Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Apr. 24th, 2024 10:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rose_of_painI lost track of how many times I've had to restart this, the worst being when I got all the way to chapter 9 in my review and lost everything I wrote.
So here we go again? Going to force myself to be less wordy this time around.
But yeah, wow, Rebirth is like probably twice the length of Remake game-wise and was quite the emotional rollercoaster for me. I still stand by my statement that I view these games as kinda a fun Alternate Universe fanfic-y sequel to the OG and not really canon. Its like all the other compilation games. So I try not to judge too harshly as I'm just here for the fun.
Non-Spoiler General Thoughts:
That being said, here are some basic +/- points I felt towards the game overall with no spoilers:
- Too many mini games. Seriously. Wtf. Some of them aren't bad but some of them...ugh. And its more the fact that the game is just oversaturated with them. They drove me nuts.
+/- Music: I've been loving the soundtracks for these games, especially any arrangements of the OG music. That being said, I actually was SLIGHTLY disappointed in this one compared to Remake's. I kinda get a sense that Nobou Uematsu took a little more of a backseat on this one and the other composer did more as most of the original pieces are his and...you can tell. lol Don't get me wrong! They aren't bad. Just. I sometimes felt like I was playing FFXIII instead of FFVII. Some of his new pieces just...didn't fit the vibe with the rest of the soundtrack? But there were definitely some FANTASTIC pieces too.
- I thought Cid and Vincent would be more like support characters like Red XIII was in Remake. Instead they really just stay at the docks while you run off to do things after you meet them. So to me it didn't feel like they were really a part of the team? Even though they were supposed to be already at this point in OG. I dunno it just felt a little sad to me considering some of the events that happen here. I get not having them playable til the next part. But I thought they would at least follow the party around and have more interactions with everyone. Vincent does a little but Cid really is just "that pilot guy" here.
+ I actually really loved the whole world intel and exploration stuff. Even if I did spend a majority of my gameplay screaming at Chadley to shut up and leave me alone (He's so passive aggressive about those damn protorelics in particular...like bro). And the side quests were all excellent! Highly recommend not skipping them as a lot of them really add to the characters.
+ Having even more options for the Golden Saucer dates is super fun! And I love that there are non-intimate versions. Though this is only really a big difference with the girls. With the guys you just get slightly more "spill your heart" info. Also for anyone worried about Yuffie's. Don't worry, even the "intimate" version made it clear that there isn't any romance here. lol Cloud is NOT going to date the minor. *sigh of relief* You also get the option to unlock the rest of the dates besides the one you got in game afterwards which was great! As I would have been so frustrated trying to go back through THE WHOLE GAME just to get each date variation. lol
+/- Which brings me to my next point: the relationship statuses. Basically to get said dates, etc, you have to rank up with your party members based on things you say and do with them. Mainly the side quests. Its very Persona-ish. lol So kinda weird, yes, but also fun? And this way you can see who has the highest ranking currently if you are like "oh shit, I don't want to date you" and then can go load up on side quests with a different character to fix it before you start chapter 12. (lol...I definitely did that)
- Too much "localization" in the English dub dialogue choices? So I played in Japanese again but I noticed that once again, a lot of the subtitles did not match what was actually being said. Which of course means the subs were just the dub dialogue which does help me know what things are being said differently. But wow, some of the choices? Were really weird. And I mean changing lines that are actually IN English already in the Japanese dialogue. Like Cait Sith says "Hey! You!" but they kept changing it in the dub? Like, why? Also there were some pretty big lines where the scene even feels different due to a line change but can't use an example without a spoiler here. And even putting dialogue where in Japanese the character is just going "Arrrgggh!" (like Barret lol) etc.
Now onto the spoilers...
Spoiler Chapter-By-Chapter Thoughts:
Chapter 1:
???: So my theory that at the end of Remake, the main gang exited one timeline and crossed over into another and thus left their bodies behind at the beginning of Rebirth...was proven wrong at the very start. lol As we see Red XIII awake for a moment though he is then shot and presumed dead. :( And yeah, I still find starting the game with Zack here was a bit mind-jarring. Though Ultimania has finally made all of this clearer but I'll do a blurb on that the end so not to spoil folks still playing and reading this as they go. Also, if you hadn't played Intermission you were probably confused since they had more of the lead-in with Zack there and also the main party going from Midgar to Kalm. So Rebirth skips that and starts us directly at Kalm.
Favorite Part: Nibelheim Flashback. Hands Down probably one of my favorite parts in all of Rebirth. And they gave us most of it as the Demo even, those mad folks. But as I've said before, this was the part in OG that got me obsessed. I was never the same after that shot of Sephiroth in the flames. And even though I've seen that same shot in Advent Children and then again in Crisis Core...Rebirth's version was definitely the best to date. Gave me literal chills. And ya know, gotta love Cloud's self-insert fanfic. I love how they managed to make it very obvious that flashback "not-Cloud" here has all of Zack's mannerisms, expressions, and even tone of voice.
Shout-Out To: The argument between Cloud and Tifa. The fact that Tifa actually questions Cloud about his faulty story, etc. Yes good. It always bothered me she was so silent to everyone in the OG here. And this made me like her a bit more (at least at this point).
Chapter 2:
Favorite Part: Sephiroth saving Cloud from the Midgardsormr huehue~ Though it did result in us NOT having the famous "Did Sephiroth do this?" line since we...saw...Sephiroth do it. And it is kind of a ridiculous scene but. I loved it. haha!
World Intel: I loved all the chocobo stuff, especially them comparing Piko and Cloud. lol
Grasslands Side Quests: Oho, quite the drama with the Chocobo Farm family a-brewing here. In general I liked the fact they fleshed out a lot of the NPCs from the original and gave them more background, etc.
Chapter 3:
Favorite Part: Yay Turks! And oh Tseng, always with a soft spot with Aerith. Also the music for this part? Yes good.
I also liked how in general this game found ways to force you to play as other characters in certain parts and change the party around. Else I'd probably be lame and more or less use the same party the whole game.
Chapter 4:
...aka the chapter that felt like it'd never end!
Least Favorite Part(s): The dolphin mini-game kinda made me grate my teeth and boy did I suck at the parade rhythm game. But then again I also REALLY sucked at the original parade part so I'm not sure if this was any worse or not.
Favorite Part(s): Oh boy. There was kinda a lot? I loved the whole bit of Cloud having to collect trooper recruits. I became quite attached to this stupid lot (and boy are Shinra troopers stupid lol They really just let you walk right in, huh?) and felt genuinely bad that they didn't realize they were helping the "traitors". But boy was I determined to keep them all alive and I'm proud I didn't lose a single one of them! And HELLO sexy commander lady~! Please step on me. o_o
Also. The Glabrescent Bar. One of the best comedy bits in the whole damn game.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you need to redo this section and go find the bar Rude goes into. You will thank me later.
???: Glen shows up and Rae and I were like "? WHAT YOU DOING HERE?!" See, he's one of the characters introduced in the Ever Crisis mobile game, the "hero" of the First Soldier part of the game. So honestly this felt kinda like a dirty spoiler on SE's part because we haven't gotten that far into his story in EC and it was like "oh geez, now we know Rufus shoots him eventually and that he might have died? Question mark?" Since he's "alive" here but uh, his personality is COMPLETELY different than in EC. What happened to you? :(
Shout-Out To: Roche. For being...Roche. I didn't care too much for him in Remake but this chapter (and his little bit in Intermission) made him grow on me. Very fast. lol He was just...so ridiculous how can I not like him?! Man is so smitten with Cloud, its kinda adorable? And he even gives Cloud a keychain of himself?! lahgiaghapgiapai I can't.
World Intel: Black chocobo! The climbing looked so silly at first but I had way too much fun doing that around Junon area. haha!
Side Quests: So I already knew from Intermission that they turned Fort Condor into essentially a virtual board game. But the Rebirth version of it...is so annoying! I really enjoyed the Intermission version but in Rebirth they don't let you select your own units so its...a lot harder. The first match isn't too bad but the rest...ahgiapghapgiaoa. Anyway, I still recommend trying it out just to see the characters in the OG polygon style and their reactions to it. XD
Chapter 5:
Oh hey this part should be short, its just the ship to Costa del Sol, how bad can it be after the mammoth that was chapter 4? Oh hey what about a HUGE card game tournament?! ...okay then.
TBH I didn't mind the tournament and found it kinda amusing but then again, I wasn't the one playing the game. Rae did all of that for me 'cause they are the Queen's Blood king in this house. In general Rae doing all the side shit I got tired of helped a lot here. lol I played all the main story and fights and they did most of the exploring and some mini-games.
Favorite part: lmao So I was all "wtf they didn't put Red XIII in the trooper uniform? Well that's disappointing" only to be totally played when he came out in the trooper uniform for the last round of the tournament...doing the moonwalk even. "Two feet isn't hard" haha, well played, sir, well played.
Not necessarily my "least" favorite part BUT I was actually disappointed in the whole Jenova part here. This part was SO creepy in the OG and I have waited SO many years to see this part in HD and well...I guess I got my hopes up too high and imagined it in my head too many times. Kinda forgot that they can't make it TOO gory/bloody without changing the rating of the game. Boo. Oh well. That being said, the Jenova Emergent music here was one of my favorite tracks in the whole game!
Chapter 6:
Least Favorite Part: The mini-games. Why were there so many in just ONE area?! These were probably my least favorite ones too. Like I expected them at Golden Saucer but Costa Del Sol? Like really would have been better if there was like...half the amount they had here. I also sucked at like...all of them. lol Except the piano mini quest though that's throughout the whole game but its here that they let you actually start unlocking songs.
Favorite Part(s): Honestly, Johnny. lmao He's been a really endearing NPC that they've added so much more content to in R and seeing his character development is really kinda fantastic. I highly recommend doing his side quest too if you haven't. It takes a while but its SO worth it and totally hilarious! And...the "Wheelie"s. lmao Rae and I have had WAY too much fun knocking shit over with them.
Costumes: Huzzah finally we get some costumes for the gang! Though I am sorely disappointed there wasn't one for Red XIII. Like, you could have at least given him a skin with the lei still on?? (he does get a Golden Saucer costume you can get post game but that's about it) Anyway, I love love LOVE Cloud's cute little chocobo beach outfit and I am most definitely making it. I also never did the shirtless version. It felt...wrong. I'm just like "no baby, put that shirt back on, you'll get cold" ...even in sunny hot beach weather, yes. Also it bugs me his scar is missing. I'm hoping that is just indicating it healed over from the experiments and not the game devs forgetting about it. Because they certainly remembered Tifa's as she keeps flashing Cloud to prove hers exists. lol Anyway, love being able to put Barret in his sailor outfit and the girls all have super cute outfits though I definitely preferred one set over the other.
Shout Out To: Hojo...being the twisted creepy fuck that he is. I hate him but I love to hate him and I'm glad they kept the Hojo on the Beach part in. Though the conversation he has with the girls is so...*shudder* Really made me want to vomit.
Chapter 7:
World Intel: Kinda glad they made it so you can only explore a part of the Corel area at a time cause otherwise it would have been overwhelming to complete it all. At this point could only do the area around Costa Del Sol but watching everyone use their weapons as a means to zipline was certainly amusing.
The music as you go up Mt Nibel sure is a jam though. Even if it did feel a little out of place? lol I dig it though.
Favorite Part(s): "Cloud Jr." So cute! Though lol I always thought the chicks you rescue in this part were chocobo chicks but uh, that mama certainly wasn't a chocobo. XD; Surprise Cloud, its not JUST chocobos you are related to.
And of course, Cloud nearly diving straight into the water with the rest of the robed men was very huehue. I love seeing him slowly (or not so slowly?) fall apart. My boy is not okay and its delicious. Though lol makes you wonder why the party just lets him lead. "I'm okay." Uh huh. Sure. At least they force him to rest here and the next chapter but still. But then again, FF7 would be a lot shorter if someone actually was like "hey Cloud is not okay and maybe we should stop letting him lead..." pffft.
Least Favorite Part: Nearly getting taken out by a giant...chicken. lol I love playing as Yuffie (surprisingly but FF7R has made me like her a lot more than I did in the past in general) but she is terrible as a solo unit.
Oh, look, another mini game. At least its boxes. I did that in Intermission, this shouldn't be too ba- *proceeds to miss most of the boxes* ...dammit.
