Let's Play Final Fantasy VII: At the same time!

[Alex Strife]

Right! I'm there already!

Barrett's theme sounds quite "daylight", too, right? Anyway I decided to train some more at the train graveyard and get some extra ice+lightning materia with the resulting gil... it was quite useful, and this brings me to the leveling strategies!!

Usually I would just fight+level up only until the point where I had enough money to buy everything I thought I had to buy. It was a good strategy, I think, but after some time I decided to change my approach and now I just train more than it's needed. Maybe because I was always underleveled. For instance I made it to the last fight of FFIX at level 45... but let's get back to FFVII!

After the FIRST fight on reactor 5, Barrett learnt his first 2nd level limit break. Never happened to me before. On my playthroughs Barrett usually gets to the Dyne fight without it (I do not use him, usually) so I was surprised!!

Reactor 5 makes me remember that, when I first reached this place, I thought the game would go on to have me blow all the reactors, first of all. But I found it so easy I thought it would have been like the "introduction" to the story.

Also when I got to meet Aeris/Aerith I had this strange feeling. Despite Tifa being my favourite of the two, I've always liked the pink-dressed cheeky girl quite a lot, too. And it felt quite special to hear "Flowers Blooming in the Church" for the first time in the playthrough. I can't explain it.

To be honest, again, Tifa is my favourite, but I was REALLY fond of Aeris from the get go. I found her to be interesting, and despite her looks being more like those of an innocent girl, she was the complete opposite. At first I was convinced there would be a love story between Cloud and Aeris. But then again, that's exactly what Square wants us to think, at this point of the game, before things get more complicated.

I did not understand the Barrel game until a few years ago. I was never worried about it, as Aeris could clearly beat the MP's asses, so why bother? This time I also didn't do it, so that Aeris would fight and I'd get less points with her on the date thing.

The slums feel like "home", nowadays. The first time I was here everything was new, mysterious, strange, and I really liked it. Now, I like it just as much if not more, and it really feels like home. One of the iconic places of Final Fantasy VII, without any doubt!

As for my setting right now...:

Cloud - Lvl 13
Buster Sword: (Lightning)=(All)
Titan Bangle: (Cover) (Ice)

Aeris - Lvl 9
Guard Stick: (Restore)
Titan Bangle: (Lightning) (Ice)

 

[Cthulhu]

I just hooked up my laptop to my giant TV and played it in glorious HD resolutions at a constant 60 FPS, . But that aside.

Leveling strategies? I only turn to grinding (yuck) or 'actively leveling' if I suck terribly, which at this point and difficulty level of the game, I don't. I do try to keep as much materia equipped at all times though, considering those level as well.

As for Aeriths, I don't particularly like her, fucking stalking mary sue that can't make up her damn mind .

I'd totally bone her mom though.

 

[Shademp]

I'd totally bone her mom though.

You sure?

Each to his/her own, I guess.

 

[Sprites]

fucking stalking mary sue that can't make up her damn mind

Rofl, dunno why that's funny but it is

I'd totally bone her mom though

Which one?

I think I'll be leaving my playthrough for a day or so until I'm feeling well enough, so I'll have my playthrough up by Monday probs.

 

[Cthulhu]

Which one?

Do I have to choose?

 

[Alex Strife]

Right now I'm thinking of Yop as some kind of Quagmire who says "Hodor" instead of "Giggity". And I'm finding it quite interesting!

 

[Celes Chere]

Um I'mma skip the first discussion because I have nothing to say about it really. xD But as for the second checkpoint:

-Discussion points: The meeting with Aeris/Aerith/what the fuckever you want to call her.

I named her Oracle. :'D Anyway, the very first time I played this game I hated Aerith. Of course I had an outside impression of her before I played the game and that stuck with me. I was also ten years old, lol. Knowing what I do now (Crisis Core and such) this scene seems a lot more impacting, especially how Aerith asks Cloud for a date the same way that Zack asked her. ;w; In any case, I find it humorous that Aerith's main concern are the flowers when the TURKS show up and such. I have always preferred Tifa over Aerith, and it still remains that way. I just love how Tifa's the a fighter and also a sweet heart, but not a push over either. Her dedication to Cloud is sweet. <3 Aerith's flirting I suppose is cute at best ( the whole "I thought you were cut out for soldier" and the "you're terrible" scene ) but I'll always prefer Tifa to her... I still love Aerith now, though. Replaying I am happy to have her around (as lulzy stalkerish as the scene where you stay in her house is, and how she teleports to where you're going the next day) but I'm still not going to use her because lol spoilers. I intend to take her to Gongaga though.

