Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth does a great job of giving the old glow-up treatment to previously smaller NPCs. Final Fantasy 7 Remake did this as well with characters such as Johnny. He was kind of nothing NPC in the original game who hung around the Honey Bee Inn. He was integral to helping Aerith and Cloud meet the Don of Wall Market in the remake though.

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There are examples like Johnny in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth too. The entire game is brimming with great NPCs, but players probably want to know who they get to play in the game. There are nine characters in all, not counting Cid and Vincent. Presumably, they will be playable in the third and final game, but for now, they are there for support only. This will be a spoiler-free discussion overall.

9 Zack

Strong When He Is Around

• Weapon Type: Buster Sword
• Good At: Smashing Foes With His Sword
• Bad At: Diversity

Zack is the first character players will start with in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. He will enter Midgar with a catatonic Cloud, hand him over to Kyrie, and then Zack will charge into battle to save Aerith. This section is wild, but there isn’t much to it. Zack will be playable for short periods, around five to ten minutes, throughout the rest of the game too but he isn’t a big part of the playable roster. He does, however, play a big role in the story, which won’t be spoiled.

When Does Zack Become Playable?

Zack is one of the first playable characters starting in Chapter One. He, unlike most playable characters, does not join the main party, and players instead use him for story-specific purposes that are mostly non-battle related.

8 Sephiroth

From Hero To Villain

• Weapon Type: Masamune
• Good At: Powerful Magic and Long Ranged Swordplay
• Bad At: N/A

Sephiroth is the second controllable character in the game. Once Zack’s section is over, the game will go into Cloud reminiscing about a Shinra trip he took with Sephiroth to Nibelheim. After this initial battle, the gameplay will switch over to Cloud. Eventually, players can swap between Cloud and Sephiroth again on the battlefield, and Sephiroth is unsurprisingly very powerful. From long-reaching sword blows to powerful magic beyond Cloud’s reach, he is a powerhouse for a limited portion of the game.

When Does Sephiroth Become Playable?

Sephiroth is a playable character in Chapter 1. He will not join the main party as he is the game’s villain. His playable section is part of Cloud’s flashback.

7 Aerith

A White Mage With Bite

• Weapon Type: Rods
• Good At: Casting Spells and Healing
• Bad At: Dodging and Close Quarters

After the backstory, Chapter 2 is predominantly when everyone else in the game will get unlocked. Aerith was one of the weaker characters from Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and she remains weak now. Even though she uses her rod as a melee weapon in the original game, Aerith shoots magic now and has to stand still while doing so. This leaves her open to enemies, and she can’t dodge well. At least she is a strong spellcaster and healer, but controlling her manually can be a pain.

When Does Aerith Become Playable?

Aerith returning crew from Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Once players reach Chapter 2, she and the other main four can be played outside of a Kalm.

6 Cait Sith

Playable Starting In Chapter 9

• Weapon Type: Megaphones
• Good At: Sneaking Past Enemies
• Bad At: Hard to Control

Cait Sith is one of the last unlockable party members in the game. He won’t join until the start of Chapter 9, which is outside of Gold Saucer in the Corel region. In the original game, Cait Sith rode a giant mog, and he still does in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but it’s tied to an ability.

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Normally he runs around as just his cat form which can be hard to navigate with on the battlefield. His techniques are also unpredictable, but Cait Sith can be fun once players get a hang of the mog form.

When Does Cait Sith Become Playable?

Chapter 9 is near the end of the game, and that’s when Cait Sith will join. He will follow the party around starting in Chapter 8, but he will not fight as a support, and he cannot be controlled until the start of Chapter 9.

5 Barret

A Giant Gun Arm Comes In Handy

• Weapon Type: Gun Arms
• Good At: Long Range Blasting
• Bad At: Slow Moving

Barret is a character that will unlock beginning in Chapter 2 after the party leaves Kalm. He plays the same as he does in Final Fantasy 7 Remake where he was a long-ranged specialist. He’s slow to control in battle, which is why players should defend as him instead of roll. What he lacks in speed, he more than makes up for in power from his Overcharged Triangle-based attacks to abilities like Focused Shot. Enemies won’t last long with Barret on the case, but there will be a bit of patience involved while using him.

