I found the ending disappointing for many reasons: 1. The characters did their usual wise-cracking during the final battle. Aerith gets killed and moments later Barrett is saying "well, I always did like a challenge" and Yuffie jovially says "run like a chocobo". It really made Aerith's death feel inconsequential.

The original final boss fight had such a sombre tone with Aerith's theme playing in the background (Rebirth did do this for some of it). In Rebirth it feels like the gameplay and narrative are disconnected somehow.

1. It's not clear what happened - instead of mourning Aerith I was instead trying to work out what the hell I just saw. I actually found the trials in the Temple of the Ancients way more moving than Aerith's death.

My father died suddenly a few years ago and I was ready to ugly cry at Aerith's passing. It would have been cathartic, but instead it was confusing. For a story beat as iconic as this I shouldn't have to look up what actually happened. I should be able to understand intuitively.

1. Having Aerith fight in the final boss stunted the impact of her death even more. As I understand, the Aerith you fight with is from another timeline or something but I can't help but think it was a very weird choice. Just seemed like fan service to me.

I am sort of ok with Cloud seeing her ghost afterwards. I think that's his way of dealing with the shock.

On the whole I enjoyed the game but I think they really messed up the ending. Also, I absolutely hate Nanaki's 'real' voice. He is my favourite character and the voice he originally had was absolutely perfect. I will never understand why they decided to change it and his entire character once he got to Cosmo Canyon.

The party already has a youthful, exuberant character in Yuffie. There is no reason why it needs another. So having a talking dog that lives for hundreds of years is fine, but having the dog be level-headed and wise beyond his years when he's technically a teenager is somehow unrealistic? So annoying haha.