Summary

• Deciding which party to help at Costa del Sol in FF7 Rebirth builds individual bonds.
• The choice does not have serious lasting implications aside from some influence on a date at the Gold Saucer.
• Consider each party's strengths for the battle at Costa del Sol to optimize fighting potential.

Although Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth isn't a particularly choice-oriented RPG on the whole, the game has its fair share of moments that present Cloud with a decision. One that seems like it could be big lies in deciding which party to help in Costa del Sol, a junction point that comes up without much warning. The beach location starts out as a relaxing getaway, but par for the course, it doesn't take too long for things to go south.

When a Shinra threat arrives at the sands of Costa del Sol, Cloud has to make the call to go to the aid of either Aerith and Barret or Tifa and Red XIII. Helping either duo could seem like a reasonable choice, as each playable character in FF7 Rebirth has different strengths and unique points of attachment to Cloud. Neither option will make or break the overall arc of the story, but there's still reason to think about which choice to make instead of picking one without any real consideration.

You Should Help Your FF7 Rebirth Favorites At Costa Del Sol

Like most of the minor choices presented throughout FF7 Rebirth, deciding who to help at Costa del Sol is mostly about promoting individual bonds with party . Electing to go to the aid of Aerith and Barret will raise favor with both, and the same can be said for Tifa and Red XIII on the opposite end of things. Consequently, picking whichever group contains a particular favorite is the best route to go, even if making the call can be tough.

Approval ratings in FF7 Rebirth lead up to a date at the Gold Saucer, as whoever has the strongest bond with Cloud will be featured in the special scene. It might seem unnecessary to worry much about individual choices, but it can be a close race, and it's easy to accidentally end up with a different character than intended. The fact that the decision is arranged into pairs obviously complicates this to some degree, but there's still usually an option that makes more sense for any particular Gold Saucer date strategy involving any of these four.

The Costa Del Sol Choice Doesn't Hurt Anyone

For anyone concerned about further implications of the choice in FF7 Rebirth, there's one obvious fear that can be safely put to rest. Regardless of whether Aerith and Barret or Tifa and Red XIII is the duo chosen to get some backup from Cloud, no one will end up harmed due to Cloud's choice at Costa del Sol. The scene plays out in a way that ultimately brings everything back around to one central progression, and any sense of dire straits that might seem unique to the party left unassisted is only temporary.

It might seem obvious to players of the original FF7 that nothing is going to reshape the fate of any party member at Costa del Sol, but the focus that the FF7 remake trilogy is putting on changing outcomes does gesture at the idea that any character's life could hang in the balance. The larger concern might be the possibility of an unwanted party split, which luckily isn't in the cards. Getting to choose the party setup during most sequences is one exciting part of FF7 Rebirth, and Hojo's appearance at Costa del Sol doesn't manage to derail that beyond the fight.

Which Group To Choose In FF7 Rebirth's Costa Del Sol

If the date at the Gold Saucer isn't a concern, the next best-determining factor for who to help is just who would make for the best fighting party composition. A party that's built Aerith to be the only healer might make a package of Aerith and Barret seem like appealing backup for Cloud, while having spells and restoration balanced across characters could render the point moot. She and Barret are both widely effective at range, which can make it easier for them to stay out of harm's way while backing up Cloud, although they're obviously still subject to ranged attacks.

On the other hand, ing Tifa and Red XIII could be the better way to have melee fun in the sun. This is especially true if getting in quick stagger potential with Tifa sounds like an exciting way to fight, as her aggressive efficacy is hard to match. Optimizing the use of Red XIII's Vengeance Mode gauge can be a bit more complicated, but it has similar potential for utility in the battle.

It's worth spending some time getting used to Red XIII, as a later story segment that focuses on him offers some challenging fights.

One deciding factor could also simply have to do with which skills are unlocked and which spells are equipped. The main foe of the fight at Costa del Sol in FF7 Rebirth is weak to lightning, so abilities and Materia that focus on stormy and electric effects are definitely the way to go. If one group is completely lacking in this regard, it's definitely going to make a generally manageable fight harder.

As might be easy to glean from Hojo's presence on the beach and the quick segue into fighting, the Costa del Sol encounter builds into something of a boss battle. The split is only relevant for the earlier sections of the scene, however, as the final part of the fight leaves things to Cloud alone. Consequently, equipping Cloud with self-sufficient options might actually matter more for optimization than the choice between Aerith and Barret or Tifa and Red XIII, and it's probably a good idea to make sure he can handle his own even outside of Costa del Sol.

It can be nice to have some reassurance that deciding on which party to help in Costa del Sol doesn't have serious lasting repercussions. That being said, its potential influence on the dating pool could still be a big deal. Aerith, Barret, Tifa, and Red XIII will all ultimately be fine regardless of Cloud's actions in Costa del Sol, but it's still better for him to back up his favorites in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.