The VII Best ... Moments In Final Fantasy VII

[Claymore]

Inspired by Flintlock's article series, The Seven, comes a brand new series of community polled content titled The VII Best... To launch this series, we would like to discover what the community's VII Best Moments from FF VII could be.

There is a broad spectrum that can cover a 'moment'. Your best moment from VII could be the very first time that you cast the impressive Knights Of The Round materia. Or was it the FMV sequence which saw the launching of the Weapons into the world? Could it have been a simple piece of dialogue between two characters that has stuck with you for all this time? Was it even Aerith's death? Or was it a boss fight that made you think that this game was/is incredible?

Whatever your 'moment' is, we would like to hear it! Simply leave a few words describing why that particular 'moment' mattered so much to you. Participants have 7 days to make a nomination. You have until Midnight GMT on Tuesday 12th June. So get nominating for your moment!

Full Disclosure: The seven highest nominated moments will be presented within video content for TLS.


To kick things off, I will make a nomination for the moment that you first left Midgar.

VII was my first Final Fantasy game, so I jumped into the series without any preconceived notions about what to expect. I loved exploring the cyberpunk atmospherics of Midgar and the slums, but as events turned up a gear, every single mini moment which led to the highway escape just took my breath away. The trail of blood, the death of the President, the fight against Rufus, the highway escape ... it was all edge of your seat stuff! I had no idea what to expect next, so was shocked to discover that the entire world suddenly opened up before me! It was a genuine moment of shock and awe, and the scenes of the desolation of life around Midgar and the distant mountains just added to it all. As I left Midgar behind, it was when I truly felt just how special this game was going to be.

[Lex]

Cloud taking his shinra uniform helmet off at the end of the lifestream sequence while that specific segment of main theme swells is my favourite moment in video game history, and IMO the best moment in the game.

[Shademp]

Here is the first moment that comes to mind, though it's only the "best" moment for me in a particular category: The topic of gameplay mechanics and storytelling merging together.

There are many more "best moments" I'd like to write about but here goes...


The slap fight between Scarlet and Tifa



There is legitimate criticism against button-mashing minigames being superficial forms of game design that on top of it all excludes players with motor difficulties. However, context and execution is key towards making even a button-mashing segment MEAN something.

Scarlet is one of the most bloodthirsty, ruthless Shinra executives and her despicable nature shines through at all times. The desire to see Scarlet get punished is present early on but it builds to a crescendo during the execution event at Junon on disc 2. Scarlet doesn't hide the joy she derives from leading the (albeit ultimately failed) execution event.

When Tifa receives her second slap and the player is given the chance to retaliate, you FEEL the anger in Tifa's fist. Perhaps one's investment from wanting to beat Scarlet down is because this part of the plot is still a relative low-point for our protagonists, what-with Cloud being gone, Meteor having been summoned, Weapon attacking, Barret and Tifa separated from the others, almost being executed by Shinra etc.


So...

I PROCEED TO MASH THAT CIRCLE BUTTON LIKE A MAD MAN

FOR A SOLID HALF MINUTE MY ENTIRE LIFE IS ABOUT THIS BATTLE

IF I DON'T WIN, WILL BE DISGRACED BEYOND REPAIR

PLEASE DON'T LET ME LOSE PLEASE DON'T LET ME LOSE


And here's the thing...you CAN easily lose. The minigame isn't programmed so that just by mashing the button fast enough Tifa will land all the slaps and Scarlet none. No sir. Randomness decides how long the delay will be until your next button input is registered! This adds tension as you feel the taunting sluggishness of Tifa's slapping motions. Your eyes register every frame, trying to calculate beforehand who will land the next slap: Scarlet or Tifa. You are invested in every round of slaps. You are playing a button mashing minigame but you also feel like you are gambling.

I'd argue that the way the slapping is programmed is half the reason why I get so invested. You will *probably* win if you mash the button fast enough, but even the slightest delay can mean the difference between a win and a loss. If the minigame was easy and if Scarlet could never land a single hit on Tifa then there would be no tension. You are punishing Scarlet, yes, but it is still an UPHILL BATTLE, here at the low-point for our protagonists.


If Tifa lost this battle, I would reset the game. My honor would allow for nothing else





When Tifa won, I would be on top of the world. I won the gamble AND I got to see Scarlet beaten on her own level. It matters that Tifa doesn't just punch Scarlet all the way to Meteor. Instead she takes on Scarlet's game of dominance and BEATS HER AT IT. The end result is far more satisfying and impactful than if Tifa had used her martial arts.



So why is this one of the best moments of Final Fantasy VII?

Because it demonstrates the subtleties in game design that can make you deeply invested even in something so basic as button mashing. Storytelling and programming mesh together here to make the minigame transcend itself.

[f a n c y]

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm in love with AVALANCHE
My favourite part is when Cloud puts out an olive branch
He apologises for confusion and distress
But this ragtag team just wanna progress
They're sticking by this man through the strife and pain
'Cause like Barret said "There ain't no gettin' offa this train!!"

