Cloud Strife

[Saints&Storms]

Cloud Strife

I see a LOT of people bashing Cloud or ranting about how overrated he has become or was in the first place. Peopl have also been saying things about Zack Fair being a better Main for Final Fantasy VII, It seems like an ongoing thing, what I want to know is why people think that an added character (Well somwhat added anyway) makes a better Protaganist than the original Character? I have also seen that it upsets fans that Cloud is so much more popular than other FF characters are: like How he appears in all of SE's works example: KH series, Egerheiz, etc.

Or even how Cloud isn't worthy of his fame amongst the fans or that there are better Final Fantasy Protaganists...

So is Cloud Overrated? If so Why?

Sorry if this sort of thread is not allowed, or has been created, I just thought there should be a character dicussion thread. So sorry and if its not needed just delete it

 

[Sora_lion_heart]

I'm the first voter to say no.

FF7 was an example of what the new final fantasy games would be like. They kept world maps, random encounters, spells, and alot of other things from the old FF titles. The only reason some didn't like it was cause it was different graphics. People hate change.

The same thing went with FFX, it set the new wave. No world map is what turned me off first. That and the graphics were so different, but as I said its just little changes.

Cloud on the other hand, to stay on topic, was a pretty good character. He was strong, different, and having the biggest sword any final fantasy game has seen. He was the character (main) that had his problems and his friends helped him through it. The whole game showed team work and character back ground.

Now I'm not a fan of all the spin off's he is in. Egerheiz (sp?) wasn't too special. FFTactics was a totally different world and not like FF7 at all. He didn't fit in good. The only things I liked him in was kingdom hearts II and the other FF7 titles.

Overall, Cloud was my favorite FF character of all time. All the people that bash him can be seen bashing a lot more with Final Fantasy in the title. A lot of people hold their favorite game and characters strongly. When they see some one else saying "Cloud" is the best, they are quick to say no for they don't share that opinion. People often look for who the true best/favorite character is and it can't be done from polls. Its done with yourself and what you believe. Same with others, its all a opinion.

 

[Whoareyou]

Cloud as a character is not overrated, in my opinion.

However he has the problem of being associated with FFVII, which has over time become overrated, and so in a way people think of him as being overrated because he's the lead of the game in question.

Cloud was an interesting character, not what one might call your regular hero, seeing as he was originally supposed to be from the very people this new group are fighting against.

Like said above, Cloud actually grows throughout the story with some of the games bigger events having a profound effect on him, and making him think differently about his mission and why exactly he is doing what he's doing.

So no, in my opinion, Cloud is not overrated, just the FFVII franchise, in fact in my opinion the game itself isn't overrated, but the fact that it was followed by the release of FF:AC, FFOC, FF:CC etc. have over stretched the name, and as such caused the situation I have mentioned above.

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

I'm the first person to vote "yes". He's overrated because he's making cameo's in every other game, his face is plastered everywhere, and in Famitsu, he was voted above Link as a top character.

Yes... LINK: THE FUCKING HERO OF TIME.

He's overrated... badly.

Then of course you have the FFVII fantards that continue to rape this game and him with comments about how everyone that hates them are bad and evil. It's ridiculous.

The "it set a new wave" "new era" blah blah blah, shit is seriously ridiculous. Just because it was the first new FF on a new console doesn't mean it's God Tier. Seriously, shut it.

 

[ScratchCardGlory]

Yes Cloud is over rated for pretty much everything everybody has said,
Cloud use to be an amazing character before everybody who ever owned a PS1 started to buttrape FFVII which made him ehh

Yes... LINK: THE FUCKING HERO OF TIME.

