Guys, you do realize that you don't have to do all the mini games and side quests, if they don't appeal to you? It's like complaining about a burger joint having too many fries in their meal, or something.
Locking the party for certain story beats is fine by me. Sometimes the story calls for that, and besides, otherwise people would just play their favorites and never even bother to learn what the other characters are about. I know I did that a lot in the OG back in the day.
For me, Remake was pretty much perfection but Rebirth manages to top even that. The openness of the world really lets the game breathe and you simply get more of everything you loved in Remake. Yes, there are many bells and whistles not essential to the main story, but most of them are not mandatory. On the other hand, if you enjoy them, you really get bang for your buck here. I even feel like there should be more side quests, I don't want to be leaving this world and these characters.
Gongaga can be a mess navigation-wise, I'll give you that. I actually thought a part of the map was locked off on purpose and went on the next region, later to realize there was a way to access that area all along.

This is a really tired, weak argument. 

If you are playing the game to the bare minimum, then yes, the mini games are optional. If you are playing the game to the fullest, they are not. If you want the Proto Relic from Junon then you must do Fort Condor. If you want the Proto Relic from Cosmo Canyon then you must do Gears and Gambits. That is a fact. If you plan to Platinum the game then you must play EVERY mini game to Rank III sometimes twice because of a Hard Mode for some reason. Why do that?

The people doing the most complaining about the mini games are the people who intend to play the game to its completion and are annoyed by the "fact" that so much of the completion is mini games ... in a "RPG".  There are several mini games that have weapons and skill books as rewards. If you are one the people who don't like Chadleys Chores, do you know how much exclusive Materia you lose out on? 

Y'know what the biggest problem with the mini games are? They are over designed. Let's use the Piano mini game as an example; why did they choose to use the analog sticks instead of buttons? Most people are not ambidextrous. Most people have trouble looking at 2 different things at the same time then reacting to them with different motions. This mini game would have been better if it was designed around with most the gaming community is already comfortable with. They didn't even consider the possible of analog drift in worn controllers for a mini game that requires precise movements (big issue for me). Having one side be buttons would make that easier for everybody. What about using Theatrhythm as reference? Yakuza's Karaoke? They did it better there. They even included things like Monotones, semitones, minors, cord type? If you don't play the piano then you have NO idea what that shit means. Why include it in a mini game? Because its overthought, overdone. No one asked for a piano simulator, but if you want the completion then you have to sit there and master the mini game. 

You are focused one what's required for the main story. We are talking about the total package. 

In my perspective, the more accurate food analogy is this.

I order a large meal with seven dishes of varying size and categories (not 7 entrees, that's insanity). 

3 of the core dishes are pretty much perfect, another one is pretty darn great. But a few of the smaller dishes of the meal range from just acceptable to really good.

I had expectations for the meal that I paid for, and I have every prerogative to complain about some of the small to moderate problems present. I had very high expectations for the meal to nail virtually everything, and it fell short in a few areas. Not massively mind you, but more than I expected. 

I didn't buy Rebirth to play the main quest and a small variety of side quests. I bought it to play the main quest (obviously) and most of the side quests and activities. Rebirth isn't a 200-hour plus one playthrough of everything with very tiny things I have issues with. There have been several sections and minigames that just aren't fun. 

I'm going to leave this comment to echo some of the sentiments expressed by Xxain.

As somebody that has started to go back to do the side quests that I initially skipped, it's only recently come to my attention how much materia I missed out on.

I've also gone on record stating that the minigames could use additional accessibility options, whether it's the piano game or the shooting game, it would be nice to have the freedom to choose what button needs to be pushed.

The most common complaints I've seen about the game actually revolves around pacing, tediousness and minigames.

Eeh, I'd say it's more like going to a new fast food joint and complaining their two-pounder side of fries is rubbery at the bottom.

Like, I get it, but no need to constantly tell everyone that you think it's rubbery at the bottom while you keep eating two pounds of potatoes because you are a fast-food completionist.

Me, I can leave those fries on the table even if I technically paid for them. I've had my fill and have better things to fill my stomach with elsewhere.

Okay, you made some good points.

You *want* to like the side stuff and wish it was done in another way. I get that.

Still, I don't think playing a game with an obsession of completing absolutely everything is a fun way to be. There's bound to be stuff you don't like in any game, it's not worth it to force yourself to complete everything and not having fun with it. Just let it go, do the stuff you like.

