In Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, my heart is pounding. My palms are sweating as I grip the PS5 DualSense controller like my life depends on it. My eyes are now laser-focused on the screen, with my thumbs constantly trained over both analog sticks. At this moment, I'm no longer sitting on my couch in my living room, I'm behind the virtual keys of a piano, and nothing matters more to me than hitting every single note at just the right time. With the left and right analog sticks corresponding to the melody and chords respectively, I watch for the yellow bars as they appear and fall down notes on either side. When they reach the end of the note, that's my que, and I start to fall into a flow state with every note I successfully play.
I catch sight of how high my combo is, but I can't think about it too much. If I do, I just know the pressure of not missing any notes will mount and I'll slip up. As the recognizable theme I know so well starts to wind down, and I successfully play the last few notes, it takes a moment for it to sink in. I've done it. A perfect performance. Loosening my grip on the controller and letting out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding, the exhilaration I then feel is unlike any other. Playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's updated take on the classic piano mini-game - which also featured in the original 1997 release - is giving me a greater rush than any boss battle or tough encounter. And as a result, I'm determined to try and perfectly perform each and every musical score I come across in the world.
