FFVII: Ever Crisis Announced

Lex

Administrator
Yeah I don't keep anyone on my friend list who won't participate daily. Hmm as much as I don't wish to leave my guild I'm tempted to join yours and actually earn the rewards I deserve 🤔
Feel free to join, the spot is still open. I totally get it if you want to keep your own going though!

And yeah you will need to post more to be able to post photos :)
 

Woakesart

Rookie Adventurer
AKA
James
Feel free to join, the spot is still open. I totally get it if you want to keep your own going though!

And yeah you will need to post more to be able to post photos :)
Ok well I'll type in my ID for now then.

Guild is called COSMO CANYON
Currently at LV16
Guild ID is 6F6AE5GN7VRUU

anyone who still wants to join an active guild be my guest, I'm on it daily always contributing 👍🏻
Hopefully someone will join!
 

Suzaku

Pro Adventurer
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New Halloween costume is Yuffie wearing a gothic lolita Red XIII dress, with a little Red XIII doll weapon. Her attack animation and wallpaper have her doing catgirl claw poses. Cloud's and Sephiroth's costumes from last year also got minor updates. New event weapon for Matt.



More importantly, we got the official announcement and trailer for the chapter THE FIRST SOLDIER: Episode II Chapter 1 "Wutai's Secret," coming October 16. We see a lot of young Angeal, including his player character animations and him being playable in a dungeon (datamining indicates he may only be a guest character for now).

 

SS2Link

Pro Adventurer
Young Angeal looks so sick, really glad they're expanding these characters even further. Hope a young Genesis is soon to follow, he and Angeal did come to Midgar together after all.
 

Suzaku

Pro Adventurer
Full confirmation that he'll be fully playable with the release of Episode II, not just initially introduced as a guest character as some of the datamining suggested. I'm assuming he'll probably be released alongside a Limit Banner like Vincent was.



Also, got into datamining a bit myself, because I wanted to get access to the clean character art assets. I'll have to do this across multiple posts:

FINAL FANTASY VII

Playable Characters

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AVALANCHE
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Residents of the Midgar Slums
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Shinra Executives
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Suzaku

Pro Adventurer
First chapter of TFS Episode II launched tonight, along with Angeal. I haven't done the story yet, but am currently looking through his kit.

So, big thing, Angeal is the first Tank role character in the game, bringing some new mechanics and ability types:
  • Provoke: Forces enemies to attack him instead of other party members.
  • Veil: Gains a shield equal to a percent of his max HP.
  • DEF Boost (All): Increases PDEF and MDEF for the entire party.
Suffice to say, this makes him extremely strong and unique right out of the gate. Most of his starting weapons are fairly good: strong Earth element support, an AOE PATK and MATK debuff, an AOE PDEF buff, and a few abilities that grant Provoke and/or Veil and/or Regen.

His launch Limit Break banner is a Water focused Provoke weapon with gear that has DEF Boost (All) -- extremely desirable. The banner lasts until November 4 and I'll definitely be trying to clear out the first stamp sheet, at least.

His Limit Breaks are Heavy Assault (ST damage that scales up to x3 based on how low his HP is), Serit Arbores (AoE PATK/MATK debuff), and Ad Astra (AoE 20% Veil + small heal), and his default Ultimate Weapon is a one time AOE PDEF and MDEF buff.


Granted, it's likely that in coming months other characters will get Tank role support, but being the first out of the gate puts him in a good position to remain ahead of the pack, especially with the Limit Break gear.
 

Suzaku

Pro Adventurer
Doing the story now... Most if not all of the music in Episode II is new, and it has its own section on the Story menu, separate from Episode I.


Chapter 1: Wutai's Secret

Main Section 1: The Forbidden Land

EP.1 The New Leader

It starts with a sort of CGI teaser, which the clips from the trailers up until now were taken from. Begins with a Robed Man carrying a camcorder walking through some ruins, presumably in Wutai. He drops the camcorder and we see through its viewfinder distorted footage, which glitches similar to the VR History of the Ancients sequence from Remake:

We see a man with a camcorder following Sephiroth and Angeal through the ruins intercut with glimpses of Sephiroth wielding his sword surrounded by flames. Very quickly we're introduced to another new character, a female SOLDIER: 2nd Class named Alissa who is also on the squad. The trio moves through the ruins while the man films. We get snippets of conversations -- Alissa describes the land in Wutai as having a strange power; Angeal is searching for lost SOLDIERs who were his friends and mentors, vowing to return them to Midgar; Sephiroth believes he and Angeal will never see eye to eye due to their different upbringing; Alissa thinks that the world will change the moment Sephiroth takes hold of "that" sword; as Sephiroth witnesses a glowing purple vision of a young Hojo and adopts Cloud's iconic pose, Angeal warns him to cut through whatever is in his way, no matter what it appears to be.

