SPOILERS LTD Remake — It's like New Coke except ... no, it's exactly like New Coke

[JaeKony]

Ok, right now I’ve got a sort of theory/suspicion that Nojima has been absolutely cooking something up for a while now regarding the Lifestream.

Now before I share please anyone correct me or call out if you think I’m just needlessly bigging the Lifestream up, or if I’ve got rose tinted specs on.

Spoiler

Taking into account both Remake and Rebirth really taking their time with the slow burn and building up of the interactions and dynamic between Cloud and Tifa and the evolving of their characters, and also not forgetting both Traces of Two Pasts and the new short novella from Cloud’s POV, both by Nojima, where he firmly spells out what was already apparent regarding their respective feelings for the other (Tifa like liking Cloud, and Cloud wanting to be someone special to Tifa) I just can’t shake the sense that the Lifestream is going to have a focus on both characters confessing these feelings properly to the other.

I’m not saying this because I think they’re going to skimp out on all the other important parts of the Lifestream, but they’ve already laid a lot more groundwork for it than was ever in the original, Tifa has even had an early dip in the Lifestream, so while I think they’ll still do it justice, there’s also the fact that it’s not going to be a “twist” anymore much in the same way Aerith’s death isn’t a surprise anymore.

Obviously given both characters have a greater awareness of Zack this time around, the key revelations that will play out is that Tifa will find out Cloud was at Nibelheim and kept his promise, and that the SOLDIER identity was a persona to deal with the trauma from everything that happened during Nibelheim up to Zack’s final stand.

But I feel like they’re going to need to do something different with it for it to still have the same energy and impact the original had.

And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they’ve been developing Cloud and Tifa as carefully as they have, with supplemental works by Nojima also doing the same, for their not to be a payoff where they are as unambiguous as possible about how Cloud and Tifa feel for each other.

It may not be the Lifestream, they could be saving that for the Highwind, which will likely have a LA and HA variation.

Anyway that’s my only theory, such as it is, going into Part 3.

The Lifestream sequence is definitely going to be something to look forward to! Some of the key devs have said that the lifestream sequence is their favorite so they are going to be spending a lot of time to carefully craft it together. I agree that Nojima has slowly been building up Cloud and Tifa’s relationship via added context to Rebirth and Remake as well as the novels he’s been writing and I hope it pays off greatly in Part 3.

Personally, I can’t wait to see how Tifa reacts when she finds out that Cloud has been keeping his promise to her all along

Spoiler

Especially after their Kalm fight in Rebirth where she basically asks Cloud “Where were you!?”
NGL the flashback scene in Nibelheim where she gets slashed and Cloud is carrying her while she mumbles “You promised…” made me so sad.

 

[GamerSkull]

Neither here nor there but I think the Highwind scene will actually be ON the Highwind this time.

Probably because… they have it all to themselves so there’s really no reason for them to park it and then just hang out underneath… in the cold.

 

[shady]

Ok, right now I’ve got a sort of theory/suspicion that Nojima has been absolutely cooking something up for a while now regarding the Lifestream.

Now before I share please anyone correct me or call out if you think I’m just needlessly bigging the Lifestream up, or if I’ve got rose tinted specs on.

Spoiler

Taking into account both Remake and Rebirth really taking their time with the slow burn and building up of the interactions and dynamic between Cloud and Tifa and the evolving of their characters, and also not forgetting both Traces of Two Pasts and the new short novella from Cloud’s POV, both by Nojima, where he firmly spells out what was already apparent regarding their respective feelings for the other (Tifa like liking Cloud, and Cloud wanting to be someone special to Tifa) I just can’t shake the sense that the Lifestream is going to have a focus on both characters confessing these feelings properly to the other.

I’m not saying this because I think they’re going to skimp out on all the other important parts of the Lifestream, but they’ve already laid a lot more groundwork for it than was ever in the original, Tifa has even had an early dip in the Lifestream, so while I think they’ll still do it justice, there’s also the fact that it’s not going to be a “twist” anymore much in the same way Aerith’s death isn’t a surprise anymore.

Obviously given both characters have a greater awareness of Zack this time around, the key revelations that will play out is that Tifa will find out Cloud was at Nibelheim and kept his promise, and that the SOLDIER identity was a persona to deal with the trauma from everything that happened during Nibelheim up to Zack’s final stand.

But I feel like they’re going to need to do something different with it for it to still have the same energy and impact the original had.

And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they’ve been developing Cloud and Tifa as carefully as they have, with supplemental works by Nojima also doing the same, for their not to be a payoff where they are as unambiguous as possible about how Cloud and Tifa feel for each other.

It may not be the Lifestream, they could be saving that for the Highwind, which will likely have a LA and HA variation.

Anyway that’s my only theory, such as it is, going into Part 3.

To be honest i've been having the same discussion in Discords...

Spoiler

People are unsure if they are gonna mess up the Lifestream sequence because of things that have already been revealed and of course Tifa already getting a taste of the Lifestream and finding out Cloud helped her on the bridge.

However as you say considering the careful development of both of them in Remake and Rebirth, and that the developers favourite sequence in OG is the Lifestream sequence i'd be very surprised if they mess it up in any way.

