Summary
Final Fantasy 7has been around for decades at this point, so you’d assume that pretty mucheverything there was to discover in that game has been found, documented, and spread over every social media platform going. That doesn’t appear to be the case though, as speedrunners recently blew the race wide open after discovering a new skip that allows players to go from Midgar to the Forgotten Capital in a few seconds.
Twitter user Luzbel789 was the first to share the skipto the platform (thanks GamesRadar), which was found by speedrunners called AceZephyr and Kuma, and takes advantage of movement and mechanics, as you may mount and dismount a Chocobo on a certain portion of the map. This apparently glitches the world map, allowing Cloud to walk over the ocean and through a mountain, and then head straight to the Forgotten Capital.
Final Fantasy 7 Speedrunner Discovers Skip That Lets You Save Aerith
Interestingly enough, this skip is also done with Aerith still in the party, meaning you can head straight to The Forgotten Capital to watch herself get skewered by Sephiroth. You can see in the video inside the prayer chamber that she’s simultaneously standing on the platform to the right with Tifa, whilst also locked in prayer as normal.
We then see Sephiroth do the dirty deed and summon Jenova for the party to fight, which rather funnily includes the recently struck down Aerith. Unfortunately, the celebrations won’t last forever, as Final Fantasy 7 will soft lock during any cutscene that involves the entire party, mainly because Aerith is hanging out where she shouldn’t be. At least you can spare her from getting skewered.
While this little skip has fulfilled every child who grew up playing Final Fantasy 7’s dream, it’s also a big deal for speedrunners, who have managed to shave off a whopping two hours from runs. Luzbel789 mentions that the method is currently still being optimized, so more time could get shaved off as a result, though it will be interesting to see how speedrunners get around the massive level discrepancies. Either way, it’s big news for both speedrunners and Aerith stans.
Final Fantasy 7
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Originally launching in 1997 for the PlayStation, Final Fantasy 7 is widely regarded as one of the most influential RPGs of all time. It follows Cloud, a mercenary and former SOLDIER, who joins a band of eco-terrorists - only to end up in a battle for the future of the planet. FF7 has spawned the Compilation of Final Fantasy 7, which includes a long-requested trilogy of full remakes.
