MARREND'S PROFILE

Oh? There is actually doubt as to how good a student she is?

Hey! Get off my page!

No respect, I tell you. No respect!

Report! Enemy solders appeared from the mist! February numbers are in! This month, we saw 13 nominations. Which is certainly better than 2021, but not as good as 2020. I wonder if the lack of event during February had an effect? Also, how will March play out this year? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z the 2023 Misao nomination monthly data thread!

My lastest blog was early January. Take that to mean that you are in good company what you will.

Last time, the party infiltrated Shinra's HQ, but, Cloud kinda got knocked unconscious after yet another bout of headaches and visions. When he comes to, Tifa greets him (a relationship payoff?), then has a look-around. Where is this? Aerith explains that this is where she grew up as a child. No, people, this isn't Sector 5 with Elmyra, her foster mother. This is Shinra HQ, with Ifalna, her birth mother.

Aerith explains, in her own official capacity, that she's the last of the race popularly known as the Ancients, but is called the Cetra. Barret then spouts a few lines, mentioning the Promised Land. It doesn't take much for anybody to come to the logical conclusion that Shinra wants Aerith to guide them to that land, but, she claims she's incapable of doing that right now.

The way she talks, or maybe picking it up from various plays of the original FF7, finding the Promised Land isn't as-so-much a physical journey as it is a spiritual one. While I'm sure that the bigwigs at Shinra could appreciated that nothing worth effort is easy, I'm also positive that they wouldn't exactly believe in spiritual mumbo-jumbo, and concern themselves more with what is tangible.

Either way, a video conference feed breaks things up, the message sent by the mayor with Wedge by his side. Their message is that the old guard of Avalanche has launched an assault on Shinra's HQ, and the building has been set to high alert in response. This means, of course, various routes in the building are sealed off. However, there is a path to where the mayor has set up an extraction point on the roof via helicopter.

Things seem inordinately quiet for a building that's supposed to be under red alert. Sure, Cloud and company fight some leftover thingamabobs, but, they don't really pose any threat. As they move forward into Hojo's lab they come across a rather unique specimen that's been encased here. Barret has no clue what the hell it is, but Aerith knows. She calls it Jenova.

Cloud gets another bout of visions and headaches. However, this time, the visions aren't just visions. Both Tifa and Aerith recognize him, and respond to the presence that is Sephiroth. Cloud breaks out of his trance, only to attack the figure. A useless gesture, as he easily parries the blow, cutting the bridge, and Cloud ends up falling again. The fall isn't as great as before, but, the point still stands.

Red 13 finds Cloud first, and decides to give him a hand...



...as a guest character. I'll note that Red 13 was a fully playable character in the original FF7, but, that doesn't seem to be the case here. I also want to make note that there was a moment, albeit a brief one so far, where all playable characters could have been in the party, but, there didn't seem to be any way to switch party members. As stated, the moment was brief enough to not really matter, but, I'll also note that party-switching wasn't available in the original FF7 until after visiting Kalm. Which is very much after Midgar.

Anyways, we meet up with Barret soon after this. Cloud sees Tifa and Aerith on a floor above, but, even if they go downstairs, the room doesn't connect. Or, perhaps it's more accurate to say there's a security barrier that prevents the party from rejoining. This is apparently one of Hojo's tricks. Red 13 seems to think that we have to cooperate with Hojo's request for data collection, on the promise that he'll let the party out. I dunno if the guy is trustworthy enough to keep that promise, but, there's basically no choice here.

The dungeon becomes one where the player can switch between the two separate parties at certain points, with one party lead by Cloud and the other lead by Tifa. Both go through their own trials and tribulations that I don't care to recount before meeting up.

Up an elevator, back to the room that once held Jeonva. Yeah, she's gone, leaving behind a trail of... blood? The color and texture seems definitely off, but, I'm not sure what else it could be. The game makes no pains in telling the player that this is another point of no return. However, I was committed to finishing this game back in Chapter 14.

The party follows the trail into the president's office. The room is devoid of it's owner, and the trail of blood(?) ended at the entrance to the office. The only clue the party has is a voice coming from somewhere. They follow it to find... the president of Shinra hanging off a ledge of a building? How did he even get there?

I'm sure Barret was tempted to let him fall. Instead, he spares his life, and demands that he clears their names. The president, however, will do nothing of the sort. Pulling a gun on Barret, he makes his own speech about what a world without Shinra (or at least mako energy) might look like, and what kind of world Barret would bring if all he wanted was his name cleared, rather than concern himself with the health of the planet.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a blade runs through him from behind. It's Sephiroth. Again. He also runs through Barret like nothing, and a gaggle of ghosts appear to try and protect him. Maybe heal him? Not 100% sure. What I am sure of is that there's a boss fight against...



...Jenova. She gains invulnerability while spawning tentacles for the party to take out, which is... certainly annoying. But, the party manages, and Barret comes back to life, thanks to the ghosts. With Sephiroth gone to who-knows-where, it's high-time for the party to get to the roof, and hit up that helicopter.

If only it were so easy. The Avalanche helicopter gets shot down by a Shinra helicopter. The Shinra helicopter lands, and drops off some guards, and the son of the president, Rufus. Cloud stays behind to buy some time for Barret and the others to make their escape.

Rufus is a lot harder to deal with here than the original FF7. His guard dog isn't too much of a problem, but, the man, himself, counters quite a lot. The only opening he's got in when he reloads his shotgun. Still, Rufus gets away, with the helicopter providing cover fire as he boards. Cloud's brought to the edge of the platform, with the guard rail coming off. Cloud's finding himself hanging for his life now, and it looks like he's barely holding on. That is until...



...Tifa shows up, and saves Cloud's butt. Could be another relationship payoff? The only other character that could really fit here is Barret, so I dunno. Anyway, meanwhile, Aerith, Barret, and Red 13 are on the elevator, minding their own business. Except a gun-bot decided to crash the party, and the protective glass. The elevator went haywire, going right past the floor where Biggs was waiting for them, as he's accosted by ghosts. Again. Guy gets no break, I tell you, but, neither are we. I could really, really, use a hard save point, here, game. Darigaaz.

So, here's another boss fight. The game allows me to acess the menu to rearrange materia, or whatever, but, of course, the save option is grayed out. Of course it is. Whatever. Let's just do it.

Boss disassembled, Barret and the others make it to the ground floor. There, Heidegger had set an ambush for them. Barret is ready to pay Aerith back for taking care of Marlene, and just before she voices any kind of opinion on the matter, a motor is heard from somewhere.

Cloud comes from above on a bike, and clears off some of the guards with his landing. Tifa comes by later on in a mini-truck, with Cloud giving the others cover with his shenanigans.

They go up a floor, and Cloud uses the bike to break the glass, paving the way for Tifa. The vehicles land on the road in relative safety, and the chapter closes. The game isn't over yet, but I've a feeling there isn't much left. How much? I'll have to pick up from the autosave, but, otherwise, we'll find out next time on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake LP!

Valkyrie Elysium



Tales of Arise



I'm reconsidering my bucket-list. The main story content of Fate/Extella Link was already complete. It's just a matter of how much I want to run through Free Mode. I'm not sure if I will even remember what all I was up to in Saiyuki - Journey Wes or Atelier Iris - Eternal Mana. That, alone, is enough to want to put them down, and onto the back of the emulation cycle.