Summary
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Gongaga is as lush as it is beautiful, though Shinra’s presence is still emphasized in more ways than one. Hidden throughout the region are training facilities where Gongaga’s protorelic missions take place, aRebirthquestlinethat has Cloud, Yuffie, and Aerith scouring the jungles in search of the Turks' hideouts. Though long abandoned, the facilities live on through their futuristic training modules, as a hologram of Tseng instigates a series of combat simulations that test the party’s mettle and whether they have what it takes to uphold the Turks' convictions.
The combat simulator ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthis largely centered on Chadley’s findings as Cloud gathers regional and divine intel, though its tie-in to the Gongaga questline proves effective as a narrative device. Acting under the guise of Turk initiates, Cloud and the party are tasked with theoretical combat situations, facing off against fiends, mechs, and even Rude and Elena, who play the role of traitors to the cause. The irony of the situation is that, of course, the party is vehemently against the Turks and Shinra; still, there are some genuine insights into the Turks' philosophies that raise larger questions about the morality of those working under the Shinra name.
Despite the combat simulator being propped up as a production for training, there is tragedy in how it mirrors the real circumstances ofRebirth’s world.
Integrating the Turks into Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Combat Simulator
The Turks' Assignments
The combat simulations of Gongaga’sprotorelic missionsare played out sequentially, beginning with apprehending an insurgent leader who feigns an attack on Kalm as a distraction, instead moving forces toward Junon to take control of Shinra’s mechanical weaponry. These first two missions serve as a way to test not only the combat skills of initiates, but their ability to be prepared for multiple outcomes. As Cloud and the team effectively quell these attacks, Tseng presents them with a lesson; killing is a vital component of the job, and a necessary means to uphold Shinra’s strength.
Despite the ruthlessness of the Turks' ideals being present in these simulations, the same can be said for the strangely comedic air about them. The holograms of the Turks are essentially putting on a show, which becomes all the more obvious with the protorelic’s third and fourth missions. Tasked with protecting Rufus Shinra,Cloud and theFF7 Rebirthteamface off against another wave of enemies, receiving commendation for their success. Upon their fourth and final test, a hologram of Elena sends bullets flying toward them, as Tseng flatly states that her and Rude have defected from the cause and taken the president hostage.
The Philosophy of the Turks
The ensuing combat simulation with Rude and Elena delves deeper into their movesets in an engaging standoff, making use of the two’s combat skills to hone in on the training modules as a production. Elena laments the ocean calling out as she jolts around the virtual field, while Rude quips about getting help from Avalanche, driving home the theatrics of it all. Upon their defeat, however, theruthlessness of the Turks' philosophypresides above any sense of humor, as Tseng reiterates their convictions: kill or be killed, those are the only possible outcomes.
The beginning of the Gongaga protorelic questline evokes a moral question that Yuffie and Aerith discuss. Aerith raises the complicated nature of those working underShinra’s company, stating that some of them are good people. Yuffie counters that choosing to work for the company makes them enablers. Both perspectives are interesting in the context of the training simulations, especially whenCrisis Core’s Cissnei shows up, who belies her connection to the Turks. Through these missions, it becomes ever clearer that Shinra exists in a gray area, and despite the combat simulator being propped up as a production for training, there is tragedy in how it mirrors the real circumstances ofRebirth’s world.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
