Following a No-Damage Run of FF7 Rebirth's Boss Fights from Start to Finish: How the Synergy System Changed the Feel of Combat

The story opens with a flashback framed as Cloud telling his companions about the past. Guided by Tifa, a local, Sephiroth and the others visit Mt. Nibel and encounter the Materia Keeper, a monster that has made its home on the mountain. Here, Cloud in his SOLDIER days fights alongside Sephiroth.

The commentator first explains that the precision block mechanic has changed in this game. Timing your block to an enemy's attack now lets you nullify many attacks. In the demonstration, the boss is staggered in two hits after a precision block. Cloud's mode switch also has a block window, and using it in time with an enemy attack produces a Punisher Mode counter.

In the second phase, the enemy clings to the ceiling, so you knock it down with magic. According to the commentator, it is now easier to leap at enemies in this game, and there are more situations where fights take to the air. Sephiroth's techniques are powerful, and just swinging away carelessly makes the enemy's HP drop steadily. In the final phase, the enemy starts charging a powerful attack, so you build up Cloud's ATB in preparation. Here the synergy abilities newly added in this game come into play: a synergy move with Sephiroth staggers the enemy, and Sephiroth's technique finishes it off. The commentator remarks that Sephiroth seems to have been a very fine person until he learned of the research on Jenova.

When the flashback ends, the scene returns to Cloud and company in the present. The Sephiroth they fought in Midgar is alive. Perhaps he has resumed his plan from five years ago to reclaim the Planet together with Jenova and become its ruler. The party reaffirms their goal on this basis, and believing that the men in black cloaks are connected to Sephiroth, they pursue them.

Along the way, they fight the troublesome Midgardsormr that lives in the marshland. The first phase is played while dodging its attacks, and in the next phase you lure the enemy to the opposite side so its attacks don't hit your allies before going on the offensive. Here the commentator explains how synergy abilities work. A synergy ability is a command available to a specific pair of characters, and it becomes usable once each of them has spent ATB gauge. This time the goal is a synergy between Tifa and Cloud, so you use both of their ATB whenever there's an opening. In the final phase, a synergy ability halts the enemy's movement, and Barret's attack chips it down in one go.

After the party makes it through the marsh, the Turks Rude and Elena lie in wait. The commentator explains that in addition to synergy abilities, this game also has an element called "synergy skills." These are easy-to-use actions available at any time. Aerith's synergy skill is used to attack, and at the end a punch from a synergy skill just barely finishes the fight.

Splitting into two groups to make their way through the mines, Barret and the others encounter a Mythril Golem. It seems the mythril ore was bathed in mako spewing out nearby and turned into a monster. The commentator says that despite its sturdy appearance, its body is fragile, making it an opponent that's easy to stagger by destroying its parts.

This time a plasma-type attack learned from an enemy is used to steadily rack up damage. In the second phase there are more destructible parts, so you destroy a part with Thundara and then fire off Barret's technique to stagger it all at once. According to the commentator, synergy abilities not only deal damage but also raise the level of the Limit Breaks available in battle. Here, that unlocks a Level 2 Limit Break, which is fired off at the end to defeat the boss.

Leaving the mines, the party reaches a port town and finds Yuffie, a ninja girl being attacked by a monster at sea. Tifa's synergy skill is used in the Bottomswell fight. In the second phase, while avoiding the gimmick that comes up from the floor, Cloud regroups with Aerith. Meanwhile, Tifa builds ATB, and when the enemy shows itself, the two cast Thundara repeatedly to take it down in one go.

Next, the party disguises themselves as Shinra soldiers and blends into a parade to look for the ship the men in black cloaks are aboard. There they are spotted by Roche, the man who has remained fixated on Cloud since the previous game, and a duel breaks out in the middle of the parade. The commentator says "this game has lots of strong characters, which is great," and jokes that Roche could probably put his talents to better use by getting a job at the Gold Saucer than staying at Shinra. He's not a strong boss, and the fight ends quickly, with some damage adjustment during the stagger.

