First-Time Fantasy: "Twiggy" Plays Final Fantasy VII For The First-Time.

Join him as he catalogues his progress but beware, if you’re still planning on playing through Final Fantasy VII for yourself, there are spoilers ahead.</em>

Final Fantasy VII just became road-rash. I'm riding on the back of a huge motorcycle, wielding my elongated sword. I've got to protect Barrett and the others. They're in a truck just ahead. We've escaped from the Shinra building, Aeris in tow. Rescued her. Saved her. But dude, has the whole story turned on its head.

Y'see a few things happened during our visit to the Shinra building. Firstly, we've found out that the Ancients (i.e. Aeris) are able to locate the Promised Land. Of course, that's entirely what the Shinra want with Aeris - they want to find the Promise Land for their personal gains.

Oddly enough though. Shortly after we discover the Shinra's intent, we're left in a prison cell. Where things turn very sour in the Shinra building. The prison door's left open, and everyone outside of it has been murdered. Including the President, who's left slumped over his desk with the sword of Sephiroth pointing out of him. Sephiroth? Sephiroth did this? He's back?

Apparently he's protecting the Promised Land. I think there was a murmur of Sephiroth being an Ancient too but I didn't quite catch that. There's no time to think anyway. Apparently the President's son has just flown in. He intends to rule Midgar with fear. I must stop him.

I signal for Barrett, Aeris, Tifa, and our new friend Red XIII - an experiment held with Aeris - to go on without me. They catch the elevator out and are on their way.

I'm left fighting Rufus, the new President of Shinra. He's strong, but not as strong as he thinks. I batter him but he retreats. We gotta get the hell out. Turns out Tifa waited for me. We hit the elevator and get the hell out. Turns out I've spotted a nice resource of Shinra's vehicles on the way. Let's leave in style.

After dealing with our pursuers, we head to the town of Kalm. There's a world to save. It's here in Kalm's Inn that Cloud reveals his past in SOLDIER with Sephiroth. It's a beautiful sequence of gameplay and cinematics, in which I revisit my home-town, and tell my new-friends about one of my early adventures. I even happen across a pair of Tifa's underwear when visiting her family home. I tell her I didn't take them with me, but I totally did.

Sephiroth and I are in search of a failed Mako reactor. It's here we discover the truth about the Shinra. They're breeding monsters. Creating strange people.

Sephiroth seems really upset.

Game Clock: 06:02:48.