-did you get the barrel game rite

Lol no. Because cba. And I like making Cloud look like a dumbass.

-Still in the Slums. I love this part of the game. Do you?

Yeh, it's alright. xD It's pretty interesting to explore.

 

[null]

-Still in the Slums. I love this part of the game. Do you?

It's my favorite part. Still get chills remembering how immersive it was the first time I played it. Always wished Midgar was more open for exploration.

 

[Cthulhu]

Yeah, in fact, I figured the game was over by the time you leave Midgar.


I was wrong, .

 

[Sprites]

Do I have to choose?

Well now, no not really, whatever floats your boat like

Midgar and that part of the game is so big you could have a game in itself there alone if you really wanted to.

 

[Terrafig]

My strategy right now is to stay at somewhat low levels and make battles last longer so that my limit break bars fill more quickly. I always find leveling limit breaks early on to be more difficult and more useful than just accumulating Experience. I also put Restore+All on one of my characters to make healing faster at least once per battle.

I love the train section and ID Card debacle. It's really a disaster to make sense of it. But my favorite part is Cloud complimenting Jessie.

"You look just like a man!"
"Thanks! I guess."

If she isn't pleased with this, why did she ask ?

Navigating through Sector 5 is easy enough, but is anyone else thrown off by the tunnel frame just next to Jessie that you don't really have to crawl through? The forward and backward controls are the opposite of what I expect them to be, and the annoyance nostalgia comes back every time.

First of many Nibelheim flashbacks! Also, the first appearance of President Shinra! Best fake main villain ever.

I spent time on the boss just barely attacking and annoying him to fill Limit Break bars with Counter Attack.

Talking to Aeris, I like her small speech on the white materia. It's one of the best bits of foreshadowing in the game. I also really like Aeris in general. Both her and Tifa are great to analyze, and I can't say I prefer one over the other, though I think I preferred Aeris' flirtatious, somewhat mischievous personality the first time I played. They're both really fleshed out and interesting characters that I like for different reasons, so I've never quite understood the LTD. BUT! I can understand why people get really invested in either of them.

One thing I didn't remember is how many references to Zack Cloud's mind makes during this sequence. Almost every other line seems to prompt some sort of internal mix-up in Cloud's memory, and I didn't remember it being laid on quite that heavily. I like the weirdness.

As for the barrel game, I'd never tried it before. I missed the first one, then intentionally missed each time after that because I loved Aeris' reaction. "Oh Cloud, what are you doing?" followed by a shrug. It's really nice how much emotion the designers were able to convey with these boxy models.

The Sector 5 slums really woke me up to how cool Midgar is, moreso than Sector 7. It seems more like a dirty bar and ramshackle hovel town with the pipe poking out in the middle. The sunlight from the church made me aware that I hadn't really seen any Sun so far the first time I played, and Barret's speech on the train really began to sink in.

Materia and levels:

Cloud (Level 10)
Fire+All
Restore

Aeris (Level 6)
Lightning

 

[Tetsujin]

The more I play this game the more the translation pisses me off. It's like the translators only had a D in English. Apart from mistakes the dialogues often suck stylistically as well, poor choice of wording etc.
Sometimes it's like they just translated it word for word, English word order included. There are multiple instances where umlauts are replaced with accented letters (i.e. würde -> wéde. The 'r' disappeared completely). What a train wreck the German translation is. And you guys think the English one's bad.

Anyway. I failed to get back my money from the guy who robbed me in the train. Wish I could've punched him like Jessie punched that other one.

I think the first time I played the game I didn't even use the barrels. I think I just told Aerith to run or whatever. No I use them everytime.

Really love the music in the slums. Gives you the feeling of danger lurking around the corners. A kind of shady place where you really don't wanna be walking around by yourself.

Cloud's level 10 by now, the others are level 9. Except Aerith because she just joined me. xP
Gave Cloud Bolt, Cure and Ice while Barret's having Fire. Tifa just has her fists at her disposal.

 

[Cthulhu]

I actually bought excess materia so all slots are filled and the stuff can level up - I faintly recall a money-making scheme where you just level Fire materia and the like and sell it later on for ????? PROFIT.

Not using Scan though, silly stuff. Steal is also kinda useless, considering I never steal anything . Might be it just needs to level though.

 

[Russell]

Navigating through Sector 5 is easy enough, but is anyone else thrown off by the tunnel frame just next to Jessie that you don't really have to crawl through? The forward and backward controls are the opposite of what I expect them to be, and the annoyance nostalgia comes back every time.

