The Shinra corporation has built reactors all over the world built to drain the life-forces of the planet causing the planet to become weak.
Cloud Strife a cold hearted mercenary and aslo the games 'Main Character' accepts a mission from a group of eco-warriors named AVALANCHE, there first mission is to destroy a reactor built to drain the planet. As you travel through the game you uncover more secrets and encounter more friends to help you on your way.
It is difficult not to give anything away whilst trying to explain the story but Final Fantasy 7 is definitely anything but straight forward in its storyline springing on many surprises along the way.

Originally a member of SOLDIER he is now a mercenary who will take any job, after accepting a mission from AVALANCHE he gets caught up in a desperate struggle for the life of the planet.

Age - 21
Weapon - Sword
Birthplace - Nibelheim

Head of the AVALANCHE resistance who fight against Shinra Inc, who has monopolised Mako energy sucking it from the Earth, He relies on brute force and his Gun-Arm to see him through any fight.

Age - 35
Weapon - Gun-Arm
Birthplace - Corel Village

A main member of AVALANCHE, her and Cloud were childhood friends, although she has strong feelings for him she will never admit it.
With her martial arts training in her home town Tifa is a fierce one who can pack a powerful punch and take on any enemy.

Age - 20
Weapon - Glove
Birthplace - Nibelheim

Aeris met Cloud whilst selling flowers on the streets of Midgar. She joined him and AVALANCHE soon after. Her unusual abilities allow her to use magic but seems more interested in the deepening love triangle between her Tifa and Cloud.
Aeris is also a descendant of the ancients (a race also known as the Cetra)and is the last clear blood relation left alive.

Age - 22
Weapon - Rod
Birthplace - Unknown

(Just in case anyone is wondering I am aware that Aeris is the poorly translated version of her name but I thought I would stick with how it is in the game and not use the true name 'Aerith').

As his name implies he is an animal with fire red fur,but underneath his fierce exterior is an intelligence surpassing that of any human, not much is known of him not even his real name.
He joins Cloud and the others after the rescue him from a Shinra Laboratory.

Age - 16 (human years) 48 (in his own)
Weapon - Head-Dress
Birthplace - Cosmo Canyon

A tough-talking warm hearted pilot who hasn't forgotten his dreams of reaching outer space.
Known as the best pilot land or sea.
He jumps into any battle regardless of danger and is a fearless fighter.

Age - 32
Weapon - Spear
Birthplace - Unknown (lives in Rocket town)

Cait Sith rides on the back of a huge stuffed Mog which he brought to life, he is forever barking orders and creating dopey attacks, when his slot machine attack works the enemy line looks like an overturned toy box.
His Hobby is fortune telling and much like his personality it is very unreliable.

Even amongst the elite fighting force that is SOLDIER Sephiroth is known as the best of the lot, his past is kept in a secret file held by Shinra Inc.
His massive sword which only he can handle has devastating power.
He is linked with Clouds past as they fought together in SOLDIER and on their only mission which lead them to Clouds' home town of Nibelheim Sepiroth discovered something which lead to his disappearance and Cloud developing a hatred of him.

These are useful little boosts to your arsenal of weapons and characters

Although you would never guess it looking at her Yuffie comes from a long line of Ninja.
She forced herself into the just to get a "certain something" (although she never reveals what this is).
she is arrogant and selfish but with her super shuriken and special skills she is a very useful member of the group.

Age - 16
Weapon - Shuriken
Birthplace - Wutai

- - -RECRUITING YUFFIE - - -

Finding Yuffie is a simple task all you need do is walk through the forests near Junon and Gongaga you will eventually face a fighter named Mystery Ninja (Yuffie) you should defeat her with very little difficulty, after this you must talk to her answering with the correct response or you will lose her and have to repeat the process.
the correct responses are

"Not interested"
"......petrified"
"Wait a second!"
"......That's right."
"......Let's hurry on."

By doing this you recruit the help of the usefull Ninja and unlock various side quests where you can develop your skills and gain new Materia.

A Mystical man, stern and upright while at the same time dark and mysterious.
his past connection with Shinra Inc is what made him join Cloud and the others.
He may seem frail but inside his body is a fearsome power.

Age - 27
Weapon - Gun
Birthplace - Unknown

- - - RECRUITING VINCENT - - -

Vincent is definitely the hard of the two characters to unlock but he is definitely worth it in the long run.
you will have to go into the Nibelheim mansion and in the first room on your left there is a note which speaks of a person who is in t he basement and if you want him you must follow the clues to find the safe combination on the second floor, most people now because of the games age know the code to open the safe but for those who don't.
Turn the dial to the right to 36, then press the OK button, then back left to 10 and press OK, then back to 59 and press the OK button, then right on to 97 press the OK button. If it worked, you'll meet a monster-in-a-box (Lost Number) defeat this monster and you will get the Odin Summon Materia and a basement key advance to the basement and the door before the library enter it in the centre of the room is a casket open it and meet Vincent repeatedly talk to him until he no longer comes out then leave and before you leave the basement Vincent will Join your party.

