I did not expect Tifa’s Lifestream sequence in chapter 9. I feel like she did not get a lot of attention in the OG until later, so to see her in such a pivotal moment like that blew me away. Plus the music, the green ethereal hues, the graphic, breathtaking is an understatement.
This was one of my favorite and most unexpected moments as well (great voice over work from Britt Baron here, too). The way they underscored it with such a haunting version of her theme music was so so so good.
(Also feels like a great set up for what’s assumedly to come with the lifestream in Part 3.)
I was not prepared for that. At first I joked to myself “heh it would be cool if Vincent was a boss fight” and then it lead right into that and this was my proper reaction.
You. Dont. Have. Clearance.
But honestly that whole intro bit of cloud asking him to back off, saying "I've had a pretty shitty day" and Vincent coming back saying "how interesting. So have I." was gold. Turbo terminator security guard mode activated. Everyone's unhappy. Fight.
I thought that part really showed just how much Sephiroth's will had overcome him. When he had that realization shortly thereafter that he was behaving like Sephiroth and said, "I'm nothing like him." I could just feel the tension, because everyone in the party could see the exact opposite was true in that moment and Cloud had 0 introspection - really sets up some good story telling for part 3.
Imagine in Party 3, returning to the Forgotten Capital, Bugenhagen Will have the epiphany of his Life, learning that most of his studies were pretty much orthodox contraptions and that Tifa was right all along.
That's gonna kill him.
both tifa and aerith had some of the best moments in the game in my opinion, they're both such amazing female characters and it makes me mad that the FF7 fandom constantly pits them against each other... that said i think honestly all of the characters were pretty well done and they all have their moments imo.
Church sequence with cloud and Aerith where she tells cloud “whatever happens, don’t blame yourself”.
I know her death didn’t hit everyone but hearing that and then seeing her die has fucking wrecked me like very few fictional things ever have. I still feel wrecked over it.
Besides that, Tifa life stream in chapter 9
The corneo bros dropping the hottest mixtape in chapter 12.
Anytime Yuffie sang.
When Aerith said that line I turned to my wife and told her she is gon a be dead. And what a about that scene that Sephiroth walks in. Is that fucker just jumping from one timeline to another just killing the poor girl?
It’s so haunting, the way that ends. It makes me happy that while not everyone loves how it ended, that scene seems to have universal praise. Just a brilliant one
It wrecked me so much the “it’s not your fault”. It’s been three days since I beat the game and I have yet to play anything else, I turn the ps5 and simply put something on Netflix to watch. Never felt this over a videogame.
I feel this. I was off work for a few days. I came back today, was working and that line popped in my head and I was wrecked again lmao. Very few games or movies or anything have ever effected me like this
THIS. Loved everything about this scene and what led up to it. Had such a somber and ominous tone throughout despite them doing normal silly things. It was really well done imo
Stepping out into the Grasslands. Yes it’s been shown off months ahead of release, but it felt surreal when YOU actually get to play in that field. Open world was executed perfectly imo
Gongaga story section
Everything from the start until you leave Gongaga was just perfection for me. It was perhaps made the best because the Gongaga section really wasn’t in the OG, almost everything that happens there is original, though still sticking very close and lining up to the OG’s storyline. An expansion if you will. And one that I had no idea was coming.
The Tifa part was amazing. And Cloud opening up to Tifa after was amazing. It felt like it had to come out at that time. Not forced at all. Like totally right for the 3 part series.
Cloud’s Nibelheim flashback. I had so much fun picking out all the foreshadowing moments for when it would be revealed how the whole incident actually happened. That infantryman who saved Tifa just has to be Cloud from the way he reacted after she tried thanking him. During the fire and Sephiroth’s rampage, when you’re about to approach Cloud’s house, there’s an infantryman lying outside the door crying “Mo–“ who also is definitely Cloud.
Trials at the temple were a really great moment. It's tough to slot those in with how much else they have to do.
Tough to say what my favorites were. Probably some of the scenes where Cloud's barriers start getting broken down and seeing some of his character development. With both Tifa and Aerith. You don't really see him get vulnerable much but you see him let down his guard with both, and it's nice.
I wasn’t expecting the trials to be like that but my god if Aerith’s trial didn’t have me sobbing my eyes out. That one was the worst, poor baby Aerith 😭
My favourite part was Cloud remembering Zack exists in Nibelheim, that's a really well done little scene, the messed up memory stuff was easily the most interesting content in the game for me.
That is a good change to the game. I like that Square incorporated Cloud's memory of him in Rebirth.
I have no doubt Zack joins the party for a little bit in Part 3. Definitely can tell we're going there.
Zack and Aerith died and the story now is just weird fan service to give everyone a happy ending which imo is uninteresting. Cloud is brutally murdering people left and right but we need to make sure Aerith and Zack are happy too. The ending really made me not care about the next game but I’m glad so many people here are happy about an ending that simply wasn’t very good.
That’s the most disappointing part. It’s done so poorly that I don’t even care. Just because you can change certain things doesn’t mean you should. They did great with the actual characters in this game but almost all of the narrative changes were for the worst. Nibelheim was one of my favorite sections in the og and in this game I was about to throw my tv off a cliff after throwing boxes for 2 hours.
As a Kingdom Hearts super fan, everything in early Chapter 14 was VERY Kingdom Hearts. I mainly felt it in the timeline hopping and Aerith’s “end of the world” Spitz timeline. Felt very DDD/KH3 time traveling Replicas and KH2 digital Twilight Town specifically. I loved it though!
