Recruiting Vincent
Recruiting Vincent Valentine in Final Fantasy VII is memorable in how frustrating it can be to pull off. When players first visit the mansion at Nibelheim they’re told via letter that someone is trapped in the basement and that freeing him can only be done by finding the combination to a safe. Additionally, players are told they have only 20 seconds to open it correctly.
The letter does contain hints for people to figure out the combination, but they’re a bit enigmatic and require some good problem solving skills to figure out. For instance, “Look for the lid of the box with the most oxygen” is a clue that instructs players to go upstairs to the atrium of the west wing and pick up the Enemy Launcher, only to check back again to find the number. Another requires players to listen attentively to creaking floorboards and follow where the sound directs them to. The best one of all is written in invisible ink.
This moment in Final Fantasy VII could very well be the point where many players pulled their hair out.