Eventually you will be asked to stop Shinra from collecting the Huge Materia there are for different areas it is found in if you manage to collect all four then when you hide it back in Bugenhagens machine in Cosmo Canyon and you already have Bahamut and Neo Bahamut you will be given Bahamut Zero one of the most powerful Summons available.

Difficult yes, very difficult in deed, worth it? oh yes it is without a doubt the best Summon on the game capable of tacking major chucks out of any Boss equipped with mime and WOW so how do you get this little gem well... here it is step by step.

1. Catch a male and a female Good Chocobo in the Gold Saucer Area.

2. Catch one male and one female Great Chocobo in Mideel Area

3. Feed and train your four Chocobos. Make them reach class B at least, class A if possible.

4. Mate the Good female Chocobo and the Great male Chocobo with a 'Carob Nut' to get the Blue Chocobo. After that, release the parents.

5. Mate the other two Chocobos (Good male and Great female) with a 'Carob Nut' to get a Green Chocobo. Make sure that the Green Chocobo you get is of the opposite sex of the Blue one. After that, release the parents.

6. Feed and train your Blue and Green Chocobos. Make them reach class A at least, class S if possible.

7. Mate the Blue Chocobo and the Green Chocobo with a 'Carob Nut' to get a Black Chocobo.

8. Catch a Wonderful Chocobo of the opposite sex of your Black one.

9. Feed and train your Wonderful and Black Chocobos. Make them reach class S.

10. Mate the Wonderful Chocobo and the Black Chocobo with a 'Zeio Nut' to get a Gold Chocobo.

Now as if that wasnt enough now take your Gold Chocobo out of the stable ocross the water and to the far right corner of your world map you will eventually stumble upon a island (uncharted on the map) enter the cave and inside is Knights of the Round. Happy Hunting

Also just so you dont feel that the breeding process was a total waste of time now you have a Gold Chocobo entering it into races in the Gold Saucer you are almost guaranteed to win every race you enter.
Also now you can enter any Materia cave which are scattered across the map not hidden by any means but can only b reached by Chocobo.

I Originally played this game when I was about 7 years old and it instantly became my favourite and even as technology advances and we are getting a whole new era of games this game is without a doubt still my personal favourite.
What makes this game so good well the storyline which is full of surprises and keeps you guessing, the game play which is that good when you play it you cant help but get into it and it has you playing for hours and not even noticing how long you've been sat still for, I urge anyone who has not played this marvellous game to wipe the dust of their Playstation and put in Final Fantasy 7 I promise you will not be disappointed.

Crisis Core - This game tells the story of Final Fantasy and takes place 7 years prior to the original game we learn the story of what we all thought was a back story character 'Zack Fair' but playing through 'Crisis Core' we learn that he plays a major part in the events of Final Fantasy 7.

Advent Children - 2 years after the events of Final Fantasy 7 we learn what has become of our favourite characters after the threat of Sephiroth and meteor are gone, we now know all our heroes have gone their separate ways but now they must rejoin to stop their new enemy.

In the original game we see Zack as the man who Cloud sees himself as, both characters are portrayed as identical (except the obvious hair colour). Whilst playing through the game he is mentioned quite frequently sometimes unknowingly to the gamer, the first time is when Aeris mentions her previous boyfriend who was also a member of SOLDIER.

Age - 23
Weapon - Sword
Birthplace - Gongaga

--------- Contains Spoilers ------------

The second major time is when in a flash back induced by Sephiroth we find out that Cloud was never a 1st class member of SOLDIER he once thought it was actually Zack a friend of Cloud, he adopted Zacks role after Zacks death.

------ Contains Spoilers----------
When playing through Crisis Core we learn much more about Zack how he was SOLDIER 2nd class and trying to make his way to 1st class, on his journeys he befriends Cloud, we also learn how they escaped form the laboratories in Nibelheim after that famous flashback scene in Final Fantasy 7 which is beautifully recaptured to show a clearer view of the events on that day. When Zack dies protecting Cloud he gives Cloud his Buster Sword which was given to Zack by his master Angeal, we assume this is why Cloud believes he is Zack in the Final Fantasy 7 game because of this symbolic sword and becasue of the emotional ties also the fact that spending most of his time with Zack Cloud shares his memories.

There are petitions going on all over the internet for make a remake of this game I for one would welcome a remastered version of Final Fantasy 7 if you would to please sign one of these petitions and do your bit.

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