How to Get Barret Date and Tifa High Affection Ending in One Playthrough!

[FFVIIFunFacts]

BARRET DATE with TIFA HIGH AFFECTION HIGHWIND guide

This guide will provide a method for achieving the date with Barret, while still receiving the High Affection (HA) end scenario with Tifa. While I have not taken the opportunity to try it out myself, a couple of friends did and told me that it works! So, hope that you all enjoy this! ^^

The following URL is an excellent date mechanics guide for the original Final Fantasy VII game and is the main source that I will use.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/197341-final-fantasy-vii/faqs/2385

To understand how Barret Date with Tifa HA Highwind is possible, three pieces of information must be known:

First, we need to know about Tifa’s Highwind Affection Mechanics. Basically, the High Affection Highwind scene is achieved if the player ends the game with 50 or more points to Tifa. 49 or less and the player will then receive the Low Affection Highwind scene.

Second, we need to know that the Highwind Scene is somewhat separated from the Gold Saucer. Basically, as long as Tifa has 50 or more points, then it doesn’t matter who is on the Gold Saucer Date, the HA scene will play out regardless.

Third, if the player goes full Barret, then he will cap out at 54 total points based on my playthrough method. For some reason, the guide says 53. I don’t know why.

IN CONCLUSION: While the margin of error is slim, if Tifa has 50 to 53 points and Barret has at least 1 point more than her (up to 54), then the player should receive a playthrough involving the date with Barret and the HA Highwind with Tifa. Obviously, there are multiple ways to do this, but here’s one method:

(WARNING: I got the game pics from the internet. So, when following this guide, use the answers that the guide specifies, not what’s pointed to in the pic itself. They’re just meant to reference when the option comes up.)

Here are their affection values at the start of the game:

1. Choose: “Thanks anyway” for +0 points to everyone.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 30, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 0

2. Choose: “Give it to Marlene” for +5 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 30, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 5

3. Choose: “Give me something hard” for +5 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 35, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 5

4. Choose: “How can you say that!” for +5 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 40, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 5

5. Choose: “Barret’s snoring kept me up…” for +5 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 40, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 10

6. Beat the train timer for +5 Barret and +5 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 15

7. Choose: “(Be strong)” for +2 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 50, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 17

8. Push the wrong barrel for -3 Aerith.
NOTE: According to the Date Mechanics Guide, this can be done 3 times. So, we assume -9 Aerith is possible here. However, if this guide is followed, then it won’t matter if only -3 was achieved.
Total: Aerith: 41, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 17

9. Choose: “Yeah, that’s right” for -5 Aerith.
Total: Aerith: 36, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 17

10. Choose: “Take her home” for 0 points to anyone.
Total: Aerith: 36, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 17

11. Get all the best items, so that Cloud is chosen by the Don.
Choose: “Yes, his name’s Barret…” for +5 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 36, Tifa: 45, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 22

12. In the sewer, talk to Tifa first for +3 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 36, Tifa: 48, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 22

13. Choose: “I don’t know” for -3 Aerith and +3 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 22

14. Choose: “Barret, take care of her!” for +2 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 24

15. When the party decides to split, choose Barret and Nanaki for +2 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 26

16. Choose: “Kinda hard” for -1 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 26

17. Wonder about Barret first for +3 Barret.
Wonder about Nanaki second for +0 points to anyone.
Wonder about Aerith third for +0 points to anyone.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 29

18. When the party splits up in Midgar, choose Barret and Nanaki for +1 Barret.
NOTE: Keep those two as your party members while exploring Kalm.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 30

19. Choose “Beautiful, just beautiful!” for +3 Barret.
Then choose “Right” for +1 Barret.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 34

20. Choose “You’re full of it” for +2 Barret.
NOTE: Party members during this option must be Barret and Nanaki or points will change.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 36

21. Choose “Yeah, maybe” for +2 Barret.
NOTE: Party members during this option must be Barret and Nanaki or points will change.
Total: Aerith: 33, Tifa: 50, Yuffie: 10, Barret: 38

22. Choose “I guess so” for +5 Barret, +3 Aerith, +3 Tifa, +2 Yuffie.
Total: Aerith: 36, Tifa: 53, Yuffie: 12, Barret: 43

23: Choose “All right” for +5 Barret, +3 Aerith, +3 Tifa, +2 Yuffie.
Total: Aerith: 39, Tifa: 56, Yuffie: 14, Barret: 48