Side Quests: Apparently the Robbed Men's sweat can now be identified with UV light. Well. That's. A thing. Anyone tried shining a UV Light on Cloud yet? Just saying. Also you can only do like the first half of Johnny's side quest here but its a fun time. XD;
Chapter 8:
The intro to the Golden Saucer...sure was something, alright. I love the girls' random little dance battle with Andrea and then...Dio?! lmao Oh god Dio.
I got Tifa for the mini date here which I was kinda "meh" about (I'm not a big fan of the ship if you don't know this already lol) but not too concerned as I knew I had time to work on everyone else to make sure I got ANYONE else for the date in ch 12. (lol legit I was happy as long as I didn't get Tifa and semi unsure about getting Yuffie but her scene turned out cute like I said above). But I will say Tifa's reaction to Jessie's poster was a pretty nice moment. I've only done this bit again with Aerith so I still need to do everyone else. I want to do Barret next to see his reaction too. Though in general I liked Aerith's reactions to the mini-games more than Tifa but I expected as much.
Favorite Part: LOVE the updated version of the haunted hotel. Especially the Tonberry humidifier omg! "Retribution is at hand" aghiapghagpagia! And Cait Sith/Reeve canceling Palmer's reservation so the gang can have a room. XD; Love Reeve in general! And Cait Sith is a lot more fun in this version IMO. I never really cared for using him much in the original. I think it helps him having an actual voice cause it adds to his personality in general. All the little "nya~"s (at least in Japanese). And I didn't mind the Mini Games here because...they're SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. lol Though goddamn is the 3D Fighter game so much harder here. But oddly enough I got pretty good at the chocobo races...after a bit. lol It took some practice, that's for sure.
Least Favorite Part: Oh god the Dustbowl is a sensory nightmare. That guy running around screaming into a megaphone really got to me after a while and Gus...is just...too much?_@ Like not sure why they decided to change the character to be that much more...Extra. When he already was a pretty big sleaze but here we are. And the whole having to shoot things as they chased us...was kinda hard. Like I said, I suck at Mini Games. lol
???: Oh man did it get trippy when Cloud went to sleep and "woke" up seeing through the comatose Cloud's eyes in the other world. O.O!
And everything with Dyne was very well done. Very emotional. I liked how they had Barret fight Dyne one-on-one. Felt appropriate.
Chapter 9:
World Intel: The buggy is so fucking annoying to manuever. Can I please have a chocobo instead? No? Bah. I often just left the stupid thing in the oddest of spots lol. Usually half-up on a mountain ledge. Also the Protorelic for Corel can only be partially done at this point but the Cactuar aspect of it is really fucking amusing. Rae enjoyed watching everyone get stuck doing the pose immensely (they LOVE cactuars). But anyway its a bit of a crazy change from the Corel dessert to suddenly jungle? Like ya know, I know Gongaga was supposed to be in a jungle ish area but somehow I never expected it to be FULL on jungle? I dunno. lol I guess the OG graphics did not prepare me for this. At all. The area is REALLY dense and hard to explore. I'm grateful that Rae was willing to take over on that as I think it would have driven me mad. The mushroom jumping is fun though.
So. Yeah. This chapter. I have a lot of mixed feelings here. (Maybe this is why my original review draft got deleted...it wasn't ready to handle my brain mush for this chapter...maybe it'll be more coherent now?)
We were not expecting Gongaga to be...well...more than just a tiny "oh hey this place is sad". Like now it's a whole "we managed to rebuild huzzah, look at us!" which really does cement the fact that this is NOT the same timeline as the OG, if you forgot. Cissnei being here alone kinda drives that fact home. 'Cause even the Whispers are about in a kinda a "...this is not the same as it was supposed to be." 'Cause she didn't EXIST in OG and thus did not find her way to Zack's home to help rebuild it in his honor. But damn, I can't help but love this! I always did love Cissnei and seeing her again and hearing the Crisis Core music...got me super emotional. Also, super nice touch on Cloud's mind battling with itself on Zack's memory. Also Aerith's whole conversation with Zack's parents...*wibbles*.
But ho boy. Gongaga Reactor. Ho boy. Rae and I were all like "wow, I have no idea what's going to happen and that's both terrifying and exciting..." since we certainly didn't go into this part to this depth in OG.
Favorite Part: The girls having to team up to go save the boys was a nice touch. lol I like how they are smart and actually take chocobos. Pffft. But of course my ACTUAL favorite part was Cloud going feral and cutting down the Shinra troopers USING SEPHIROTH'S MOVES AND MANNERISMS was so fucking sexy. God. The dodging of the bullets? KWAH!
wtf?!: Cloud shoving Tifa into the mako reactor??!! Like WHAT?! Girl should not have come out of there as intact as she did. The whole part with the WEAPON was super trippy and kinda...weird. Still not sure what to make of all of it. I mean maybe this is meant to build up for when she helps Cloud out of the Lifestream later on but damn. I did really like the brief moment of diving into her psyche though. Even though they clearly couldn't go too far with that to not ruin the later part with Cloud's memories. But yeah the whole white Whispers vs Black Whispers. *shrugs*
But. Sephiroth's "You can't reach him" at Tifa. Hohohohoho! That I liked. *coughs*
Least Favorite Part: So, like, if I was Tifa and had just been basically thrown to what should have been my death and then forced to go through a very traumatic trippy experience, the next thing I'd want to do is certainly NOT TRY TO KISS THE GUY WHO DID IT. I'm sorry but this was the most awkward thing they did in Rebirth and one of my least favorite things in the game in general. Tifa started out so good but then at this point...she started losing me all over again. Which yeah I mean that was part of my issue with her in OG but they were really doing great at giving her more personality (I really should make a whole post on my mixed feelings over the years on Tifa. It's...a ride. lol) and then it's like she almost lost it all here. Just because she's too afraid to argue with Cloud again. But that almost-kiss? Very badly placed. I guess its meant to be the "went through trauma and don't know how to cope" type of thing and this is supposed to be them reconciling but it felt too awkward for me. If I was a CloTi fan, I'd be disappointed honestly but I know the fans are probably rejoicing at this. I dunno, it felt too forced and I'm still like "was that them TRYING to force CloTi as the canon ship or was it meant to be awkward to back up the 'there is no canon ship' here or are they just fucking with us?" I think if they wanted a scene like that, it should be AFTER their tumble into the Lifestream. Not here. Cloud's way too stable. But yes at least they got interrupted *sigh of relief*.
But anyway, Yay Cid! Even if he's way earlier than I expected to see him. lol I'm sad they are doing his story in a completely different order. Since we didn't even go to Rocket Town at all. And honestly his character is coming off differently now since he has no reason to be grumpy at the team (yet? Hopefully that changes. I miss him being grumpy lol) but it was still genuinely nice to see him.
But fuck, Roche, no! Rae and I literally were like "well. RIP. Just when we started to like you too. 'Cause that ain't going to turn out good..." No one comes back from Hojo the same. *sighs*
Side Quests: Oh god the chicken though! aghiagphagpaiao (if you know...you know...) The Cissnei can't cook side quest with Aerith attempting to help was really cute though. And we got another dog mini quest!
Chapter 10:
I was not prepared for the dramatic change in Red XIII's voice. At least in Japanese it's a huge difference. Though I guess I should have seen that coming considering who they chose to voice him and the range he's known for. But boy did it take me A LONG time to get used to the new voice. Yes it makes sense since this is the point where we find out that Nanaki is actually more like a teenager but the English version of the OG was terrible at portraying this. Apparently it WAS in fact a thing in the Japanese version where his speech style did change after the reveal but its completely lost in the English translation. Doesn't help that his ONE line in Advent Children was also spoken with a deeper voice. So I've spent like 20-something years thinking he spoke with a serious and deep tone only to feel whipflash at this sudden happy higher pitched young voice. lmao Honestly, I am STILL adjusting. But I do love the "you wouldn't have taken me seriously otherwise" reasoning and how quickly he drops the act after we get to Cosmo Canyon.
Favorite Part: Aerith's little speech. T_T And seeing the Seto bit in HD, etc.
Least Favorite Part/wtf?!: ...the whole addition of "actually there's more to the Gi...and now we're going to go down this trippy journey with Gi Nattak and make it very unclear if they are bad or good?" Like why was this necessary? We already closed the chapter and defeated his ghost. Why are we...doing another whole dungeon on the subject? To reveal that the Gi made the black materia? Okaaaay. I guess this was their new way of introducing the concept and the "oh shit we need to get that" but I dunno. It was just...weird.
But yes, Cloud, bring Sephiroth the black materia. Hee~
???: Biggs and Zack having a whole "why did I get to live?" was a pretty deep and emotional part here. Though it hurts when you realize they are still dead in the main timeline, etc.
World Intel: Teal chocobo~! Hell yeah! The protorelic bit in this area has a really annoying mini-game (shocking) but the story attached to it had some kinda important bits for Avalanche and connected some of the story points in Intermission. Also it made me super emotional. But yeah some of that stuff I kinda think should have been in the main story though?
Chapter 11:
I like how instead of Nibelheim just being a town full of actors, they now made it a "rehabilitation" center for the robbed men/victims of mako poisoning, etc. (Would be interesting if they bring Cloud here later instead of doing Mideel...just saying...lmao) Kinda made it harder to hate the folks here since some of them, like the lovely lady in Cloud's old house, is adorable and so sweet (also love her singing).
wtf?!: LOL So Cloud ALMOST remembers Zack but then his brain is like "oh, nope, can't do that!" so now he's made up a new story in his head that Zack was ANOTHER SOLDIER in the Nibelheim Incident and that HE was the one that got washed away, not the random trooper. aghipagaipgao Oh Cloud, baby, honey...you were so close yet so far away...
Favorite Part: Vincent, of course! This part did NOT disappoint. Gaaaaah he's so good. And I love that he's now the mansion "security" more or less. lol And yet sucks at technology.
Least Favorite Part: Roche. Maaaaan. We saw it coming a mile away but the actual moment was...very lackluster? It was like the build up was there and then suddenly he's magically in a robe (lol they just spawn like that?!) and its like "oh, byebye Roche...I guess?" At least Cloud had a moment of fearing that being him soon.
So I skipped the side quests here because I wanted to keep my stats for ch 12 and more or less just dived right into the next chapter and came back here afterwards.
World Intel: But I did start this at least! Oh my god, Selena you beautiful gorgeous blue bird...why are you so dumb? lmao Rae had to do this chocobo catching for me and even they were screaming at the bird for how dumb it was, running right into cacti, etc. x_x So worth it though. She's my favorite of the chocobos in this game.
Chapter 12:
???: Maybe Cloud should just...not sleep at the Haunted Hotel anymore. Trippy things happen every time. lol Though its EXCELLENT for fanfics (already read a bunch haha). But oh Zack, you adorable boy who never did anything wrong. Also ahgiaphgaigai at Marlene's whole "if Aerith wakes up, a scary man is going to kill her" bit. Wow, kid with foreshadowing powers.
Least Favorite Part: SO MANY FREAKING BATTLES OMG! I felt dead after this chapter. It was just...so intense. Especially Rufus. Aiya! That being said...
Favorite Part(s): Okay, the stuff going on WITH The battles was hilarious though! The Beastie Boys here rapping during the battles and the freaking Corneo themed enemies?! WHAT EVEN! And we both LOST IT when Dio paused things so they could bring out a bench for us to rest on. And ELENA SITTING ON IT?! OMG I LOVE IT.
And of course, Loveless! While I found it interesting they combined the original date play with Loveless, I gotta say this was REALLY NICE. Finally getting to see/experience Loveless even if it did change the play to a more serious story from the really silly OG one. And I had a much better time with the rhythm game here than I did with the Junon part. Overall loved the Loveless bit and the costumes everyone got to wear. And the fact that there are SO MANY different versions of this scene! Though I'll get more into that in the after-thoughts since that was a post-game thing.
And yeah, the whole part with Aerith singing? Broke me. Ahh it was so beautiful. *wipes away a tear* And depending on who you get on your date, the characters have different reactions while she's singing which is a nice touch.
