Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthmay not have the most robust and expansive romance system, but it expands upon the relationships between Cloud and the rest of the party members. The new friendship mechanic builds through associated quests with each character, dialogue options at certain points in the game and with synergy attacks. Thedate at the Gold Saucercould be between Cloud and anyone else in the party, butthe most likely candidates for the date is between the two love interests - Aerith Gainsborough and Tifa Lockhart.
[Warning: Spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.]
Rebirthcan be played without playingFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, with no data being transferred over. Because of this decision,any choices made inRemakedo not affect the gameplay ofRebirth. The options for personal choices andsmall detail changes in the narrativeare far more approachable inRebirthcompared toRemake, allowing Cloud to actively pursue one of the two love interests. While it does not change the direction of the story as a whole and there is certainly a particular story thread Square Enix is following, it could mean thatFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3makes note of Cloud’s choices inRebirth.
Aerith’s Role In The Remake Series Is Not Over After FF7 Rebirth
Death Is Not The End In The New Timelines
At the end ofRebirth,Aerith faces the same fate as her originalFinal Fantasy 7counterpart. Players may have suspected Aerith to continue on intoPart 3alive considering how much more Cloud can be invested into the character. Unfortunately, she still falls at the hands of Sephiroth in the City of the Ancients. Thestory differs from the original, asAerith’s spirit remains in the party’s presence. Only Cloud can see her, but she continues to watch over them all as they continue on against Sephiroth and Shinra. If she is to have some sort of romantic connection with Cloud, she would most likely need to return to a physical form.
FF7 Remake Part 3 Needs To Learn From FF7 Rebirth’s Worst Location
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth nails a lot of elements, but one of its weakest segments highlights one of the worst tendencies that needs to be corrected.
With the remake series' voice acting, extra scenes, and hard-hitting emotional moments, the bond Cloud and Aerith share is far easier for players to digest compared to the original, as well as the length of time Aerith spends in the party. In the original, she dies by the end of Disk 1, which is approximately just before halfway in the story. Aerith’s impact on both Cloud and the player should continue intoPart 3,giving the player the chance to continue with their pursuit of the Aeirth and Cloud love story.
Even As A Stand-Alone Game, Choices Need Consequences
The Tifa And Aerith Choice Needs More Weight
Game director Motomu Toriyama stated in 2023 that Square Enix “have made preparations so that players who did not get the chance to play the first game can fully enjoy Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth,” (via theFinal Fantasy 7X, formerly Twitter, account). This meant that anything done, be it leveling or dialogue choices, was not carried over fromRemaketoRebirth. SinceRemakedid not have the same level of relationship growth asRebirth, the concept of three stand-alone remake games made sense. However, with the increase in importance of relationships and bonds thatRebirthbrought to the table, some of the decisions the player made in regard to Aerith or Tifa, and even the rest of the party, should be recognized going forward.
The Gold Saucer date holds more weight than a character development scene. Not only does the date option rely on Cloud’s highest relationship level within the party, but there is a regular and intimate ending depending on whether Cloud reaches the highest relationship level with the character. Should the player achieve the highest level of intimacy with Aerith or Tifa, only for that work to become redundant at the start ofRemake Part 3could be frustrating with a lack of a consequential conclusion. Tifa may be considered the canon love interest, but the work the player may have put into Aerith’s relationship inFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthshould not be forgotten.
Source:Final Fantasy 7/X
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake and will see Cloud and his friends set off beyond the walls of Midgar to explore the world, stop Sephiroth’s machinations, and see the world outside their slum prison. Now that the whispers of fate no longer guide the characters along the pre-destined path set in the original PlayStation classic Final Fantasy 7, the heroes (and villains) will shape the future. The game will still visit prominent locales and revisit crucial story points, but it will be a more significant departure from the first game from the source material.