After the party sneaks aboard the ship, a man in a black cloak fuses with part of Jenova's body and turns into a monster that attacks them. The commentator mentions that this is the same type of enemy fought in the previous game, while demonstrating that there are moments where you can avoid attacks by staying airborne.

In the second phase, the enemy evolves into something like "the strongest monster I ever came up with." When Cloud and Tifa use a synergy ability, Cloud hurls Tifa at the enemy to attack. Meanwhile, Barret builds ATB and fires off Maximum Fury, and Aerora destroys the left shoulder. This fills the stagger gauge, and the boss is whittled down with Burst Slash followed by the usual combo. The commentator says that this electrified attack actually isn't very strong, but they use it because it's fun to look at. In the third phase, Barret's synergy ability destroys parts, and a finishing technique defeats the boss at the end.

After disembarking, the party runs into Professor Hojo and is forced to take part in his experiment. Since some of their companions have been taken away, the remaining members fight. The commentator notes that a certain character was hard to use in the previous game but is much easier to control this time.

In the second phase, Yuffie says "I have an idea," so you buy time until then. Because the stagger gauge had been adjusted beforehand, the second phase could be ended in a single hit. In the third phase, Johnny, who had set out from Sector 7 in Midgar and was working as a porter, comes to help, and Yuffie's ninjutsu settles the fight at the end.

As the party climbs the mountain the men in black cloaks headed toward, Elena of the Turks appears. Saying she's busy, she leaves behind a Custom Heli Gunner with the words "make do with this guy today." The commentator mentions the BGM newly included in the remake, and praises the fact that proper countermeasures are provided against the fire on the floor.

During downtime, using Tifa's synergy move lets you efficiently build ATB for two people. After a while the enemy enters cooling mode, so until then you build ATB while dodging attacks. In the second half, Red XIII's attack closes the distance in one go while avoiding attacks, and a prepared synergy ability staggers the enemy before it is whittled down.

On the way up the mountain, the three find a person being attacked by a bird monster and fight it. Since Yuffie joins the party from here, the commentator fights with her at the center.

Yuffie has many long-range techniques. For example, her "Shinobi"-type techniques let her parry enemy attacks and counter, and since they effectively call allies to her, they can also protect a companion who is being targeted. Because she builds ATB easily and can use plenty of magic, the commentator rates her as extremely capable. They say Gigatrice is a very well-designed boss as a tutorial for Yuffie. Yuffie's combo during a stagger is powerful, taking off more than half of the enemy's HP in one go. In the second phase it whips up tornadoes, but if you exploit its weakness with elemental materia and hit it a little, you can finish it off with the usual combo.

At the Gold Saucer, a man with a gun for an arm commits a shooting, and Barret is falsely accused. When they chase the culprit, they find Dyne, Barret's old friend who has lost his sanity. Barret says "this is our problem" and fights alone.

In this battle you hide behind cover and shoot. The commentator is surprised that a modern shootout suddenly begins after all the RPG-style combat up to that point. In the original, it was a matter of standing still and trading shots, but in this game the gunfight is well portrayed, they say. They also say that they were personally glad Barret's past was explored in depth, such as how he supported the construction of the mako reactor, and how Shinra destroyed the village of Corel to cover up the accident there.

In the second phase, you use the stagger gauge built up in the first phase to stagger him while he's pressured. You build ATB with various materia and chip away with Maximum Fury. At the end you leave a little HP and apply a buff with Sonic Blast before moving to the next phase. In the third phase your range is shorter, so you boost your shots' power with Extra Magazine, and when the enemy extends his arm, you aim for that arm. According to the commentator, if you reliably shoot the arm, you can surprisingly defeat him without taking any hits. At the end, Maximum Fury delivers the finishing blow.