Link is overrated in the same way Cloud is
also your calling link the hero of time so you must be talking about OoT? the most overrated game of all time even more so then FFVII

 

[King Sean]

Cloud? Overrated? Heck no

He was in a game that set many standards for future FF games and was a great success. He was an incredible hero in a great game. People only say he is overrated due to the fact that he may get a lot of publicity, moreso than characters they like. Keep in mind that he was in a game that had an incredible storyline and was very well received, even today! He is not overrated in the least. People only bash him due to the fact that his personality may conflict with their likes and dislikes and the fact that so many people like him. The fact that he is used in so many games only shows that he is not overrated, rather he is a great character that many fans like and thus he garners much praise. He changes throughout the compilation of FFVII and becomes even more great as the games progress. He is not overrated. Mind you, he may get a lot of attention, but that is only because he set many standards in the game he was in and the game in turn set many standards for future games in its series, and the genre as a whole.

 

[The Witch]

I don't think Cloud is overrated...most the time. He's Cloud Strife. Is Mario overrated for being an iconic game character? No. Cloud's just an iconic game character. He's well known because he's an icon game character.

I think FFVII is overrated...not Cloud.

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

Cloud? Overrated? Heck no

Let me remind you of this post, Ike.

http://www.finalfantasyforums.net/s...characters-2-11-a-36877-page2.html#post670160

Link is overrated in the same way Cloud is

also your calling link the hero of time so you must be talking about OoT? the most overrated game of all time even more so then FFVII

Link and Mario have been starring in their own series for years now. Cloud has only starred in one game. And although I agree on OoT being overrated, I find FFVII to be the most overrated game of all time.

He was in a game that set many standards for future FF games

It set no standard at all except in terms of graphics. The story was sub-par, and the cast of character were average at best.

He changes throughout the compilation of FFVII and becomes even more great as the games progress.

What? Slight emo, to emo, to slight emo again?

You know what, forget it. There is no point in arguing with any of you. We all know where this argument is going to go, and we all know it's never going to end.

I hate Cloud in everything he's in, and you guys love him. I'm not changing my opinion, and you guys aren't going to change yours.

Hey, look over there, A MASSIVE FRAKING CLOUD/FFVII LOVING CLONE ARMY THAT CAN'T THINK FOR THEMSELVES! RUN!

EDIT: Also... Cloud... Strife. Really? Bloody emo kids.

 

[Serah]

I'm just going throw in a quick reminder here guys that everybody does have a right to their own opinions on the character. Let's try to not bash each other just because they prefer to discuss how they may feel about the character, regardless if they like him or not, okay? =] Carry on.

 

[Dionysos]

In the original game I didn't really see him as emo myself. If this is what the game creators were going for, then it didn't work for me and they did a terrible job, as I just didn't see him that way. The way I viewed Cloud in the original game was completely different to how he was presented in following spin-offs. This might be partly because the spin-offs were a lot darker, and had less of the humour of the original, but I'm not sure.

As for if I think Cloud is overrated... I really don't know. I liked the character in the original game... Sure he wasn't my favourite character in the game, but people are entitled to individual opinions. There was a lot to like about Cloud, even if

Spoiler

a lot of his identity and personality for the majority of the game was forged from the trauma of Nibelheim and Zack's death, and that what followed was a very confused and crazy Cloud, though I still did not take this as emo myself

.

At the time when FF7 was first played, and only FF7 from the FF7 compilation, then people saying "my favourite character is Cloud" probably wouldn't be recieved negatively by many people, and people might nod and discuss reasons, or just accept "ok this person likes Cloud". Nowadays since Cloud is slapped on nearly everything possible, saying you like Cloud is recieved by some people as not having an opinion at all, and being stupid and a non-person, even if people have valid reasons for liking Cloud, or perhaps just because they genuinely like him.

So I personally think that there are better characters in FF7 than Cloud, but people are entitled to like who they want. Some of the Cloud fans genuinely do like him, and aren't just jumping on the bandwagon. I personally didn't mind the character in the original game. I found him quite entertaining at times, and he was quite a cool hero, but I didn't take him too seriously either, which I thought was great. I admit, I disliked his portrayal in the rest of the FF7 compilation, but some people like that representation too, and if they do then fair enough to them.