Sephiroth awakens on a chopper flying over Wutai. The year is still [ μ ] – εγλ 1992. Angeal is sitting next to him, and introduces himself. Annoyed, Sephiroth scoffs and returns to sleep to Angeal's bewilderment. We pull out to see them being filmed by the same camerama, named Bachman. Bachman narrates, describing this as the most important work of his life, a recording of the moment that changed the course of history forever.

Sephiroth thinks Angeal looks over sixteen, but he counters that he'll still look young twenty years from now. Angeal describes his birthplace, Banora, and the Banora White, or dumbapple. Sephiroth remains silent and standoffish. Angeal says that he was chosen to be squad leader over Sephiroth because despite being unparalleled, Sephiroth isn't a leader, asking him if that's what he does--make a sour face and hope everyone else gives him a wide berth. Angeal hints that that won't work on him, and wonders if Sephiroth has even ever been reprimanded.

Sephiroth thinks back to the time with Team Glenn, when Glenn threatened to kick his ass for whistling to round up their squad, but remains silent. Angeal considers this a challenge he will overcome.


EP. 2 Two SOLDIERs

Bachman says it was September 1992. Sephiroth and Angeal arrive at the ruins of Robio, on the southern tip of Wutai, on a search and rescue mission to recover four missing comrades.

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He introduces himself as Russ Bachman of Shinra's Records and Archives Division, at the time his title was chief. He begins to film them, and Sephiroth asks him to stop, but he refuses, saying he's been assigned to film the Igara Forbidden Zone and Robio, and the two of them in action--especially Sephiroth. Angeal asks if it's for a promotional video, and he say's that's for PR to decide.

When Bachman asks Sephiroth to give some words, Sephiroth remains silent. Angeal steps in and declares that the missing SOLDIERs were his partners and mentors and he vows to bring them back. He makes it clear to Bachman that this is their top priority, and Bachman says he understands and they're all pros. Angeal explains the mission to Sephiroth: searching for four missing SOLDIERs with no distress signals to follow. They set off.

Soon they encounter a monster called a domahdora, but Sephiroth refuses to fight, leaving it to Angeal.

Shockingly, the mission awards a gacha weapon for the first clear bonuses: a copy of Sephiroth's recent Tempest katana.

Afterwards, Angeal questions why Sephiroth didn't fight, but Sephiroth says he had it handled. Bachman complains that PR wants footage of the legendary Sephiroth and he's giving him nothing to work with. We learn that Sephiroth never attends mission briefings, hence why he doesn't know he was going to be filmed. Angeal remains persistent.


EP. 3 Footage of a Hero

The trio reaches the Igara Forbidden Zone. Bachman explains that the Wutaians don't set foot within its borders. That's why Shinra thinks they're hiding something big, and sent a squad to investigate. Some of the finest in SOLDIER, and they all went missing without a trace.

They come upon the long-abandoned ruins of a village. The land itself is scarred by a monstrous power. Sephiroth wants to stick to the mission parameters, but Angeal tells him every new experience is an opportunity for learning, and that he should stop treating everything as a job. Sephiroth disagrees, and the two get annoyed and turn their backs on each other. Bachman laughs, saying he wishes he could see PR's reaction to the footage.


EP. 4 The First of the Missing

They find the first missing SOLDIER surrounded by a swarm of domahdoras, which they fight off. His name is Marco Morse and he's been dead for about three days. When asked if Angeal knew him, he reiterates that he considers every SOLDIER a friend and ally. They leave after he vows to return to recover his body.


EP. 5 The Threat

Further in the ruins, Angeal remarks that the ground is as fine as ash but glitters like glass. Soon they find the body of another SOLDIER, Radam Phon, a P-model SOLDIER not much older than they are. Bachman asks if Sephiroth knew Lucia, who was in charge of training P-models, and says that she and her friends Glenn and Matt assaulted an engineer on their last mission and then deserted. Sephiroth thinks back to how they bonded, but only says that they never talked about personal things and were just another squad he was assigned to. Bachman calls them traitors and says it's good Sephiroth didn't get caught up with them. Sephiroth lingers for a moment by himself after the other two go on ahead.

They reach a clearing and Sephiroth stops to warn Angeal that he's considered a special case within SOLDIER, as the only one allowed to speak freely with Hojo, who is in charge of expanding their limits. He says this means they'll never be friends. Angeal brushes it off, and tells Bachman that being around the professor so much did wonders for Sephiroth's personality. Bachman agrees, off record.