For my date, I got Aerith. Like I said, I was happy as long as it was anyone but Tifa and Yuffie, lol. So yay! And actually I think I love her date the best? The fact they kept in the "I want to meet you" line in the gondola? AAAAAAAH. Thank you! That was always one of my favorite bits in the OG. But yes I loved how their date wasn't super romantic even though I apparently got the "intimate" version. (The only difference is whether or not Cloud holds her hand after she leans against him). So that was also nice. Also honestly it makes more sense to have her as Rosa for the play to go along with the song part. The only versions she's not Rosa are if you get the other 2 girls. But any of the guys' versions, Aerith is the default Rosa.
Also I really like Cloud with that mask/muzzle on? Hoho. Semi tempted to try cosplaying the Loveless version though its going to be more work than the Costa Del Sol outfit, obviously.
Side Quests (wrapping things up): As this was more or less the point of no return (technically after the first cutscene in ch 12 but anyway...) decided to go back and finish all side quests and world intel at this point. Not going into it too much but wanted to mention on 3 side quests:
- Chocobo Gold Cup. Oh my god, I think it took us nearly a whole day to get this but we did it! Chocobo racing a la Mario Kart style is intense. Rae and I basically passed the controller back and forth whenever one of us got too tired of doing it until we finally managed to win all 3 races. Rae won the first and last race and I won the middle one. But it was so worth it. Got that Chocobo Farm family drama resolved. Ah yeah! But for anyone curious, we ended up using Piko with the Dandy gear (god I love that set) as it gave a good overall stats to even out for all 3. Though in other races I used Selena or Fango more.
- Favorite Side Quest of the whole game goes to: "My White Haired Angel" aka the lost cat quest in Nibelheim. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH~! It was adorable. T_T And yes YOU CAN PET THE CAT! Cloud finally gets to pet a cat! And then the cats rolling around as Tifa plays the piano?! It was beautiful~ Rae made sure to make a recording of me playing this part so we could keep it because it was just so good (also semi hard to watch the kitties when I was very focused on the piano).
- Mother fucking final side quest though! I did NOT expect the salary guy from Costa Del Sol to come back and issue such a ridiculous Golden Saucer challenge ahgipaghapgai! It's hilarious...but super frustrating. I managed to do the chocobo race (I was like, bitch please I have spent a week mastering this, you are going DOWN) and the coliseum battles (oof that was ROUGH) but took one look at the scores needed for the other mini games and NOPED out of that so fast. lol So it's the ONLY side quest I have not finished. And sucks that it reset after post game as only the ones you finished save over but I just...did not have it in me. Rae and I MIGHT try again later on but UGH.
World Intel: So like I said, went back and finished all the areas we didn't have done yet (mostly Rae lol) and actually explored Nibelheim fully. The Nibelheim protorelic is highly recommended as it (once again) has some pretty big story elements in it? As it involves the robed men and Cloud and shit. Its definitely a lot less silly than the other ones. And the ending? Oof. Everyone's jokes about Chadley being one of the final boss fights in Part 3...might not be that much of a joke. Fucking Hojo.
The only thing we didn't finish was getting the Odin summon, doing Gilgamesh Island (cause it requires having Odin pffft), Chadley's virtual battles, and the Golden Saucer Queen's Blood challenges (Rae got frustrated lol). I'm working on the Chadley stuff on and off but we shall see if I end up giving up on the other stuff. And the freaking mini games. Though I DO kinda want to try to get the rest of the 3D Fighter stuff cause...I have been spoiled on the final round and I WANT IT.
Queen's Blood: Rae did the final "battle" before we moved on. They kept making fun of me calling them battles when its a card game but once the story involving the game got...more intense, Rae was like "...okay maybe battles is accurate". Lmao And boy that last one was intense! I love the music though! But half-expected Sephiroth to come in like "um, excuse you?" haha (also Vincent being the 2nd to last battle was super amusing)
Okay moving on! Here we go, kiddos! Ch. 13 and 14 were fucking intense! I'll try not to go too overboard with my thoughts though.
Chapter 13:
FYI: Do not attempt to do this chapter in one night like I did. I was so...fucking tired. And still didn't finish it. lmao
Okay first though, story time! So little 12/13 year old Lyn playing FF7 for the first time and not understanding anything about RPG games and NOT knowing you should always keep more than one save point...got stuck at the Temple of Ancients. Like badly. I saved inside the room with the Wall Monster...only to find out I was too low level to beat it. I tried. So hard. So many times. Couldn't do it. But in the OG game, once you are in that room, you can NOT get out. And I saved. In that fucking room. I had to start the ENTIRE GAME all over. So thus to say I still wince a bit when I hear the music for this place. But! That being said, I LOVED the new arrangements for said piece of music. So creepy~!
Least Favorite Part: So yeah. Fucking Wall Monster. Still sucked. lmao But at least I wasn't stuck with no way out and I DID manage to beat it but aghaipghapigai I will forever hate that thing. I was screaming the whole way. lmao But yeah this is more of a personal thing so I don't expect others to have hated the battle as much as me. That being said, I think I almost had a WORST time with the fucking turtle enemy I ran into during the labyrinth? Like what the fuck was that even about?! It wasn't even a boss fight. *twitches*
But despite that? I fucking LOVED this chapter. I actually really loved this dungeon, as tedious as it was. It was super intriguing and kept me very invested. A big improvement on the frustrating original version of it, honestly.
I loved getting the whole history of the Ancients gradually. I loved Aerith coming into her power and the team being split off and all the different things going on. Oh how I loved using Aerith's little staff ability for the puzzles here. It was so satisfying to let her shine here. And then meanwhile, Cloud just getting gradually more and more unhinged. Oh my god. They really went there. I did not expect it.
It was beautiful though.
And aaaah I'm glad they managed to do the whole emotional Tseng being stabbed thing but still make it more easy to believe (if) he still survives. lol Its still unclear but I feel like they probably aren't going to kill him off this time around? Just my instinct. And the fact that he's alive in Advent Children. But lol when Cloud went to attack Elena, Rae was like "*gasps* CLOUD NO NOT ELENA!" We are still laughing about that. Like everything else he did was fine. But going after Elena was crossing a line. XD
But anyway, getting to see ALL the Turks fight was pretty awesome, even if it was like "omg do the battles ever end?!" And holy crap, Tseng DOES know how to fight. LOL
And then everyone having their own dive into their psyche, being forced to re-live the worst moment of their pasts? agahgiapghapigaigpoapai! Brilliant and absolutely heart breaking having to go through each one. Especially Aerith's. Fuck I cried so hard during hers. And the fact that Cloud didn't even get one? Ahgaphgapogiai. Cloud: "Oh it's because I don't have to face my past. I'm good. Its all you that need to." UM. BOY. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I'm pretty sure the Ancients were like "...not you, you're far too fucked up right now..."
But then he's forced into it anyway. Hahaha! But by Sephiroth and oh the mind fucking going on here! I love it! THE HUG!!!
Favorite Part: ...the black materia. AHGAPGHIAPGHAOPIAOGOAH BARKBARKBARK!!! Its been a few weeks and I am STILL feral over this. By far Lyn's favorite part of the whole game (not surprising) aghaigpahgpagia GAAAAAAWWWWWD!
...okay give me a moment. *takes a deep breathe*
Okay, for real this was everything I ever wanted. And I'm sorry to anyone who isn't into it because this part was clearly made for the Sefikura fans like me. Like I thought the mindfuck hug would be the best part but then THIS HAPPENS!
Cloud fucking just losing it, so focused on the black materia and NOTHING else. Leaving the other party members behind so he can get it first and being all "...that's mine..." when Barret throws it away. Gaaaah. Boy is so fucking NOT OKAY. I love it I love it!
God, Sephiroth fucking with them and purposely making Cloud pick it back up even AFTER Sephiroth got it. This part DOES get a little confusing though and I've had to rewatch it a few times and look at what others say with it to get it and I THINK I got it now? That the black materia here is in fact fake and more so the key to the real thing. Which is why Sephiroth needed Cloud to go into a completely different timeline to even get it, etc. Yeah its' weird. But anyway!
Cloud pushing Tifa aside and then fucking CHASING AERITH DOWN to get the black materia?! God I have no idea how this part is in English but the Japanese was AMAZING! Cloud goes back and forth between giggling and being playful with Aerith like they're playing a game and won't Aerith pretty please give it back? To him getting more and more desperate. And then bam the most pathetic "onegai" (please) I have ever heard. Rae and I lost it, haha. I too, like Aerith, would be unable to resist him at that point. But oh the hurt on her face when she trusts him with it only to have him IMMEDIATELY turn around and give it to Sephiroth.
Looking like dog wagging his tail the whole time. GUH. WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO ME?!
But then Cloud seeing that Aerith isn't stable and might fall at any moment...bringing him BACK TO HIS SENSES. Fuck! That was so intense. And how he doesn't give the materia to Sephiroth because he FINALLY realizes Aerith needs his help, that she might fall. And Aerith's "Welcome back!" and that smile. Ugh, okay I don't ship them but I have A LOT of feelings about them platonically and can totally understand those that do. *sniffles*
But when they BOTH go falling I was like "ahgiahgapgai what is even going to happen now?!" I was on the edge of my seat.
Chapter 14:
The final chapter.
This chapter broke me.
It was also super confusing. But excerpts from the Ultimania Book have certainly helped in understanding it. The biggest ??? is the fact that we are actually dealing with MULTIPLE timelines now even within the alternate one we were given from the start of Rebirth. So the whole part with Zack trying to decide WHO to help and then us seeing him do each route is apparently each a separate timeline, a branch created by Zack's different choices. Now whether Zack is aware of himself making these choices is a bit unclear though. But he did seem pretty defeated at the end so I kinda wonder if he did?
And the world Cloud and Aerith land in is NOT exactly the same timeline that Zack is in which took me a while to understand. Even though they do in fact wake up in the comatose bodies so makes one think its the same but its pointed out in Ultimania that Zack, Elmyra, and Marlene are not evident anywhere and how the people around Midgar seem to have accepted that its the end of the world and that's why they are just giving things away. Crazy shit, man. But it did result in a nice little trippy date for Cloud and Aerith. Honestly to me it kinda added to the trippiness of the original part before Aerith went to the Forgotten City on her own.
Hell Ultimania has even suggested that the Aerith here with Cloud might not even BE the same Aerith of our main timeline even though they fell together. But then again, Aerith being an Ancient would make sense that she would be aware of herself in different timelines. But yeah from my understanding, ultimately the point of this trippy "maybe-a-dream" like bit is that Aerith's white materia in the main timeline has stopped being Holy and lost its color, so they had to get it from a different timeline/Aerith. So here Aerith is entrusting Cloud with an actual intact white materia, even though she knows that her being awake her basically means her death.
Thus Sephiroth walking menacingly through the church doors at the end. ...but okay I still feel like this IS the same initial Zack timeline since he's outside the door and the whole Marlene warning that Aerith would die if she woke up. But whatever. I think even the Directors are making up shit at this point. Just with Remake's Ultimania, sometimes the things they say just make things MORE confusing instead of better so I just go with my own thoughts. lol Rae and I agreed that maybe a lot of this is just up to personal interpretation. And I'm stupidly trying to get it all to make sense because I WANT it to make sense because I honestly love these games even if they do mess with things. It's a fun time, okay? Like I said, it won't ever replace OG in my heart but I enjoy it.
But hoooo the trippy in between timelines bit with Sephiroth messing with Cloud. Very nice~
And then we have the expected trippy forest scene that is similar to the initial one in OG. Just this time without Cloud beating Aerith up beforehand. lol Honestly Cloud chasing Aerith and then them falling was a much better route to go cause I can't imagine seeing the original version in HD would go very well. :/ It is a little "yikes" when you think about it.
But here Cloud gives Aerith the white materia from the other timeline so now Aerith can do what she needs to do. Which we all know what that is. :( I'm very curious what will come of the clear one she gives Cloud in return though. I saw someone had a theory that the clear materia became the actual black materia at the end but uh I'm pretty sure they are meant to be two separate things in that last scene. True, Cloud does put the one in his pocket and then takes out the other, so it COULD be that it was the same materia going in that comes out. But I don't think so. lol I think he was legit confused when he put the clear one in his pocket that there was something already there, etc.
But I'm getting ahead here.
I loved the whole bit through the forest and everyone having a chance to talk to Cloud. Though they all going to need more than just a tiny conversation to truly resolve things but we got plenty of time for that in Part 3. Well, except for...
God, I thought I was ready for this but I don't think no matter how many times I play/watch it, I will ever be fully ready. It hurt. It was like being 12 years old all over again, crying my eyes out with controller in hand. Except it almost hurt more this time?