[Mr. Ite]

Lex wrote:

Cloud taking his shinra uniform helmet off at the end of the lifestream sequence while that specific segment of main theme swells is my favourite moment in video game history, and IMO the best moment in the game.

Took the words right out of my mouth! 1000x this.

[Sprites]

@Lex and Ite: 100% agree! That for me is one of the best moments I've ever experienced playing any RPG it was done so well, I swear if they fuck that moment up in the remake, I will absolutely not be happy

[Addy Carver]

Can't believe no-one has yet mentioned Nanaki finding out the truth about his father. Right in the feels!

[Interslicery]

Claymore wrote:

To kick things off, I will make a nomination for the moment that you first left Midgar.

VII was my first Final Fantasy game, so I jumped into the series without any preconceived notions about what to expect. I loved exploring the cyberpunk atmospherics of Midgar and the slums, but as events turned up a gear, every single mini moment which led to the highway escape just took my breath away. The trail of blood, the death of the President, the fight against Rufus, the highway escape ... it was all edge of your seat stuff! I had no idea what to expect next, so was shocked to discover that the entire world suddenly opened up before me! It was a genuine moment of shock and awe, and the scenes of the desolation of life around Midgar and the distant mountains just added to it all. As I left Midgar behind, it was when I truly felt just how special this game was going to be.

I had the same experience.


I would say Nanaki learing about his father, but in the interest of variety, I'll say when Tifa wakes up after Northern Crater. Our heroes are captured, Cloud is missing, they're about to be executed for no real reason, a giant meteor is coming to destroy the majority of life on the planet, and the world is being torn apart by giant kaiju. When I first played it, my reaction was, "....Jesus!!"

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Barret's conversation with the Dyne after their battle.
Sapphire Weapon's attack on Junon - specifically the moment when it's shot in the face
The moment you leave Midgar and find yourself in the open world
The conversation with the Turks in Turtle's Paradise
Bugenhagen's video of the lifestream, specifically when all the life drains out of the planet and it turns into a dry husk
Cid's rocket sinking back to earth and tilting sideways.

[Claymore]

Excellent moment suggestions everyone. Keep nominating your favourites or suggesting new ones!

[Shademp]

Cloud's crossdressing

The "moment" in question can be the gathering of key items and/or all the events that take place once Cloud's disguise is complete. No lie, when I was first shown FFVII by a friend I didn't feel particularly interested. Then when I was told that at one point the main character does crossdressing I was instantly sold. "I HAVE TO PLAY THIS GAME"

The audacity of the game to include crossdressing hooked me and the execution itself still brings me joy to this day. After the game has established its serious, dark tone, the game then decides to tell you "oh btw we aren't afraid to get WEIRD". You are told that there are moments of relief and levity inbetween all the death and corruption.

I'm by no means a transvestite or hold any particular fetishes in the area. But it's no secret that I have an..."investment" when it comes to Cloud's crossdressing. (See my reaction to this fanart and the crossdressing minigame in Final Fantasy Brigade)

[Lex]

Shademp all of your points are great as usual but can I just say I've chuckled away at both of your suggestions because they're in some way potentially controversial lol. When a video is made and includes "slapfight" and "crossdressing" as two of the seven best moments in FFVII I can just imagine the comments

[Clement Rage]

Seconding Weapon being shot in the face.

"Just leave him."

Dyne. "My hands are too bloody" etc.

Reeve and Barret's conversation about reactor 1.

"But... you'll come, won't you?"
(Highwind theme kicks in)
"I know!"

Finding the Midgar Zolom.

A weird one hit me last playthrough. Tifa at Cosmo Canyon is just staring at the Candle and talking about how it reminds her of Nibelheim. Just a hint at how much weight she's carrying under the surface.

[Shademp]

Lex wrote:

Shademp all of your points are great as usual but can I just say I've chuckled away at both of your suggestions because they're in some way potentially controversial lol. When a video is made and includes "slapfight" and "crossdressing" as two of the seven best moments in FFVII I can just imagine the comments

Certainly! I completely get your perspective. With the potential controversy in mind, I do not recommend including either of my two nominations in the video.

Keep in mind that while I'm being honest in my posts I am also intentionally trying to be original in my choice of moments. 'Twould be easy to list seventy-seven favorite FF7 moments but far more difficult to list ones that aren't already common mentions.

For good measure, here is a third moment that I think MANY will disagree with:
Acquiring the W-Item materia and using the item duplication trick

Does it break the game? Yes. Does it feel awesome to use? HELL YEAH! It's a moment that reminds you how close you are to disc 3 and all the game-breaking stunts you'll soon be pulling (unless you did some serious grinding on disc 2 already).

If you're a gamer who likes a strict economy with high difficulty, then you will hate the item duplication trick. But if you're like me and want to break the game, be it with natural means or by using Cheat Engine, then the W-Item materia is a blessing.

[BforBrigitta]

^The W-Item glitch was my jammity jam on toast.