So I don't like saying he is overrated, as I don't hate the character or anything.. I would say he is over-represented in the games though. He makes many appearances while other characters who I like 10x more remain put in their own games. That said, since I disliked the other representations of Cloud following FF7, I might potentially dislike how any of them are handled in a new game / movie. I found with Dissidia too that some of the characters I loved in their original games weren't quite as good in Dissidia as I imagined them to be in their games in my opinion... So perhaps my personal problem is imagining characters in a certain way, only to see completely different interpretations in spin-off games.

 

[King Sean]

Let me remind you of this post, Ike.

http://www.finalfantasyforums.net/s...characters-2-11-a-36877-page2.html#post670160 Link and Mario have been starring in their own series for years now. Cloud has only starred in one game. And although I agree on OoT being overrated, I find FFVII to be the most overrated game of all time.



It set no standard at all except in terms of graphics. The story was sub-par, and the cast of character were average at best.



What? Slight emo, to emo, to slight emo again?

You know what, forget it. There is no point in arguing with any of you. We all know where this argument is going to go, and we all know it's never going to end.

I hate Cloud in everything he's in, and you guys love him. I'm not changing my opinion, and you guys aren't going to change yours.

Hey, look over there, A MASSIVE FRAKING CLOUD/FFVII LOVING CLONE ARMY THAT CAN'T THINK FOR THEMSELVES! RUN!

EDIT: Also... Cloud... Strife. Really? Bloody emo kids.

There is no reasoning with you, is there?

1: Please stop with this emo bullshit. Wow, he may sometimes reflect on bad times. We all do that eventually. Considering all that's happened to him, I am surprised that he isn't crazy in the head or something.

2:I remember posts quite well, thank you. I do remember saying that Link should have been higher on that list, above Cloud even. Link has been known before the concept of Cloud even came to be. But can you really compare them? They both come from slightly overrated games, but does that make them overrated themselves? They exist in games that were very well known and garnered much praise from fans. They are both icons that are loved and cherished due to the games that they appear in.

3:FFVII set more than just graphical standards, good sir. It was the first FF game to take place in a dystopian world, have a more futuristic setting than those before it, an idead that has been incorporated in furture titles, and set many other standards that many RPG games hope to accomplish. Trying to undermind this game is almost insulitng many RPG games that follow its lead.

4: The name Strife, came up as a contrast to Zack Fair. A person's name should not automatically say who they are. Cloud wasn't always like he is now. Maybe if you weren't such a Cloud hater, and played Crisis Core if you haven't already, then you would see that he used to be upbeat, similar to Zack.

We wouldn't argue with you over him if you would just stop bashing him and calling him emo. You use that almost every time you want to say something about him, which is kind of silly. You are entitled to your opinion, but don't bash others opinion, or call a character emo just because he may look sad all the time. You would be sad, to, if you had to witness the death of a friend, whilst having a very broken psche after all the experiments done on him by Hojo.

 

[Joyful Blue]

Whenever you analyse something with as much detail as FF7 has been, and in particular Cloud's character, you're bound to find flaws with it. I can't call Cloud overrated despite whatever faults there may be as 99% or characters out there in the world of computer games have far less detailed or grandiose stories. I think it's also easier for those who have played FF7 at a much later date, who already have preconceptions of the game to be able to judge negatively. He is by no means an "emo" character simply because he shows that he has emotions. Squall is the closest there's been to a true "emo" character and he was pretty far removed from Cloud. Just because they are both serious doesn't mean that they're the same. Cloud's serious nature didn't necessarily express maturity though and it was his shortcomings rather than being super powered that made him such a good character.

I haven't played Crisis Core to know enough detail about Zack but from the little you learn about him in FF7 it would be a bit silly to say he'd be a better lead when so little about him is revealed.

 

[Abstract Debauchery]

There is no reasoning with you, is there?

Nope, but surely you shouldn't have just now figured that out. O_O

1: Please stop with this emo bullshit. Wow, he may sometimes reflect on bad times. We all do that eventually. Considering all that's happened to him, I am surprised that he isn't crazy in the head or something.

