Floating City Unsettling Scenery of a Metal Sky

After the first Mako Reactor explodes, Final Fantasy VII doesn’t slow down — it changes tone. In this episode of my in-depth FFVII retrospective series, we follow Cloud in the immediate aftermath of the bombing mission. From his brief, mysterious encounter with Aerith, through tense solo battles and the desperate jump onto the train, the game begins quietly expanding its world. We explore: How FFVII teaches combat through solo encounters under pressure The shift from action to worldbuilding in Sector 7 Midgar’s slums and the illusion of scale on PS1 hardware Environmental storytelling and music as narrative tools The emotional grounding of Cloud and Tifa’s shared past This chapter ends not with an explosion, but with reflection — setting the stage for everything Midgar is about to take from its people.