Concur, I spent a few minutes figuring that out >.<

though I think I preferred Aeris' flirtatious, somewhat mischievous personality the first time I played.

I know right? She gets Cloud to dress as a woman & threatens to rip off Corneo's balls. Beware the nice ones, I like the idea that Aeris has a wild streak.

On the subject on Corneo, I never realised just how far Cloud will go:

Play along right to the end and Cloud was just about to kiss him when Tifa & Aeris burst in. Tifa sheepishly asks “Cloud were you going to…”

Cloud says no, but I’m not so sure. It didn’t take much convincing for Cloud to agree to dress in drag, he calls the Don “Daddy” whilst alone in the bedroom with him, he gets in a hot tub with other men at the Honey Bee Inn…. Methinks Cloud might be a tad confused as to his own sexuality.

I actually bought excess materia so all slots are filled and the stuff can level up - I faintly recall a money-making scheme where you just level Fire materia and the like and sell it later on for ????? PROFIT.

Not using Scan though, silly stuff. Steal is also kinda useless, considering I never steal anything . Might be it just needs to level though.

Mastered All materia sells for a shit-ton of money, 1.4 million I think.
Also you can get some great stuff by stealing it in battle. Behold, my nerd knowledge:

• You can get Aeris a striking staff, a weapon you won't be able to buy until Gongaga village from that robot thing in the Train Graveyard.

• Steal Carbon Bangles (armour you can't buy until Costa del Sol) from "Slashers" (robots with a single ball from legs) in ShinRa HQ. I always get 5, one for each party member.

• Hardedge sword for Cloud (also a weapon you can't buy until Gongaga village) from "Soldier 3rd class" in Shinra HQ.

• Outside Midgar you can steal Atomic Scissors for Barret from the custom sweeper things.

• You can a weapon for Tifa by stealing from something in the Mythril mines, but I can't remember what.

• The Turks all have unique items/armour you can steal as well, (but not the first encounter with Rude on the pillar.)

You can steal a weapon for each character long before you can the chance to buy it. There is other stuff to steal but I'm sure other people will point it out when we get there.

 

[Roger]

One thing I didn't remember is how many references to Zack Cloud's mind makes during this sequence.

What do you mean?

 

[Sprites]

Finally got around to playing the next bit, did it last night. Again I&#8217;ve put mine in spoiler sections because I like to go into a lot of detail.

Play along right to the end and Cloud was just about to kiss him when Tifa & Aeris burst in. Tifa sheepishly asks &#8220;Cloud were you going to&#8230;&#8221;

I want to do that this time, I think I've only ever gone that far once because it just felt so wrong, but if I'm gonna have Cloud picked this time, might as well do it properly XD

You can a weapon for Tifa by stealing from something in the Mythril mines, but I can't remember what.

It&#8217;s a Grand Glove, can&#8217;t remember the name of the enemy but it those ones that swing the ball and chain around their heads. I also rechecked my character stats and yeah Tifa is the character with the best luck stat at this point so I think that's why its ideal to equip her with the steal materia.

Levelling strategies: None really apart from levelling myself more than normal for that point in the game, there&#8217;s always a certain point though where I feel &#8220;ok that&#8217;s enough time to move on&#8221; already explained why.

Spoiler: Aerith

: Well at this point of the game I always really like her and I like that she&#8217;s fairly open with Cloud in the beginning in terms of her personality. I always liked her more than Tifa in the beginning because I felt you saw more of her personality than Tifa&#8217;s whose personality I don&#8217;t feel you see more of until much later on.

You can see that there is a mysterious side to Aerith though, even if it is your first playthrough; her materia which she says is good for nothing which when I went to the menu I expected to see equipped but nothing was there, her way of side lining the topic of why Shinra is after her by acting innocent of it and saying instead she feels they might be after her to make her a SOLDIER candidate and her sudden abruptness of asking Cloud to be her bodyguard despite that fact she does seem to be able to take care of herself and get around the slums no problem.

I also love that they use her first proper meeting with Cloud to create Zack&#8217;s first meeting with Aerith in Crisis Core, it&#8217;s a nice little parallel. On a side note I think Zack is definitely responsible for bringing Aerith out of her shell more as she seems much more shy around Zack and of herself compared to the confidence she seems to have during her meeting with Cloud and is also confident enough to go around the slums selling flowers. I thought her flirting with Cloud was very sweet and at this point in the game I too was one of those people who thought something might happen between these two later on, I also liked and still do that Cloud didn&#8217;t exactly say no to her offer of one date in exchange for him being her bodyguard . Her determination also amused and impressed me, still does, there&#8217;s both her mother and Cloud worried about her safety and once she&#8217;s set her mind to something (accompanying Cloud to Sector 7 despite the danger) she won&#8217;t let anything stop her, I like this quality about Aerith and I like how she maintains that quality throughout the game.

