Final Fantasy VII
1997 (2013 remaster) / PC roleplaying game / 1 player
*****
Four is probably a bit young for the ecopunk RPG classic (I don't even fully understand it now), but with a grown-up to simplify and slightly sanitise the story, handle the boring menus and offload the harder battles onto, she was quickly enthralled, so I decided I didn't have to delay my nostalgia further.
It seemed like a good idea at first. But after we escaped Midgar and progressed through ever more locations in the insanely dense but ultimately finite "Disc 1," always with her favourite Flower Girl in the party, my feelings of guilt and sickness grew as the inevitable event approached.
These unsolicited emails spammed to my brother document this formative event in my child's personal development for the benefit of future therapy.
Thu, 8 Feb 2024 at 18:34
We've been playing "Steam" Final Fantasy VII. Amazing, but possibly nostalgia-ruining - I'm already disappointed that mission 2 is just mission 1 again, don't remember this at all. But hopefully we'll make it through "Disc 1"(?) for that life-changing moment when you've completed the equivalent of a game, then GO OUTSIDE IT and find ALL THE REST OF THE GAME.
Sun, 25 Feb 2024 at 10:41
My vague memory of the most engaging part of FF7 being the early World Map / Sephiroth story is being borne out. Aimee does not want the sessions to end. I've left it long enough that I've forgotten most of the details (I listen to the soundtrack often enough to keep some of it in mind), so approaching the marsh and seeing the Midgar F-ing Zolom slithering around evoked a deep, primal fear. Then I spotted the cave across the marsh and made the rash decision that I could probably make it if I timed it right, let's see, despite Aimee's terrified screams of protest, which proved correct. Then we went to the Chocobo Ranch, which we'd been avoiding thinking it was some town with more story we didn't feel like just yet, and it started to come back. Then the Chocobos did a dance and gave us a "Choco/Mog" materia, what the hell's that? Something related to catching them, probably. Let's equip it and s... red mat-? RED MATERIA! OH GOD, I KNOW WHAT THIS IS!
Sun, 25 Feb 2024 at 18:55
Aimee's favourite is 'Flower Girl.' Always her first pick for the party, with Tifa next. I'm starting to feel sick and guilty. By the time we've got Cait Sith and Yuffie, I'll determine who her third best is and discreetly level them up at night if I have time ðŸ˜
Wed, 28 Feb 2024 at 12:28
My memory of the most depressing part of FF7 being the Corel / desert prison bit was borne out, but it didn't take as long as feared. I don't normally lie to Aimee, to hopefully build respect and trust, but when Dyne (who I think me and Chris hilariously called "Lieutenant Dyne," or do Forrest Gump references predate you?) threw himself off a cliff and she asked if he died, I told her he's just angry and gone away. Beloved character's traumatising murder, fine, but let's not explore suicide just yet. Anyway, he implausibly survived it last time.
Fri, 1 Mar at 19:40
Whew, Aimee likes Yuffie. She's even replaced Tifa in the party (it won't be long, Tifa), so everything will be fine. Yep!
She's enjoying the battles more since we gained the ability to turn baddies into toads. And sometimes ourselves for variety.
Sun, 3 Mar at 21:34
Temple of the Ancients is so Knightmare. This is so dark, and Aeris isn’t even dead yet. Cait Sith told a vague fortune and Aimee reckons Aeris and Cloud will get married one day...
She’s left the party and I feel the loss, though I made sure to keep backups if she wants to use her again. And our Cloud-Tifa-Yuffie party is already noticeably more efficient, since illiterate player 1 just mashes “Attack” most of the time.
Tue, 5 Mar at 04:28
"She had a hole in her."
Aeris died. Aimee was a bit sad. We talked about it a bit. Then she wanted to take it in turns playing Aeris getting killed.
Anyway, never mind - let's go snowboarding! Wheee! CRASH! Haha!
