Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Jump Materia: Letdown for Fans
Though extended upon from the original Final Fantasy VII Remake, the Materia system in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth sadly leaves some Materia feeling underwhelming. One such Materia, the Jump Materia, needs a major overhaul in the forthcoming Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 since it falls short of the expectations established by its legacy in the Final Fantasy series.
FF7 Rebirth's Jump Materia's Inconsistency
Standard in the Final Fantasy series since Final Fantasy III, the Jump Materia gives the user a fleeting period of aerial invulnerability before striking powerfully. Although this is a good strategy in longer conflicts, its low efficacy against strong enemy attacks and high ATB cost make it underwhelming in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Some attacks can still strike characters midway between jumps, so negating the intended invulnerability.
Especially shocking is the poor performance of the Jump Materia in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth since Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII presented a far more consistent and practical form of the ability. This disparity begs questions for fans about why the creators deCided to downplay Jump in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
Finding Limited Use for the Jump Materia
The Jump Materia has some use, but its best use case is not exactly its intended one. Especially for players experiencing limited item use in the Hard Mode of the game, where MP management is challenged, linking Jump to the MP Absorb Materia can be a useful approach to replenish MP.
For standard playthroughs, where replenishing MP with ethers is easier, this approach is not optimal though. Comparatively to other Materia, the Jump Materia is less desirable since its limited efficacy.
Boosting Jump Materia in Remake Part 3 Final Fantasy VII
Fortunately, Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 readily solves the minor problem of the Jump Materia's lack of value. The Materia's viability could be much enhanced with a basic buffing. Still, given Jump's Dragoon-like performance in the original Final Fantasy VII, a more interesting solution resides in including Jump into Cid's moveset.
Cid: The Perfect Jump Materia Candidate
Known for his aerial fighting skills in the first Final Fantasy VII, Cid would be much benefited by the Jump Materia. Originally, Cid's Limit Break "Hyper Jump" was a potent attack based on the idea of jumping for catastrophic group damage. Combining Jump into Cid's toolkit would produce a harmonic playstyle that would enable him to make good use of both Jump and Hyper Jump in different fighting environments.
Although Hyper Jump could be included as a separate mechanic in Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3, it would be ideal to see Cid make coherent use of Jump and Hyper Jump.
Third Final Fantasy VII Remake: a Chance to Right Wrongs
Though the poor performance of the Jump Materia in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth might not greatly affect the whole experience of the game, it is a lost chance. A much-loved component of the Final Fantasy series, the Jump Materia merits a more refined and powerful performance. With the Jump Materia, Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 offers players the ideal opportunity to correct this oversight and give them an interesting and satisfying experience.
Given the developers' inventiveness in creating original playstyles for characters like Red XIII and Cait Sith, it is reasonable to assume a similar method for Cid. Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 can improve Cid's combat skills and give a more fulfilling experience for players who decide to maximize the Jump Materia.
