Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s wonderful cast of characters is one of the main appeals of this massive roleplaying game. But you won’t just be fighting alongside your comrades in Rebirth, you’ll also get the chance to to go on a cute date with one of the characters at the Gold Saucer. Rebirth has two dates, with an optional intimate moment with one of them. How you choose the character of your choice, though, can be a little complicated.
Opinions about who is right for Cloud aside, these moments are all very enjoyable and worth seeing in their entirety. This guide will go over how to snag the character of your choice for the in-game date. Characters include Aerith, Barret, Red XIII, Tifa, and Yuffie. Cid, Vincent, and Cait Sith are not available to date directly.
FF7 relationship system, explained
Much like the original Final Fantasy 7, your relationship with other characters is based on a number of different dialogue choices and other decisions made over the course of the game. Before finishing the game, you can check your relationship with other party members while exploring by holding down L1 and observing the meter above their heads. It’ll start out gray, progress through purple, yellow, green, and eventually blue to indicate maximum affinity.
Relationships are influenced by key dialogue choices during cutscenes, but also by side quests and Synergy Skills in combat. Each side quest is character-specific, so if you finish that side quest, you’ll raise your relationship level with that character. Likewise, you can boost a relationship by using a Synergy Skill in combat with the character of your choice (provided you’ve unlocked a Synergy Skill with your desired character in the game’s Folio system).
At chapter 8 and the conclusion of chapter 12, you’ll go on a date with whoever you have the highest relationship level with. You’ll be warned about this prior to speaking with the hotel attendant at the Gold Saucer. I recommend planting a hard save down before progressing in case you end up with a character you don’t want.
After you finish the game, however, you’ll be able to choose whomever you wish to go on a date with, with options for the more detailed “intimate” ending.
How to choose the character you wish to date before finishing the game
Before finishing the game, Rebirth will choose your date based on which dialogue choices you’ve made, whether or not you matched beach attire with another character, how many side quests you’ve done, and whether or not you’ve been using Synergy Skills in combat. Finally, performing well in the Junon parade will raise your relationship with both Tifa and Aerith.
The cutscene dialogue choices for dating the character of your choice are numerous. For the most part, however, you’ll want to try and be as nice to this person as you can. For example, if you want to date Aerith, you should select “Sure. Let’s,” when she asks you to check out the clock tower together in Kalm. Others aren’t as clear. For example, when Aerith and Cloud chat in the Junon Inn, selecting “You shoved a flower at me,” is the correct response to raise your relationship with her.
Note that if you wish to raise your relationship to 100% with all characters after completing the game, you’ll need to go back and make these choices. Also, with a game as massive as Rebirth, they may still yet be other dialogue choices we haven’t discovered yet. We shall update this guide should that be the case.
Aerith’s dialogue choices
Chapter 2, Kalm:
Prompt: Want to climb the clock tower together?
Correct answer: Sure, let’s.Chapter 4, Junon
Prompt: Do you remember the first time we met?
Correct answer: You shoved a flower at me.Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: I start thinking things so dark and ugly that it scares me.
Correct answer: They’re just thoughts.Chapter 9, Gongaga
Prompt: Waltzing in there, stirring up memories.
Correct answer: You’re too hard on yourself.Chapter 10, Cosmo Canyon
Prompt: [What will you do?]
Correct answer: [Encourage her].Chapter 11, Nibelheim
Prompt: You never came up here hoping she’d wave?
Correct answer: Sounds like something I’d do.
Barret’s dialogue choices
Chapter 2, Kalm
Prompt: Not gonna have a drop till Seventh Heaven’s back up and running.
Correct answer: First one’s on me.Chapter 4, Junon
Prompt: What do you think Yuffie wants from us?
Correct answer: Your autograph.Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: I couldn’t do a damn thing for those poor bastards.
Correct answer: You tried. That’s all you can do.Chapter 9, Gongaga
Prompt: Wonder what kind of stuff we’d end up growing.
Correct answer: Mushrooms.Chapter 10, Cosmo Canyon
Prompt: So, what. We sit here and theorize?
Correct answer: No, we fight.Chapter 11, Nibelheim
Prompt: We gotta do something, right?
Correct answer: Hell yeah, you’re right. Screw them.
Red XIII’s dialogue choices
Chapter 2, Grasslands
Prompt: One can never be too careful with Shinra.
Correct answer: I knew I could count on you.Chapter 4, Junon
Prompt: I doubt I’ll smell Shinra till it’s too late.
Correct answer: We’ll manage.Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: I know I should strive to maintain my composure around him.”
Correct answer: Don’t sweat it.Chapter 10, Cosmo Canyon
Prompt: Just forget I said anything.
Correct answer: I’ll lend an ear.Chapter 11, Nibelheim
Prompt: No one wants to hear people badmouth their hometown.
Correct answer: This isn’t my home town.
Tifa’s dialogue choices
Chapter 2, Kalm
Prompt: This tank remind you of anything?
Correct answer: The place I made that promise to you.Chapter 4, Junon
Prompt: Do you remember someone named Emilio?
Correct answer: Only person from the village I remember is you.Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: Feels like it’s been ages since Seventh Heaven.
Correct answer: A lot’s happened since then.Chapter 9, Gongaga
Prompt: What sort of food would you go for?
Correct answer: Gotta go with pot roast.Chapter 10, Cosmo Canyon
Prompt: Did I sound as awkward as I felt?
Correct answer: You did good.Chapter 11, Nibelheim
Prompt: It was taking a toll, and then you showed up.
Correct answer: Have I helped you get through it all?
