Just gonna have to disagree on this I think.
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That all makes sense to me. Admittedly I think part of my confusion was because I don't remember exactly when all this information gets revealed in the OG story.Short answer: Cloud is an unreliable narrator.
Long answer (whole game spoilers): Cloud is definitely the same anonymous grunt he has always been. Aside from outside the game, you even get this reinforced during the Nibelheim flashback, as Grunt Cloud is easily seen passed out outside Cloud's home. Cloud only (mis)remembers Grunt Zack because he is trying to rationalize knowing Zack at all. He remembers Zack at Nibelheim (present), but he is still convinced he "is" Zack, and he isn't ready to admit he's Grunt Cloud, so he repositions SOLDIER Zack as Grunt-Zack. This is more or less confirmed when Cloud explains this to Tifa, and her response is basically a very polite "Close, but no cigar." Cloud is still Grunt Cloud, just he's got some brain problems that are rationalizing everything. I have no doubt Final Fantast Remake 3 will make this explicit.
Maybe true in general, but this game's ending isn't exactly straightforward. I would be surprised if someone finished it and didn't have questions.Yeah, I don't really trust the enthusiast press to have good takes on anything, let alone any story with even the slightest modicum of thematic complexity. The number of times I've seen people bleat about how "confusing" something is because it has more than two factions to keep track of really makes me question the reading comprehension of most people in society in general.
I just assumed it would work like Remake. Where if you do everything positive for all members involved, there's one or two specific events that will be an effective tie-breaker. At least when it comes to Tifa/Aerith. I think the difference this time around is I might have accidentally done too many unite attacks with Tifa just by coincidence, which I guess ends up being a bigger tie breaker at the very least? I dunno. I get the point of that, but it's also kinda lame. So now I have to basically exile certain party members and force combos with Aerith which is a much less fun way to play the game.OK, so a tip for the dates I didn't figure out until after I was locked into one: check out the sidequests you get once they're activated. Don't do the ones with a portrait of characters you want to date, and DO do the ones WITH a portrait of the character you DO want to date.
Or, alternately, once you beat the game you gain access to a menu that lets you pick your preference for chapter select.
Ironic when Aerith is probably the dog's best friend.I’ve managed to play cloud as an absolute dipshit who can’t say anything nice to Aerith so far. The dog likes him.
The synergies only improve your relationship once each. There's a lot of other stuff that goes into it (one of the postgame unlocks is a relationship screen that shows what has affected your relationships and by how much). Minor details: The parade is a big deal for both Aerith and Tifa and I didn't do super at that, and had done more sidequests with Red and I guess chosen better dialogue choices despite trying to be nice to everyone.I just assumed it would work like Remake. Where if you do everything positive for all members involved, there's one or two specific events that will be an effective tie-breaker. At least when it comes to Tifa/Aerith. I think the difference this time around is I might have accidentally done too many unite attacks with Tifa just by coincidence, which I guess ends up being a bigger tie breaker at the very least? I dunno. I get the point of that, but it's also kinda lame. So now I have to basically exile certain party members and force combos with Aerith which is a much less fun way to play the game.
This was great! Similar to Sarc, my only question to you is are you saying Aerith is dead dead dead for good? I don't think the ending supports that reading. She is still "alive" in the sense that her "will" exists in the planet's Lifestream (as the White Whispers I believe), but she is definitely physically dead in the Rebirth timeline. I do like your perspective that Cloud is not willing to believe she's dead. I hadn't really considered that. The game definitely does not give you much direct insight into what Cloud is feeling/thinking, like, at all in the entire game. Which is pretty interesting considering we see the story play out almost entirely from his viewpoint.I wrote a whole stupid post about the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth ending. If you want to read an interpretation of the whole thing by someone who liked it a whole lot, I have got you covered.
So much talking about ending, spoilers very much.
Finished this today. I had a great time with it overall, but the events of the ending leave me somewhat less excited for Revengeance than I was at the end of Remake.