But fuck the music was SO GOOD HERE.
Watching Cloud struggle against Sephiroth's hold as he's being forced to raise his sword against here was always such an impactful scene but having to play as him and use the controller to try to help Cloud fight back? Dayum. And for a BRIEF second they even make you think Cloud has succeeded in stopping Sephiroth this time by letting their swords clash.
And no lie, while I've been saying this whole time that if they changed Aerith's death, I'd be upset because its such an important part...there was still a TINY bit in me that had hope that maybe Cloud DID succeed. It was that 12-year-old Lyn hoping THIS time would be different. Even if 28-year-old me keeps saying its better this way.
But then the blood. And the glitches. And Cloud crying. Oh god I lost it. It was like Sephiroth taunting Cloud with the "you tried but THIS cannot be changed." (I have a silly fan delulu theory that Aerith's death here is Sephiroth punishing Cloud for NOT agreeing to help him change fate in Remake lol)
Ooof this battle! Like I will forever have memories of crying through the Jenova battle here. And this time it was more less the same except with a beautiful merging of Aerith's theme AND Jenova's theme. Ooooh that was so good! And I loved how we got to have EVERYONE fight in this. They're all hurting from Aerith's death and they all get to help take down Jenova here. It was wonderful.
So this next part with Cloud and Zack fighting together? lmao Even Nomura admitted that this happened solely because he asked for it to be put in. So really it doesn't make much sense. Cloud suddenly remembers Zack okay here and doesn't question that he's here and that makes no sense but really WHO CARES! It was a really glorious candy for the fans. AND I LOVED IT. I'm a Sefikura fan first but I'm a Zakkura fan second. And I was well fed this game. And them doing the split screen affect just like in Remake as homage to the final battle in OG but now with BOTH Cloud and Zack here, ooooh I like! Makes me wonder how they'll do the actual final battle. Cause I feel like these parts are building up to it.
Sephiroth basically kicking Zack out of that realm though. lmao Jealous much? XD He's like "get out" once again at poor Zack. Though oof that "Save her, Cloud" hurt because...its already too late, dammit.
Oh man "Sephiroth Reborn" is basically Bizarro Sephiroth and I was not expecting it but I very much loved it! God I can't wait to see Safer Sephiroth in the final part... And I loved the next part with Zack too. Fighting in the church. Ah, I know they really dragged this on and it didn't need to be this long but I honestly loved this whole ongoing battle and all its parts. Yes it was over the top but I love it. The double Cloud and Zack limit break across timelines was *chef's kiss*.
But I do wonder if this was meant to be the conclusion to Zack's involvement in the game or not. I think it would be fitting to end that part here but...I have a feeling they aren't going to. lol
The final battle with Aerith's spirit coming to fight alongside Cloud...fuck man. I struggled here even though I did fine in all the previous parts. Sucked cause after several attempts, I had to give up and turn on Easy Mode, which also meant having to start ALL over again back at Jenova. *twitch* But I was getting so tired trying. I kept being THIS CLOSE too. But difficulty aside, this fight was very poetic. Sephiroth telling Aerith that her part is done was like oh, fuck, man. lol
So, at first I was confused/angry they didn't include the iconic scene of Cloud placing Aerith's body in the water. Like HOW could they not include THAT? And then it dawned on me why it's missing...
Because we are more or less getting the whole ending here from Cloud's POV and he seems to be in denial that Aerith has died. Or at least that's what Rae and I think. That he's deleted that part from memory so he doesn't have to face it. Its why the scenes here seem a bit...incomplete. Its even been pointed out by others that in the credits, the scenes where Cloud is "seeing" Aerith are cut and there are empty spaces where it should be, potentially indicating where the ACTUAL footage should be.
And this is why Aerith's death hurts even more this time around. Because Cloud can't accept it. He's the only one not grieving in the scene at the water. And at first I thought maybe he did acknowledge that its Aerith's spirit he's talking to but Rae has me unsure on this. That maybe he genuinely thinks he saved her? Hmm. I'm curious what others think on it. I see around on the internet that some folks even think she actually IS alive but not on the same plane as everyone else. I'm...not sure about that. lol I mean in Advent Children we already knew she could still talk/reach out to them. Just here only Cloud can and Red XIII senses her for a second.
But I really don't want to think that Aerith here really is a figment of his imagination. That would hurt even worse. Pretty sure she's real. Just not...alive. Just by the bit with Nanaki. I hope this gets fully answered in the last part. I'd like to think that when Cloud finally is forced to face himself after the veggie state, that he'll also finally come to terms with her death and we'll THEN see the water scene for real. But who knows.
Edit: I've been reading a lot of others' theories and videos on this and its crazy how everyone is coming up with something different and even the official statements haven't really made it clearer. Just confirmation on the different universes via the "stamps". But I am now starting to consider the whole "Aerith is alive but in a different verse" idea more now with all the effects being used in the scene, after having gone back a few times. But she is not in our main timeline either way. And that Cloud might not be as in denial as we think. Etc. Not sure but I also don't want to commit to any one idea until Part 3...whenever that is.
Ah, Tifa being the last one to leave the water was a good touch too. I always liked how she had the biggest reaction to her death in the OG too. And they really made them bffs even more so in this version. Hell I am definitely becoming a little of an AerTi fan. I mean I always joked about that ship but never really pursued it (mostly due to my ever fluctuating feelings towards Tifa) but I do rather like the idea now.
And aaaaah the whole bit with Glen?! So was he never even here to begin with? Was it just Sephiroth fucking with Rufus this whole time or is Glen really a ghost that is somehow connected to Sephiroth. I mean both make sense cause in Ever Crisis, Glen's story is very closely tied to Sephiroth. But ffff I kinda like the idea it was never Glen at all. Because it would explain why he was out of character, etc. Also I fully admit I did not catch the whole Saruf IS Rufus thing til later. Even though it should be obvious. lol Just is Rufus' name rearranged (the a threw me off but then Rae reminded me that in Japanese, it would be more like Rufasu spelled out).
But yeah when Cloud put the black materia IN his sword. lmao Rae and I both were screaming like "NOT THE SWORD!! AAAH....but YEEEESSSS!"
Man, I am so ready (but not ready) for Part 3 now.
Additional Thoughts/Post-Game Stuff:
Moogle Intel - Just going to pop this here because I totally forgot to add it to the main chapter report and honestly I forget when I did each part. BUT. OH MY GOD. Was this (yet another) frustrating mini-game. I didn't mind the first two but then all the rest were...SO FUCKING HARD WHY! Rae had to do the last few for me and even they struggled. Though we do have a hilarious video of how they managed to slip on a banana peel and somehow THAT pushed the last moogle into place with only a few seconds left. The ridiculous luck there. But I will say, it was worth it. Spoiler here for the end of this: Just to see Cloud turn into a Moogle. Kupo.
The things this poor boy is put through in this game though. Maybe its not the mako. Maybe its not Jenova. Maybe its not even Sephiroth. Maybe its all the fucking shit these people make this poor do that is driving him insane. Seriously. And EVERYONE keeps invading his personal bubble. I watched a video recently that has EVERY SINGLE time someone touches Cloud and all of Cloud's little flinches, etc. Babygirl is going to kill you all some day. Just you watch.
Gilgamesh - As I said, I still haven't finished this part as he's basically the hardest thing in the game cause you have to beat all the Summons and then FIGHT them as duo battles before you can even challenge him...gaaaah. And let me tell you JUST trying to get Odin alone is so fucking hard. Because its not even about being strong. Its about being able to dodge enough so he doesn't get bored of you and trigger his instant death. x_x But anyway, the protorelic stuff with all the little bits of Gilgamesh were fucking hilarious though. A fun cameo indeed! Loved all the little arrangements of Battle at the Big Bridge too. (if anyone reading this doesn't know already: Gilgamesh is originally from Final Fantasy V, which I still have not played but have owned since forever...really should play it one of these days. lol)
Chadley vs Mai - lmao Chadley making a female version of himself and then getting annoyed with her was hysterical. That being said, I definitely had to ignore her during those Intel Battles because nothing she said was ACTUALLY helpful. Please, shut up. x_x;;
Avalanche Protorelic - Not sure if anyone cares but during the protorelic quests in Cosmo Canyon area, in addition to having the other Avalanche members from Intermission involved (which was probably confusing if you didn't play and wonder "who the hell are these guys?") there's also mention of Matt and Lucia being part of Avalanche and they are the OTHER two Ever Crisis characters that fight with Glen. So I assume this means they are in fact alive even if Glen most likely isn't. Which is cool. I liked them more than Glen. XD;
Loveless Dialogue - I love that Cait Sith's dialogue changes based on how good/bad you do in the mini-game. And if you do bad enough on the final part, Aerith chastises you for her having to basically save your ass. XD; (not sure what happens with the other 2 girls as I only had this happen with her).
+ Other Golden Saucer Date Scenes:
I'm going to go from favorite to least favorite here...
Cid/Vincent/Cait Sith - Yes there's an option called "Other" lol which is all the characters you do not have a Social Link *coughs* I mean, relationship status with in this game. I'm guessing you get this route if you seriously screw up with the rankings or like don't do ANY side quests? Not sure honestly but it exists! And its HILARIOUS! Also the ONLY version where Cid does not need someone waking him up for Aerith's solo. He wakes up on his own here which I found touching. But yeah lmao they are SO AWKWARD on the gondola. Its basically Cloud, Vincent, and Cid all sitting in silence. And Cait Sith is trying SO desperately to make things fun/silly and all his attempts go NOWHERE and he goes crazy from it. hahaha! I also love how when Cloud opens the door to them, his reaction is like "...is there a fire?" ahgpaigapgapi There's sadly no "intimate" version of this one. LOL What you saying Cloud, you don't want a poly relationship with 2 old men and a cat?!
Barret - By far my favorite bit during Aerith's solo. Barret grabs Cloud by the shoulder and rocks them together to the music. SO FUCKING ADORABLE! Also he gets the most emotional during it. So precious! Then Barret talking about how him and his wife got together during the gondola bit was so sweet. ;_;
Red XIII - "They ARE soft." aghapghaigapoaiaoi Cloud finally gets to touch Red's paw pads! There's an ongoing thing about this in some of the side quests of the game. Mostly with Cloud and Aerith on this subject, lol. So its even more amusing if you got that bit ahead of time. Also, you can do this in ANY route but if you chose to have Cloud confess to Red's character in the Loveless play, you get Red making the BIGGEST MOST ADORABLE EYES AT YOU lmao.
Yuffie - Like I said before, her date is actually adorable and not uncomfy. She's also hilarious as Rosa. She gets motion sickness when Cloud spins her. Be warned, if you put her in her Golden Saucer outfit, the outfit glitches during the gondola. lol Because she sits cross-legged and the game devs clearly forgot that wouldn't work with an actual skirt. XD So it just...glitches in and out aghapghaopgiapga. That aside tho, its cute and very much the "awkward teenager who may have confessed she has a tiny crush on Cloud but also apparently used to have a crush on Zack" pffft. Oh the irony. But also its very much nothing serious. And Cloud treats her more like a little sister.
Tifa - Her Rosa is cute though. I loved her whispering "You got this!" to Aerith right before the solo. See, they should have kept with the gfs route. lol But I MUCH prefer Tifa's platonic date. The intimate version does in fact include an actual kiss. :/ And once again, its way too awkward for me. Hell they are SUPER awkward about it after the ride at least, I'll give them 1 star for acknowledging that at least. But without the kiss, I'd be totally fine with this scene. It's still awkward but they are very awkward. But let's not get me into it as I could go on forever on my opinions on this ship. Short version: I acknowledge that they care deeply for each other to the point that yes, maybe they even TRIED to be together post-OG but I don't think it works out for them in the end.
But anyway I still stand by my opinion that FF7 is a game with no canon ship and its whatever you want it to be. I hope no one is offended by my opinions on the date scenes here. I just feel like the Tifa option comes off too forced which is unfortunate since I know a lot of fans prefer that ship.
Well, that's the end of my way-too-long review. I did manage to make it smaller in the earlier parts, but probably just because I had to re-write that part. Sorry I still went off on the later parts. But I just. Have so many feelings on this game. And I still cry listening to "No Promises To Keep". Going to take me a while to get over that.