My thoughts run similar to yours, the way to improve the Lifestream sequence this time around is to make it about both Cloud and Tifa respectively, their history, their traumas, their relationship and their future. It's the perfect opportunity for both of them to work through everything, this includes piecing Cloud back together but not exclusively about that. I believe you mentioned it before, they've set it up perfectly for an emotional payoff ala the Lifestream, and a physical payoff ala the Highwind. They just need to follow through with it now.

Either way, there is going to be major angst early game that's for sure, considering how heartbroken Tifa looks at the end and Cloud doesn't even bother to comfort her (because he believes nothing is wrong/nothing happened in terms of Aerith) so all that is going to need to be addressed too.

 

[AncientGrimoire]

Neither here nor there but I think the Highwind scene will actually be ON the Highwind this time.

Probably because… they have it all to themselves so there’s really no reason for them to park it and then just hang out underneath… in the cold.

If there is one thing I’m 100% sure they’ll change is the revelation that everyone else was on the Highwind listening/watching

They kind of needed those lines and Tifa’s embarrassment in the original to establish exactly what did happen under the Highwind, but doubt they’d need to do that this time around

 

[GamerSkull]

If there is one thing I’m 100% sure they’ll change is the revelation that everyone else was on the Highwind listening/watching

They kind of needed those lines and Tifa’s embarrassment in the original to establish exactly what did happen under the Highwind, but doubt they’d need to do that this time around

They’ll probably reference it though to some extent. Like Cid or Barret noticing that they seem happier somehow or something like that.

Hopefully, Part 3 is out by 2027.

I actually think they have less to do. As in, a lot of the locations are revisited so they don’t have to spend time recreating them… just adding things to them now.

They just have to create a small amount of new areas (relatively) like Wutai, Rocket Town, Mideel, Icicle Inn. And they have to add stuff for the Highwind to do in the air.

 

[AncientGrimoire]

They’ll probably reference it though to some extent. Like Cid or Barret noticing that they seem happier somehow or something like that.

Hopefully, Part 3 is out by 2027.

I actually think they have less to do. As in, a lot of the locations are revisited so they don’t have to spend time recreating them… just adding things to them now.

They just have to create a small amount of new areas (relatively) like Wutai, Rocket Town, Mideel, Icicle Inn. And they have to add stuff for the Highwind to do in the air.

I think purely from a story standpoint, Part 3 has to be a lot more linear and tightly focused. Soo much plot is going to happen, there’s no excuse this time for fun vacays or minigames (snowboarding aside).

 

[Axiom]

Im expecting Cloud and Tifa to kiss again in the Lifestream, after Cloud pieces himself back together.

As for the highwind, they can go full FF16 with an M rating. But if they're keeping it at T, then Im expecting them to make out all night.

 

[GamerSkull]

They’ll probably make those areas more linear but add open world stuff to the new locations. There’s also portions of the game where we control Tifa and Cid. Hoping we get some more expansion on them doing things in absence of Cloud. For example, Tifa chasing down leads for Cloud’s location.

I think purely from a story standpoint, Part 3 has to be a lot more linear and tightly focused. Soo much plot is going to happen, there’s no excuse this time for fun vacays or minigames (snowboarding aside).

@Axiom they just need to fade to black and then show them lying next to each other under covers, that is still well within a T-rating.

 

[shady]

I also hope they do away with the affection stuff in Part 3, I don't wanna have to be mean or indifferent to characters (or miss out on things totally) in the hopes of getting the scene I want with a certain character later on. If they are going in a certain direction too I don't see the need to add affection to a Highwind scene either, just go with the singular scene, if you don't want an M rating then just hint and cut away, the implication is not hard to do. Seriously they don't need it especially if they just put Cloud and Tifa endgame, why confuse it.

 

[GamerSkull]

Yeah, there’s not much of a reason to do an affinity system anymore unless they want to add more resolution scenes.

 

[starcape91]

Yeah, there’s not much of a reason to do an affinity system anymore unless they want to add more resolution scenes.

If they do resolution scenes then it would still have to be done at a different time than the Highwind scene. The whole point is that everyone has somewhere to go before they head into the Northern Crater the last time - except for Cloud and Tifa.

People have suggested they'll keep the affinity system going via Aerith in the other world through dreams and such, and that instead of spending the night under the Highwind with Tifa, he'll spend time in a dream with Aerith holding hands. Thematically that would make very little sense at that point in the game.

 

[GamerSkull]

If they do resolution scenes then it would still have to be done at a different time than the Highwind scene. The whole point is that everyone has somewhere to go before they head into the Northern Crater the last time - except for Cloud and Tifa.

People have suggested they'll keep the affinity system going via Aerith in the other world through dreams and such, and that instead of spending the night under the Highwind with Tifa, he'll spend time in a dream with Aerith holding hands. Thematically that would make very little sense at that point in the game.

