As an artist, one of the greatest joys is seeing one's hard work in a polished condition, and that is a joy that Briana White was able to experience earlier this week. White is the voice actress for Aerith in Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and while playing through the game she had a heartwarming moment.
The moment in question is when Cloud first meets Aerith towards the beginning of Final Fantasy 7 Remake. The latter is being attacked by some invisible darkness, while Cloud experiences visions of Sephiroth belittling him. After "scaring off those things," according to Aerith, she offers Cloud a flower to keep as a memento.
White reacts in a heartwarming way, this being the first time she's heard her own voice acting accompanied by the finished product of the game. As soon as Aerith's cutscene begins, White covers her mouth and seems to be holding back tears.
White's tweet summarizes her feelings at the moment, as she says she was not prepared for this moment. That much is clear, as she appears to have an extremely emotional reaction to a scene which most others wouldn't think much of. This is a great example of just how much work and effort goes into creating a video game on all fronts. Blood, sweat, and tears from voice actors, developers, engineers, and more all culminate into an amazing experience that can be shared with fans across the world, so it is no wonder that White's reaction is so heartwarming to watch.
By the time Aerith's theme begins to play, she loses her composure. It is particularly interesting to watch since it is the voice of Aerith commenting while Aerith speaks to Cloud, and it is very easy to tell they are in fact the same voice. White's video garnered replies from fans all applauding her for her work and sharing in the emotional moment, and even had a few comments from big names in the industry. Neil Druckmann, the director of The Last of Us 2, commented on the tweet, congratulating White on her performance, and Cory Barlog, the creative director for God of War, left a short but sweet "Wonderful" followed by a heart emoji.
Those that want to see more of White should find her YouTube channel, Strange Rebel Gaming, and follow her on Twitter. She also has a playthrough of the original Final Fantasy 7 in which she and John Bentley, the voice actor of Barrett in the remake are both present.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is available now exclusively for PS4.