Wow, I really wrote a novel on chapter 14 though. I am so sorry to anyone who decides to actually read this.
So here we go again? Going to force myself to be less wordy this time around.
But yeah, wow, Rebirth is like probably twice the length of Remake game-wise and was quite the emotional rollercoaster for me. I still stand by my statement that I view these games as kinda a fun Alternate Universe fanfic-y sequel to the OG and not really canon. Its like all the other compilation games. So I try not to judge too harshly as I'm just here for the fun.
Non-Spoiler General Thoughts:
That being said, here are some basic +/- points I felt towards the game overall with no spoilers:
- Too many mini games. Seriously. Wtf. Some of them aren't bad but some of them...ugh. And its more the fact that the game is just oversaturated with them. They drove me nuts.
+/- Music: I've been loving the soundtracks for these games, especially any arrangements of the OG music. That being said, I actually was SLIGHTLY disappointed in this one compared to Remake's. I kinda get a sense that Nobou Uematsu took a little more of a backseat on this one and the other composer did more as most of the original pieces are his and...you can tell. lol Don't get me wrong! They aren't bad. Just. I sometimes felt like I was playing FFXIII instead of FFVII. Some of his new pieces just...didn't fit the vibe with the rest of the soundtrack? But there were definitely some FANTASTIC pieces too.
- I thought Cid and Vincent would be more like support characters like Red XIII was in Remake. Instead they really just stay at the docks while you run off to do things after you meet them. So to me it didn't feel like they were really a part of the team? Even though they were supposed to be already at this point in OG. I dunno it just felt a little sad to me considering some of the events that happen here. I get not having them playable til the next part. But I thought they would at least follow the party around and have more interactions with everyone. Vincent does a little but Cid really is just "that pilot guy" here.
+ I actually really loved the whole world intel and exploration stuff. Even if I did spend a majority of my gameplay screaming at Chadley to shut up and leave me alone (He's so passive aggressive about those damn protorelics in particular...like bro). And the side quests were all excellent! Highly recommend not skipping them as a lot of them really add to the characters.
+ Having even more options for the Golden Saucer dates is super fun! And I love that there are non-intimate versions. Though this is only really a big difference with the girls. With the guys you just get slightly more "spill your heart" info. Also for anyone worried about Yuffie's. Don't worry, even the "intimate" version made it clear that there isn't any romance here. lol Cloud is NOT going to date the minor. *sigh of relief* You also get the option to unlock the rest of the dates besides the one you got in game afterwards which was great! As I would have been so frustrated trying to go back through THE WHOLE GAME just to get each date variation. lol
+/- Which brings me to my next point: the relationship statuses. Basically to get said dates, etc, you have to rank up with your party members based on things you say and do with them. Mainly the side quests. Its very Persona-ish. lol So kinda weird, yes, but also fun? And this way you can see who has the highest ranking currently if you are like "oh shit, I don't want to date you" and then can go load up on side quests with a different character to fix it before you start chapter 12. (lol...I definitely did that)
- Too much "localization" in the English dub dialogue choices? So I played in Japanese again but I noticed that once again, a lot of the subtitles did not match what was actually being said. Which of course means the subs were just the dub dialogue which does help me know what things are being said differently. But wow, some of the choices? Were really weird. And I mean changing lines that are actually IN English already in the Japanese dialogue. Like Cait Sith says "Hey! You!" but they kept changing it in the dub? Like, why? Also there were some pretty big lines where the scene even feels different due to a line change but can't use an example without a spoiler here. And even putting dialogue where in Japanese the character is just going "Arrrgggh!" (like Barret lol) etc.
Now onto the spoilers...
Spoiler Chapter-By-Chapter Thoughts:
Chapter 1:
???: So my theory that at the end of Remake, the main gang exited one timeline and crossed over into another and thus left their bodies behind at the beginning of Rebirth...was proven wrong at the very start. lol As we see Red XIII awake for a moment though he is then shot and presumed dead. :( And yeah, I still find starting the game with Zack here was a bit mind-jarring. Though Ultimania has finally made all of this clearer but I'll do a blurb on that the end so not to spoil folks still playing and reading this as they go. Also, if you hadn't played Intermission you were probably confused since they had more of the lead-in with Zack there and also the main party going from Midgar to Kalm. So Rebirth skips that and starts us directly at Kalm.
Favorite Part: Nibelheim Flashback. Hands Down probably one of my favorite parts in all of Rebirth. And they gave us most of it as the Demo even, those mad folks. But as I've said before, this was the part in OG that got me obsessed. I was never the same after that shot of Sephiroth in the flames. And even though I've seen that same shot in Advent Children and then again in Crisis Core...Rebirth's version was definitely the best to date. Gave me literal chills. And ya know, gotta love Cloud's self-insert fanfic. I love how they managed to make it very obvious that flashback "not-Cloud" here has all of Zack's mannerisms, expressions, and even tone of voice.
Shout-Out To: The argument between Cloud and Tifa. The fact that Tifa actually questions Cloud about his faulty story, etc. Yes good. It always bothered me she was so silent to everyone in the OG here. And this made me like her a bit more (at least at this point).
Chapter 2:
Favorite Part: Sephiroth saving Cloud from the Midgardsormr huehue~ Though it did result in us NOT having the famous "Did Sephiroth do this?" line since we...saw...Sephiroth do it. And it is kind of a ridiculous scene but. I loved it. haha!
World Intel: I loved all the chocobo stuff, especially them comparing Piko and Cloud. lol
Grasslands Side Quests: Oho, quite the drama with the Chocobo Farm family a-brewing here. In general I liked the fact they fleshed out a lot of the NPCs from the original and gave them more background, etc.
Chapter 3:
Favorite Part: Yay Turks! And oh Tseng, always with a soft spot with Aerith. Also the music for this part? Yes good.
I also liked how in general this game found ways to force you to play as other characters in certain parts and change the party around. Else I'd probably be lame and more or less use the same party the whole game.
Chapter 4:
...aka the chapter that felt like it'd never end!
Least Favorite Part(s): The dolphin mini-game kinda made me grate my teeth and boy did I suck at the parade rhythm game. But then again I also REALLY sucked at the original parade part so I'm not sure if this was any worse or not.
Favorite Part(s): Oh boy. There was kinda a lot? I loved the whole bit of Cloud having to collect trooper recruits. I became quite attached to this stupid lot (and boy are Shinra troopers stupid lol They really just let you walk right in, huh?) and felt genuinely bad that they didn't realize they were helping the "traitors". But boy was I determined to keep them all alive and I'm proud I didn't lose a single one of them! And HELLO sexy commander lady~! Please step on me. o_o
Also. The Glabrescent Bar. One of the best comedy bits in the whole damn game.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you need to redo this section and go find the bar Rude goes into. You will thank me later.
???: Glen shows up and Rae and I were like "? WHAT YOU DOING HERE?!" See, he's one of the characters introduced in the Ever Crisis mobile game, the "hero" of the First Soldier part of the game. So honestly this felt kinda like a dirty spoiler on SE's part because we haven't gotten that far into his story in EC and it was like "oh geez, now we know Rufus shoots him eventually and that he might have died? Question mark?" Since he's "alive" here but uh, his personality is COMPLETELY different than in EC. What happened to you? :(
Shout-Out To: Roche. For being...Roche. I didn't care too much for him in Remake but this chapter (and his little bit in Intermission) made him grow on me. Very fast. lol He was just...so ridiculous how can I not like him?! Man is so smitten with Cloud, its kinda adorable? And he even gives Cloud a keychain of himself?! lahgiaghapgiapai I can't.
World Intel: Black chocobo! The climbing looked so silly at first but I had way too much fun doing that around Junon area. haha!
Side Quests: So I already knew from Intermission that they turned Fort Condor into essentially a virtual board game. But the Rebirth version of it...is so annoying! I really enjoyed the Intermission version but in Rebirth they don't let you select your own units so its...a lot harder. The first match isn't too bad but the rest...ahgiapghapgiaoa. Anyway, I still recommend trying it out just to see the characters in the OG polygon style and their reactions to it. XD
Chapter 5:
Oh hey this part should be short, its just the ship to Costa del Sol, how bad can it be after the mammoth that was chapter 4? Oh hey what about a HUGE card game tournament?! ...okay then.
TBH I didn't mind the tournament and found it kinda amusing but then again, I wasn't the one playing the game. Rae did all of that for me 'cause they are the Queen's Blood king in this house. In general Rae doing all the side shit I got tired of helped a lot here. lol I played all the main story and fights and they did most of the exploring and some mini-games.
Favorite part: lmao So I was all "wtf they didn't put Red XIII in the trooper uniform? Well that's disappointing" only to be totally played when he came out in the trooper uniform for the last round of the tournament...doing the moonwalk even. "Two feet isn't hard" haha, well played, sir, well played.
Not necessarily my "least" favorite part BUT I was actually disappointed in the whole Jenova part here. This part was SO creepy in the OG and I have waited SO many years to see this part in HD and well...I guess I got my hopes up too high and imagined it in my head too many times. Kinda forgot that they can't make it TOO gory/bloody without changing the rating of the game. Boo. Oh well. That being said, the Jenova Emergent music here was one of my favorite tracks in the whole game!
Chapter 6:
Least Favorite Part: The mini-games. Why were there so many in just ONE area?! These were probably my least favorite ones too. Like I expected them at Golden Saucer but Costa Del Sol? Like really would have been better if there was like...half the amount they had here. I also sucked at like...all of them. lol Except the piano mini quest though that's throughout the whole game but its here that they let you actually start unlocking songs.
Favorite Part(s): Honestly, Johnny. lmao He's been a really endearing NPC that they've added so much more content to in R and seeing his character development is really kinda fantastic. I highly recommend doing his side quest too if you haven't. It takes a while but its SO worth it and totally hilarious! And...the "Wheelie"s. lmao Rae and I have had WAY too much fun knocking shit over with them.
Costumes: Huzzah finally we get some costumes for the gang! Though I am sorely disappointed there wasn't one for Red XIII. Like, you could have at least given him a skin with the lei still on?? (he does get a Golden Saucer costume you can get post game but that's about it) Anyway, I love love LOVE Cloud's cute little chocobo beach outfit and I am most definitely making it. I also never did the shirtless version. It felt...wrong. I'm just like "no baby, put that shirt back on, you'll get cold" ...even in sunny hot beach weather, yes. Also it bugs me his scar is missing. I'm hoping that is just indicating it healed over from the experiments and not the game devs forgetting about it. Because they certainly remembered Tifa's as she keeps flashing Cloud to prove hers exists. lol Anyway, love being able to put Barret in his sailor outfit and the girls all have super cute outfits though I definitely preferred one set over the other.
Shout Out To: Hojo...being the twisted creepy fuck that he is. I hate him but I love to hate him and I'm glad they kept the Hojo on the Beach part in. Though the conversation he has with the girls is so...*shudder* Really made me want to vomit.
Chapter 7:
World Intel: Kinda glad they made it so you can only explore a part of the Corel area at a time cause otherwise it would have been overwhelming to complete it all. At this point could only do the area around Costa Del Sol but watching everyone use their weapons as a means to zipline was certainly amusing.
The music as you go up Mt Nibel sure is a jam though. Even if it did feel a little out of place? lol I dig it though.
Favorite Part(s): "Cloud Jr." So cute! Though lol I always thought the chicks you rescue in this part were chocobo chicks but uh, that mama certainly wasn't a chocobo. XD; Surprise Cloud, its not JUST chocobos you are related to.
And of course, Cloud nearly diving straight into the water with the rest of the robed men was very huehue. I love seeing him slowly (or not so slowly?) fall apart. My boy is not okay and its delicious. Though lol makes you wonder why the party just lets him lead. "I'm okay." Uh huh. Sure. At least they force him to rest here and the next chapter but still. But then again, FF7 would be a lot shorter if someone actually was like "hey Cloud is not okay and maybe we should stop letting him lead..." pffft.
Least Favorite Part: Nearly getting taken out by a giant...chicken. lol I love playing as Yuffie (surprisingly but FF7R has made me like her a lot more than I did in the past in general) but she is terrible as a solo unit.
Oh, look, another mini game. At least its boxes. I did that in Intermission, this shouldn't be too ba- *proceeds to miss most of the boxes* ...dammit.