Further in they predictably find the third body, Ed Schuder. Angeal orders Sephiroth to take out some swarming monsters while he takes care of the body. Afterwards, Bachman calls the chopper and Sephiroth examines the body, remarking that the wounds were made by a blade. Angeal says they look the same as the ones on Marco and Radam. Bachman wonders if it was a ninja. Angeal asks Sephiroth to speak up if he notices anything else out of the ordinary, and Sephiroth warns that an enemy is about to attack -- a giant toad. They fell the beast, but Sephiroth remains obstinate and suggests they move on to find the last missing SOLDIER.



Subsection 1: A Bad Feeling

EP. 1 A SOLDIER's Creed

While fighting through swarms of monsters, Angeal explains the importance of teamwork in SOLDIER, but Sephiroth prefers to operate solo. Angeal says that a lone SOLDIER is as strong as a whole squad, but when working together they get the job done faster, with fewer casualties. He asks Sephiroth for some camaraderie, but Sephiroth says he's just an artificial machine of massacre propped up as a false hero by Shinra. Angeal says he accepts him anyway, and that's why SOLDIERs have to foster their own humanity by building bonds. Sephiroth says that's a hindrance and warns him to stay out of his way.


EP. 2 The Shinobi

Bachman asks Angeal if he's ever fought a ninja, but he's only done so in VR. Sephiroth thinks back on his own VR training under Hojo, remembering a mission where Hojo paired him with a simulation of Angeal. Sephiroth claims he never fought a ninja, and Angeal recalls that they were fast. He remembers that the simulator would sometimes pair them with the strongest performer, so he often fought alongside a simulation of Sephiroth, but it didn't prepare him for the real deal. He suggests that Sephiroth was probably paired with him more than once, though Sephiroth claims none of his partners made an impression on him.


EP. 3 An Unknown Presence

Bachman remarks that despite the dangerous wildlife he feels safe with the two of them, though Angeal says he feels like they've stepped into a battlefield and should remain cautious. Angeal calls it SOLDIER's intuition, but Sephiroth wonders if he's just scared. They fight some monsters, and afterwards Sephiroth says it feels like they're being watched, but dismisses it along with the notion of intuition being a special power. After they move on, a group of purple wisps flit about the area.



Main Section 2: A Tragic Portent

EP. 1 A Blademaster

They find the fourth missing SOLDIER still alive, a female 2nd Class. She's glad backup arrived, but warns them--to late. With a laugh, a tall, one-eyed elderly man appears, dressed in dark gray samurai garb and with wild white hair in a top knot and beard. He wields a ridiculously long katana, bringing it down on them. They repel him. Sephiroth admires his sword, and the old man says he's a young man of refined tastes. Sephiroth declares the sword a masterwork, but claims its wielder is unworthy of it. The man laughs and again attacks. Boss fight...

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Afterwards they fight a bit more, and Sephiroth and Angeal move for a finishing blow, but the old man parries, slicing Sephiroth's Nameless katana in half, then leaps back, landing atop a ruined building. He introduces himself: Masamune, the master swordsmith of Robio.

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He states that he poured his heart and soul into the sword, which shall bear his name forevermore, but that none have come to claim it. He says he can't keep waiting and must find a worthy warrior to entrust it to, then leaps away.

Afterwards the SOLDIER removes her helmet and introduces herself: Alissa Goldie, SOLDIER: 2nd Class.

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Sephiroth is taken aback, remembering the photograph he once carried of "Jenova."

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Alissa asks what he's looking at, wondering if she looks like his sweetheart--or maybe his mother? Sephiroth remains silent.

Chapter 1: End.



The Story Beyond: Awaiting the Chopper

EP. 1 Bachman's Journal: The Hero

Angeal orders Bachman and Alissa to head to the rendezvous point while he gathers the bodies of their fallen comrades. Bachman's journal describes the mission as such: They were in and out of Robio in less than a day and found all four missing SOLDIERs, but there was only one survivor and he didn't have any good opportunities to film Sephiroth in action. Sephiroth's combat prowess is unequaled; without him, Shinra would be a shadow of itself. He'd heard Sephiroth described as a perfect specimen, but was still unprepared for what he was capable of -- truly beyond human. At least when he held a sword; when it was sheathed the cracks were obvious: a trouble young man who couldn't cooperate or even get along with others and zero interest in the mission. Not PR material, but it's his job to make him shine.



EP. 2 A Caring Mother

Sephiroth has a hallucination that he's spending time with his mother Jenova after a mission.

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She brings him his favorite food, pumpkin soup. He says he's been dreaming of eating it again. She says she makes it for him every day. "If only that were true..." he replies, "I'd be so happy." She says she's always with him, and he apologizes, saying of course she is. She gives him a good luck braid and tells him to tie it to his sword so she'll always be with him. She calls him her sweet little boy and hugs him.

