life on the ground floor

[amovingtarget]

A list of things I loved, laughed at, and had small feelings or thoughts about -- because my poorly brain is still sifting through the big ones, will it ever be finished? who knows... Split by chapter because I like things to be tidy, and there's already some flailing about the first chapter (here) because it was almost the entirety of the demo. Split into parts because I can't shut up, I guess? This part comprises pretty much all the set up -- introducing characters, building up the world, seeding the big themes, Cloud getting involved...

Part 1/5


♥ That beautiful opening. I always forget that the area outside of Midgar is a dead wasteland because in the original overland map, it looks more green. Unless I'm just forgetting, of course, which I am prone to do. And I never really had a sense of how fucking BIG Midgar is before, and the game really gives me that.
♥ Biggs! Wedge! Jessie!
⊛ I love how tough Cloud is/acts here, because doesn't Tifa stumble onto him at the station kind of a Mess? And she has to practically carry him back to 7th Heaven to recuperate a bit? I'd love to see the game put that in somewhere in future installments.
♥ The brain glitch Cloud has in the demo when Jessie asks about Tifa in the demo? There's a flaSHBACK HERE. It's tiny but I love it omg. He's such a shy grumpy boy.
♥ I love the cut to Shinra here, and I really appreciate that they leaned in early with the foreshadowing that they were in control all along. I'm not sure when or how much that's made explicit in the original game.
♥ THIS MOMENT I will never be over it, especially Jessie's little reactions.
♥ I like the mentions of Mako having a smell and taste to it.
♥ I loved this chapter over all. It was a really good beginning and satisfying in itself, in a way that the original wasn't. You don't want an opening to be too long, and this felt fleshed out just the right amount in plot, level design, and character.


⊛ I really like this little conversation here -- "Think you might have overdone it?" -- because the original make Barret seem pretty callous to the collateral damage. Especially when they come out and see just how bad it is. I like the impression that they're troubled by it, even though they stick with their methods.
♥ Biggs: "You sure told those doors!" Jessie: "Let that be a lesson to anything that gets in my way!" These two :')
♥ Barret: "Whatever your concerns, I got you."
♥ Cloud: "Hey, I'd like my money now." Damn, keep it in your pants for a minute… :')
⊛ I love this exchange with Jessie about materia, a nice nod to the original game where any tutorial section was Cloud explaining something to someone else, rather than the other way around. "Survival is a matter of luck or skill. And you can't rely on luck."
⊛ Getting a flashback to Nibelheim from the fires in Sector 8, and you think he has it under control and he turns around and bumps into Sephiroth (who is really fucking tall, holy shit)! And then it gets worse! "The sound of her voice pleading for me to spare you. The shiver of her flesh yielding to cold steel." and "You have to leave… You have to live." Something I didn't understand at first, but then… the North Crater… and that last angle to this scene is gorgeous, just that wide shot of his defeated posture…
⊛ "You're too weak to save anyone. Not even yourself." Do I remember this line from Advent Children? I love it. This has always been a major weak spot of Cloud's hasn't it…
♥ Aerith! I love that the subs have her down as "Flower Peddler" before you get her name.
⊛ "Lovers used to give these when they were reunited…" You can't tell me she didn't see the uniform and say that thinking of Zack ;___; And… how do I talk about these ghost things like I don't know what they are yet. I was definitely intrigued by them, although at this point I didn't have any real ideas about what they were.
♥ I love the inclusion of this person who recognises Cloud. I feel so bad for him somehow. And I just love the idea that people knew Cloud from back then, he wasn't just some kind of friendless ghost... :(
♥ Heheh the way the three of them turn to Barret when he says, "You had me worried for a minute…" And! I love that they all take Cloud seriously about invisible enemies, before Barret brushes him off! That's such a nice little touch.
⊛ Biggs: "My hands are still shaking." I knew it. I love so much that they included so much more about these guys, that they all kind of conflicted about what they're doing.
♥ Jessie shushes Cloud with a finger on his lips! :") and this part… Cloud: "Then leave, and don't look back. That's what's always worked for me." Barret: "Well, that's all well and good if you're only out for yourself."