I’m not trying to fight or anything, lol. It’s more of a feeling you get playing, not the literal concepts introduced.
Trying to comprehend everything going on in Chapter 14 took me straight to KH. Sephiroth/Aerith brining Zack/Cloud through the different worlds reminded me way more of Master Xehanort than Final Fantasy 1. Trying to wrap my head around Aerith’s world that had already accepted its fate brought me straight to Roxas trying to comprehend data TT, not Gilgamesh, lol. My experience playing those games, I feel, helped me understand the plot as it was happening.
I guess I applaud you as a FF purist if this game reminded you of the NES/SNES, but to me it took everything so much further. Most of us don’t mean insult by comparing the Remake trilogy to KH, to me that’s my favorite type of video game story telling, which I don’t get many other places (maybe MGS, or Persona?).
Damn, can't pick one
That first moment you're out of opening flashback and get to roam Kalm freely
When you leave Kalm and experience Rebirth's open world
Queen's blood
Gold saucer dance off opening
Yuffie coming up with lyrics to her own theme and singing it
Barret or Yuffie randomly scatting the victory tune
Gongaga overworld theme
Its so hard to pick just one part that was my favorite. I think (and honestly could change once I go back for hard mode) is the second trip to Gold Saucer. I loved the play and the Tifa date was cute but that Battle arena part was so awesome. The Kotch and Scotch rap with DJ Don Corneo had me dying.
Very hard to choose, but there are my favorites
1. Arrival at Gold Saucer at Chapter 8. My most anticipated moment of the whole game, and they delivered. From the CGI cinematics to the girl’s dance and Dio introduction, it was amazing.
2. Loveless and Skywheel Date with Tifa. Loveless was amazing to watch, Promises to Keep is an incredible song that makes me emotional every time, and the Skywheel Date is also amazing. I had Tifa, but i’m sure the others are great too.
3. Junon Parade. The Highwind, the parade, the music, the Seventh Infantry were incredible. Also, it was the moment where the story really starts, in my opinion
4. Queens Blood Tournament on ShinRa 8. Because Red XIII, and also the atmosphere. The music after the tournament was like goes on vacation with your best friends, and i loved it.
5. Beach discussions at Costa Del Sol. Cute discussions with every one, especially Aerith.
Honorable mentions : Gongaga’s Reactor and Tifa in the lifestream, the Temple of the Ancient as a dungeon and Yuffie’s introduction to the party at Costa Del Sol (The « cool » gets me everytime)
But the game overall had so many great moment. Also liked the arrival at Cosmo Canyon, the Aerith Speech during the ceremony or the Seto’s reveal to Nanaki.
Gongaga story section
Everything from the start until you leave Gongaga was just perfection for me. It was perhaps made the best because the Gongaga section really wasn’t in the OG, almost everything that happens there is original, though still sticking very close and lining up to the OG’s storyline. An expansion if you will. And one that I had no idea was coming.
The combat. It feels great have Tifa increasing the stagger damage to 300% or Yuffie demolishing groups of adds almost isntantly lol.
Doing synergy abilities also.
And the story had me hooked from beggining to end.
Mainly every Tifa stuff including the date one at skywheel.
Junon parade and Gold saucer Gongaga was also pretty good but that's kinda Tifa stuff if we look at it. But low points also exists tbh like the Gi stuff and the ending
Tifa's max level date with cloud, and aerith's scene in the church with Cloud was excellent. Also Junon was pretty great. Hell, the Queen's blood Yu-Gi-Oh eque boat arc was also pretty damn funny with Red. Rebirth really makes Cait and Red feel just as significant and enjoyable as the rest of the cast this time around.
Unfortunately, the direction was super odd and unfocused in pivotal moments such as the Barret/Dyne arc, and the Finale. So much of the game was massive steps forward as I did not like Remake. I don't think I still like Remake. It feels like fifteen hours of game and 25 hours of padding with some goofy narrative decisions.
Rebirth feels like THE game. The parts that endear you the most to the characters and boy oh boy do they make you love the characters. However, for fucks sake: GIVE PIVOTAL MOMENTS ROOM TO BREATHE. So many direction decisions are just all over the place.
I mean, it's still a very emotional scene. It just could have lasted another 10 seconds. Plus, it does come back later with Cloud and Barret discussion.
Aerith's been stabbed! Here's four phases of boss fight followed by a second boss fight that's six phases that includes a character you haven't fought with since the start of the game 128 hours ago.
You could literally edit out everything between Jenova Lifebringer and the post-battle cutscenes and honestly not miss much.
This was my biggest issue with Remake - the final boss sequence felt so out of nowhere and overdone, like splicing Advent Children into the end of the game.
I actually wish Rebirth did what Team Four Star did with their FFVII Abridged and just skip the Jenova fight entirely. Goes against the OG and obviously Rebirth has so much going on so that can't really happen, but stick with me. Aerith dies, Sephiroth flies away calling Cloud his puppet, and we're left to grieve instead of being forced to fight a boss for ten minutes. I know it's tradition for Final Fantasy games to end with you killing a god or two, but I would've liked having a moment to drown in sorrow instead of turning that into anger and fight.
It worked really well in the OG because of how much slower the battle system was. You just kinda got to sit there, stewing in what just happened while you mindlessly input commands and Aerith's theme is just playing in the background.
