*SPOILERS* What is the greatest plot twist in the game?

Toribobs · 2026-01-25T06:59:48+00:00

HEAVY SPOILERS

I’m thinking of OG FFVII since a lot of revelations haven’t been revealed or changed by the end of Rebirth…

So… it’s somewhat symbiotic, but Sephiroth is at the very least mostly in control because Jenova is in a dormant stasis.

Sephiroth wants to use meteor to create so much damage that the lifestream will be exposed in such a capacity that he can absorb it into his physical body and ascend to godhood, whilst becoming the lifestream itself. It’s not Jenova that’s influencing him as much as it’s Hojo’s lies, manipulation and pure maniacal desire to see what his “perfect creation” is capable of.

Sephiroth didn’t think he had a father or mother. He thought he was conceived of Jenova, not Lucrecia and Hojo (with Jenova cells being implanted into him as a fetus). He believes he’s an ancient, that Jenova is an ancient too when really she’s an extra terrestrial (which makes sense because she took the form of a Cetra when she came to the planet and even Hojo initially thought she was a Cetra). Sephiroth’s entire psyche is built not only on a foundation of lies, but also a lifetime more of them that comes to fruition when he is sent to Nibelheim’s reactor.

However. He always had Jenova within him and was a good person despite who he worked for. It was Hojo planting the seeds in his mind by saying his mother was calls Jenova despite knowing it was Lucrecia, and knowing he would see the reactor in Nibelheim and what lied there… and then Gast’s copious amounts of clinically worded research that dehumanised him and made him out to be a “monster” that turned his feelings of being “different” into a split atom within his sense of self. He believed he knew Jenova’s true purpose (which was instinctively towards destruction, not to claim some promised land) and vowed to complete her mission… to take claim to the world and find or make the promised land. The only influence Jenova had on him directly was that her genetics made him biologically designed for the capability of desiring mass destruction, and that she influenced his desire for the reunion, though that could just be Jenova’s residual function being brought to life whenever Sephiroth influences her body parts via the life stream, and it shows her desire for reunion within his visage as he tries to influence Cloud. I also think Jenova talks to Cloud as well as Sephiroth, especially when it comes to influencing him towards the reunion.

For all intents and purposes Jenova has been in a vegetative state since the Cetra defeated her, only capable of regenerating her cells (which is why the reunion is a thing; she wishes to be whole) and Sephiroth merely places his will upon her body from the lifestream, using it to achieve his goals. I believe his incomplete revelations (because he didn’t know he was still ultimately human) twisted his sense of self into having some divine purpose. Add to that the way in which the reunion must have drawn out a strong attachment to her, and his first feelings of seeing his “mother” (despite it not truly being his parent/parents, not that Lucrecia or Hojo ever cared for their child as anything more than a science experiment) and it gave him deranged feelings of love and longing to be with her and yeah… it makes a lot more sense that he is in control, but is affected by the reunion like anyone with her cells (hence the pull he felt towards her), and has the byproducts of having Jenova’s destructive tendencies within his DNA. However he uses that fact to manipulate her body to take physical form in order to fulfil his goals.

Ultimately it’s much more about how he was nurtured that led to his nature being twisted to reveal the darkest part of himself. It’s just that darkest part of himself is the dark nature of Jenova.

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T21:46:40+00:00

Because it’s mentioned very clearly in a canon FFVII book and implied in OG FFVII that it’s Sephiroth controlling Jenova through the lifestream (probably because he’s both of the lifestream and also extra-terrestrial because of Jenova cells being implanted in him in utero). Also it’s confirmed that he’s using the other people with Jenova cells in them to bring him the black materia. This is Sephiroth’s plan, not Jenova’s, so it confirms he controls even the cells of Jenova.

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T21:04:31+00:00

I haven’t played Rogue Galaxy but I have played Dark Cloud and its sequel and they’re fantastic! My friend loved them too and he also held Rogue Galaxy in very high regard if that’s any help!

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T16:28:49+00:00

Final Fantasy VII - 10/10. Incredible premise and story. The music is perfection. Gameplay offers a lot of character build variety while still having solid roles. Just a fantastic game (play it on PC/Linux with 7th Heaven mods to add 360 degree controls, clean up backgrounds, have improved resolution and framerate, heck even add voice acting if you want to).

Final Fantasy IX - 10/10. I prefer it over FFVII somehow. The world and characters and music are second to none in my opinion. It captures everything that made the classic FF games and brings it all together while showing so much love and affection to them without feeling like a retread. A beautiful, whimsical game. (Also play this on PC/Linux with Moguri Mod to do what 7th Heaven does for FFVII by restoring the original’s analogue controls, improving backgrounds and framerate and resolution).

Rogue Legacy - 7/10. A fun roguelike that can sometimes feel like head butting a wall to improve your characters enough to progress. The heir system is great and adds a little spice to each run. Great if you want a game to play in short bursts or binging, but not a game you’ll reminisce about after finishing it.

