Final Fantasy 7 is perhaps the most narratively impactful game in the entire franchise, with an overwhelming abundance of characters and lore that all intertwine to create one of the most emotionally moving and dramatic stories in gaming history.
Within that story, there are certain choices made by Cloud and others that can sway the outcome of certain events, though to varying degrees. Some are important while others are relatively inconsequential.
With the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth now right around the corner, players are anxious to know which actions they take will actually impact the narrative, especially given the new multi-dimensional take on the story as a whole. One such decision is Cloud visiting his mom’s home in Nibelheim during the reactor mission. If you’re wondering whether it’s the right move, here is our handy guide that answers the question — should Cloud visit his Mom in Nibelheim in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
Does Visiting Cloud’s Mom Impact the Story in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?
As those who have at least played the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth demo saw firsthand, Cloud Strife recounts the fateful mission he embarked on alongside Sephiroth (and others) to investigate the mako reactor in his hometown of Nibelheim, five years before the start of the main story. While in Nibelheim, players have the opportunity to have Cloud visit a variety of locations around town, including his mother’s house (as seen above).
The house itself is found directly to the left of Tifa’s home, diagonal from the town entrance and past the water tower. Upon approaching the front door, there will be the option of going inside or choosing not to visit at all.
While this choice may seem especially important to the narrative, particularly in revealing the truth of how everything actually happened in Nibelheim, it turns out that this interaction is entirely optional. That we’re aware of at the time of writing, whether you choose to visit Cloud’s mom or not has no direct impact on future events in the main story.
However, choosing to visit can still give some interesting insight into Cloud’s relationship with his mother, Claudia. The scene plays out much like in the original Final Fantasy 7 game, with Claudia fawning over his more mature appearance and asking if he’s found a girlfriend in Midgar yet.
He retreats to his old bedroom and rebuffs her pleas for him to find a special girl who will help keep him in line. He noticeably acts differently than before, adding more mystery to the entire scene. Something doesn’t seem quite right, but the visit is over soon after, and Cloud leaves the house. It cannot be entered again after.
That concludes our guide that answers the question — should Cloud visit his Mom in Nibelheim in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth? We hope you found this helpful, and let us know how much you chose to explore Nibelheim.
Be sure to check out all of our other guides for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, such as our list of the top iconic moments we can’t wait to relive in the game.