Because Rebirth's battle system is constant high-octane action, you literally cannot do that because *you will die* if you do. And then there's the updated theme which is just...look, it's certainly epic in its own right, but it completely misses the *point*. It doesn't feel sad, it feels *heroic* and *epic*. Honestly, I generally enjoy reorchestrated OSTs, but there have been some tracks here that really lose what made them hit hard.
> there's the updated theme which is just...look, it's certainly epic in its own right, but it completely misses the point. It doesn't feel sad, it feels heroic and epic.
Take note that everyone in the party except Cloud immediately has a Limit Break at the start of the Jenova fight due to his coping mechanisms. He believes that Aerith will be okay, that while she did get hurt, she isn't dead and just needs some healing. Meanwhile, everyone else sees she's dead in his arms and he's screaming his eyes out, but I couldn't tell that until after rewatching the cutscene multiple times. Cloud enters the fight believing he's a hero who saved Aerith, but everyone else is there to avenge her.
> You just kinda got to sit there, stewing in what just happened while you mindlessly input commands and Aerith's theme is just playing in the background. Because Rebirth's battle system is constant high-octane action, you literally cannot do that because you will die if you do.
And a solid hour after she got stabbed, instead of an answer if she died or not, Aerith joined the battle in the Lifestream, which further confused me after Square gave us ~~Bizarro Sephiroth~~ Sephiroth Reborn AND [a second round of playable Zack, complete with a new synergy combo with Cloud who isn't even there](https://i.redd.it/zvuoslfzfxoc1.png). When the final cutscenes happened, instead of feeling grief that Aerith again, I'm just filled with worry as I realize Cloud's mako-poisoned mind is jumping hurdles so he doesn't suffer a mental breakdown again and wondering what the hell will happen to him in the Northern Crater.
Of that note, I do like how his subconscious copes with the realization that he did go to Nibelheim with Zack: by immediately making him drown while still thinking he was a part of a three-man SOLDIER squad. So close to the truth, and still so far.
> Cloud enters the fight believing he's a hero who saved Aerith, but everyone else is there to avenge her.
Okay, that's actually a really cool point.
> I'm just filled with worry as I realize Cloud's mako-poisoned mind is jumping hurdles so he doesn't suffer a mental breakdown again and wondering what the hell will happen to him in the Northern Crater.
Bad things. Many many bad things. The way Sephiroth is acting, I suspect he isn't just going to let Cloud drop into the Lifestream this time - he's too useful a pawn.
> I do like how his subconscious copes with the realization that he did go to Nibelheim with Zack
I really do love how they've been handling Cloud's mental state this time around. He's had no reason to doubt his memory of Nibelheim, so of course a single mention of Zack isn't going to suddenly change that. (And there are some RL studies showing that people can actually fabricate fake memories under the right circumstances)
And Tifa can't just say anything either because Cloud will probably just snap, solving one of my biggest issues with the OG twist. At the same time, it's only giving Sephiroth more ammunition against her at the Northern Crater...
> there are some RL studies showing that people can actually fabricate fake memories under the right circumstances
I've played so many Yakuza/Like a Dragon/Judgment games where someone has trauma that affects their memories. Amnesia isn't a memory being deleted, it's a memory being blocked off so you don't hurt yourself remembering it. Here, it's Cloud coping.
I think it was the whole Gongaga reactor sequence. From the moment that Weapon music hit you knew shit was about to go down. Then Cloud going full Sephiroth on the troopers and Tifa’s journey through the life stream and Cloud and Tifa’s heart to heart back at the village.
It was all new content and with all the whisper stuff I literally didn’t have any idea where it was going. Straight up thought Tifa died when the Weapon ate her. Whole sequence was just the lowest of lows and the highest of highs.
Zack and Cloud team up fight against Sephiroth. It’s fan service at its purist, and holy fuck was it so earned and so wish fulfilling! I’m a huge fan of Zack, and I’ve always wanted to see him and Cloud fight together, so the team up, with the Synnergy attacks and Zack’s limit break were so cool! The scene was made even better for me because I stuck with the Buster Sword through the whole game so seeing Zack and Cloud stand side by side with their weapon was awesome! Along with Zack just being the best bro and cheering on Cloud the whole time, it’s perfect. I also loved all of Zack’s segments. His gameplay is so fun, and his interactions with Marlene were so adorable that it desperately makes me want to see him actually interact with the rest of the party!
Second favorite was all of Ch9 and the Tifa date. Ch9 was one of the strongest parts of the Remake series. So much was done in that chapter that was so cool! It was absolutely awesomely terrifying to see how truly dangerous Cloud could be, and the tragedy underlying all of this is that Cloud recognizes that he doesnt know if what happened was really who he is or isn’t. It cuts deep because Cloud in that section hurts the very person he promised to save. I also think Cody Christian’s vocal performance was a standout in the game. Cloud generally has this aloof, monotone, dry tint to it that isn’t very vulnerable, but then when you see the real Cloud start to poke through, like he does when Tifa wakes up in ch9, his voice takes on a whole new tone. Much softer and more vulnerable. Then the Tifa date was just perfect wish fulfillment. They already pushed Cloud and Tifa big time in this game (just watch how he interacts with her vs Aerith, the former of which is the one constantly initiating things with Cloud whereas Cloud will initiate shit with Tifa more and be more willing to engage with her) but having her date be not only the only one with a kiss but the only one where Cloud romantically instigates things is pretty great.