I am terrible at things that require you to be good at twitching, like most mini games. Yet I find myself motivated to do most of them here. I guess it has very much to do with the fact that I don't really have to do them if I don't feel like it. Still, I get satisfaction from being able to outdo myself in these things, silly as they are. There have been a couple that I've just straight up dropped, because I know my limits. The piano is a great example, I cannot pay attention to both things at the same time enough so that I can get an S, which I think requires a perfect run. So I set a goal for myself to get an A and that's enough for me. That's enough to get the materia reward, not sure about the trophy at Johnny's. The Cosmo Canyon one is a bitch, not sure I'm gonna get more than a B in that one.
There are limits to what a side quest in a an rpg like this can be, and for the most part I have no gripes about them. I like how they are now tied to improving your party relations, so they never feel without purpose. The mini games? Well, you could always not have mini games at all, but that would be dropping a whole facet from the game. A facet that has always been a part of FF7. Could they be better? In many cases, sure, but many people seem to just breeze past them, no problem. So maybe we just suck? :D

Nah, just relax and.. Hang loose!

As part of my list of games for 2024, I made a spoiler free review. https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/post.php?id=9509171

FF7 Rebirth (3rd JRPG)- This game also took 105 hours, but unfortunately much of that was frustration. FF7 Remake was near perfect, a sequel could have improved upon it and it would breach my top 10. But this game was annoying and thus doesn't come close. In the last FF review for FFXVI, I had issues with that game too. But those issues weren't annoying at all, rather it was missed potential. This game doesn't quite respect your time. Climb a million wood planks slowly like this is Uncharted. Climb a million ladders to get to the top of the tower slowly. Follow this NPC, but you can't run anymore because reasons. Your bird can't jump that tiny ledge, but it can jump this tiny ledge. Trash mobs? Nah they can hold you down for minutes if not outright kill you, if you don't perfect dodge. Bosses have infinite health sometimes, so your perfectly concocted combo goes to waste. Worst is when I was killing the last boss, got him to 0 health but apparently he was charging up his secret one shot move that hits everyone for 9999, meaning I had to restart the entire final boss. Explored some cool stuff? Cool you can't fast travel to it unless you do the associated minigames. OH my that is the first time I mentioned minigames. At least 30% of the game is minigames, they are fun enough to do, but I prefer my JRPG with a bit less. Overall the game is quite quality with a ton of music, sometimes interesting battle system, good story, setting, and characters, but all these annoying things really soured the experience.

Loved the game quite a bit more than Remake and enjoyed most minigames as well. The story is average and the ending sucked imo, but I did like the characters and their interactions.

Currently replaying a chapter to finish some challenges on Hard, but apparently you can't reset protorelic quests without restarting the game from scratch. I want to complete Gilgamesh Island on Hard, but I can't justify an entire re-playthrough. Oh well.

WHAT!!!!! NO WAY! ooooooooo0hh fuck that maaaan! 

Okay, it really took 7 hours, but as of 3:05pm I have completed the game.

* I was a little disappointed that the Ancient City was not really a thing. Then I remember that Temple of the Ancients was about 5 hours long and I am immediately fine with it.

* The Jenova fight really pissed me off. I set up Cloud, Barret and Tifa to be my final party only to have to have it be random? I got through the fight, but in a very un effective pace because only one person had Materia/armor on them in all the formations they gave me. What was up with all the immune to damage shit?

* I was pleasantly surprised by Bizarro/Rebirth Sephiroth. I do think the over cinematicness brought the fight down though.

* Anybody else tired of the obligatory Bahumut boss fights in recent Final Fantasies?

* Ending was typical Nomura crap. Cloud created a world where he saved Aerith from Sephiroth. Your party Aerith did died though. The Aerith that fights with you against Sephiroth is not your party Aerith or the alternate saved one, but the OG Aerith from FF7. This Aerith is also the same Aerith that appears to you in Chapter 14 of Remake If you affinity is higher with her. At this point, there are 3 different Aeriths I stand by the idea that FF7 Remake series is NOT a remake but a sequel and last chapter in the Complilation of Final Fantasy 7. From FF7 One the way to Smile, We know that both Aerith and Sephiroth continue to exist in the Life stream after their physical deaths fighting a silent battle. That makes its way to remake series. The white Whispers are definitely Aeriths. When Sephirth says "I must admit, I underestimated you"; He is not talking to Cloud but to Aerith. Cloud is out of his mind... kind of. Cloud has the ability to see the multiverse now. I do believe that Aerith is not a figment of his imagination, BUT his Aerith IS dead and he doesn't realize that yet, because he see's the multiverse. In Part 3 Aerith will be in it, but like the last cutscene, she is going to appear as if THEIR Aerith lived but only cloud can see that. Hope that made sense. If not, ill try that again.