Spoiler: Sector 5 slums first impression

: Love this bit as well, The slums always feel like a great place to explore and I wish they could be expanded more. I also love that Aerith&#8217;s house is much more nature like and completely separate from the rest of the slums. While you can still see parts of the slums in the background, the large garden of flowers, the waterfall and the fact the house is completely different in how it looks to the rest of the slum houses, plus &#8216;flowers blooming in the church slums&#8217; playing in the background gives the area a very different feel, much more tranquil and removed from the hustle and bustle of the slums, almost like you&#8217;ve walked into a clearing with a house in the middle of a forest. I love exploring and examining everything possible in the slums just to see what little things I can find.

Spoiler: Playthrough until the checkpoint

: Heading to the train station I have one question, what the hell are those two who &#8216;collapse&#8217; by the pole doing before you enter the train, are they having sex or what is going on there exactly?
During the timed bits I grab the Phoenix down off the homeless dude and reclaim what was stolen from the dude who walks by you. Anyhoo, first battle into the reactor and Cloud has learned Blade Beam already, unsurprising really considering the amount of enemies he&#8217;s killed on his own, but I can&#8217;t switch to it yet as I&#8217;ve still to learn cross slash from using Braver enough times. Reaching the reactor, I dunno why but I love sliding down the chute, makes me feel like a kid in one of those tunnel slides.

During the flashback I wondered what exactly had happened and was it in some part of the same reactor and who was this Sephiroth dude who had hurt Tifa&#8217;s dad? The flashback is also kinda a good way to see why maybe Tifa joined AVALANCHE, obviously something happened during this for her to hate Shinra and its something she carries with her, just my original initial thoughts on that bit when I first saw it.

Can I ask did anyone get the synchronised button for the gate right the first time? It took me five tries this time before it worked, sometimes I&#8217;ve got it right the first time and sometimes it takes ages, normally counting to three works but I think my timing was off this time. I decided to do a bit of levelling before the Air Buster fight and to build everyone&#8217;s limit breaks up so I can pretty much defeat said boss in a couple of moves. Cloud also learns Cross slash at this point and as I have Blade Beam already I can now move to level 2 limits with him. After this I can&#8217;t be annoyed to do anymore and just go with Barret having his limit bar full. Finally we get to see the leader of Shinra and hear that Iconic theme music, first impressions of the president were he&#8217;s a stuck up dick and a bastard to boot, then of course we hear mention of Sephiroth again and the plot begins to thicken.

Air Buster: Not tricky at all dead within 1 Big Shot from Barret and 2 standard attacks from Cloud all on its back rather than its front for extra damage of course, Never got that right when I was younger so it&#8217;s big bomber attack used to kill me pretty quickly. I also remember back when I first played this really enjoying &#8216;Still More Fighting&#8217; playing in the background. It&#8217;s one of my favourite Boss Battle themes in the whole series.

Sector 5 slums this playthrough: Not too much to say about this as I&#8217;ve given my thoughts on it above. I did wonder who of course it was speaking to Cloud in the church in the beginning now that got very confusing, especially since the voice seemed very friendly. Also remember wondering what role The Turks would be playing in all of this as they worked for Shinra and seemed intent on capturing Aerith. Here&#8217;s also an interesting question, Shinra need Aerith alive right? So why the hell would Reno order the Shinra troops to open fire on her, seriously his words are &#8220;The Ancient is getting away! Attack, Attack!&#8221;, I just think it&#8217;s a strange thing for the game developers to put in considering Aerith&#8217;s importance to Shinra during the game.

The Barrel game: Well I&#8217;m a perfectionist when it comes to all the mini games in the FF universe so despite the fact it&#8217;s a chance to give Aerith a little more experience in the battle area of things, at this point I want to get the game right so yeah.


I do stock a few more potions, buy some new equipment (3 titan bangles) and read the first Turtle&#8217;s paradise flyer, there you go a reminder if anyone forgets to do said bit. Just wondered if anyone also picked up the little package in the spare room of Aerith&#8217;s house containing the potion and Phoenix down, I never realised this was here until I randomly decided to press the O button in the room one day to see if a text box or anything would come up, needless to say I was very surprised but pleased to get a couple of extra items. Saved just outside Aerith&#8217;s house

Spoiler: Materia, weapon and accessory Set up

Cloud: Buster Sword + Titan Bangle
Lightning + All, Ice , Cover

Aerith: Guard Stick + Titan Bangle
Restore, Fire

I&#8217;ve already replaced the extra Lightning and Ice materia onto Tifa in the exchange section in the materia menu, so she&#8217;s good to go and I&#8217;ll equip her with a titan bangle when she rejoins the group. I don&#8217;t plan to do any levelling up between now and Tifa rejoining the party so I&#8217;m not really worried about those two materias not gaining any AP.