Side Quests: Apparently the Robbed Men's sweat can now be identified with UV light. Well. That's. A thing. Anyone tried shining a UV Light on Cloud yet? Just saying. Also you can only do like the first half of Johnny's side quest here but its a fun time. XD;
Chapter 8:
The intro to the Golden Saucer...sure was something, alright. I love the girls' random little dance battle with Andrea and then...Dio?! lmao Oh god Dio.
I got Tifa for the mini date here which I was kinda "meh" about (I'm not a big fan of the ship if you don't know this already lol) but not too concerned as I knew I had time to work on everyone else to make sure I got ANYONE else for the date in ch 12. (lol legit I was happy as long as I didn't get Tifa and semi unsure about getting Yuffie but her scene turned out cute like I said above). But I will say Tifa's reaction to Jessie's poster was a pretty nice moment. I've only done this bit again with Aerith so I still need to do everyone else. I want to do Barret next to see his reaction too. Though in general I liked Aerith's reactions to the mini-games more than Tifa but I expected as much.
Favorite Part: LOVE the updated version of the haunted hotel. Especially the Tonberry humidifier omg! "Retribution is at hand" aghiapghagpagia! And Cait Sith/Reeve canceling Palmer's reservation so the gang can have a room. XD; Love Reeve in general! And Cait Sith is a lot more fun in this version IMO. I never really cared for using him much in the original. I think it helps him having an actual voice cause it adds to his personality in general. All the little "nya~"s (at least in Japanese). And I didn't mind the Mini Games here because...they're SUPPOSED TO BE HERE. lol Though goddamn is the 3D Fighter game so much harder here. But oddly enough I got pretty good at the chocobo races...after a bit. lol It took some practice, that's for sure.
Least Favorite Part: Oh god the Dustbowl is a sensory nightmare. That guy running around screaming into a megaphone really got to me after a while and Gus...is just...too much?
_@ Like not sure why they decided to change the character to be that much more...Extra. When he already was a pretty big sleaze but here we are. And the whole having to shoot things as they chased us...was kinda hard. Like I said, I suck at Mini Games. lol???: Oh man did it get trippy when Cloud went to sleep and "woke" up seeing through the comatose Cloud's eyes in the other world. O.O!
And everything with Dyne was very well done. Very emotional. I liked how they had Barret fight Dyne one-on-one. Felt appropriate.
Chapter 9:
World Intel: The buggy is so fucking annoying to manuever. Can I please have a chocobo instead? No? Bah. I often just left the stupid thing in the oddest of spots lol. Usually half-up on a mountain ledge. Also the Protorelic for Corel can only be partially done at this point but the Cactuar aspect of it is really fucking amusing. Rae enjoyed watching everyone get stuck doing the pose immensely (they LOVE cactuars). But anyway its a bit of a crazy change from the Corel dessert to suddenly jungle? Like ya know, I know Gongaga was supposed to be in a jungle ish area but somehow I never expected it to be FULL on jungle? I dunno. lol I guess the OG graphics did not prepare me for this. At all. The area is REALLY dense and hard to explore. I'm grateful that Rae was willing to take over on that as I think it would have driven me mad. The mushroom jumping is fun though.
So. Yeah. This chapter. I have a lot of mixed feelings here. (Maybe this is why my original review draft got deleted...it wasn't ready to handle my brain mush for this chapter...maybe it'll be more coherent now?)
We were not expecting Gongaga to be...well...more than just a tiny "oh hey this place is sad". Like now it's a whole "we managed to rebuild huzzah, look at us!" which really does cement the fact that this is NOT the same timeline as the OG, if you forgot. Cissnei being here alone kinda drives that fact home. 'Cause even the Whispers are about in a kinda a "...this is not the same as it was supposed to be." 'Cause she didn't EXIST in OG and thus did not find her way to Zack's home to help rebuild it in his honor. But damn, I can't help but love this! I always did love Cissnei and seeing her again and hearing the Crisis Core music...got me super emotional. Also, super nice touch on Cloud's mind battling with itself on Zack's memory. Also Aerith's whole conversation with Zack's parents...*wibbles*.
But ho boy. Gongaga Reactor. Ho boy. Rae and I were all like "wow, I have no idea what's going to happen and that's both terrifying and exciting..." since we certainly didn't go into this part to this depth in OG.
Favorite Part: The girls having to team up to go save the boys was a nice touch. lol I like how they are smart and actually take chocobos. Pffft. But of course my ACTUAL favorite part was Cloud going feral and cutting down the Shinra troopers USING SEPHIROTH'S MOVES AND MANNERISMS was so fucking sexy. God. The dodging of the bullets? KWAH!
wtf?!: Cloud shoving Tifa into the mako reactor??!! Like WHAT?! Girl should not have come out of there as intact as she did. The whole part with the WEAPON was super trippy and kinda...weird. Still not sure what to make of all of it. I mean maybe this is meant to build up for when she helps Cloud out of the Lifestream later on but damn. I did really like the brief moment of diving into her psyche though. Even though they clearly couldn't go too far with that to not ruin the later part with Cloud's memories. But yeah the whole white Whispers vs Black Whispers. *shrugs*
But. Sephiroth's "You can't reach him" at Tifa. Hohohohoho! That I liked. *coughs*
Least Favorite Part: So, like, if I was Tifa and had just been basically thrown to what should have been my death and then forced to go through a very traumatic trippy experience, the next thing I'd want to do is certainly NOT TRY TO KISS THE GUY WHO DID IT. I'm sorry but this was the most awkward thing they did in Rebirth and one of my least favorite things in the game in general. Tifa started out so good but then at this point...she started losing me all over again. Which yeah I mean that was part of my issue with her in OG but they were really doing great at giving her more personality (I really should make a whole post on my mixed feelings over the years on Tifa. It's...a ride. lol) and then it's like she almost lost it all here. Just because she's too afraid to argue with Cloud again. But that almost-kiss? Very badly placed. I guess its meant to be the "went through trauma and don't know how to cope" type of thing and this is supposed to be them reconciling but it felt too awkward for me. If I was a CloTi fan, I'd be disappointed honestly but I know the fans are probably rejoicing at this. I dunno, it felt too forced and I'm still like "was that them TRYING to force CloTi as the canon ship or was it meant to be awkward to back up the 'there is no canon ship' here or are they just fucking with us?" I think if they wanted a scene like that, it should be AFTER their tumble into the Lifestream. Not here. Cloud's way too stable. But yes at least they got interrupted *sigh of relief*.
But anyway, Yay Cid! Even if he's way earlier than I expected to see him. lol I'm sad they are doing his story in a completely different order. Since we didn't even go to Rocket Town at all. And honestly his character is coming off differently now since he has no reason to be grumpy at the team (yet? Hopefully that changes. I miss him being grumpy lol) but it was still genuinely nice to see him.
But fuck, Roche, no! Rae and I literally were like "well. RIP. Just when we started to like you too. 'Cause that ain't going to turn out good..." No one comes back from Hojo the same. *sighs*
Side Quests: Oh god the chicken though! aghiagphagpaiao (if you know...you know...) The Cissnei can't cook side quest with Aerith attempting to help was really cute though. And we got another dog mini quest!
Chapter 10:
I was not prepared for the dramatic change in Red XIII's voice. At least in Japanese it's a huge difference. Though I guess I should have seen that coming considering who they chose to voice him and the range he's known for. But boy did it take me A LONG time to get used to the new voice. Yes it makes sense since this is the point where we find out that Nanaki is actually more like a teenager but the English version of the OG was terrible at portraying this. Apparently it WAS in fact a thing in the Japanese version where his speech style did change after the reveal but its completely lost in the English translation. Doesn't help that his ONE line in Advent Children was also spoken with a deeper voice. So I've spent like 20-something years thinking he spoke with a serious and deep tone only to feel whipflash at this sudden happy higher pitched young voice. lmao Honestly, I am STILL adjusting. But I do love the "you wouldn't have taken me seriously otherwise" reasoning and how quickly he drops the act after we get to Cosmo Canyon.
Favorite Part: Aerith's little speech. T_T And seeing the Seto bit in HD, etc.
Least Favorite Part/wtf?!: ...the whole addition of "actually there's more to the Gi...and now we're going to go down this trippy journey with Gi Nattak and make it very unclear if they are bad or good?" Like why was this necessary? We already closed the chapter and defeated his ghost. Why are we...doing another whole dungeon on the subject? To reveal that the Gi made the black materia? Okaaaay. I guess this was their new way of introducing the concept and the "oh shit we need to get that" but I dunno. It was just...weird.
But yes, Cloud, bring Sephiroth the black materia. Hee~
???: Biggs and Zack having a whole "why did I get to live?" was a pretty deep and emotional part here. Though it hurts when you realize they are still dead in the main timeline, etc.
World Intel: Teal chocobo~! Hell yeah! The protorelic bit in this area has a really annoying mini-game (shocking) but the story attached to it had some kinda important bits for Avalanche and connected some of the story points in Intermission. Also it made me super emotional. But yeah some of that stuff I kinda think should have been in the main story though?
Chapter 11:
I like how instead of Nibelheim just being a town full of actors, they now made it a "rehabilitation" center for the robbed men/victims of mako poisoning, etc. (Would be interesting if they bring Cloud here later instead of doing Mideel...just saying...lmao) Kinda made it harder to hate the folks here since some of them, like the lovely lady in Cloud's old house, is adorable and so sweet (also love her singing).
wtf?!: LOL So Cloud ALMOST remembers Zack but then his brain is like "oh, nope, can't do that!" so now he's made up a new story in his head that Zack was ANOTHER SOLDIER in the Nibelheim Incident and that HE was the one that got washed away, not the random trooper. aghipagaipgao Oh Cloud, baby, honey...you were so close yet so far away...
Favorite Part: Vincent, of course! This part did NOT disappoint. Gaaaaah he's so good. And I love that he's now the mansion "security" more or less. lol And yet sucks at technology.
Least Favorite Part: Roche. Maaaaan. We saw it coming a mile away but the actual moment was...very lackluster? It was like the build up was there and then suddenly he's magically in a robe (lol they just spawn like that?!) and its like "oh, byebye Roche...I guess?" At least Cloud had a moment of fearing that being him soon.
So I skipped the side quests here because I wanted to keep my stats for ch 12 and more or less just dived right into the next chapter and came back here afterwards.
World Intel: But I did start this at least! Oh my god, Selena you beautiful gorgeous blue bird...why are you so dumb? lmao Rae had to do this chocobo catching for me and even they were screaming at the bird for how dumb it was, running right into cacti, etc. x_x So worth it though. She's my favorite of the chocobos in this game.
Chapter 12:
???: Maybe Cloud should just...not sleep at the Haunted Hotel anymore. Trippy things happen every time. lol Though its EXCELLENT for fanfics (already read a bunch haha). But oh Zack, you adorable boy who never did anything wrong. Also ahgiaphgaigai at Marlene's whole "if Aerith wakes up, a scary man is going to kill her" bit. Wow, kid with foreshadowing powers.
Least Favorite Part: SO MANY FREAKING BATTLES OMG! I felt dead after this chapter. It was just...so intense. Especially Rufus. Aiya! That being said...
Favorite Part(s): Okay, the stuff going on WITH The battles was hilarious though! The Beastie Boys here rapping during the battles and the freaking Corneo themed enemies?! WHAT EVEN! And we both LOST IT when Dio paused things so they could bring out a bench for us to rest on. And ELENA SITTING ON IT?! OMG I LOVE IT.
And of course, Loveless! While I found it interesting they combined the original date play with Loveless, I gotta say this was REALLY NICE. Finally getting to see/experience Loveless even if it did change the play to a more serious story from the really silly OG one. And I had a much better time with the rhythm game here than I did with the Junon part. Overall loved the Loveless bit and the costumes everyone got to wear. And the fact that there are SO MANY different versions of this scene! Though I'll get more into that in the after-thoughts since that was a post-game thing.
And yeah, the whole part with Aerith singing? Broke me. Ahh it was so beautiful. *wipes away a tear* And depending on who you get on your date, the characters have different reactions while she's singing which is a nice touch.
For my date, I got Aerith. Like I said, I was happy as long as it was anyone but Tifa and Yuffie, lol. So yay! And actually I think I love her date the best? The fact they kept in the "I want to meet you" line in the gondola? AAAAAAAH. Thank you! That was always one of my favorite bits in the OG. But yes I loved how their date wasn't super romantic even though I apparently got the "intimate" version. (The only difference is whether or not Cloud holds her hand after she leans against him). So that was also nice. Also honestly it makes more sense to have her as Rosa for the play to go along with the song part. The only versions she's not Rosa are if you get the other 2 girls. But any of the guys' versions, Aerith is the default Rosa.
