Hello, everyone!

[Conr]

Hello! It's been many years since I've used a forum, and I'm a bit shy. I suppose I should give an introduction!

I'm 25 years old, born in 1999. I grew up on the SNES, N64, and GameCube. I didn't get the chance to play a Final Fantasy game until high school when I emulated Final Fantasy 6. Since then, I've played 1, 7, 8, 10, and 12. Kingdom Hearts and Parasite Eve are some other Square series I really like.

I am quite passionate about FF7. I realized it was my favorite game quite recently, when I noticed how defensive I felt about it, hahaha. I didn't grow up with the game (I first played it three or four years ago), but it still struck a chord with me. Tifa is my favorite character, though I love the entire cast. I related a lot to Cloud; never had I felt so "seen" by a game.

Anyways, for some other quick details; I'm a student of political science and I have an interest in voice acting. And if my writing style didn't give it away, I've got ADHD. I've got lots of views on Final Fantasy and would love to get more involved with the community!

Thanks for reading! I hope I haven't breached forum etiquette in some way, I appreciate everyone's patience!

Bonus question: What party was the first you used to beat Final Fantasy 7? Mine was Cloud (naturally), Vincent, and Cid.

 

[Clicky Person]

I've never actually beaten ff7, although I watched my brothers beat it multiple times when I was a kid. They were kinda system hogs, so I didn't get the chance to beat very many games. But I loved watching so I might've enabled a little. I think the first party I watched beat it was my older brother using Cloud, Tifa, and Red. Then a few hours later my younger brother beat it with Cloud, Yuffie, and Sid. I feel like I've misspelled something.

 

[Ite]

Hi welcome! Great first post!

My first and still-favorite party is Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith — er, then Barret. I’ve had the joy of being passenger on multiple friends playthroughs - including my best friend in college who was also poli-sci and whose team was also Cloud Cid and Vincent —— huh!

Welcome. It’s truly rare to be born in 99 and have your first FF be VI. I’m old enough to be your mother and my first was VII lol

Being in poli-sci must be very interesting in this day and age. It was interesting for us during the Bush years, well, I guess it’s always interesting. Do you feel like your attachment to FFVII is linked to your passion in your field? Or is it something else about it?

 

[Conr]

Hahaha, that is interesting! Maybe Vincent and Cid have a secret following in poli-sci circles

I grew up on the Super Nintendo, that was my first console. I suppose that gave me a higher tolerance of "old-game jank". My first game was Goof Troop, a fun Capcom co-op game, which is still a favorite of mine. I also grew up in a Disney household, so you can imagine how much I love Kingdom Hearts.

I forgot why I played 6 first, but I definitely clicked with Final Fantasy's style. I already had a fondness for JRPGs, but was rather starved for them due to how few there were on Nintendo systems at the time.

As for political science, yeah, I've definitely found my studies relating to Final Fantasy 7 quite strongly recently. The fact Mayor Domino of Midgar has an office in a company building beneath a bunch of CEOs feels really, really relatable in the current political era.

I've been wanting to do some deeper analysis of it, Final Fantasy 7's themes of exploitation and of life have really clicked with me even more lately.

Beyond just the politics however, the characters really clicked with me too. Cloud initially puts on a masculine front, but is really a sensitive guy who struggles to find who he really is. I relate to that so much; I always struggled with representing myself authentically for a long time. I'm comfortable in my identity as a cis male, it's just that I'm not traditionally masculine. Seeing Cloud have those same struggles resonated with me a lot.

I could go on about characters like Tifa and Cid and how I related to them as well, but I fear I'd be rambling far longer than I already have, hahaha! Thanks for the thoughtful response : )