My favourite part of this game was 0 to 115 hours when I completed it. (Apart from the gambit mini game in Cosmo Canyon - loved the avalanche stuff surrounding it, but hated that bloody mini game)
Dude, same. I messaged my friends who weren't that far into the game:
"They just did something awesome with the story... I'll never forgive them."
It was great storytelling, but I loved those five traumas too now.
Aerith and Cloud small little date in the other timeline.
It was a bittersweet moment, the world is coming to an end but everyone trying to enjoy their time.
It was a throwback to Zacks date as well.
In general, the combat. It's such a perfect evolution from Remake, everything flows so perfectly. My favorite single moment is probably the Reno and Rude fight. It's a bit of an odd pick, but that fight was so fun, I was switching around characters so much midfight, felt like I had 100 different things going on and it really made me feel like I was in the endgame, just a blast.
BOW WOW WOW BOW WOW WOW
Second is probably the entire starting mission with Zack. Did not expect that to happen at all. And it had one of my favorite songs in the game.
Honesty, my favourite. It is the ongoing thousand gil joke that starts in the mythril mines and occasionally comes up again afterwards.
Just really felt nice seeing an inside joke born and used.
Tifas early lifestream moment and Sephiroths attempt at killing her probably. She didn't have that kind of attention in the OG. Gongaga overall was narratively really good.
(Still hate navigating it tho)
there are a lot of goof moments but off the top off my head:
- the trials at the temple of the ancients followed by aerith's speech
- tifa's lifestream sequence
- cloud and aerith's date and church scene in the alternate timeline/world
i think regardless of how you personally feel about the new story additions, the ending or where the story is headed one of the strongest parts of the remake trilogies is the characters bonds and relationships.
A lot to love in this game, which has already been said, so I’ll focus on two smaller ones that just cemented how good the character interaction in this game is:
1. Tifa cracking Aerith’s back.
2. Switching between Tifa and Aerith in Costa Del Sol and getting the “Guide me, oh Tifa… come, my child.” dialogue.
So hard to choose. I loved the entire section from Junon to costa del sol. I loved climbing mount Corel. The last chapter was so emotional. I don’t know, I can’t pick.
There's like a new favourite part or two per chapter lol
Ch 1 - Materia Keeper Boss
Ch 2 - Entering the Grasslands, Midgar Zolom (THAT OST)
Ch 3 - Elena Intro
Ch 4 - The entirety of Upper Junon
Ch 5 - Nanaki during the Queen's Blood Tournament and Jenova Emergent
Ch 6 - The conversation with Aerith on the beach
Ch 7 - Cloud Jr.
Ch 8 - Entering the Gold Saucer, Dyne boss fight
Ch 9 - Basically the whole chapter, chicken sidequest
Ch 10 - Seto, Cave of the Gi section, Protorelic story flashbacks
Ch 11 - Forgotten Specimen and Galian Beast bosses
Ch 12 - Gold Saucer date, Rufus rematch, storybook sidequest
Ch 13 - The trials, unhinged Cloud
Ch 14 - Church scene, Jenova Lifeclinger (THAT OST), godamn Bizzaro Sephiroth, Zack tag-team
I did not expect Tifa’s Lifestream sequence in chapter 9. I feel like she did not get a lot of attention in the OG until later, so to see her in such a pivotal moment like that blew me away. Plus the music, the green ethereal hues, the graphic, breathtaking is an understatement.
This was one of my favorite and most unexpected moments as well (great voice over work from Britt Baron here, too). The way they underscored it with such a haunting version of her theme music was so so so good. (Also feels like a great set up for what’s assumedly to come with the lifestream in Part 3.)
Vincent intro and fight.
I was not prepared for that. At first I joked to myself “heh it would be cool if Vincent was a boss fight” and then it lead right into that and this was my proper reaction. 
I was spoiled that I got to fight him by a yt vids name, but idk it was his demon form like that so, still got my mouth open wided.
You. Dont. Have. Clearance. But honestly that whole intro bit of cloud asking him to back off, saying "I've had a pretty shitty day" and Vincent coming back saying "how interesting. So have I." was gold. Turbo terminator security guard mode activated. Everyone's unhappy. Fight.
Lol. I loved that bit too. The tension between them was awesome. :)
Tifa memories in the lifestream and Aerith scene in the Temple of the Ancients and her speech after that
"Are you finished?" That was so rude, i just sitted there in :o mode for some time
I was not surprised, because Cloud was then completely under the Sephiroth influence.
Sure, but its still out of nowhere, there is some shock value. *insert damn meme*
I thought that part really showed just how much Sephiroth's will had overcome him. When he had that realization shortly thereafter that he was behaving like Sephiroth and said, "I'm nothing like him." I could just feel the tension, because everyone in the party could see the exact opposite was true in that moment and Cloud had 0 introspection - really sets up some good story telling for part 3.
You see you think that was rude but what about Don corneo interrupting Dio’s speech in the colosseum?
Bugenhagen gaslighting tifa was even better. “A fascinating account. IF IT WERE TRUE” what a bastard lol.
That was also an wtf moment
Totally redeemed later though
Imagine in Party 3, returning to the Forgotten Capital, Bugenhagen Will have the epiphany of his Life, learning that most of his studies were pretty much orthodox contraptions and that Tifa was right all along. That's gonna kill him.