Also I really like Cloud with that mask/muzzle on? Hoho. Semi tempted to try cosplaying the Loveless version though its going to be more work than the Costa Del Sol outfit, obviously.
Side Quests (wrapping things up): As this was more or less the point of no return (technically after the first cutscene in ch 12 but anyway...) decided to go back and finish all side quests and world intel at this point. Not going into it too much but wanted to mention on 3 side quests:
- Chocobo Gold Cup. Oh my god, I think it took us nearly a whole day to get this but we did it! Chocobo racing a la Mario Kart style is intense. Rae and I basically passed the controller back and forth whenever one of us got too tired of doing it until we finally managed to win all 3 races. Rae won the first and last race and I won the middle one. But it was so worth it. Got that Chocobo Farm family drama resolved. Ah yeah! But for anyone curious, we ended up using Piko with the Dandy gear (god I love that set) as it gave a good overall stats to even out for all 3. Though in other races I used Selena or Fango more.
- Favorite Side Quest of the whole game goes to: "My White Haired Angel" aka the lost cat quest in Nibelheim. AAAAAAAAAHHHHH~! It was adorable. T_T And yes YOU CAN PET THE CAT! Cloud finally gets to pet a cat! And then the cats rolling around as Tifa plays the piano?! It was beautiful~ Rae made sure to make a recording of me playing this part so we could keep it because it was just so good (also semi hard to watch the kitties when I was very focused on the piano).
- Mother fucking final side quest though! I did NOT expect the salary guy from Costa Del Sol to come back and issue such a ridiculous Golden Saucer challenge ahgipaghapgai! It's hilarious...but super frustrating. I managed to do the chocobo race (I was like, bitch please I have spent a week mastering this, you are going DOWN) and the coliseum battles (oof that was ROUGH) but took one look at the scores needed for the other mini games and NOPED out of that so fast. lol So it's the ONLY side quest I have not finished. And sucks that it reset after post game as only the ones you finished save over but I just...did not have it in me. Rae and I MIGHT try again later on but UGH.
World Intel: So like I said, went back and finished all the areas we didn't have done yet (mostly Rae lol) and actually explored Nibelheim fully. The Nibelheim protorelic is highly recommended as it (once again) has some pretty big story elements in it? As it involves the robed men and Cloud and shit. Its definitely a lot less silly than the other ones. And the ending? Oof. Everyone's jokes about Chadley being one of the final boss fights in Part 3...might not be that much of a joke. Fucking Hojo.
The only thing we didn't finish was getting the Odin summon, doing Gilgamesh Island (cause it requires having Odin pffft), Chadley's virtual battles, and the Golden Saucer Queen's Blood challenges (Rae got frustrated lol). I'm working on the Chadley stuff on and off but we shall see if I end up giving up on the other stuff. And the freaking mini games. Though I DO kinda want to try to get the rest of the 3D Fighter stuff cause...I have been spoiled on the final round and I WANT IT.
Queen's Blood: Rae did the final "battle" before we moved on. They kept making fun of me calling them battles when its a card game but once the story involving the game got...more intense, Rae was like "...okay maybe battles is accurate". Lmao And boy that last one was intense! I love the music though! But half-expected Sephiroth to come in like "um, excuse you?" haha (also Vincent being the 2nd to last battle was super amusing)
Okay moving on! Here we go, kiddos! Ch. 13 and 14 were fucking intense! I'll try not to go too overboard with my thoughts though.
Chapter 13:
FYI: Do not attempt to do this chapter in one night like I did. I was so...fucking tired. And still didn't finish it. lmao
Okay first though, story time! So little 12/13 year old Lyn playing FF7 for the first time and not understanding anything about RPG games and NOT knowing you should always keep more than one save point...got stuck at the Temple of Ancients. Like badly. I saved inside the room with the Wall Monster...only to find out I was too low level to beat it. I tried. So hard. So many times. Couldn't do it. But in the OG game, once you are in that room, you can NOT get out. And I saved. In that fucking room. I had to start the ENTIRE GAME all over. So thus to say I still wince a bit when I hear the music for this place. But! That being said, I LOVED the new arrangements for said piece of music. So creepy~!
Least Favorite Part: So yeah. Fucking Wall Monster. Still sucked. lmao But at least I wasn't stuck with no way out and I DID manage to beat it but aghaipghapigai I will forever hate that thing. I was screaming the whole way. lmao But yeah this is more of a personal thing so I don't expect others to have hated the battle as much as me. That being said, I think I almost had a WORST time with the fucking turtle enemy I ran into during the labyrinth? Like what the fuck was that even about?! It wasn't even a boss fight. *twitches*
But despite that? I fucking LOVED this chapter. I actually really loved this dungeon, as tedious as it was. It was super intriguing and kept me very invested. A big improvement on the frustrating original version of it, honestly.
I loved getting the whole history of the Ancients gradually. I loved Aerith coming into her power and the team being split off and all the different things going on. Oh how I loved using Aerith's little staff ability for the puzzles here. It was so satisfying to let her shine here. And then meanwhile, Cloud just getting gradually more and more unhinged. Oh my god. They really went there. I did not expect it.
It was beautiful though.
And aaaah I'm glad they managed to do the whole emotional Tseng being stabbed thing but still make it more easy to believe (if) he still survives. lol Its still unclear but I feel like they probably aren't going to kill him off this time around? Just my instinct. And the fact that he's alive in Advent Children. But lol when Cloud went to attack Elena, Rae was like "*gasps* CLOUD NO NOT ELENA!" We are still laughing about that. Like everything else he did was fine. But going after Elena was crossing a line. XD
But anyway, getting to see ALL the Turks fight was pretty awesome, even if it was like "omg do the battles ever end?!" And holy crap, Tseng DOES know how to fight. LOL
And then everyone having their own dive into their psyche, being forced to re-live the worst moment of their pasts? agahgiapghapigaigpoapai! Brilliant and absolutely heart breaking having to go through each one. Especially Aerith's. Fuck I cried so hard during hers. And the fact that Cloud didn't even get one? Ahgaphgapogiai. Cloud: "Oh it's because I don't have to face my past. I'm good. Its all you that need to." UM. BOY. YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I'm pretty sure the Ancients were like "...not you, you're far too fucked up right now..."
But then he's forced into it anyway. Hahaha! But by Sephiroth and oh the mind fucking going on here! I love it! THE HUG!!!
Favorite Part: ...the black materia. AHGAPGHIAPGHAOPIAOGOAH BARKBARKBARK!!! Its been a few weeks and I am STILL feral over this. By far Lyn's favorite part of the whole game (not surprising) aghaigpahgpagia GAAAAAAWWWWWD!
...okay give me a moment. *takes a deep breathe*
Okay, for real this was everything I ever wanted. And I'm sorry to anyone who isn't into it because this part was clearly made for the Sefikura fans like me. Like I thought the mindfuck hug would be the best part but then THIS HAPPENS!
Cloud fucking just losing it, so focused on the black materia and NOTHING else. Leaving the other party members behind so he can get it first and being all "...that's mine..." when Barret throws it away. Gaaaah. Boy is so fucking NOT OKAY. I love it I love it!
God, Sephiroth fucking with them and purposely making Cloud pick it back up even AFTER Sephiroth got it. This part DOES get a little confusing though and I've had to rewatch it a few times and look at what others say with it to get it and I THINK I got it now? That the black materia here is in fact fake and more so the key to the real thing. Which is why Sephiroth needed Cloud to go into a completely different timeline to even get it, etc. Yeah its' weird. But anyway!
Cloud pushing Tifa aside and then fucking CHASING AERITH DOWN to get the black materia?! God I have no idea how this part is in English but the Japanese was AMAZING! Cloud goes back and forth between giggling and being playful with Aerith like they're playing a game and won't Aerith pretty please give it back? To him getting more and more desperate. And then bam the most pathetic "onegai" (please) I have ever heard. Rae and I lost it, haha. I too, like Aerith, would be unable to resist him at that point. But oh the hurt on her face when she trusts him with it only to have him IMMEDIATELY turn around and give it to Sephiroth.
Looking like dog wagging his tail the whole time. GUH. WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO ME?!
But then Cloud seeing that Aerith isn't stable and might fall at any moment...bringing him BACK TO HIS SENSES. Fuck! That was so intense. And how he doesn't give the materia to Sephiroth because he FINALLY realizes Aerith needs his help, that she might fall. And Aerith's "Welcome back!" and that smile. Ugh, okay I don't ship them but I have A LOT of feelings about them platonically and can totally understand those that do. *sniffles*
But when they BOTH go falling I was like "ahgiahgapgai what is even going to happen now?!" I was on the edge of my seat.
Chapter 14:
The final chapter.
This chapter broke me.
It was also super confusing. But excerpts from the Ultimania Book have certainly helped in understanding it. The biggest ??? is the fact that we are actually dealing with MULTIPLE timelines now even within the alternate one we were given from the start of Rebirth. So the whole part with Zack trying to decide WHO to help and then us seeing him do each route is apparently each a separate timeline, a branch created by Zack's different choices. Now whether Zack is aware of himself making these choices is a bit unclear though. But he did seem pretty defeated at the end so I kinda wonder if he did?
And the world Cloud and Aerith land in is NOT exactly the same timeline that Zack is in which took me a while to understand. Even though they do in fact wake up in the comatose bodies so makes one think its the same but its pointed out in Ultimania that Zack, Elmyra, and Marlene are not evident anywhere and how the people around Midgar seem to have accepted that its the end of the world and that's why they are just giving things away. Crazy shit, man. But it did result in a nice little trippy date for Cloud and Aerith. Honestly to me it kinda added to the trippiness of the original part before Aerith went to the Forgotten City on her own.
Hell Ultimania has even suggested that the Aerith here with Cloud might not even BE the same Aerith of our main timeline even though they fell together. But then again, Aerith being an Ancient would make sense that she would be aware of herself in different timelines. But yeah from my understanding, ultimately the point of this trippy "maybe-a-dream" like bit is that Aerith's white materia in the main timeline has stopped being Holy and lost its color, so they had to get it from a different timeline/Aerith. So here Aerith is entrusting Cloud with an actual intact white materia, even though she knows that her being awake her basically means her death.
Thus Sephiroth walking menacingly through the church doors at the end. ...but okay I still feel like this IS the same initial Zack timeline since he's outside the door and the whole Marlene warning that Aerith would die if she woke up. But whatever. I think even the Directors are making up shit at this point. Just with Remake's Ultimania, sometimes the things they say just make things MORE confusing instead of better so I just go with my own thoughts. lol Rae and I agreed that maybe a lot of this is just up to personal interpretation. And I'm stupidly trying to get it all to make sense because I WANT it to make sense because I honestly love these games even if they do mess with things. It's a fun time, okay? Like I said, it won't ever replace OG in my heart but I enjoy it.
But hoooo the trippy in between timelines bit with Sephiroth messing with Cloud. Very nice~
And then we have the expected trippy forest scene that is similar to the initial one in OG. Just this time without Cloud beating Aerith up beforehand. lol Honestly Cloud chasing Aerith and then them falling was a much better route to go cause I can't imagine seeing the original version in HD would go very well. :/ It is a little "yikes" when you think about it.
But here Cloud gives Aerith the white materia from the other timeline so now Aerith can do what she needs to do. Which we all know what that is. :( I'm very curious what will come of the clear one she gives Cloud in return though. I saw someone had a theory that the clear materia became the actual black materia at the end but uh I'm pretty sure they are meant to be two separate things in that last scene. True, Cloud does put the one in his pocket and then takes out the other, so it COULD be that it was the same materia going in that comes out. But I don't think so. lol I think he was legit confused when he put the clear one in his pocket that there was something already there, etc.
But I'm getting ahead here.
I loved the whole bit through the forest and everyone having a chance to talk to Cloud. Though they all going to need more than just a tiny conversation to truly resolve things but we got plenty of time for that in Part 3. Well, except for...
God, I thought I was ready for this but I don't think no matter how many times I play/watch it, I will ever be fully ready. It hurt. It was like being 12 years old all over again, crying my eyes out with controller in hand. Except it almost hurt more this time?
