Your FF7 Rebirth Romance Choice Could Have Bigger Consequences Than You Realize

may 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. The date at the Gold Saucer could be between Cloud and anyone else in the party, but the most likely candidates for the date is between the two love interests — Aerith Gainsborough and Tifa Lockhart.

[Warning: Spoilers for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.]

can be played without playing, with no data being transferred over. Because of this decision, any choices made in do not affect the gameplay of . The options for personal choices and small detail changes in the narrative are far more approachable in compared to, 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 that makes note of Cloud's choices in .

At the end of, Aerith faces the same fate as her original counterpart. Players may have suspected Aerith to continue on into alive 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. The story differs from the original, as Aerith'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.

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