No. If I view a character as emo, then I just view him as emo. I'm not going to be sorry just because I view a character differently than you. He reflects on bad times... Most of the time. That just comes off as emoish to me.

2:I remember posts quite well, thank you. I do remember saying that Link should have been higher on that list, above Cloud even. Link has been known before the concept of Cloud even came to be. But can you really compare them? They both come from slightly overrated games, but does that make them overrated themselves? They exist in games that were very well known and garnered much praise from fans. They are both icons that are loved and cherished due to the games that they appear in.

The thing I was trying to point out is that you claimed that you could see how Cloud can be viewed as overrated. Wasn't trying to imply anything else other than that. However, I will say that Zelda is a series, whereas FFVII is only part of one. However, that particular part of the series is vastly hailed as "TEH GR8EST GAEM OF ALL TYME!" And is consistantly raped by fanboys.

Which in all honesty, slowly made me hate the game over time. However, I've never liked Cloud... At all... Ever.

3:FFVII set more than just graphical standards, good sir. It was the first FF game to take place in a dystopian world, have a more futuristic setting than those before it, an idead that has been incorporated in furture titles, and set many other standards that many RPG games hope to accomplish. Trying to undermind this game is almost insulitng many RPG games that follow its lead.

Maybe if it were the first game to ever take place in a Dystopian world, I would see your point. However, it wasn't. It was just the first FF game to do it. Any other FF game could have been the first. However, plenty of other games had done it, so it's nothing "standard setting" to me.

Also, the game set no other standard. And the only thing that other RPG's would want to accomplish from it, are its sales. If FFVII hadn't been an FF game, it would never have had it's hype.

The only thing I'm insulting here, is FFVII and Cloud.

4: The name Strife, came up as a contrast to Zack Fair. A person's name should not automatically say who they are. Cloud wasn't always like he is now. Maybe if you weren't such a Cloud hater, and played Crisis Core if you haven't already, then you would see that he used to be upbeat, similar to Zack.

Very true, but then again you do see what his character design was going for with that. "Cloud's life is full of Strife". Surely I can't be the only person that sees that.

And it isn't that I'm a Cloud hater that I've never touched Crisis Core. It's because I hate FFVII, and I'm sure as Hell not playing the spinoffs to an overrated game.

Although, I do believe my mentioning my reasons for Cloud being Emo to you before. However, like I said, there is is really no reasoning with me on this subject.

We wouldn't argue with you over him if you would just stop bashing him and calling him

emo. You use that almost every time you want to say something about him, which is kind of silly. You are entitled to your opinion, but don't bash others opinion, or call a character emo just because he may look sad all the time. You would be sad, to, if you had to witness the death of a friend, whilst having a very broken psche after all the experiments done on him by Hojo.

Fine, we could call Cloud a bumbling idiot. Would that help? I didn't bash anyone's opinion. I merely stated my own. (Except for the part where I said that the game didn't set any standard. Something of which I hold to be true. That was a direct response to you and it may have come off as rude, and I apologize.) And my opinion just so happens to be that Cloud is an Emo kid.

Sure, I would be sad to witness someone's death. Yet, I'm 100% sure that after a few years, I'd be over it. EXPECIALLY after I had brought justice to those responsible. I sure as hell wouldn't base my entire personality behind it, or shun away from my friends, or shun away a woman that obviously loves me, or tell others that I'm sick or may be dying. Sure, he doesn't want to burden them with the knowledge of him being sick. But come on, when you're dead and no one knows, or knows where you are... That's a burden a whole lot worse.

I could blame the fact that he's depressed on the fact that he has an extremely weak will. However, the fact remains that my opinion isn't changing. He's overrated, and I don't like him.

 

[Lebreau]

I'm just going throw in a quick reminder here guys that everybody does have a right to their own opinions on the character. Let's try to not bash each other just because they prefer to discuss how they may feel about the character, regardless if they like him or not, okay? =] Carry on.