But fuck the music was SO GOOD HERE.
Watching Cloud struggle against Sephiroth's hold as he's being forced to raise his sword against here was always such an impactful scene but having to play as him and use the controller to try to help Cloud fight back? Dayum. And for a BRIEF second they even make you think Cloud has succeeded in stopping Sephiroth this time by letting their swords clash.
And no lie, while I've been saying this whole time that if they changed Aerith's death, I'd be upset because its such an important part...there was still a TINY bit in me that had hope that maybe Cloud DID succeed. It was that 12-year-old Lyn hoping THIS time would be different. Even if 28-year-old me keeps saying its better this way.
But then the blood. And the glitches. And Cloud crying. Oh god I lost it. It was like Sephiroth taunting Cloud with the "you tried but THIS cannot be changed." (I have a silly fan delulu theory that Aerith's death here is Sephiroth punishing Cloud for NOT agreeing to help him change fate in Remake lol)
Ooof this battle! Like I will forever have memories of crying through the Jenova battle here. And this time it was more less the same except with a beautiful merging of Aerith's theme AND Jenova's theme. Ooooh that was so good! And I loved how we got to have EVERYONE fight in this. They're all hurting from Aerith's death and they all get to help take down Jenova here. It was wonderful.
So this next part with Cloud and Zack fighting together? lmao Even Nomura admitted that this happened solely because he asked for it to be put in. So really it doesn't make much sense. Cloud suddenly remembers Zack okay here and doesn't question that he's here and that makes no sense but really WHO CARES! It was a really glorious candy for the fans. AND I LOVED IT. I'm a Sefikura fan first but I'm a Zakkura fan second. And I was well fed this game. And them doing the split screen affect just like in Remake as homage to the final battle in OG but now with BOTH Cloud and Zack here, ooooh I like! Makes me wonder how they'll do the actual final battle. Cause I feel like these parts are building up to it.
Sephiroth basically kicking Zack out of that realm though. lmao Jealous much? XD He's like "get out" once again at poor Zack. Though oof that "Save her, Cloud" hurt because...its already too late, dammit.
Oh man "Sephiroth Reborn" is basically Bizarro Sephiroth and I was not expecting it but I very much loved it! God I can't wait to see Safer Sephiroth in the final part... And I loved the next part with Zack too. Fighting in the church. Ah, I know they really dragged this on and it didn't need to be this long but I honestly loved this whole ongoing battle and all its parts. Yes it was over the top but I love it. The double Cloud and Zack limit break across timelines was *chef's kiss*.
But I do wonder if this was meant to be the conclusion to Zack's involvement in the game or not. I think it would be fitting to end that part here but...I have a feeling they aren't going to. lol
The final battle with Aerith's spirit coming to fight alongside Cloud...fuck man. I struggled here even though I did fine in all the previous parts. Sucked cause after several attempts, I had to give up and turn on Easy Mode, which also meant having to start ALL over again back at Jenova. *twitch* But I was getting so tired trying. I kept being THIS CLOSE too. But difficulty aside, this fight was very poetic. Sephiroth telling Aerith that her part is done was like oh, fuck, man. lol
So, at first I was confused/angry they didn't include the iconic scene of Cloud placing Aerith's body in the water. Like HOW could they not include THAT? And then it dawned on me why it's missing...
Because we are more or less getting the whole ending here from Cloud's POV and he seems to be in denial that Aerith has died. Or at least that's what Rae and I think. That he's deleted that part from memory so he doesn't have to face it. Its why the scenes here seem a bit...incomplete. Its even been pointed out by others that in the credits, the scenes where Cloud is "seeing" Aerith are cut and there are empty spaces where it should be, potentially indicating where the ACTUAL footage should be.
And this is why Aerith's death hurts even more this time around. Because Cloud can't accept it. He's the only one not grieving in the scene at the water. And at first I thought maybe he did acknowledge that its Aerith's spirit he's talking to but Rae has me unsure on this. That maybe he genuinely thinks he saved her? Hmm. I'm curious what others think on it. I see around on the internet that some folks even think she actually IS alive but not on the same plane as everyone else. I'm...not sure about that. lol I mean in Advent Children we already knew she could still talk/reach out to them. Just here only Cloud can and Red XIII senses her for a second.
But I really don't want to think that Aerith here really is a figment of his imagination. That would hurt even worse. Pretty sure she's real. Just not...alive. Just by the bit with Nanaki. I hope this gets fully answered in the last part. I'd like to think that when Cloud finally is forced to face himself after the veggie state, that he'll also finally come to terms with her death and we'll THEN see the water scene for real. But who knows.
Edit: I've been reading a lot of others' theories and videos on this and its crazy how everyone is coming up with something different and even the official statements haven't really made it clearer. Just confirmation on the different universes via the "stamps". But I am now starting to consider the whole "Aerith is alive but in a different verse" idea more now with all the effects being used in the scene, after having gone back a few times. But she is not in our main timeline either way. And that Cloud might not be as in denial as we think. Etc. Not sure but I also don't want to commit to any one idea until Part 3...whenever that is.
Ah, Tifa being the last one to leave the water was a good touch too. I always liked how she had the biggest reaction to her death in the OG too. And they really made them bffs even more so in this version. Hell I am definitely becoming a little of an AerTi fan. I mean I always joked about that ship but never really pursued it (mostly due to my ever fluctuating feelings towards Tifa) but I do rather like the idea now.
And aaaaah the whole bit with Glen?! So was he never even here to begin with? Was it just Sephiroth fucking with Rufus this whole time or is Glen really a ghost that is somehow connected to Sephiroth. I mean both make sense cause in Ever Crisis, Glen's story is very closely tied to Sephiroth. But ffff I kinda like the idea it was never Glen at all. Because it would explain why he was out of character, etc. Also I fully admit I did not catch the whole Saruf IS Rufus thing til later. Even though it should be obvious. lol Just is Rufus' name rearranged (the a threw me off but then Rae reminded me that in Japanese, it would be more like Rufasu spelled out).
But yeah when Cloud put the black materia IN his sword. lmao Rae and I both were screaming like "NOT THE SWORD!! AAAH....but YEEEESSSS!"
Man, I am so ready (but not ready) for Part 3 now.
Additional Thoughts/Post-Game Stuff:
Moogle Intel - Just going to pop this here because I totally forgot to add it to the main chapter report and honestly I forget when I did each part. BUT. OH MY GOD. Was this (yet another) frustrating mini-game. I didn't mind the first two but then all the rest were...SO FUCKING HARD WHY! Rae had to do the last few for me and even they struggled. Though we do have a hilarious video of how they managed to slip on a banana peel and somehow THAT pushed the last moogle into place with only a few seconds left. The ridiculous luck there. But I will say, it was worth it. Spoiler here for the end of this: Just to see Cloud turn into a Moogle. Kupo.
The things this poor boy is put through in this game though. Maybe its not the mako. Maybe its not Jenova. Maybe its not even Sephiroth. Maybe its all the fucking shit these people make this poor do that is driving him insane. Seriously. And EVERYONE keeps invading his personal bubble. I watched a video recently that has EVERY SINGLE time someone touches Cloud and all of Cloud's little flinches, etc. Babygirl is going to kill you all some day. Just you watch.
Gilgamesh - As I said, I still haven't finished this part as he's basically the hardest thing in the game cause you have to beat all the Summons and then FIGHT them as duo battles before you can even challenge him...gaaaah. And let me tell you JUST trying to get Odin alone is so fucking hard. Because its not even about being strong. Its about being able to dodge enough so he doesn't get bored of you and trigger his instant death. x_x But anyway, the protorelic stuff with all the little bits of Gilgamesh were fucking hilarious though. A fun cameo indeed! Loved all the little arrangements of Battle at the Big Bridge too. (if anyone reading this doesn't know already: Gilgamesh is originally from Final Fantasy V, which I still have not played but have owned since forever...really should play it one of these days. lol)
Chadley vs Mai - lmao Chadley making a female version of himself and then getting annoyed with her was hysterical. That being said, I definitely had to ignore her during those Intel Battles because nothing she said was ACTUALLY helpful. Please, shut up. x_x;;
Avalanche Protorelic - Not sure if anyone cares but during the protorelic quests in Cosmo Canyon area, in addition to having the other Avalanche members from Intermission involved (which was probably confusing if you didn't play and wonder "who the hell are these guys?") there's also mention of Matt and Lucia being part of Avalanche and they are the OTHER two Ever Crisis characters that fight with Glen. So I assume this means they are in fact alive even if Glen most likely isn't. Which is cool. I liked them more than Glen. XD;
Loveless Dialogue - I love that Cait Sith's dialogue changes based on how good/bad you do in the mini-game. And if you do bad enough on the final part, Aerith chastises you for her having to basically save your ass. XD; (not sure what happens with the other 2 girls as I only had this happen with her).
+ Other Golden Saucer Date Scenes:
I'm going to go from favorite to least favorite here...
Cid/Vincent/Cait Sith - Yes there's an option called "Other" lol which is all the characters you do not have a Social Link *coughs* I mean, relationship status with in this game. I'm guessing you get this route if you seriously screw up with the rankings or like don't do ANY side quests? Not sure honestly but it exists! And its HILARIOUS! Also the ONLY version where Cid does not need someone waking him up for Aerith's solo. He wakes up on his own here which I found touching. But yeah lmao they are SO AWKWARD on the gondola. Its basically Cloud, Vincent, and Cid all sitting in silence. And Cait Sith is trying SO desperately to make things fun/silly and all his attempts go NOWHERE and he goes crazy from it. hahaha! I also love how when Cloud opens the door to them, his reaction is like "...is there a fire?" ahgpaigapgapi There's sadly no "intimate" version of this one. LOL What you saying Cloud, you don't want a poly relationship with 2 old men and a cat?!
Barret - By far my favorite bit during Aerith's solo. Barret grabs Cloud by the shoulder and rocks them together to the music. SO FUCKING ADORABLE! Also he gets the most emotional during it. So precious! Then Barret talking about how him and his wife got together during the gondola bit was so sweet. ;_;
Red XIII - "They ARE soft." aghapghaigapoaiaoi Cloud finally gets to touch Red's paw pads! There's an ongoing thing about this in some of the side quests of the game. Mostly with Cloud and Aerith on this subject, lol. So its even more amusing if you got that bit ahead of time. Also, you can do this in ANY route but if you chose to have Cloud confess to Red's character in the Loveless play, you get Red making the BIGGEST MOST ADORABLE EYES AT YOU lmao.
Yuffie - Like I said before, her date is actually adorable and not uncomfy. She's also hilarious as Rosa. She gets motion sickness when Cloud spins her. Be warned, if you put her in her Golden Saucer outfit, the outfit glitches during the gondola. lol Because she sits cross-legged and the game devs clearly forgot that wouldn't work with an actual skirt. XD So it just...glitches in and out aghapghaopgiapga. That aside tho, its cute and very much the "awkward teenager who may have confessed she has a tiny crush on Cloud but also apparently used to have a crush on Zack" pffft. Oh the irony. But also its very much nothing serious. And Cloud treats her more like a little sister.
Tifa - Her Rosa is cute though. I loved her whispering "You got this!" to Aerith right before the solo. See, they should have kept with the gfs route. lol But I MUCH prefer Tifa's platonic date. The intimate version does in fact include an actual kiss. :/ And once again, its way too awkward for me. Hell they are SUPER awkward about it after the ride at least, I'll give them 1 star for acknowledging that at least. But without the kiss, I'd be totally fine with this scene. It's still awkward but they are very awkward. But let's not get me into it as I could go on forever on my opinions on this ship. Short version: I acknowledge that they care deeply for each other to the point that yes, maybe they even TRIED to be together post-OG but I don't think it works out for them in the end.
But anyway I still stand by my opinion that FF7 is a game with no canon ship and its whatever you want it to be. I hope no one is offended by my opinions on the date scenes here. I just feel like the Tifa option comes off too forced which is unfortunate since I know a lot of fans prefer that ship.
Well, that's the end of my way-too-long review. I did manage to make it smaller in the earlier parts, but probably just because I had to re-write that part. Sorry I still went off on the later parts. But I just. Have so many feelings on this game. And I still cry listening to "No Promises To Keep". Going to take me a while to get over that.
Wow, I really wrote a novel on chapter 14 though. I am so sorry to anyone who decides to actually read this.
