the ranking, from worst to best

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has more playable characters than the sparse offering of the Remake. In addition to Cloud, Barret, Tifa and Aerith, Yuffie is added from the Intermission DLC, and Rebirth also introduces Red XIII and Cait Sith. As if that wasn’t enough, returning characters also have new abilities and combos to unleash in battle, addressing most of players’ complaints about FF7 Remake’s combat.

Party Member Ranking | Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth —

This is mostly good news, but when there are seven playable characters, they can’t all be the same. In this guide we will give you our unquestionable ranking of all the playable characters in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth from worst to best, focusing on their combat potential.

Sure, all of these characters can play a role and deal damage, but are they all fun to play? Find out by reading our full list below.

Aerith Gainsborough (worst playable character)

Aerith is the heart of Final Fantasy 7. Honestly, she really is. She forces the player to see the world through different eyes, and in Rebirth she is more mysterious than ever. Even when the usual revelations have been said and done, Aerith somehow remains something more. Plus, she’s absolutely lovely and completely genuine. However, playing as Aerith in combat is a bit… well… a bit boring, even with her new array of protections and abilities.

Cait Sith

Cait Sith is one of the most unique characters in just about every way. Cait Sith is, well, a little cat who wears a crown, which even sets him apart from our lab dog Red XIII. Cait Sith is easily one of the most intriguing characters, but in combat things get a little strange. The ability to summon rideable Moogles, and then dismantle it to make it a moving target, is a great mechanic and works perfectly when it comes to facing a single tough enemy. But while the sweet Cait Sith is capable of taking down dozens of smaller enemies, he’s hardly our first choice for a big boss. In fact, he is sixth on the list.

Barrett Wallace

Barret you just love him. He is brilliant: a great tough guy with a heart that melts in an instant, all you have to do is invoke his sweet daughter. He has some great moments in Rebirth, but his abilities and fighting strategies are closer to his original incarnation in the Remake than any other character in the cast. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because Barret is great against flying enemies and is also a good caster if you develop him right.

Red XIII (Nanaki)

Red XIII – also known as Nanaki by his friends in Cosmo Canyon – is finally playable, after joining the group in the final hours of the Remake. He has some great combos and basic attacks, and even better, his Revenge Mode is awesome. Revenge Mode can be loaded by blocking attacks, and when it’s active you can drain enemies’ HP. Red XIII is more grounded than most of the characters in the cast, but if you like this special ability, he could become a staple of your team.

Cloud Strife

Cloud is the leader of the party and is part of your team almost always, whether you like it or not. Thankfully, in Rebirth he received a number of improvements that make up for it. Cloud now has ranged attacks that can hit airborne enemies after dodging, and holding down the attack button after dodging grants a charge that can send Cloud flying to fight airborne enemies face-to-face. All this without counting Cloud’s other quick melee attacks and counterattacks.

Yuffie Kisaragi

Yuffie was the protagonist of Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Intermission DLC, and that’s why she plays so amazing. Lei’s ranged shuriken attacks allow her to stack ranged ATB, and you can change the elemental damage type of lei’s attacks at will, meaning she’s perfect for targeting a variety of elemental weaknesses. Once an enemy is pressured or in crisis, Yuffie can swoop in and unleash the Ultimate Art of War to deal massive damage. Basically, she’s amazing. Highly recommended.

Tifa Lockhart (best playable character)

Tifa hits hard, and while she struggles to get into the air, her quick combos make her one of the best playable characters. Her dodge has been massively buffed, she has new combos that follow dodges, and her Rise and Fall > Omnistrike > Whirlwind Punch combo attack continues to hit as hard as ever. She’s amazing, and have you seen her in Rebirth? A vision. If Tifa isn’t your favorite, turn off your computer now, thanks.

Written by Dave Aubrey for GLHF