Yuffie’s dialogue choices
Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: You’re obviously captivated by my bodacious beach bod.
Correct answer: Yeah, obviously.Chapter 6, Costa del Sol
Prompt: You don’t want me around to save your butts?
Correct answer: You can come with us.Chapter 9, Gongaga
Prompt: I am so, so bored. Bored right out of my brain.
Correct answer: Nice song. Funny too.Chapter 10, Cosmo Canyon
Prompt: Once you die, that’s it.
Correct answer: Pretty much.Chapter 11, Nibelheim
Prompt: What about say, oh, materia?
Correct answer: Yup.
Choosing the right beach attire
Swimsuit choices are also important. During the Costa Del Sol sequence, you won’t be allowed on the beach until you dress in appropriate attire. Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith each have a more modest and a more revealing set of beachwear. You can choose either the more revealing outfit or the modest one. So long as your outfit matches s with Tifa or Aerith, you’ll raise your relationship with them..
Cloud’s modest attire: Ocean Chocobo
Aerith’s modest attire: Floral Delight
Tifa’s modest attire: Majestic Glamour
Cloud’s revealing attire: Wild Surf
Aerith’s revealing attire: Pink Mermaid
Tifa’s (very) revealing attire: Shining Spirit
But by far the most direct way to improve your relationship with a party member is to finish their related sidequests. Note that you’ll improve the relationship the most by completing all parts of a sidequest. Here are all the sidequests for each character. Focus on these with the character of your choice to improve your odds at going on a date with them.
Side quests to increase your chances of dating Aerith
If you ask me, this is the canonically correct choice. To date the flower girl from the slums, be sure to complete all of these sidequests:
- Flowers From the Hill – Grasslands, Chapter 2
- Stuck in a Rut – Junon, Chapter 4
- Rendezvous in Costa Del Sol – Corel, Chapter 7
- The Spice of Life – Gongaga, Chapter 9
- Absence of a Sign* – Cosmo Canyon, Chapter 10
- Beneath Still Waters – Junon, Chapter 12
- Woodland Vigil – Gongaga, Chapter 12
*Be sure to complete this quest even if you’re not trying to date Aerith as it’s one of Rebirth’s notable side quests.
Side quests to increase your chances of dating Barret
How about a boy’s night out? To date Barret, fully complete these quests:
- Lifeline in Peril – Grasslands, Chapter 2
- When Words Won’t Do – Junon, Chapter 4
- Missing Mr. Birdie* – Corel, Chapter 7
- The Pursuit of Perfection – Gongaga, Chapter 9
- Hustle and Grind – Grasslands, Chapter 12
- Escape from Writer’s Bloc – Gongaga, Chapter 12
- Lament of the Damned – Nibelheim, Chapter 12
*This side quest has a nice bit of ambient dialogue where Barret discusses the role Tifa’s played in his life. Try not to fast travel too much while doing this one.
Side quests to increase your chances of dating Red XIII
For the dog lovers, here’s how to spend an evening with Nanaki.
- Livestock’s Bane – Grasslands, Chapter 2
- Where the Wind Blows – Grasslands, Chapter 2
- The Hardest Sell – Junon, Chapter 4
- Robed Men and Ransoms – Corel, Chapter 7
- O’ Chicken, Where Art Thou* – Gongaga, Chapter 9
- From Whence Life Flows – Cosmo Canyon, Chapter 10
- Promises to Keep – Cosmo Canyon, Chapter 10
*This one’ll be tough for vegetarians…but it sure is pretty funny.
Side quests to increase your chances of dating Tifa
Cloud’s childhood friend…and maybe more than that?
- A Rare Card Lost – Grasslands, Chapter 2
- Calling All Frogs – Junon, Chapter 4
- Dreaming of Blue Skies* – Junon, Chapter 4
- Bodybuilders in a Bind – Corel, Chapter 7
- My White-Haired Angel – Nibelheim, Chapter 11
- Gold Cup or Bust – Corel, Chapter 12
- Sand and Circuses – Corel, Chapter 12
*”Bovine Meat” will get you the best outcome. This is also a great quest, so we recommend playing it even if you’re not romancing Tifa.
Side quests to increase your chances of dating Yuffie
You know, the age gap here is a little…hmm. Also, you might want to check your materia the morning after.
- The Saga of Seaside Inn* – Corel, Chapter 7
- Teach Me, Great Warrior – Gongaga, Chapter 9
- Bonds of Trust – Cosmo Canyon, Chapter 10
- Esoteric Secrets of the Elders – Nibelheim, Chapter 11
- Tides of War and Worry – Junon, Chapter 12
- Troubles in Paradise – Corel, Chapter 12
- Victim of Circumstance – Cosmo Canyon, Chapter 12
*You’ll need to steal a Pristine Crown from the Tonberry King for the best outcome. We detail how to pull that off here.
How to choose the character you wish to date after finishing the game
Once you finish Rebirth’s story, you’ll gain some extra settings in the System part of the main menu. Here, you can manually choose who you wish to go on a date with for chapter 8, chapter 12, and whether or not there’ll be an intimate moment with your date.
You’ll also get access to the Play Log in the System setting. This is important for checking your progress with each character if you want to leave the date to chance or if you’re gunning for 100% completion of Rebirth.
Since the original Final Fantasy VII, fans have fiercely debated over who Cloud’s true soulmate is. Rebirth won’t help with that (though, like, the answer is Aerith, duh). But with these tips you’ll be better equipped to take fate into your own hands and see Cloud spend special moments in the order of your choosing.
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