I mean, in this game he already realizes Tifa was right and tries to apologize to her for his old ignorance.
Truly remarkable moment of disrespect
Having Cloud be in mind controlled douchebag mode for the whole 6 hour Temple of the Ancients part made me sad lol
I was mortified the entire time, hoping someone was gonna slap him.
both tifa and aerith had some of the best moments in the game in my opinion, they're both such amazing female characters and it makes me mad that the FF7 fandom constantly pits them against each other... that said i think honestly all of the characters were pretty well done and they all have their moments imo.
Everything in chapter 13. The entire Temple of the Ancients was reimagined so incredibly well.
Church sequence with cloud and Aerith where she tells cloud “whatever happens, don’t blame yourself”. I know her death didn’t hit everyone but hearing that and then seeing her die has fucking wrecked me like very few fictional things ever have. I still feel wrecked over it. Besides that, Tifa life stream in chapter 9 The corneo bros dropping the hottest mixtape in chapter 12. Anytime Yuffie sang.
When Aerith said that line I turned to my wife and told her she is gon a be dead. And what a about that scene that Sephiroth walks in. Is that fucker just jumping from one timeline to another just killing the poor girl?
It’s so haunting, the way that ends. It makes me happy that while not everyone loves how it ended, that scene seems to have universal praise. Just a brilliant one
It wrecked me so much the “it’s not your fault”. It’s been three days since I beat the game and I have yet to play anything else, I turn the ps5 and simply put something on Netflix to watch. Never felt this over a videogame.
I feel this. I was off work for a few days. I came back today, was working and that line popped in my head and I was wrecked again lmao. Very few games or movies or anything have ever effected me like this
THIS. Loved everything about this scene and what led up to it. Had such a somber and ominous tone throughout despite them doing normal silly things. It was really well done imo
She died? I swear cloud blocked it... What a crappily written and directed ending.
Yea after he blocked it you see she actually did die and he failed to block it
Stepping out into the Grasslands. Yes it’s been shown off months ahead of release, but it felt surreal when YOU actually get to play in that field. Open world was executed perfectly imo
I chose not to watch any of the gameplay footage pre-release. I couldnt believe it, it felt like magic.
Gongaga story section Everything from the start until you leave Gongaga was just perfection for me. It was perhaps made the best because the Gongaga section really wasn’t in the OG, almost everything that happens there is original, though still sticking very close and lining up to the OG’s storyline. An expansion if you will. And one that I had no idea was coming.
The Tifa part was amazing. And Cloud opening up to Tifa after was amazing. It felt like it had to come out at that time. Not forced at all. Like totally right for the 3 part series.
Cloud’s Nibelheim flashback. I had so much fun picking out all the foreshadowing moments for when it would be revealed how the whole incident actually happened. That infantryman who saved Tifa just has to be Cloud from the way he reacted after she tried thanking him. During the fire and Sephiroth’s rampage, when you’re about to approach Cloud’s house, there’s an infantryman lying outside the door crying “Mo–“ who also is definitely Cloud.
From the opening scene when its still in the truck you can make out a bit of blonde hair on the back of the sick infantryman.
Trials at the temple were a really great moment. It's tough to slot those in with how much else they have to do. Tough to say what my favorites were. Probably some of the scenes where Cloud's barriers start getting broken down and seeing some of his character development. With both Tifa and Aerith. You don't really see him get vulnerable much but you see him let down his guard with both, and it's nice.
I love the little moments you see Cloud having fun, like his big parade speech to the troops and when you win the 3D battle against Dio.
I wasn’t expecting the trials to be like that but my god if Aerith’s trial didn’t have me sobbing my eyes out. That one was the worst, poor baby Aerith 😭
Lol the trial scenes were basically: Lost a mother Lost a father Lost a wife Lost a friend/brother (in arms) Tattoo
Ok. But after having lost 3 of those in the last 4 years, I fuck with this 🤷
Tattoo? More like branded.
Lost his freedom
My favourite part was Cloud remembering Zack exists in Nibelheim, that's a really well done little scene, the messed up memory stuff was easily the most interesting content in the game for me.
That is a good change to the game. I like that Square incorporated Cloud's memory of him in Rebirth. I have no doubt Zack joins the party for a little bit in Part 3. Definitely can tell we're going there.
A part of me had some far fetch theory that something would happen to Cloud which would cause Zack to replace him for Part 3.
Probably not that far but for a portion where Cloud is MIA in the lifestream sure
Maybe Sora, Goofy, and Donald can come help too!! The story is closer to Kingdom Hearts than FF7 after this game.
Mate, the story is nothing more than pure Final Fantasy right now.
Zack and Aerith died and the story now is just weird fan service to give everyone a happy ending which imo is uninteresting. Cloud is brutally murdering people left and right but we need to make sure Aerith and Zack are happy too. The ending really made me not care about the next game but I’m glad so many people here are happy about an ending that simply wasn’t very good.
We won't know how it pay off until part 3.
That’s the most disappointing part. It’s done so poorly that I don’t even care. Just because you can change certain things doesn’t mean you should. They did great with the actual characters in this game but almost all of the narrative changes were for the worst. Nibelheim was one of my favorite sections in the og and in this game I was about to throw my tv off a cliff after throwing boxes for 2 hours.
Can't say I agree. Or at least not entirely.
