Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth creative director didn’t want "reflex-type" action without the strategic elements he considers "core" to the JRPG series

gamesradar.com:

For the Square Enix developers behind Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its sequel Rebirth, moving the series to a more action-oriented take with its combat was a key focus, but still retaining the franchise's tactical decision-making was especially vital. They succeeded in that careful balancing act with Remake, but with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, that core concept expands even further.

In an interview published in Game Informer magazine, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth creative director Tetsuya Nomura and battle director Teruki Endo spoke about the unique balance they have to strike when developing the combat engine and how the strategy element is a core part of the franchise's history.

"I do have this idea of how Final Fantasy battles should be and should feel," said the game director in the Game Informer interview. "We want to keep this strategy element intact, in which the player will consider the elemental weaknesses of enemies during battle while using these action moves and being engaged.

That was always my core belief in how we should approach Final Fantasy battles. [...] I thought this was truly vital to this game; I didn't want it to be a game where it's a reflex-type action or reflex-based battle; we wanted to combine all of these elements."

2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake earned wide praise for its approach to "remaking" FFVII, and one particular point of praise was its combat.

While having elements of a satisfying character action game, it also stuck close to the series' use of battle commands and special attacks in its transition away from the turn-based format of the original. With Remake, the battle felt like a reflex-focused engagement where attacking, blocking, and dodging were pulled off in real time.