While the Turks move in response to Avalanche's call for reinforcements, the party fights a frog-shaped robot brought in by Shinra's Palmer. In this battle, the commentator keeps using synergy moves as fast as possible, continually calling allies close, and defeats it before it can use its troublesome techniques. In the second phase, you first destroy both legs. With magic set to cast twice, and Yuffie boosting the power of Cloud's magic, a single Thundaga can break one leg. Aerith's magic power is boosted to destroy the other leg, and the enemy is defeated with a synergy ability before it starts preparing its big attack.

Next, at the mako reactor, the party fights Sample: H1024, one of Hojo's experimental subjects. Since you want to stagger it in the second phase, in the first phase you hit it only enough not to stagger it. In the second phase, you attack with a technique that uses two gauge bars, and the other two members use magic to defeat it. The commentator points out that from around this point, Cloud's mental state starts visibly going wrong.

The women who joined up later are confronted by Scarlet, head of Shinra's Weapons Development Department, who appears riding a robot. As for Scarlet getting angry at being called "auntie," the commentator adds that "she's apparently 40."

Destroying both arms of this weapon puts it in a pressured state, and casting magic then can stagger it all at once. In the second phase, both arms regenerate and magic stops working, so you have to hit it physically. However, the enemy moves around a lot, which is a hassle, so you attack with synergy abilities. The commentator praises this game's synergy abilities as strong and good, with banter between companions. Stop is effective against this boss: casting it makes the enemy stop moving for a while, which makes the battle much easier, they say. After the battle, the Weapon lurking in the mako reactor shows itself. It holds a large materia in its belly, and it seems Shinra was after this.

The party visits Cosmo Canyon, Red XIII's homeland, and Red XIII undergoes a trial in a cave. The commentator explains that there was once a battle with the Gi Tribe in this cave, and it seems the Gi, whose souls had nowhere to go, lingered there.

The boss, Gi Nattak, is undead, so giving it healing potions damages it. The commentator therefore attempts to defeat it by continually using healing items. Using Item Master, you focus on evading until ATB builds up. Because they blocked several of the enemy's opening hits, they could fight in a buffed state throughout the battle, they say. In the second phase, the enemy summons the vengeful spirits of its comrades, so you deal with those first. Dawdling invites Fira, so you want to defeat them as quickly as possible. In the final phase, it uses a terrifying technique that wipes out the party after a set time, so before then it is finished off in one go with synergy abilities and the like.

Seeking information about the Black Materia, the party visits the Shinra Manor in Nibelheim. There, as usual, they end up fighting Hojo's experimental subjects. Variant Rayleigh is easily defeated by Cloud and company, with synergy moves wrapping things up quickly.

The separate group fights the Lost Number, which had been kept as a failed experiment. Its magic attacks can be nullified with Resist, and Bio can be easily blocked with a precision block. After you hit it enough, it switches to physical mode and repeats this cycle, so you exploit the openings to stagger it. At the end, Cait Sith's synergy move finishes things.

Vincent, a former Turk serving as a guard, also appears in the manor. According to the commentator's explanation, Vincent's body was modified by Hojo during his time with the Turks, giving him a body that is no longer human. His transformed Galian Beast isn't a strong opponent, and its attacks are monotonous, so it's easy to stagger. In the second phase, everyone gathering within the range of the magic lets you avoid the enemy's area attack, they say. At the end, Cait Sith's synergy ability has the moogle swing around to defeat it.

When the party leaves the manor, Roche is waiting for them again. It seems he had Hojo modify his body to go after the Black Materia. The commentator is surprised, saying "there are people who'd actually do that," while remarking that he's still in the role of the punching bag. You can block most of his attacks, and all you need to do is counter what comes at you. There are some attacks you can't block, but those can be dealt with by attacking with good timing.