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"So much like a dream."


EP. 3 A Grand Birthday Party

Angeal remembers a birthday feast he and his dad made for his mom.

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Angeal remarks that he's happy to do it since she taught him how to cook, and he wants to try making more dishes so he'll cook for the next few days. Angeal has been donating time and money to get the village agricultural machinery so they can sell their apples, and plans to join SOLDIER starting in the spring. Gillian asks if that's really what he wants to do, but he just wants to do what he can help.

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His parents say that if it's what he's decided, they'll support him with everything they can. He vows to become a SOLDIER and give his family the lives they deserve.
 
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SS2Link

Pro Adventurer
I’m interested that Angeal says he’s 16 here. That would imply that he was born in 1976, a year before Jenova was even discovered.

I’m thinking Angeal may be 15 but Sephiroth thinks he’s older than 16? Or perhaps Angeal is simply turning 16 very soon, since it’s September. The Japanese text may have more context.

EDIT: I just checked. The Japanese text is:
「ソルジャーとしては駆け出しだが 歳はおまえと変わらないはずだ」
「16には見えないか? でも、あと20年経ってみろ。 俺のほうが若く見えるぞ?」

Roughly translates to:
"Though I'm still a rookie SOLDIER, I'm should be about the same age as you."
"Don't I look 16? But just wait another 20 years. I'll look younger than you!"

I think that implies that... he looks older than he is (he appears 16 when he's actually younger?), but that in twenty years he'll retain some youth. Honestly I don't know. I think that's the only way to look at it to maintain the continuity, otherwise Jenova's discovery will need a date change.
 
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Theozilla

Kaiju Member
I’m interested that Angeal says he’s 16 here. That would imply that he was born in 1976, a year before Jenova was even discovered.

I’m thinking Angeal may be 15 but Sephiroth thinks he’s older than 16? Or perhaps Angeal is simply turning 16 very soon, since it’s September. The Japanese text may have more context.

EDIT: I just checked. The Japanese text is:
「ソルジャーとしては駆け出しだが 歳はおまえと変わらないはずだ」
「16には見えないか? でも、あと20年経ってみろ。 俺のほうが若く見えるぞ?」

Roughly translates to:
"Though I'm still a rookie SOLDIER, I'm should be about the same age as you."
"Don't I look 16? But just wait another 20 years. I'll look younger than you!"

I think that implies that... he looks older than he is (he appears 16 when he's actually younger?), but that in twenty years he'll retain some youth. Honestly I don't know. I think that's the only way to look at it to maintain the continuity, otherwise Jenova's discovery will need a date change.
The English translators/localizers we're probably not informed of the specifics of the FFVII's universe's timeline dates, so they probably didn't realize that rephrasing "don't I look 16?" to "I'm 16" would create a continuity error.
 

SS2Link

Pro Adventurer
The English translators/localizers we're probably not informed of the specifics of the FFVII's universe's timeline dates, so they probably didn't realize that rephrasing "don't I look 16?" to "I'm 16" would create a continuity error.
Yeah, that's what I'm thinking too. The more I read over the Japanese dialogue, the more it seems clear that Angeal is saying "I look 16 (older than I currently actually am), but in twenty years it will be the opposite, and I will look younger than I am."

Likely as a reference to the fact that Angeal has always looked old for his age in Crisis Core. So he's like 14 to 15 here, but looks 16. Makes sense, fits into the timeline, just a localization error.
 

Suzaku

Pro Adventurer
Well, the phrasing in the English is just "You think I look older than sixteen?" which I guess doesn't mean he's saying he's 16, just looks older than 16. It's a bit awkward, regardless. He should be about 15, I guess, since he's a little older than Sephiroth, who is supposed to be 14. I'd forgotten the exact timeline details and didn't think much about it.

Also, I was pretty sure that Sephiroth is about 14 in TFS, but when I googled I saw results saying he was 16 and assumed I just misremembered, but looking further I can't actually find any source for his age in the game, so not sure where anyone got 16 from.

In Japanese media the younger versions of Sephiroth and Angeal are consistently called 少年 (shonen, boy), a demographic classification which usually tops out at about age 14 or 15, with 16 being the cutoff point. So in that sense, Angeal remarking that he looks over 16 and thus "older than a boy" would make sense.

I'm gonna go ahead and tweak my summary to make that better reflect the actual dialogue rather than my own misinterpretation.

Oh, also:



FINAL FANTASY VII THE FIRST SOLDIER EPISODE II


Angeal Hewley, Russ Bachman, Swordsmith Masamune, Alissa Goldie, "Jenova"

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Angeal (Character Screen)
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