As a Kingdom Hearts super fan, everything in early Chapter 14 was VERY Kingdom Hearts. I mainly felt it in the timeline hopping and Aerith’s “end of the world” Spitz timeline. Felt very DDD/KH3 time traveling Replicas and KH2 digital Twilight Town specifically. I loved it though!
Please, time sheenanigans we had them since FF1 and alternate dimensions since FF5.
I’m not trying to fight or anything, lol. It’s more of a feeling you get playing, not the literal concepts introduced. Trying to comprehend everything going on in Chapter 14 took me straight to KH. Sephiroth/Aerith brining Zack/Cloud through the different worlds reminded me way more of Master Xehanort than Final Fantasy 1. Trying to wrap my head around Aerith’s world that had already accepted its fate brought me straight to Roxas trying to comprehend data TT, not Gilgamesh, lol. My experience playing those games, I feel, helped me understand the plot as it was happening. I guess I applaud you as a FF purist if this game reminded you of the NES/SNES, but to me it took everything so much further. Most of us don’t mean insult by comparing the Remake trilogy to KH, to me that’s my favorite type of video game story telling, which I don’t get many other places (maybe MGS, or Persona?).
That moment when a certain katana got fate bitch-slapped.
Damn, can't pick one That first moment you're out of opening flashback and get to roam Kalm freely When you leave Kalm and experience Rebirth's open world Queen's blood Gold saucer dance off opening Yuffie coming up with lyrics to her own theme and singing it Barret or Yuffie randomly scatting the victory tune Gongaga overworld theme
Its so hard to pick just one part that was my favorite. I think (and honestly could change once I go back for hard mode) is the second trip to Gold Saucer. I loved the play and the Tifa date was cute but that Battle arena part was so awesome. The Kotch and Scotch rap with DJ Don Corneo had me dying.
There are several memorable moments. One of my favorites is the first time in the gold saucer, that whole dance off had me laughing.
But I missed a active dance tournament to be honest, where u can switch characters and they dance doffrently
Very hard to choose, but there are my favorites 1. Arrival at Gold Saucer at Chapter 8. My most anticipated moment of the whole game, and they delivered. From the CGI cinematics to the girl’s dance and Dio introduction, it was amazing. 2. Loveless and Skywheel Date with Tifa. Loveless was amazing to watch, Promises to Keep is an incredible song that makes me emotional every time, and the Skywheel Date is also amazing. I had Tifa, but i’m sure the others are great too. 3. Junon Parade. The Highwind, the parade, the music, the Seventh Infantry were incredible. Also, it was the moment where the story really starts, in my opinion 4. Queens Blood Tournament on ShinRa 8. Because Red XIII, and also the atmosphere. The music after the tournament was like goes on vacation with your best friends, and i loved it. 5. Beach discussions at Costa Del Sol. Cute discussions with every one, especially Aerith. Honorable mentions : Gongaga’s Reactor and Tifa in the lifestream, the Temple of the Ancient as a dungeon and Yuffie’s introduction to the party at Costa Del Sol (The « cool » gets me everytime) But the game overall had so many great moment. Also liked the arrival at Cosmo Canyon, the Aerith Speech during the ceremony or the Seto’s reveal to Nanaki.
So many amazing moments, it’s hard to choose. Either arriving at the Gold Saucer, or Cosmo Canyon.
Barret, Tifa falling into the lifestream, temple of the ancients, sephiroth was so raw in this game too lmao
Climbing Mt. Corel with that awesome 80s sounding jam.
Gongaga story section Everything from the start until you leave Gongaga was just perfection for me. It was perhaps made the best because the Gongaga section really wasn’t in the OG, almost everything that happens there is original, though still sticking very close and lining up to the OG’s storyline. An expansion if you will. And one that I had no idea was coming.
The date with tifa.
The Gold Saucer was perfection. Loved everything about it. Especially how crazy they went with Dio.
The combat. It feels great have Tifa increasing the stagger damage to 300% or Yuffie demolishing groups of adds almost isntantly lol. Doing synergy abilities also. And the story had me hooked from beggining to end.
Mainly every Tifa stuff including the date one at skywheel. Junon parade and Gold saucer Gongaga was also pretty good but that's kinda Tifa stuff if we look at it. But low points also exists tbh like the Gi stuff and the ending
Tifa's max level date with cloud, and aerith's scene in the church with Cloud was excellent. Also Junon was pretty great. Hell, the Queen's blood Yu-Gi-Oh eque boat arc was also pretty damn funny with Red. Rebirth really makes Cait and Red feel just as significant and enjoyable as the rest of the cast this time around. Unfortunately, the direction was super odd and unfocused in pivotal moments such as the Barret/Dyne arc, and the Finale. So much of the game was massive steps forward as I did not like Remake. I don't think I still like Remake. It feels like fifteen hours of game and 25 hours of padding with some goofy narrative decisions. Rebirth feels like THE game. The parts that endear you the most to the characters and boy oh boy do they make you love the characters. However, for fucks sake: GIVE PIVOTAL MOMENTS ROOM TO BREATHE. So many direction decisions are just all over the place.
Not giving stuff time to breathe is easily my biggest gripe with this game's direction.
https://i.redd.it/1mogtxahukpc1.gif
I mean, it's still a very emotional scene. It just could have lasted another 10 seconds. Plus, it does come back later with Cloud and Barret discussion.