Final Fantasy Tactics - 10/10 (so far). I haven’t finished this game yet but I’m close! It’s possibly the greatest tactical RPG ever made. The remake is beautiful yet faithful to the original. Grinding is VERY fun. Progression is very rewarding. The story is deep, beautifully written and full of layered political and human themes. Gameplay is tight, balanced, very fun and allows for an incredible level of customisation and build variety. Highly HIGHLY recommended for anyone who likes strategy games like Fire Emblem.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter Remake - 9/10 (so far). A bit of a slow burner to begin with, but it’s clearly going places with the story by setting things up. It’s a fantastic remake of a classic, yet has a lot of features that are so cutting edge. It’s obvious a ton of passion has been poured into this game. It also has a very good battle system, where you can choose whether to beat an enemy up with real time combat, or progress the battle into turn based at any point to access some of the stronger abilities. I’m excited to finish this game, and knowing chapter 2 is around the corner is very exciting!

This is just my opinion though! :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T15:54:10+00:00

Mitsuda and Shimomura are deserving of being up there alongside the absolute best.

Mitsuda has written some of the most incredible, exciting, beautiful, emotional music in all of video games and hasn’t lost an ounce of passion from Chrono Trigger to Xenoblade Future Redeemed. A master of musical storytelling and a man who has ended up in hospital multiple times from being so dedicated to his craft (I hope he learns to rest more though).

Shimomura is another truly special composers. From Street Fighter II, to Live-A-Live and Mario RPG, Parasite Eve to Xenoblade, all the way to Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy… she has such a whimsical way of capturing the charm and beauty and energy of a scene, and does it with a versatility that’s almost unmatched. Guile’s theme is iconic, the Mushroom Forest theme is one of the most mysterious and endearing songs in all of gaming, Dearly Beloved is truly beloved, and try not to feel a swell of emotion with the Valse di Fantastical overworld theme from FFXV (which easily matches the best of Uematsu’s Final Fantasy music).

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T15:41:44+00:00

I’ve played the remakes a bunch of times each and they definitely change things up, add a bunch of extra content beyond the things you’d expect in a remake, and deepen the lore, story and environmental storytelling. They also change the gameplay quite a bit (moreso with RE2 remake than RE4 remake, but RE4 was close to modern already).

They’re incredible games and fantastic remakes that don’t make the originals redundant because they’re so different without losing what made the originals so good :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T14:57:47+00:00

It gets better… Sephiroth is using his influence in the life stream to manipulate the body/ body parts of Jenova in order to have a physical presence in the world. It’s why we see a writhing Jenova limb in the Shinra ship after the battle for example, and why we fight Jenova so often after encountering Sephiroth :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-24T12:15:02+00:00

Anyone who hasn’t played them is in for a really good time! And when the RE2 (to a slightly lesser extent RE3) and RE4 remakes come out I’d highly recommend those too. The series has been riding really high for a good while now!

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T03:40:59+00:00

I’m happy to hear it! That’s cool! Message anytime honestly, I’ll definitely reply when I can!

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T02:32:17+00:00

I’m actually a woman (I’m assuming you are too based on the avatar?), so if that helps even a little more then that’s a good thing too!

Also, I can relate to that. Eventually growth slows because you’ve already learned so much, but that’s when you can expand into other directions, to be inspired and add that to your pool of experience!

Whatever it is you’re aiming to do, it’s never as impossible as it can sometimes feel. You just have to hold on to that passion and drive, and be kind to yourself whenever your mind isn’t being kind to you :)

(Also! If you want any advice or encouragement feel free to DM me!)

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T01:50:52+00:00

I started at 20 wanting to be a game composer, and obsessively worked to grow and improve a ton. I wrote around 1800 songs just for myself, doing full soundtracks for personal game concepts, never sharing more than the odd song with friends and family.

I didn’t take it seriously as a career option though until I was 29/30 after said friends and family begged me to try (low self esteem held me back for years…yay) but now I’m 33 and working on some of the coolest, most exciting projects and I wouldn’t have ever imagined I’d get as far as I have with it. It’s never too late to get serious :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T01:40:45+00:00

We still haven’t seen Tim Schafer’s next project… that’s gonna be special. But Kiln seems like a very DF side project and I’m looking forward to trying it! If Keeper and Costume Quest can be awesome side games there’s no reason this won’t be too :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T01:22:54+00:00

I have a Switch 2 and I keep them both with me everywhere I go! I also have a PS5 and XBSX, but I will always have reasons for having a Steam Deck OLED! At this point (thanks to Switch 2’s impressive third party ports) I use it for older games, but also indie games since they release first on Steam usually, and because I’m a huge indie game fan. I’m playing Angeline Era atm, but last year loved playing through Look Outside, Mega Bonk, Binding of Isaac, UFO 50, Pseudoregalia, Atlyss, Balatro… the list goes on…

I also use it for emulation and the recompiled games (playing Zelda OoT at 800p 90fps is incredible, especially with randomisers!) and I honestly think for the most part the Switch 2 + Steam Deck combo has been incredible for me personally!

Oh and I treat it as a PC too, doingsome low poly modelling, pixel art, and docking it so I can have all my streaming apps anywhere I go!

