Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth shippers waited 27 years to see Cloud kiss Tifa, but the team only added it because they wanted "something more" than a hug
Dec. 4, 2024Naoki Hamaguchi breaks down the shocking Gold Saucer smooch
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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthtucks away a missable romantic moment that some fans have been waiting 27 years for, and the game’s director has finally explained how it came about. Just be warned: there are some potential spoilers for the remake/sequel/requel ahead.
Almost three decades on, Final Fantasy 7’s love triangle is almost as iconic as it is brutal since no one wants to pit the game’s two main gals against one another. There’s Aerith, the sweet and optimistic new friend who represents hope for the game’s dying world, and by extension, Cloud’s tortured past. And then there’s Tifa, Cloud’s childhood bestie - someone who knows what he’s been through more than anyone, but still finds the strength to stand up to the capitalist machine that’s hurt them both.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth thankfully depicts Aerith and Tifa’s loving friendship way more than the 1997 original ever did - giving more fuel to the right-side-of-history Aerith and Tifa shippers - but both games still tease the love triangle that bubbles to the surface in the sequel’sGold Saucer scene, in which Cloud goes on a ‘date’ with whichever party member the player bonded with the most.Barret might be the easiest companion to date, but if players instead focused on Tifa throughout the game, then the two eventually share a long-awaited kiss.
Cloud and Aerith’s date scene doesn’t have any smooches in it, but it’s still just as sweet as the rest and shows our awkward spikey-haired hero crack the hardened Adamantoise shell he’s built up in order to reconnect with other people. I just wonder how the Remake team will top the kiss inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s third part, which already has a complete plot.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director says it’s fine if you didn’t like the ending, but the RPG’s devs still got “the response we wanted” as players “are still talking about it.”
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Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
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