fraction of a new-release JRPG price.
When is Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 coming out?
The Polygon trailer coverage confirmed the project but did not lock a release date. Industry consensus puts the launch in 2027 or later, with a PS5-first window before a PC port follows the Rebirth pattern.