This time they try out the new "Brave Release." According to the commentator, this raises attack power and makes the stagger effect 1.5 times stronger. Roche starts looking like he's in pain partway through, so he is quickly staggered and defeated. After the battle, the men in black cloaks swarm Roche, and Roche himself becomes one of them.

To obtain the Keystone needed to enter the Temple of the Ancients, the party fights in the Colosseum. The commentator says the boss, Abzu, uses nothing but big, sweeping attacks and isn't a particularly strong opponent. You can defeat it just by burning it with its weakness, fire, and continuing to hit it.

But then the Turks crash in, and a bonus round begins. In the second fight with Rude and Elena, you stack buffs and use synergy follow-ups to end the first phase before Rude can attack. Next, Shinra's new president Rufus appears as a surprise guest. Saying "I'll fire you personally" to Cloud, who on paper is still a member of Shinra, he joins the fight himself. The commentator defeats him by blocking casually until Brave builds up, then slamming in a Brave counter. However, even though they win the match, the prize Keystone ends up being taken away.

Shinra is searching the Temple of the Ancients, where the Black Materia sleeps, mistaking it for the mako-rich "Promised Land." Inside the temple, Cloud and company are awaited by the Red Dragon, which seems to be the master of the labyrinth.

The commentator demonstrates that luring the enemy to a pillar, calling an ally beside you, and slamming it straight into the pillar staggers it easily. The first phase ends after dealing 50,000 damage without letting it do anything. In the second phase, Cloud chases the dragon after it takes to the air, puts it in a pressured state with aerial attacks, and staggers it. While explaining that destroying the chest is related to its powerful breath attack, the commentator chooses to defeat it without destroying it. At the end, Tifa's axe kick lands and the dragon goes down. However, Cloud, fixated on the Black Materia, hurries on without saying a word to Tifa.

Deep in the temple, the party temporarily teams up with the Turks, who were being attacked by monsters, and then fights Reno and Rude. The commentator mentions that this is Reno's voice actor's first appearance in a while. The first phase is whittled down during Stop, and Aerith supports Cloud with the power of the Ancients. In the second phase, while watching out for counterattacks, you chip away while safely evading with synergy moves. After the battle, Barret punches Reno, and the commentator comments, "Turns out Barret's got a surprisingly strong punch too."

Meanwhile, Aerith and the others, lost and wandering the temple, run into Tseng and Elena. Raising magic power and firing off a Limit Break ends the first phase in a single hit. The commentator describes this as "so feeble you wouldn't believe it's on Advanced difficulty." In the second phase, you first take down Elena, who looks weaker. Since Stop has a duration extension applied, they are frozen for a long time and dispatched with repeated synergy moves.

Regrouped, the party finally nears the deepest part of the temple. Sephiroth says he will summon Meteor with the Black Materia, and that after the Planet is destroyed, he alone will remain. He also says that the world that escaped the bonds of fate is marking a new time, and that together with Jenova, the world too will undergo Reunion.

Of the battle against the monster growing out of the wall, the commentator comments, "There was a guy like this in FF4 too." Another one emerges from the opposite wall, so you defeat the first one first. When doing so, you prepare on the assumption that it will use its final attack, and whittle it down with Limit Breaks and Brave. The second one's final attack is dodged by backing away, and it's defeated with a synergy move.

When the Black Materia is taken, the temple collapses and Sephiroth goes after the Black Materia. To stop Meteor from being cast, Aerith offers prayers in the City of the Ancients of the Cetra. After that, Sephiroth corners Cloud, saying "You are a puppet."

The commentator describes the final boss battle as "super lavish" and declares that they'll defeat it as swiftly as possible. In the first phase, synergy moves are used constantly to destroy the enemy's parts. The party is chosen randomly, but Cloud's Limit Break is stronger, so the companions use their Limits first. Partway through, the allies are removed and Cloud is left alone. In the second phase, a Level 2 Limit Break is used as fast as possible to end the enemy's big attack quickly. The enemy moves to another location, so you get there ahead of it to land synergy moves.