When Does Barret Become Playable?

Barret can be played starting in Chapter 2, along with Aerith and a few others. Barret often splits off from the party for side missions with Red 13 and even has a big solo mission halfway through the game.

4 Red 13

He's Not A Pet

• Weapon Type: Collars
• Good At: Counterattacks and Support
• Bad At: Building Up His Special

Red 13 was a support character before, as he entered too late into Final Fantasy 7 Remake for the team to develop him fully. He will probably be the first character players will test out of the main party in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, who have been waiting since 2020. He is not as fast as one would assume, as he is shaped like a slender beast. His speed is average as he hits harder and has a good range of support abilities for the party. One of Red 13’s best normal techniques allows him to spin around the battlefield while players hold square.

When Does Red 13 Become Playable?

After four years of waiting, players can use Red 13 directly in battle, starting with most characters in Chapter 2. As mentioned with Barret, Red 13 often joins him for missions. One example is the Mythril Mines in the Grasslands during Chapter 3.

3 Tifa

The Lightning Fist Of Seventh Heaven

• Weapon Type: Gloves
• Good At: Speed And Dodging
• Bad At: Fists Can’t Punch Through Armor

Tifa was one of the better characters in Final Fantasy 7 Remake thanks to her great balance in speed and power. She’s still quick in this sequel, but her attacks seem to hit just a bit softer, which is a bit of a shame for all of the Tifa stans out there. For non-covered enemies, Tifa can make short work of them given the right fist combos. She even has a decent air reach whether players use her uppercut ability or a Synergy technique to have someone throw her at enemies.

When Does Tifa Become Playable?

Tifa rounds out that starting cast after Kalm in Chapter 2. Like Barret, she has some solo missions of her own or often gets paired with Aerith, Yuffie, or both. A big split party moment happens in Chapter 9 with her.

2 Cloud

Midgar's Number One EX-SOLDIER

• Weapon Type: Giant Swords
• Good At: A Close Range Powerhouse
• Bad At: Swinging His Swords Can Be Slow

Cloud, as was previously mentioned, will be the third playable character in the game, which is wild considering he is the protagonist. He will unlock in the prologue and Cloud can run around Kalm a bit before the rest of the party unlocks after the town portion Cloud was seemingly given a bit of Tifa’s speed because even in Punisher Mode, he is a fast swordsman.

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He can take a hit, and he can dish it out ten times harder. Again, he is the star, so it seems only natural that the protagonist should be the best or near the top.

When Does Cloud Become Playable?

Cloud can be played starting in Chapter 1, during his flashback. Cloud is the main character, so he rarely leaves the party. There are some story bits where he has to leave, though.

1 Yuffie

From A DLC Character To The Number One Ninja

• Weapon Type: Big Shurikens
• Good At: Long Range and Close Range
• Bad At: Overall Power

Yuffie technically becomes playable in Chapter 4 right as Cloud and the others are accepting Rufus’ deal in Junon. Players can do some platforming, but that is it. She won’t become a permanent party member until the start of Chapter 7, when the team leaves Costa Del Sol. What makes her the best is her speed and range. She’s a nimble fighter who can easily dodge past enemies like Tifa. Yuffie also has the bonus of her giant shuriken to hit enemies from afar or to teleport to them for close-quarters combat. Versatility is the key to victory, even though she doesn’t hit as hard as Cloud.

When Does Yuffie Become Playable?

Yuffie gets to join the crew properly in Chapter 7. She introduces herself during Chapter 4 and pops up occasionally after this. She can be controlled in the streets of Junon in this chapter and even gets to fight a boss in Chapter 6. Again, Chapter 7 is when she won’t leave.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5

Released

February 29, 2024

Developer(s)

Square Enix