Final Fantasy VII Part #15 - A Golden Shiny Wire

Part 15: A Golden Shiny Wire

Chapter 15 - A Golden Shiny Wire

Before we start this, let's do a recap, shall we?

The Story so Far

Although we're still early in the game (it's been 15 updates, but it's possible to get to the point we're at in 1 hour), a lot of shit have happened already. In fact, this beginning is actually where most shit happens. The game is not by any means sparse when it comes to plot but Midgar is just dense.

We know that Midgar is owned by this evil corporation called Shinra. They drain the "life force" of the planet to convert it into energy, according to Barret, and if that continues the planet will eventually wither and die. Cloud, like us, has no idea if that is true or not.

Cloud is a mercenary hired to AVALANCHE thanks to his childhood friend Tifa, who's also part of AVALANCHE. AVALANCHE is/was an organization owned by Barret dedicated to destroy the Reactors and Shinra to save the world.

Cloud, however, is much more of a mystery. We know that he's an ex-SOLDIER First Class, an elite military force owned by Shinra. We don't know why he left, but we do know that he has psychotic breakdowns from time to time and hears voices in his head, one of which he thinks it was Sephiroth, another SOLDIER First Class. Since everyone (including the president) refers to him in the past, we assume Sephiroth is either dead or missing.

After destroying one reactor, Shinra managed to follow them to the next reactor and make a trap, which resulted in Cloud falling down a shitload and crashing into a Church in the Sector 5 slums. The church is maintained by Aeris, a flower seller. Since nothing good ever happens to Cloud, turns out Aeris, too, is being pursued by Shinra for being an Ancient, the sole survivor of a different race who can "hear the planet" and apparently talk to the dead.

Shinra proceeds to strike down the Sector 7 pillar in order to make the entire Sector fall down and crush the slums, thus eliminating AVALANCHE. They succeed, somewhat - Biggs, Wedge and Jessie are gone, and in the process they also managed to kidnap Aeris. Cornered, Cloud & others have no choice but to take the fight straight to the Shinra headquarters.

With that in mind, we go to the Wall Market, look for clues.

We go to the obvious place - the gym. Where else should we look for clues?

Oh cmon, don't try and push me that crap, old man.

We're not that gullible.

Oh ok :3

Anyway, Cloud complains more about it but we just buy the damn things. They cost 100 gil, it's expensive and I feel bad about it.

Some kids guide us the way, but we're gonna pay Don a visit first. Cloud has... unfinished business with him, if you know what I mean.

We can visit the place we missed. You're sent here if Don picks up Aeris or Tifa and needs to fight Don's lackeys instead.

Unfortunately, Don is not home, but we can go down to the torture room...

And find one of his dudes there.

Seems like Shinra is making sure no one knows what truly happens. Shady stuff.

We go to the place to the right to see the wire.

That's the spirit!

Cmon Cloud, don't be a naysayer.

And I was like

That's one of the best quotes of the game.

Hahahahaha.

"Let's go!"

I needed to do this wall's justice.

This whole place's artwork is amazing. The background is in parallax and is actually the Sector 7 in ruins.

This session is actually quite linear. You just move around and jump to keep going up. We're immediately prompted with putting a battery here to make the airpla... you know, what the hell is an airplane doing here?

The propeller moves and we can jump on it to go up. Yeah.

We have three batteries. We use the second here... I love how everything is so conveniently placed.

This part is pure hell. You have to jump when the bar is close to you, but not too close. There's no way to know when the timing is right until you somehow manage to do it.

We go up, though...

...to use up our last battery and get an ether. Completionists like to save that last battery though, because it's a one-of-a-kind item, and you're not forced to use it.

We move to the last screen and go up one last time.

The Shinra Headquarters. The most phallic building ever made.

This is a very climatic moment - this place could be a final dungeon, for what is worth.

Place is damn out-of-scale. I mean, this thing is HUGE in proportion to the rest of the city.

There ain't no rest for the wicked.

Look at dat friggin' statue.

Seriously look at that statue.

Here's the trick for old-school modelling - the more primitives you could use, the better.

This place is just a bunch of cylinders. The stairs are just multiple layers of extruded cylinders, etc.

We have two choices- going through the front door, or going through the stairs on the left.

We obviously choose the front, but I'd like to point that if you pick up the stairs you actually have to go all the 60 floors up.

FUCK YEAH

Insert Howie Scream here.

The random people will just run away if we come too close. It's fun to play with but there are random encounters in this room, and the enemies here are annoying.

We find the second newsletter from the Turtle's Paradise here.

YES BUT WHERE IS IT

Fuck it, let's go to the store.

Hahahahaha

Of course when they realize we're here they just run away and free the television for us.

Yes you can actually watch the ad.

We can't steal from the store though.

Because we're nice guys etc.

Haha

Anyways, we take the elevator because that obviously can't go wrong.

Cloud back to being an asshole.

Aww

The elevator here stops randomly at some floors, which usually ends up in us fighting random enemies.

This little jerk likes to hide. He hid right before I confirmed to cast Bolt.

He also likes to put [Confusion] on your members. See when I say the random enemies are harder than bosses?

We exit on Floor 59, which is great and all...

These are Mighty Grunts. They have good defense. I think the enemies here put up a decent challenge, it's really surprising.

Here's the gimmick about the building - We need keycards to access the higher floors. For example, having the Keycard 63 grants us access all the way to the 63th floor.

I really, really think this place would make a great last dungeon.

There are two elevators, the internal and the external ones. We can use both right now. With that said, we go to the 60th floor...

I'm pumped for this.

The most dangerous criminals of Midgar broke into the headquarters and the guard is sleeping. IMMERSION RUINED.

Next Time:

Mini-games! Floors with bizarre stuff that doesn't make sense! Gyms! Megaphones! SHIT GETS REAL AGAIN IT'S GETTING REAL ALL THE TIME.

Chapter 15 - Bugs & Bytes

The other way

So what happens if you go through the stairs? Yes, it's mind-bogglingly boring, and because we're all awful human beings, let's take a look at it shall we?