And finally my stats for the checkpoint: Cloud level 15, Aerith level 11, 2967 gil remaining, 3hrs36mins clocked.

 

[Kobato]

Heading to the train station I have one question, what the hell are those two who ‘collapse’ by the pole doing before you enter the train, are they having sex or what is going on there exactly?

They both commit suicide together.

 

[Cthulhu]

So liek, I'm way ahead of the checkpoints ( ) and I see all of you go about the all materia... but where did you get it? :/

 

[Sprites]

@ Ace: Seriously? Tell me you're being serious? I thought it might've been sex because of them talking originally about wanting to be alone together and the huffing and puffing noises coming outta one of them after the collaspe.

Hodor: Beginners hall, sector 7 and if you didn't get it then, well you've missed it all together, there's about 5 All materia I think that you can pick up in total in the game including the one that RED XIII has in the beginning but obviously as you master them you get a shit load more so not to worry

 

[Cat Rage Room]

Nah, they're just being...weird or something. I remember reading that it was lost in translation or whatever.

 

[Tetsujin]

Oh yeah, that.

I had hoped someone could answer me that.
After all these years, I still have no clue what the fuck's going on with them.

 

[Sprites]

I know, I always talk to them to try and figure it out but I've never been able to, its one of those very weird situations, but then again FFVII is just plain weird in some bits.

 

[Terrafig]

What do you mean?

For example, when Reno says "Do you know who I am?" the screen darkens and the next "I know who you are" flashes. There are a lot more moment like that during the conversation with Aeris.

I also love that they use her first proper meeting with Cloud to create Zack’s first meeting with Aerith in Crisis Core, it’s a nice little parallel.

It's a little too similar. I kind of face-palmed when I first saw it.

But thanks for the TP reminder. I've been known to miss those.

 

[Dana Scully]

- Can I just say how fantastic Barret's theme is?
- I wonder what those two guards are guarding just outside of Sector 7 (opposite the pillar)?
- I WON'T GIVE IN TO VIOLENCE. AND YOU CAN'T HAVE MY SEAT. lmao
- I like how they discuss their bombing mission while standing right next to the homeless dude. Great job, team.
- o hai dere johnny
- WHY IS EVERYONE IN THAT ONE CAR NAKED, LMAO. UNDERWEAR THIEVES WAHT
- "So far everything's going as planned." Uh, Barret, did we not just get caught by the security checkpoint?
- I really like the level design on the way to the reactor. Lots of neat little decals and shit.
- That first glimpse of the Nibelheim Reactor with Tifa is really chilling.
- fucking button pushing timing game why am I so bad at you
- I love when Pres Shinra walks in and the Shinra Company theme starts up and he's all holier than thou. Such a boss.
- Can you imagine Aerith's reaction when Cloud comes crashing through her roof, knowing that's how she met Zack? I know I'd be thrown for a bit of a loop.
- I've always wondered what religion the church is dedicated to.
- I like Aerith's quick thinking. SAY, EVER BEEN A BODYGUARD. And she scores a date while she's at it.
- I like how Cloud doesn't comment on the spaceship in the church.
- Why are they shooting at Aerith? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of capturing her?
- How did those barrels get up there anyways?
- I like how they give you options to open the top or bottom drawer when there's a hidden drawer. I mean seriously, who would choose to open anything but the hidden drawer?
- Flowers Blooming in a Church is one of my favourite tracks. So peaceful.
- I never noticed before but where on earth does the waterfall behind Aerith's house come from?
- holy shit aerith is a goddamn NINJA
- I want to know what all these giant mecha hands lying around are from

 

[Sprites]

Why are they shooting at Aerith? Doesn't that kind of defeat the purpose of capturing her?

I already asked this myself, I find it incredibly strange that the game developers would have Reno order something like that on Aerith when she's that important to them, but then again Reno has been known to be a bit of an idiot at times in Advent Children

- I want to know what all these giant mecha hands lying around are from

Apparently they're from the unfinished construction of sector 6. Sector 6 and the plate of it was destroyed in Before Crisis apparently after the

Spoiler

Turks battle with Zirconiade