♥ These dumbasses talking about their terrorist activities on a crowded train platform honestly :')
⊛ There's this conversation with the guy about the posters, and Cloud hallucinates the plate dropping on him? What is this in reference to? Is this some kind of premonition? And those ghosts.
♥ THOSE TWO GUARDS :'D I'm so glad they're hereee.
♥ Tifa!! Tiny Marlene!!!
⊛ The bit where he gives her the flower -- I do miss that chance to give it to Marlene! I would have loved to see that! -- and he's like, "it has been five years", and Tifa's like ??? because of course he saw her, but she didn't see him, and he doesn't remember how it really was…
♥ Barret and Marlene are so adorable!
⊛ Cloud: "Always happy to stick it to Shinra." I would love to know why this is. Is it just because of Sephiroth's rampage, or are there other things that he remembers… And I love the conversation between them at this point. I can't put my finger on what it is. Tifa apologising for putting Cloud in danger, and then saying, okay I'll try not to worry about it in future. Cloud saying the news in just Shinra propaganda, but then admitting, okay yes, it was actually that bad up there… There's just something so real and awkward about it?
⊛ I was hopeful that we'd see some kind of sleeping happening -- apart from realism, there's a layer of vulnerability that I love -- but in hindsight I don't know why I was surprised to see it. Not only is there an actual rest mechanic in the game, but in parts of the game where Cloud is sleeping or unconscious, he's hearing voices, so it makes sense that it would be included. I also wondered if at some point he's going start having outright nightmares…
♥ CLOUD GOES FOR HIS SWORD AND IT'S TOO FUCKING BIG TO GET PAST THE DOORFRAME I'M IN L O V E
⊛ The remnants! (If we even call them that…?) The Reunion at the North Crater!! Number 49!! Were there that many in the original game? Ouch.
♥ Cloud: "I'm not a salesman. I'm a SOLDIER." He's so pouty, I love him. And when they get to Marle! Tifa: "Be nice!" Cloud: "I'm doing my best…" [wheeze]
⊛ Cloud: "You… been here a while now?" Tifa: "Five years give or take, but never mind that." Because something doesn't add up D:
♥ Biggs and Wedge! The neighbourhood watch! And don't think I don't notice that's Beginner's Hall :'D Too bad those two kids aren't there, I adored that exchange in the original!
♥ Biggs: I can mod your weapon for you. Cloud: [hiss]
⊛ Biggs asks how the mods are working out. "Seems like the perfect fit for you." Cloud: "Yeah. We've been through a lot--" and he has one of his glitches because he's a fuckin liar ;__;
♥ Also, this whole thing was Biggs lowkey flirting with Cloud, you can't change my mind.
⊛ Why would you make so many beautiful animated cats and not let me do anything with them. Even when they become plot relevant I cannot this is unfair how dare you. Someone on the dev team has to be a serious cat person to make all these beauties though, I'm telling you…
⊛ Turning in the quest for dealing with Shinra's mutant guard dog and trying to guess where it came from. Cloud: "It's a big organisation. I'm sure there's lots of secrets I don't know." Oh honey, yours included :(
⊛ These quests were extremely filler, and there was one I failed because I couldn't find the key for the door in the factory even though I smashed every box I could see… And… the flappy flips… my god… some of them are really, really, bad…
♥ I confess I thought I was going to have to flat out go around saying, "I'm Cloud Strife and this is my favourite store in the Citadel Sector."
⊛ I don't care much for the set up, but I admit this whole thing with Johnny is like… a much better reason for Tifa's comment that Cloud has changed. In the original game, there didn't really seem a reason for her to say, "Wearing those clothes seems to have changed you a little," to the guy to ran off at 14 to join the army and then joined her eco-terrorist friends? But here, when he's calmly offered to kill one bound and blindfolded idiot, and a bunch of defenseless knocked out guards? It makes more sense, and makes her concerns sound more legit.
⊛ I'm also sad we never got to go down to the basement hideout D:
⊛ Tifa: "I feel trapped…" file this under things I did not expect to have C-PTSD relatability feels with. :X I feel like it gets downplayed a lot, but maybe Tifa has just as much trauma as Cloud, and the burden of actually remembering it all on top of that. Damn. Give me a whole story about Tifa and the five years in between…
♥ Barret and Cloud are so bitchy at each other I love it. Barret: Take your money, fuck off. Cloud: Gladly.
⊛ Ah, how much did this bit of Avalanche all having a nice time with each other remind Cloud of all the kids in the village being friends, and him being like, fuck y'all I'm better than you anyway....
⊛ Nice little foreshadowing here about Don Corneo and his arrangement with Shinra...
♥ Jessie: "Welcome home honey. Took your sweet time…" Cloud: ???? Jessie: "Psych!" I love her :'D
♥ Jessie: "What do you think this is?" Cloud: "A proposition…" [eyes emoji]