Once again, that also ignores Zack. I doubt they’d have him spend the third game watching Cloud and Aerith pine for each other. Would be kind of weird to watch…

 

[starcape91]

Once again, that also ignores Zack. I doubt they’d have him spend the third game watching Cloud and Aerith pine for each other. Would be kind of weird to watch…

Right. It would be awful lol

 

[AncientGrimoire]

People have suggested they'll keep the affinity system going via Aerith in the other world through dreams and such, and that instead of spending the night under the Highwind with Tifa, he'll spend time in a dream with Aerith holding hands.

Good lord

As if the Sector 5 nightmare wasn’t enough

 

[Empyrea]

People have suggested they'll keep the affinity system going via Aerith in the other world through dreams and such, and that instead of spending the night under the Highwind with Tifa, he'll spend time in a dream with Aerith holding hands. Thematically that would make very little sense at that point in the game.

I swear, these people should just play VNs, be it the harem type or the outright eroges. They'll find no shortage of these things in those.

Personally, though, it would be neat if there's no more affection mechanics by then, if only because I personally found it really neat when I noticed the game stopped giving choices once Real!Cloud was back at the helm.

 

[gulava]

Yeah, there’s not much of a reason to do an affinity system anymore unless they want to add more resolution scenes.

they can always go down the xbc route and have an affinity system between all the party members instead of locking them to cloud.

 

[GamerSkull]

I swear, these people should just play VNs, be it the harem type or the outright eroges. They'll find no shortage of these things in those.

Personally, though, it would be neat if there's no more affection mechanics by then, if only because I personally found it really neat when I noticed the game stopped giving choices once Real!Cloud was back at the helm.

They probably would play VNs that have Cloud and Aerith in them… the issue being that FF7 is the only place those characters exist so getting that itch with a VN wouldn’t work.

 

[starcape91]

I swear, these people should just play VNs, be it the harem type or the outright eroges. They'll find no shortage of these things in those.

Personally, though, it would be neat if there's no more affection mechanics by then, if only because I personally found it really neat when I noticed the game stopped giving choices once Real!Cloud was back at the helm.

Yep. I agree with you on that. Real!Cloud should make his own decisions now!

 

[GamerSkull]

Yep. I agree with you on that. Real!Cloud should make his own decisions now!

Cloud turns to the audience and says; “Do I get a say in all this?”

 

[JaeKony]

Cloud turns to the audience and says; “Do I get a say in all this?”

Assuming that

Spoiler

Aerith’s LA and HA church date is the equivalent to Tifa’s Highwind scene

then I don’t think that they’ll change the Highwind scene in Part 3 so that Tifa isn’t the main focus. Maybe they’ll add on extra scenes with other party members (and maybe Aerith via a dream) but I feel like Tifa will be the main focus for that section.

Now that I think about it:

Spoiler

Aerith becomes the main focus with the church date (both LA and HA versions) and her death scene, so I feel like it would make sense that they would juxtapose this in Part 3 and make Tifa the main focus for two moments (Under the Highwind and Lifestream Sequence)

 

[JaeKony]

Also, I am curious if they will continue this trend some people have theorized for Part 3:

Spoiler

Remake Tifa Resolution:
High Affection Tifa -> Hug

Rebirth Tifa GS Date:
Standard Tifa -> Hug
High Affection Tifa -> Kiss

Part 3 Highwind:
Standard/Low Affection Tifa -> Kiss
High Affection Tifa -> S*x

 

[Empyrea]

Also, I am curious if they will continue this trend some people have theorized for Part 3:

Spoiler

Remake Tifa Resolution:
High Affection Tifa -> Hug

Rebirth Tifa GS Date:
Standard Tifa -> Hug
High Affection Tifa -> Kiss

Part 3 Highwind:
Standard/Low Affection Tifa -> Kiss
High Affection Tifa -> S*x

I would like to think so
Now that they've ramped it up, the only way they can go is, well, up

 

[shady]

Also, I am curious if they will continue this trend some people have theorized for Part 3:

Spoiler

Remake Tifa Resolution:
High Affection Tifa -> Hug

Rebirth Tifa GS Date:
Standard Tifa -> Hug
High Affection Tifa -> Kiss

Part 3 Highwind:
Standard/Low Affection Tifa -> Kiss
High Affection Tifa -> S*x

How about just giving the HA as the standard version, and no affection mechanic so there's no room for debate

 

[JaeKony]

How about just giving the HA as the standard version, and no affection mechanic so there's no room for debate

If they’re going to do an affection mechanic, what I’m theorizing is that they’re either going to have Cloud only kiss Tifa (Low Affection/Standard) or have Cloud kiss + suggestive fade to black with Tifa (High Affection). Either option will leave no room for debate.

 

[Axiom]

In the OG, they spend the night together regardless of affection points. In high affection, Cloud wants to tell Tifa how he feels, but doesnt know what to say. Tifa tells him to show her with actions. In low affection, Cloud says it's getting late and they should go to sleep. Tifa says ok. Regardless of which option you get, the scene will fade to black as Cloud and Tifa spend the night together. Then we see them cuddling in the morning, and Tifa asks to cuddle a bit longer. Really, the only thing that changes is the dialogue is naughtier in high affection.

I imagine Remake part 3 will show a kiss and a fade to black in low affection, and a longer, more suggestive make-out session before the fade to black in high affection.