FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH

He's a former elite soldier with a mysterious past. Donning his massive blade, “The Buster Sword” and his iconic “Spikey Head” hairdo, Cloud finds himself on a journey far beyond what he could have imagined that includes defending his friends, discovering the truth of his past while ultimately trying to save the world.

A father first and a freedom fighter second. Barret lost his arm years ago when the Shinra Corporation betrayed his trust, so he replaced it with a super cool gatling gun and dedicated his life to stopping their evil plans. Now, as the head of Avalanche, he finds himself working with Cloud for that very goal.

No damsel in distress here. Tifa trained in martial arts from a young age before a certain incident brought her from her small town across the world to the big city of Midgar. Running the local bar ‘Seventh Heaven’ which doubled as the hideout for Avalanche, she recruits Cloud, her childhood friend, to the cause.

Just a big town girl with a big secret. Arieth’s past is a mystery to all, but when Cloud comes crashing into her life, literally, he realizes that there is more to this flower girl than meets the eye. Then, when Shinra comes after her they team up not realizing they will start a series of events that will change the world.

Looking like a beast was his only crime when Shinra stole him from his home in Cosmo Canyon. Giving him the designation “Red XIII” and experimenting on him, he is broken from captivity by Cloud and company and joins their fight against Shinra for payback while trying to get home to his loved ones.

No, he’s not a giant stuffed Moogle. This cat with a crown has more going on than you might think, and fortune telling is just one of his specialties. Armed with a trusty megaphone, he seems to have a strange relationship with Shinra that puts him into the heroes group as not quite a friend, but still maybe an ally.

Cranky? Check. Loud? Yeah. Disgraced former rocket scientist? Unfortunately for him. A highway star ready to race these SOLDIERs down after the destruction of his beloved plane, Tiny Bronco. Cid Highwind dreams of blasting off into space but he figures there should probably be a planet to launch from first.

Ninja/Materia hunter extraordinaire and the single white rose of Wutai, Yuffie Kisaragi doesn’t endear herself to our heroes upon their first meeting. Who wouldn’t hold a grudge if all your Materia suddenly went missing? What she lacks in maturity she makes up for in heroics. A reliable and caring friend, Yuffie is trying to restore her homeland to its former glory so she might as well save Gaia along the way. Just get her off this ship.

A man of mystery had Cloud and company not stumbled upon Vincent’s coffin. Maybe he would’ve preferred that, but fate had a different plan for former-Turk Vincent Valentine. In love with one scientist and betrayed by another, Vincent journeys across Gaia in search of Professor Hojo and helps uncover the truth of the SOLDIER program and the origins of Sephiroth’s motives.

A hero and inspiration across Gaia, Sephiroth of Nibelheim is as elite as a SOLDIER 1st class can get. How else could he wield Masamune? His calm, professional, and in control demeanor comes crashing down upon learning of the circumstances around his birth. Descending into madness and with delusions of godhood, Sephiroth vows to reclaim the planet and it all begins with a reunion.

An industrial enterprise with an iron-grip on the citizens of Midgar, Shinra and the refined Mako energy they produce has given them a measure of power and influence unseen on Gaia. With a hand in every pie and elite SOLDIERs at their command, it would take a cataclysmic event to bring this titan down. Unbeknownst to them, a calamity from the sky landed nearly two millennia ago and their rediscovery of it and the start of the Jenova Project would be theirs, and the planet’s, ultimate doom.

An elite group of spies led by the level-headed Tseng, The Turks engage in reconnaissance and espionage for Shinra. Though they operate under the Department of Public Safety, the loyalty of this intelligence bureau isn’t as clear-cut as it appears to be.

The Final Fantasy XIII trilogy has to be one of my all-time favorite set of games from Square Enix. It takes a lot of risks you don't often see from the series and has a few pitfalls but showcases a unique sci-fi reframing of mythological archetypes and a battle system that I never tire of. The art direction and world design of all three games is out of this world, and certain areas still hold up to competitors fifteen years later. Coupled with Masashi Hamauzu's soundtrack, I sometimes just boot-up the game to hang around my favourite spots and be immersed in its unique settings and sounds.

- Nowreen Haque, Programming Coordinator

Final Fantasy VII was my gateway into RPG's, the story, the action, the CGI graphics (for the time), the love story, all of it. It was my first time playing a game that was as much about the story as it was the gameplay. There is a reason that it has been re-visited over and over as the years go by, and it is because the characters and themes remain as enjoyable now as they did in 1997.

- Chris Carruthers, Programming Coordinator

I know it might be a little cliche, but I was hooked on Final Fantasy VII the first time Cloud jumped dramatically from that train. The graphics back then were top notch, and the story was so immersive! My brother and I would play for hours and read out the lines in the character voices. Next has got to be Final Fantasy X (minus the uncomfortable Tidus/Yuna laugh scene). This was the first one with actual voice acting which meant my little two-man stage was closed, but it was well worth it. I still find myself watching that blitzball opening cut scene to this day.

- DD, Client Relations Coordinator