♥ Biggs and Wedge crashing the party.
⊛ I kind of love how Cloud is just totally accepting of the unusually big explosion in the reactor and whatever reason Jessie gives for it. It's just water off his back. Meanwhile Jessie is definitely blaming herself, this poor thing.
♥ She wants to rob Shinra?? Cloud: "Good luck with that." Jessie: "With your help, we won't need luck." Ah, that callback :'D
♥ It's the bike mini game!!! Except this time I actually love it!!!!
♥ Cloud: "Someone's having fun. Jessie: "How could I not?! Pursued by villains, a young couple thrust together by fate race through the neon-streaked night…" Cloud: "Get off!" :"D
♥ Biggs: "That's an ex-SOLDIER for ya. Next to him, we look like kids on trikes." Jessie: "You're damn right you do!" Biggs: "You're part of that 'we' too, you know." [wheeze]
⊛ This boss battle with Roche was kind of fun, but… why does he talk like that…
♥ Passing Jessie's test… by the skin of my teeth (^_^) Cloud: "Didn't want you to fall." Jessie: "So now I'm too weak to stay on a bike?" Cloud: "...Just hold on tight, will you?" Jessie: [!] "I think… I might be falling after all…" :"D
⊛ Jessie: "Here we are -- the employee housing district. Where they put you when your parents work for Shinra." I did not see this coming.
♥ Wedge stopping to try and pet cats :') Me too, man, me too.
♥ Cloud's not invited for dinner! He has to wait outside like a pleb D: At least he's got the cats.
⊛ I loved this whole part. So much detail here about Jessie. An actress at the Gold Saucer. What mako can do to people
⊛ Jessie: "Just do the thing where you draw everyone's attention away, like you did at my parents'. What's the word again? Maybe I'm more nervous than I thought." Cloud: [not missing a beat] "Diversion." Jessie: "Yeah, that! Nice one, military man." Square, please don't target my competency kink this way… Seriously though, I do love how knowledgeable and skilled Cloud is. He managed to give Sephiroth as good as he got, back in Nibelheim. And he's not even a real SOLDIER. It does make me wonder what it was about him that means he didn't make selection way back when.
♥ Cloud wanting to hear what happened to Jessie's dad.
♥ Aaaaa, a flashback. Look at these kids. Cloud's eyes were such a lovely normal blue. Wanting to be the best of the best. Like Sephiroth. Poor kid… I love the way he remembers Tifa saying, "I feel trapped."
⊛ Hmmm… do we even learn why these guards are already dead when we arrive at the annex? I really love Biggs and Wedge here though, they're just so… good. Biggs: "Gimme a bit more time and I got you." and Wedge distracting the dogs. Square's really pulling out the stops to make it hurt when they die ;__;
⊛ What is Roche's deal. Why is he here again. I mean. I don't hate it, but I'm reminded of a couple of characters from FF15 who just appear for boss fights and have literally zero bearing on the story…
⊛ And the 'real' Avalanche coming to save the day. Ah, Biggs does say it: "First guests to the party." I love this little nugget of worldbuilding, the conflict between we're the ones bombing reactors and they're the ones killing guards and running around with mil-spec gear. And the reference to the war with Wutai at as well. I always loved that FF7 is kind of… a dirty story. Not just all the sex references and cussing, but this whole game is all grey and I love it.
♥ I love that Wedge gets shot in the ass and the game could totally have made him the… um, butt of the joke... ? But Biggs and Jessie are so loving with him? And any joke made is one that Wedge is in on. At no point are they laughing at him. AND CLOUD LAUGHS TOO AND THEY TOTALLY SEE IT :"D
♥ Jessie wants to parachute off the plate! "This is gonna be fun!" I can't with her :") And the whole thing trying to whisper to Cloud :")
♥ Wedge: "Why do you have to be such a hard-ass, bro?" Cloud: "I ain't your bro." :") but then when he's wishing he did more and Cloud says, "You did enough. You took one for the team. Be proud." My heart!
♥ Biggs 'worst-casing' it.
♥ I love Cloud's reaction to Jessie throwing herself on him! Cloud: "Okay, I get it. Mind letting me breathe?" Jessie: "Depends. Mind coming over tomorrow night? My roommates should all be out for a while." Cloud: "Are you seriously that desperate? Just let go already." Let me tell you, I always really looking forward to seeing this date, or whatever it turns out to be, and it was a FOUR WHOLE chapters before I remembered, wait… that's not possible because it's the next time I see Jessie she'll be dying ;___;
♥ I love the next scene with Cloud and Tifa too. Lowkey adorable.
⊛ These creepy spectres again, except this time the whole party can see them and we have to fight them too. And it's fucking. creepy. I'm pretty sure at this point I still didn't have any ideas as to their purpose. Besides being creepy. I do love their little battle couple "Ready?" "You know it."
♥ Ah, this little thing -- Jessie: "This is so embarrassing. Hate playing the damsel in distress." Cloud: "It happens." God, he's always just so… nice. When he's not being a total dick.
♥ Barret: "Okay… So here's the thing…" Cloud: "I'm gonna need a raise." Barret: "Consider it done!" :"D
♥ Those two guards again :'D the rookie is trying to invite the senior to Loveless while they're on duty :')
♥ Barret: "Ain't no stopping this train we're on, son. A lot of people risked their lives to get it rolling."



PART 1 -- PART 2 -- PART 3 -- PART 4 -- PART 5

Comments

[wheatear]

Great list, this reminds me of all the little things that are so good about the game! The two guards are a great touch. All the character moments. The kid versions of the characters are all completely adorable.

I was so bad at the bike mini-game that Jessie told me I failed the test, haha. She's super flirty either way though.

[amovingtarget]

I was so bad at the bike mini-game that Jessie told me I failed the test, haha.

Oh no (^_^) This was the first of a few player determined bits of the game that I didn't realise at first! But yeah, Jessie's so great! :"D

[enemyofperfect]

I continue to really love how much you ship everyone with everyone. :')

[amovingtarget]

Can't stop won't stop (^_^)