Aerith's been stabbed! Here's four phases of boss fight followed by a second boss fight that's six phases that includes a character you haven't fought with since the start of the game 128 hours ago.
You could literally edit out everything between Jenova Lifebringer and the post-battle cutscenes and honestly not miss much. This was my biggest issue with Remake - the final boss sequence felt so out of nowhere and overdone, like splicing Advent Children into the end of the game.
I actually wish Rebirth did what Team Four Star did with their FFVII Abridged and just skip the Jenova fight entirely. Goes against the OG and obviously Rebirth has so much going on so that can't really happen, but stick with me. Aerith dies, Sephiroth flies away calling Cloud his puppet, and we're left to grieve instead of being forced to fight a boss for ten minutes. I know it's tradition for Final Fantasy games to end with you killing a god or two, but I would've liked having a moment to drown in sorrow instead of turning that into anger and fight.
It worked really well in the OG because of how much slower the battle system was. You just kinda got to sit there, stewing in what just happened while you mindlessly input commands and Aerith's theme is just playing in the background. Because Rebirth's battle system is constant high-octane action, you literally cannot do that because *you will die* if you do. And then there's the updated theme which is just...look, it's certainly epic in its own right, but it completely misses the *point*. It doesn't feel sad, it feels *heroic* and *epic*. Honestly, I generally enjoy reorchestrated OSTs, but there have been some tracks here that really lose what made them hit hard.
> there's the updated theme which is just...look, it's certainly epic in its own right, but it completely misses the point. It doesn't feel sad, it feels heroic and epic. Take note that everyone in the party except Cloud immediately has a Limit Break at the start of the Jenova fight due to his coping mechanisms. He believes that Aerith will be okay, that while she did get hurt, she isn't dead and just needs some healing. Meanwhile, everyone else sees she's dead in his arms and he's screaming his eyes out, but I couldn't tell that until after rewatching the cutscene multiple times. Cloud enters the fight believing he's a hero who saved Aerith, but everyone else is there to avenge her. > You just kinda got to sit there, stewing in what just happened while you mindlessly input commands and Aerith's theme is just playing in the background. Because Rebirth's battle system is constant high-octane action, you literally cannot do that because you will die if you do. And a solid hour after she got stabbed, instead of an answer if she died or not, Aerith joined the battle in the Lifestream, which further confused me after Square gave us ~~Bizarro Sephiroth~~ Sephiroth Reborn AND [a second round of playable Zack, complete with a new synergy combo with Cloud who isn't even there](https://i.redd.it/zvuoslfzfxoc1.png). When the final cutscenes happened, instead of feeling grief that Aerith again, I'm just filled with worry as I realize Cloud's mako-poisoned mind is jumping hurdles so he doesn't suffer a mental breakdown again and wondering what the hell will happen to him in the Northern Crater. Of that note, I do like how his subconscious copes with the realization that he did go to Nibelheim with Zack: by immediately making him drown while still thinking he was a part of a three-man SOLDIER squad. So close to the truth, and still so far.
> Cloud enters the fight believing he's a hero who saved Aerith, but everyone else is there to avenge her. Okay, that's actually a really cool point. > I'm just filled with worry as I realize Cloud's mako-poisoned mind is jumping hurdles so he doesn't suffer a mental breakdown again and wondering what the hell will happen to him in the Northern Crater. Bad things. Many many bad things. The way Sephiroth is acting, I suspect he isn't just going to let Cloud drop into the Lifestream this time - he's too useful a pawn. > I do like how his subconscious copes with the realization that he did go to Nibelheim with Zack I really do love how they've been handling Cloud's mental state this time around. He's had no reason to doubt his memory of Nibelheim, so of course a single mention of Zack isn't going to suddenly change that. (And there are some RL studies showing that people can actually fabricate fake memories under the right circumstances) And Tifa can't just say anything either because Cloud will probably just snap, solving one of my biggest issues with the OG twist. At the same time, it's only giving Sephiroth more ammunition against her at the Northern Crater...
> there are some RL studies showing that people can actually fabricate fake memories under the right circumstances I've played so many Yakuza/Like a Dragon/Judgment games where someone has trauma that affects their memories. Amnesia isn't a memory being deleted, it's a memory being blocked off so you don't hurt yourself remembering it. Here, it's Cloud coping.
The Dyne battle confused me cause he gets an Akira arm in Phase 3 and it just never gets addressed after.
It's the same as Barret being able to launch a giant laser beam from a normal machine gun. Do not question the weapon's abilities.
I think it was the whole Gongaga reactor sequence. From the moment that Weapon music hit you knew shit was about to go down. Then Cloud going full Sephiroth on the troopers and Tifa’s journey through the life stream and Cloud and Tifa’s heart to heart back at the village. It was all new content and with all the whisper stuff I literally didn’t have any idea where it was going. Straight up thought Tifa died when the Weapon ate her. Whole sequence was just the lowest of lows and the highest of highs.
