The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo has created a debate about the use of color-coded paint to highlight parts of the environment that can be used for platforming. Some players find it to be an in-your-face, hand-holding feature in modern video games, while others argue that it is an important accessibility feature and can be helpful for those with low vision or cognitive disabilities. Developers defend the feature by stating that players sometimes need obvious visual clues to figure out where to go in the game in order to prevent frustration and quitting.
This debate is not new, and similar discussions arose with the release of the Resident Evil 4 remake, where players also questioned the need for yellow paint to indicate climbable ladders. As the debate continues and is likely to reappear with future games that include obvious visual clues for platforming, players are encouraged to voice their opinion on the use of the yellow paint in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
It is also important to note that the original Final Fantasy 7 also included visual aids for exploration and progression. As the conversation around this topic continues, it is essential for game developers to carefully consider how to provide accessibility features while maintaining an immersive and challenging gameplay experience for all players.