There has been a significant development in the world of Final Fantasy VII that has caught the attention of fans and speedrunners alike. A new skip has been discovered that allows players to jump straight to Aerith’s death scene much earlier in the game than ever before. This skip not only bypasses a significant portion of the game but also enables players to keep Aerith in their party after her death.
Typically, players encounter Aerith’s death scene towards the end of disc one after spending many hours exploring the game world. However, speedrunners have found a way to trigger this scene much earlier by manipulating the game’s terrain data using a chocobo shortly after leaving Midgar. This allows players to reach the City of Ancients where Aerith’s fate is sealed.
While the scene of Sephiroth killing Aerith still plays out as usual, players can choose to keep her in their party. If Aerith is used in battle immediately after her death, the game will freeze. However, if players hold her back, they can continue to use her throughout the rest of the game. This discovery is groundbreaking because it allows players to save Aerith without the use of cheats, a first in the history of the game on console versions.
One challenge that players may face with this skip is that they will reach the end of disc one at a much lower level than usual, making them vulnerable to stronger enemies. However, by utilizing a water ring found before a Jenova boss fight, players can nullify the boss’s attacks and progress through the game. Speedrunners are currently working on refining this skip and documenting it for others to try.
Overall, this new skip has opened up exciting possibilities for players to experience Final Fantasy VII in a whole new way. Fans of the game and speedrunning community are eager to see how this discovery will impact future playthroughs and strategies. Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking development in the world of Final Fantasy VII.