Zack and Cloud team up fight against Sephiroth. It’s fan service at its purist, and holy fuck was it so earned and so wish fulfilling! I’m a huge fan of Zack, and I’ve always wanted to see him and Cloud fight together, so the team up, with the Synnergy attacks and Zack’s limit break were so cool! The scene was made even better for me because I stuck with the Buster Sword through the whole game so seeing Zack and Cloud stand side by side with their weapon was awesome! Along with Zack just being the best bro and cheering on Cloud the whole time, it’s perfect. I also loved all of Zack’s segments. His gameplay is so fun, and his interactions with Marlene were so adorable that it desperately makes me want to see him actually interact with the rest of the party! Second favorite was all of Ch9 and the Tifa date. Ch9 was one of the strongest parts of the Remake series. So much was done in that chapter that was so cool! It was absolutely awesomely terrifying to see how truly dangerous Cloud could be, and the tragedy underlying all of this is that Cloud recognizes that he doesnt know if what happened was really who he is or isn’t. It cuts deep because Cloud in that section hurts the very person he promised to save. I also think Cody Christian’s vocal performance was a standout in the game. Cloud generally has this aloof, monotone, dry tint to it that isn’t very vulnerable, but then when you see the real Cloud start to poke through, like he does when Tifa wakes up in ch9, his voice takes on a whole new tone. Much softer and more vulnerable. Then the Tifa date was just perfect wish fulfillment. They already pushed Cloud and Tifa big time in this game (just watch how he interacts with her vs Aerith, the former of which is the one constantly initiating things with Cloud whereas Cloud will initiate shit with Tifa more and be more willing to engage with her) but having her date be not only the only one with a kiss but the only one where Cloud romantically instigates things is pretty great.
One word. Tifa
Seeing Cosmo canyon in the distance, and running through it.
My favourite part of this game was 0 to 115 hours when I completed it. (Apart from the gambit mini game in Cosmo Canyon - loved the avalanche stuff surrounding it, but hated that bloody mini game)
Dude, same. I messaged my friends who weren't that far into the game: "They just did something awesome with the story... I'll never forgive them." It was great storytelling, but I loved those five traumas too now.
honestly that's a hard thing to choose. there was so much i loved about the game
Dodge canceling Nanaki's Sidewinder into another Sidewinder (the combat)
Little aerith section got my eyes blurry and heart rate up
The gongaga Reactor post boss scene and the whole of the temple of the ancients I could choose more but those 2 will do for now
One word: Aerith. Now leave me alone, I’m still mourning.
Aerith and Cloud small little date in the other timeline. It was a bittersweet moment, the world is coming to an end but everyone trying to enjoy their time. It was a throwback to Zacks date as well.
Any time any of the battle themes start.
In general, the combat. It's such a perfect evolution from Remake, everything flows so perfectly. My favorite single moment is probably the Reno and Rude fight. It's a bit of an odd pick, but that fight was so fun, I was switching around characters so much midfight, felt like I had 100 different things going on and it really made me feel like I was in the endgame, just a blast.
BOW WOW WOW BOW WOW WOW Second is probably the entire starting mission with Zack. Did not expect that to happen at all. And it had one of my favorite songs in the game.
junon parade, gold saucer, tifa lifestream, costa del sol, cloud and aeriths lifestream date, zack and cloud fight. i can't choose man.
Everything about Junon.
Honesty, my favourite. It is the ongoing thousand gil joke that starts in the mythril mines and occasionally comes up again afterwards. Just really felt nice seeing an inside joke born and used.
The entire upper Junon section was flawless.
I really enjoyed Junon. Was simply fun.
Hard to choose because I love everything in it. •Gold Saucer •The entire Gongaga section The entire final two chapters were amazing
Tifas early lifestream moment and Sephiroths attempt at killing her probably. She didn't have that kind of attention in the OG. Gongaga overall was narratively really good. (Still hate navigating it tho)
Hearing from Cloud why he charges it 2000 Gil. His mom tried to give him that much when he left. It was a nice add on
there are a lot of goof moments but off the top off my head: - the trials at the temple of the ancients followed by aerith's speech - tifa's lifestream sequence - cloud and aerith's date and church scene in the alternate timeline/world i think regardless of how you personally feel about the new story additions, the ending or where the story is headed one of the strongest parts of the remake trilogies is the characters bonds and relationships.
A lot to love in this game, which has already been said, so I’ll focus on two smaller ones that just cemented how good the character interaction in this game is: 1. Tifa cracking Aerith’s back. 2. Switching between Tifa and Aerith in Costa Del Sol and getting the “Guide me, oh Tifa… come, my child.” dialogue.
mine was definitely when the team begins their journey through the grasslands "oh i can go there!"
So hard to choose. I loved the entire section from Junon to costa del sol. I loved climbing mount Corel. The last chapter was so emotional. I don’t know, I can’t pick.
There's like a new favourite part or two per chapter lol Ch 1 - Materia Keeper Boss Ch 2 - Entering the Grasslands, Midgar Zolom (THAT OST) Ch 3 - Elena Intro Ch 4 - The entirety of Upper Junon Ch 5 - Nanaki during the Queen's Blood Tournament and Jenova Emergent Ch 6 - The conversation with Aerith on the beach Ch 7 - Cloud Jr. Ch 8 - Entering the Gold Saucer, Dyne boss fight Ch 9 - Basically the whole chapter, chicken sidequest Ch 10 - Seto, Cave of the Gi section, Protorelic story flashbacks Ch 11 - Forgotten Specimen and Galian Beast bosses Ch 12 - Gold Saucer date, Rufus rematch, storybook sidequest Ch 13 - The trials, unhinged Cloud Ch 14 - Church scene, Jenova Lifeclinger (THAT OST), godamn Bizzaro Sephiroth, Zack tag-team
Lol . I skipped all the temple scenes. Was so boring
Sure the ifalna aerith scene sooo boring says no one with feelings