I'm just going to quote this and say that this is your last warning. Behave. No more bashing and insults, got it? If you'd like to continue your argument, argue all you want via PM or MSN or something, but don't repeat this in the topic. Thank you.

 

[Amizon]

In my own opinion, I do not think Cloud is overrated. However, the fans make him overrated by praising him far too much and the fact that I feel the game is overrated could make the character overrated as well. So whilst I do think he's not, other factors can make me view the argument differently.

 

[bill114]

Cloud is too much of a badass to be overrated.

But seriously, he's received far more developement than any other Final Fantasy character. Besides his original game (which is the highest selling FF to date), he was in a prequel, a movie sequel, another sequel, and numerous spin-offs (Kingdom Hearts, Chocobo racing, Dissidia, Tactics, etc). Plus his little anime stunt in Last Order and he was featured in a short novella (pertaining to events in-between end of FFVII and beginning of Advent Children). How can he be overrated when he is by far the most developed of the Final Fantasy characters?

 

[The Witch]

Cloud is too much of a badass to be overrated.

But seriously, he's received far more developement than any other Final Fantasy character. Besides his original game (which is the highest selling FF to date), he was in a prequel, a movie sequel, another sequel, and numerous spin-offs (Kingdom Hearts, Chocobo racing, Dissidia, Tactics, etc). Plus his little anime stunt in Last Order and he was featured in a short novella (pertaining to events in-between end of FFVII and beginning of Advent Children). How can he be overrated when he is by far the most developed of the Final Fantasy characters?

Right on, man! But like others have probably said. Cloud is probably overrated just because of the fans make him that way. But Cloud himself isn't. He's an awesome character that has inspired lots of changes in Anime/manga/and video games. Anyone notice the big sword and blonde bad boy trend in Japan? It really only exploded this huge after Cloud came into the scene.

 

[Joyful Blue]

Cloud is too much of a badass to be overrated.

But seriously, he's received far more developement than any other Final Fantasy character. Besides his original game (which is the highest selling FF to date), he was in a prequel, a movie sequel, another sequel, and numerous spin-offs (Kingdom Hearts, Chocobo racing, Dissidia, Tactics, etc). Plus his little anime stunt in Last Order and he was featured in a short novella (pertaining to events in-between end of FFVII and beginning of Advent Children). How can he be overrated when he is by far the most developed of the Final Fantasy characters?

In truth I think this is one argument that goes against Cloud, from a personal viewpoint anyway. I thought Cloud was a great character in FF7 yet in all the other spin-offs that have been made I don't think they play up to his character anywhere near enough and in truth he seems less developed because of this. Of course it was nice to see a little cameo from him in KH but it didn't exactly show much of his character did it? I'm not a fan of the likes of Dirge of Cerberus or Advent Children in general as I feel they diminish the original game on the whole anyway so I'm kind of biased by saying they ruin him a little. At least he got off lightly compared to the Turks.

 

[Brandon Skyblade]

Originally, I thought he was quite over-rated, but that changed greatly as I actually played Crisis Core and FF7 (in that order, spoiling a few plot points).

I could actually connect with him, in a way. The guy lost a friend in a time where he didn't know what in the hell was going on. Even after, in FF7, there are still some points where he wants to understand what's going on around him, as I did.
Even though I haven't finished FF7 myself yet, I'll be sure to finish it sometime so I can experience Cloud's story myself.
Besides, getting to name the party members makes it even more personal for me.

So, over-rated? Hell no.
Unfortunately over-used? Sadly, yes, and that's probably why many consider him over-rated.

 

[Valvalis]

I don't really think he's that overrated. I don't tend to gravitate towards the main character in any story--I think the sidekicks/best friends etc. usually have a lot more personality--but I think he served his purpose well in the game. He was straightforward, determined, and not obnoxious, which is really important for a lead character IMO; and if people really like him that much then it's okay for them to get excited about him.