24: YUFFIE: According to the Date Mechanics Guide, when acquiring Yuffie, it’s possible to milk those points up to 30.
For the purpose of this playthrough, do NOT do this, just get her and go if you would like to have her in your group for +10 Yuffie.
Total: Aerith: 39, Tifa: 56, Yuffie: 24, Barret: 48

25. Go ahead and give the poor kid a Tranquilizer (“Here, use this”) for +4 Yuffie.
NOTE: If there are no Tranquilizers in your possession, then it’s -2 Yuffie regardless.
Total: Aerith: 39, Tifa: 56, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

26. Choose “I dunno…” for -2 Aerith.
Total: Aerith: 37, Tifa: 56, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

27. Choose “I don’t know” for -2 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 37, Tifa: 54, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

28. For the player’s first visit to the Gold Saucer, the option will come up to take someone with you while exploring. Talk to Tifa and then choose “Don’t go together” for -2 Tifa.
NOTE 1: Only the first conversation matters in terms of points. After that, “Go together” with whoever you like. You can even take Tifa. lol
NOTE 2: If you try to leave without talking to someone, then it’s 0 points to everyone. Make sure you talk to Tifa before trying to leave.
Total: Aerith: 37, Tifa: 54, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

29. When confronting Dyne, choose Nanaki to go with you for +0 points to everyone.
Total: Aerith: 37, Tifa: 54, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

30. Enter Zack’s house with Tifa and Aerith as your party members. When they both run, leave Gongaga without speaking to either of them for -3 Aerith and -3 Tifa.
Total: Aerith: 34, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 48

31. Choose “Go on” for +3 Barret.
Then choose “And then?” for +3 Barret.
NOTE: According to the Date Mechanics Guide, it is possible to milk this dialogue for more Barret points (see image below),
Total: Aerith: 34, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 28, Barret: 54

32. WUTAI: Feel free to do Yuffie’s backstory if you like. +10 Yuffie if you do.
Total: Aerith: 34, Tifa: 51, Yuffie: 38, Barret: 54

FINAL TOTAL: AERITH: 34, TIFA: 51, YUFFIE: 38, BARRET: 54
NOTE: If all 3 wrong barrels didn’t kick in at the church, then Aerith will have 40 points.

 

[Ite]

This is an incredibly good guide. I wish the Barret Cosmo Canyon trick could be truly exploited for an extreme lead — this outcome would be easier made if you could give Barret 90 points all at once. Strange that I’ve never heard of a point cap, I assumed it would just go up to 255, but it’s a sensible thing to implement.

On a related note, in Step 16 (Shinra HQ prison cells) you can repeat Tifa’s dialogue choice infinitely, so you can decide her exact rating at that time — although I am now imagining that Tifa’s affection caps out as well…

 

[FFVIIFunFacts]

This is an incredibly good guide. I wish the Barret Cosmo Canyon trick could be truly exploited for an extreme lead — this outcome would be easier made if you could give Barret 90 points all at once. Strange that I’ve never heard of a point cap, I assumed it would just go up to 255, but it’s a sensible thing to implement.

On a related note, in Step 16 (Shinra HQ prison cells) you can repeat Tifa’s dialogue choice infinitely, so you can decide her exact rating at that time — although I am now imagining that Tifa’s affection caps out as well…

Thank you so much!
This was actually a theoretical thread that I originally wrote for Twitter, back when I was on the site. A couple of my mutuals then tried it and discovered that it worked. So, I thought that it would be cool to have here as well.

Using the Barret Cosmo Canyon trick is definitely the easiest way to do this! However, I still wanted to show the long way because understandably, many people use mods when playing this game. And sometimes, those mods will "fix" repeatable cheats like that.

Also, yes to Tifa. In fact, if you can use Tifa's prison dialogue, then eventually the player can raise her points high enough to unlock some dialogue in Gongaga.

 

[Ite]

Ah that’s where that dialogue comes from! I saw it when I was editing the Gongaga field, thought it was vestigial. Very cool.

 

[Wanderer]

This is very detailed, nice to know someone is making these deep guides for this game, even almost 30 years later.

 

[FFVIIFunFacts]

This is very detailed, nice to know someone is making these deep guides for this game, even almost 30 years later.

Thank you! <3