In the third and fourth phases, Limit Breaks and Brave are stacked to push through, but according to the commentator, with this difficulty and equipment a little HP remains, so you dodge the next attack before defeating it. The fifth phase pairs Cloud and Yuffie, and the commentator remarks that they're "close in mental age and get along surprisingly well." After extensive preparation, the boss is whittled down just barely, and in the sixth phase, after erasing something of the enemy's, a Limit Break wraps things up.

At times during the story, there are scenes where you control Zack, a SOLDIER from another world line. According to the commentator, this game has a concept called "Reunion," and in the final boss battle, Cloud's and Zack's worlds intersect. The Sephiroth battle begins with Zack under your control, and shows a synergy in which Zack passes Brave to Cloud.

In the second phase, a goddess-like enemy appears, and the commentator praises the design sense of this series' designers. With the Brave received from Zack, Cloud charges in all at once. In the third phase, the land mine attack is the chance to attack, and if you're airborne you take no damage. From there you launch aerial attacks.

After that, it moves to the other companions' segment. The party is random here as well. Here the commentator reflects that they've made it this far without taking damage, while saying of Bahamut that "it seems to be pretty capable." A Limit Break using the effect of the HP<->MP swap materia settles things in one go, and the wings are destroyed one after another. The commentator says it was "quite a fierce battle."

It then returns to Zack's segment. Zack gradually increases his abilities' power by moving and charging. There's a flower field on the battlefield, and small long-range attacks can be completely nullified inside the flower field, they say. When the enemy releases black orbs, you lure them to the flower field to nullify them, then hit them to break them. A fully charged Level 3 Meteor Shot can take off about half the stagger gauge and half the HP. Zack is an action-oriented character with many timed button presses, and the commentator says they would have liked to use him during regular adventuring too.

Here the commentator explains that Zack was Aerith's first love and Cloud's friend during his days as a soldier. He should be the man who was captured along with Cloud as an experimental subject, entrusted his sword to Cloud, and died, they say. In the remake, he is portrayed as a man who avoided that death and survived. The commentator says they felt that, for people who have played the prequel Crisis Core, it's a somewhat sad portrayal. They then mention that a remastered version of Crisis Core has been released and can be played in about 10 hours. It covers the history of the war with Wutai, how Sephiroth came to be regarded as a hero, the degradation of SOLDIERs, and more, and they have the impression that much of the remake's story assumes that knowledge.

In the sixth phase, yet another group of companions fights the wings. The commentator explains that the aim is to wait for the wings to touch an element and land one hit on each. Successful dodges build ATB. When the wings are destroyed, the enemy uses a technique that reduces everyone's HP to 1. However, thanks to the groundwork laid during Zack's segment, here it is in a state where it can be staggered with just a few hits. Everyone's techniques are used, and its HP is whittled down before the stagger ends.

Finally, Aerith appears from somewhere and it becomes a showdown between the two. In the seventh phase, ATB is built up while applying the electrified buff. Exchanges between Sephiroth and Aerith are interspersed during the battle. The commentator explains their aim: if they take off a lot of HP here in one go, it seems they can cancel "Heartless Angel." The final attack is met with stacked Limit Breaks, and the long battle ends while watching over Aerith.

The ending plays out with the commentator silently watching through to the staff roll. The conversation between Hojo and Rufus, the companions' farewell to Aerith, and the line "Worlds meet, and part again" are inserted.

At the end, the commentator says that being able to make a game of this scale at this quality is a truly tremendous achievement. With the changes to synergy and precision block, combat in this game gained depth, and they enjoyed it immensely, they say. The commentator's overall takeaway is that the unique combat experience, combining tactical puzzle elements with action elements, was fun. On the other hand, the Black Materia has somehow ended up in Cloud's hands, and the story has grown even more ominous. The commentator ends the video by saying they're curious about what happens next.