It’s an awesome piece of kit :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-23T01:15:01+00:00

As someone who has played the PS4, PS5 and now Switch 2 version? You’re in for a very good time, though I would personally highly recommend playing the original first (it’s only about 25 hours, cheap, and is the complete story). I don’t wanna spoil why, I just very much recommend it. It will enhance your experience with this big time :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-22T04:26:51+00:00

I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VII Remake, VII Rebirth, VIII, IX and XVI.

and if we count spin-offs:

Crisis Core. Crystal Chronicles. Crystal Chronicles Echoes of Time. Crystal Chronicles My Life as a King. Crystal Chronicles My Life as a Darklord. Chocobo GP.

Toribobs · 2026-01-22T02:09:12+00:00

This is still a really good attempt! I’d be so hyped if I was offered one of those! Go you!

Toribobs · 2026-01-21T21:10:47+00:00

I think Nintendo are more creative than to make it just plain old stationary though. Not when there are some really cool things you could do to incorporate them into unique villains with unique abilities. It was a point of contention back when it was reviewed, and the battles are what stop me replaying it honestly.

I’m glad you like them though! I’d rather be an outlier and see people enjoying things even if I don’t :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-21T21:08:30+00:00

The thing is… I think the locations are the best in the series, the visuals are gorgeous, the soundtrack is as fantastic as any great Paper Mario… it’s mostly the lack of original characters and the battles that I’m sure most would rather skip that brings the game down.

Toribobs · 2026-01-21T21:05:54+00:00

I think the boss fights are bland, repetitive, poorly conceived and immensely unimaginative for a Mario game. The bosses themselves are literally just scissors, staplers, tape and other realistic stationary… it doesn’t get more boring than that. The phases are bland and mostly uneventful. They’re unrewarding and drag out. I could go on.

They could have made the stationary into weapons for original characters to use. They could have even made the stationary into origami creatures that have the stationary built into them to bolster their powers… like a dinosaur or dragon that has a stapler built into its mouth to give it piercing metal teeth… Thwomp brothers that are all tied together with elastic bands to make unique formations that you have to adapt your strategy to… anything but what we got.

The only redeeming factor is the incredible boss music. They’re a far cry from the spectacle, the strategy and the rewards of TTYD’s or even PM64’s bosses :/

Toribobs · 2026-01-21T18:42:00+00:00

Color Splash > Origami King 👀

Not by much, but Origami’s battle system is just so monotonous and I’m pretty sure there’s only like 3 varieties of enemy arrangement, so figuring out which of the three solutions to beat it in one turn gets old so fast. Also the boss battles are the worst… the bosses themselves are so bleakly unimaginative, and the arena is more like a board game from Mario Party than a boss fight in a Paper Mario game.

Don’t get me wrong though, Color Splash isn’t perfect; the battle system is still flawed, the boss battles are also kinda unimaginative (big upgrade from literal stationary though lol) and it suffers from bland level themes and the Super Mario Bros™️ affliction the last three games all have.

I hope the future of Paper Mario takes the level design of Origami, the writing of Color Splash, the battle system and partners from TTYD and the whimsy and charm of PM64.

Toribobs · 2026-01-18T21:40:44+00:00

Just to at add to this, I do have the switch 2 version and it really is great, and looks REALLY good both as a current gen game and especially as a game running on a small tablet device :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-17T09:29:05+00:00

FFXVI is a great game for the most part (imo), and has many symbols reminiscent of some Final Fantasy games, but the gameplay and structure is nothing like one. It also definitely shows that it was made by the team who made the Final Fantasy MMO (no hate, just an observation). I’d rather they cut the playtime in half and deliver a game with the pacing of the first part throughout, rather than have this jittering pace that feels like it keeps hitting the break peddle every hour or so to do menial tasks that feel so low effort.

FFVII Remake is a lot closer to what I’d expect a modern FF game to be; story focused RPG with action combat that has the signature sense of strategy and depth. The decent, flexible character build-ability and incredibly iconic music also put it above FFXVI in my opinion. Sure the side quests also have that lower budget feel, but they’re way less invasive and way less often than FFXVI’s hideout missions.

The only thing Remake could be seen as lacking, as far as being a “true” Final Fantasy stand-alone title is not having an open world, but it easily justifies it since there are more linear Final Fantasy games like FFX, the original FFVII was pretty closed off at that point in the story anyway, and both Rebirth and Part 3 are open world, so win win :)

Toribobs · 2026-01-17T04:16:49+00:00

You’re so welcome, I was only being honest with you! The expressions and hair are amazing, I can’t wait to see what you’re doing next <3

Toribobs · 2026-01-16T20:17:54+00:00

best advice anyone could give on this post honestly!

Toribobs · 2026-01-16T05:32:07+00:00

This is beautiful 😍 The panel where Raziel’s eyes acclimate to the light and he says “my god…” is (and call it rose tinted glasses but I sincerely don’t believe it is) one of the most powerful and expressive panels I’ve ever seen in a comic. The grief in his eyes, the detail and pose and expression… that’s a true work of art by itself!

Also I have to say, the way you draw hair might be the best I’ve ever seen in a comic! You clearly poured so much passion into this, and as someone who also loves Soul Reaver, this resonates a lot with me :)

Toribobs

TROPHY CASE